FOOD OF SOUTHERN THAILAND

Southern Thais are known to like some food with their chillies, making their cuisine radioactively hot. Trade with India and Java also saw other spices, especially turmeric, enter the cuisine to ensure no respite from the intense heat.

As you would expect from a region with so much coastline, seafood is a staple here as is the coconut, whose milk can somewhat temper the heat of the chilli. A locally grown and bitter tasting vegetable called sator is another regional favourite, and bread in the form of rotis is another reminder of Indian influences. There is also a heavy Muslim population and influence in the region, so meals are often eaten with the right hand.

Southern Dishes

Gaeng Dai Pla
(picture)
Flavour: outrageously spicy
Ingredients: fish stomach, green beans, potato, bamboo shoots, chillies and turmeric.
Method: boiled

Kaeng Leuang (Yellow Curry)
(picture)
Flavour: extremely spicy
Ingredients: fish, green squash, pineapple, green beans, papaya, bamboo shoots, chillies and turmeric.
Method: boiled

Pad Sator
(picture)
Flavour: bitter and incredibly spicy
Ingredients: sator, shrimp and red curry paste
Method: stir fried

Kua Kling
(picture)
Flavour: surprisingly spicy
Ingredients: pork, turmeric and chillies.
Method: stir fried

Khao Yam
(picture)
Flavour: sweet, sour and more than just a little bit spicy
Ingredients: rice, vegetables (vary), dried shrimp, lime and sweet sauce.

------------------------------------------------