Articles · Topic
Ordering well
The words to use, adjusting heat, adding and leaving out, to get the plate you want.
8 articles
Holy basil vs Thai basil: two species, two smells, and how to get real kaphrao
Kaphrao is Ocimum tenuiflorum, peppery and clove-like; horapha is Ocimum basilicum, sweet like anise. Check the hairs, the stem and the smell, and how to order abroad.
5 min readHow hot is a Thai bird's eye chili? Lab data, and why first picks burn most
Kasetsart researchers measured heat in 10 Thai chili cultivars by HPLC: most 50,000-80,000 SHU, one only 20,250, and every cultivar hottest at its first harvest.
5 min readPad, phat or phad? Why Thai menus spell dishes differently, and the RTGS
Thailand's official RTGS spells ผัด as phat, yet most menus say pad. A study of 15 Thai menus in Paris found they did not follow it. How to read menus right.
5 min readEating halal in Thailand: the logo, what to watch for, southern Muslim dishes
Thailand's halal logo is issued by the Central Islamic Council of Thailand. What it looks like, certified vs Muslim-run places, hidden pork in Thai food, and what to ask.
6 min readHow to order at a Thai noodle shop: noodle, broth, size and condiments
A Thai noodle shop needs four things: which noodle, which broth, what goes in, and the size. What each noodle is made of, and how to use the condiment rack.
6 min readHow hot? Thai phrases for spice level, hidden heat, and what helps when it burns
Mai phet, phet noi, how many chilies: the words that make a Thai kitchen understand you, where heat hides, and why milk beats water when it is too hot.
6 min readJay, vegetarian and vegan in Thailand: what differs, and how to order safely
Jay drops meat, egg, dairy and pungent vegetables; vegetarian drops meat; vegan drops all animal products. The yellow flag, hidden fish sauce and shrimp paste, phrases.
6 min readHow to order at a Thai made-to-order stall and get the plate you want
A made-to-order (tam sang) stall needs five things from you, in order, said in one go. The words to use, how to control the heat, and the mistakes that cost you.
4 min read