Friday 11 October 2019

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand

Pad thai is a dish synonymous with Thailand and unlike Singapore noodles, is actually Thai from the place it’s named for Thai people take great pride in the dish and use it as a yardstick for their own cuisine.
Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand

“Whenever we try Thai food,” chef and Thailand native Nick Srisawat tells Gastronomica,“ we try pad thai first because that is a way to judge how good a restaurant is.” It’s become a staple in Bangkok and is loved across the world, but the story of its inception is one you might not know.

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand
Back in 1938, a man named Phibunsongkhram, better known as Phibun in the West, had just played a prominent role as a military officer in a coup that dethroned Thailand’s monarchy and, after rising through the ranks of government, became Prime Minister (dictator).

Despite being the center of power in Thailand, Phibun was worried. Siam - as Thailand was then known - had never been colonized but was surrounded by the French and British. Siam was also an ethnically diverse country with strong regional identities, and with the removal of the monarchy, there was little to hold these disparate groups together.

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand
So, in an effort to forge a true national identity and - more importantly - cement his power, Phibun decided to transform the country’s culture and identity. From 1939 to 1942, Phibun passed 12 Cultural Mandates that would - hopefully - encourage the Siamese people to be productive, well-mannered, and proud of their country.

Phibun’s mandates were incredibly nationalistic, and like a lot of modern-day legislation, were aimed to curb foreign influence within Siam. Some of his mandates - like his desire for everyone to wear hats in public - have faded into the fog of history. But his decision to change the name of the country to Thailand has stuck, and his ability to forge a true national identity has lived on. But what has this got to do with pad thai I hear you ask? Patience, we’re getting to that.

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand
Before Phibun, pad thai didn’t’ exist. In fact, most Thai people ate rice with chilli paste, leaves, and salt and bought lunch and snacks from Chinese food vendors. But during world war II, Thailand suffered a shortage of rice, and Phibun used this shortage as a nationalistic propaganda opportunity. Thus pad thai was born, ironically from a dish with Chinese origins. The original name for Pad Thai, was ‘Gway Teow Pad Thai.’ Gway Teow’ is a Chinese word for rice noodles, while ‘Pad’ means fried and ‘Thai’ means in Thai style. Some people believe that a similar creation to Pad Thai was brought to Siam by Chinese traders in the 1700s.

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand
Phibun’s son told Gastronomica that his family cooked pad thai before his father made it the national dish of Thailand, but is unsure who invented it. Others say there was a national competition held and pad thai won. What everyone does agree on is that the dish was used to protect Thailand’s rice resources. Noodles are cheap and economical to produce and could be dried and kept for long periods of time. The amount of rice used to make noodles was 50% of what would be consumed if it was eaten unprocessed, so noodles essentially doubled Thailand’s rice stores.

Married with Phibuns mandates, pad thai was promoted heavily up and down the country under the campaign slogan “noodle is your lunch”. The propaganda led menu change told the Thai people they were “helping the war effort” and “supporting your country” all while reducing the influence of non-Thai within the country. The Public Welfare Department gave out recipes to restaurants and even gave free food carts to people to sell pad thai in the streets, all while quietly banning foreign nationals from selling their wares.

Pad Thai, the most famous dish in Thailand
But it worked. The Thai people adopted pad thai and started eating it regularly. Phibun’s push to unite the Thai people under his nationalist agenda worked and the Thai nation started to become the country Australians regularly visit today.
So next time you order pad thai from your local Thai, remember it was the delicious brainchild of a dictator.

Oh and Phibun? The vocal fan of Mussolini and the man who forged an alliance with Japan during World War II? After numerous coups where he lost and then regained power, he was forced into exile in Japan in 1957 and lived there till his death in 1964.

Read more: 4 popular Thai noodle dishes you should try

Source Asian Inspiration

Thursday 19 September 2019

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient healing system based on Taoist principles of living in harmony with nature. Eating the right foods is central to adjusting our bodies, helping the organs function smoothly and in harmony with one another. Here are five star ingredients to make you feel fitter and more energized, according to TCM.

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients

Ginseng

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
Ginseng’s Chinese name, renshen, means “human root,” because it vaguely resembles a human body: a bulbous head on top, with two “arms” and two forked “legs” at the bottom. Its appearance is significant in Chinese culture, because it’s taken to symbolize ginseng’s potent ability to cure human ills.

Specifically, ginseng is said to strengthen and replenish qi (vital energy), which is essential to the body. Qi a vital substance that sustains life, warming the body and allowing it to move and develop. Qi circulates throughout the body along with blood, providing energy to our organs and tissues.

Goji berries

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
Also known as wolfberries, goji berries have been used as an herbal remedy for over 3,000 years, with its first recorded use in The Classic of Herbal Medicine. More recently, it’s come to the attention of the West, who revere it as a “superfood” that’s packed with a potent punch of antioxidants and vitamins.

These berries taste floral and sweet, and usually come in dried form. They are thought to be anti-aging because they can benefit the kidneys and to nourish jing, or kidney essence, which underpins human vitality. Goji berries are also eaten to improve eyesight.

Mung beans

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
This essential yin (cooling) food helps to detoxify the body, expelling heat and adding moisture. Yin and yang are the opposing, primordial elements of nature. To be in good health, our bodies need a roughly equal balance between yin and yang.

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
Summer time is associated with yang, so it’s important to cool down our bodies with a yin food like mung beans. A refreshing bowl of refrigerated mung bean soup – quite simply, mung beans simmered in water for 20 minutes – is very popular in China during hot weather.

Jujube

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
Jujube dates have been used in TCM recipes for centuries. They can easily be steeped as teas or steamed with congee to aid circulation and to bolster qi. These brightly-colored fruits are high in vitamins B and C, with a firm red skin, soft, sweet flesh and large seed in the middle.

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
The seed of the jujube is as important as the flesh. Jujube seeds are thought to promote blood flow, calm the mind, and soothe the nerves, and are often used to treat insomnia. When cooked in water, jujube seeds can reduce fatigue and regulate sleep.

Walnuts

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
The Chinese have long believed that eating walnuts can sharpen the mind and boost concentration and memory. This stems from the fact that the crinkled appearance of a walnut resembles the folds of a human brain – and according to TCM principles, like replenishes like. In fact, walnuts help to lower cholesterol and have been found to contain compounds that aid the heart and the brain, including omega-3 fats, vitamin E and folate.

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients
In addition to helping the brain, walnuts can support kidney qi and aid digestion by lubricating the intestines. As a warming food, walnuts are a great addition to the diet during the winter months. You can snack on raw walnuts or incorporate them into stir-fries or baked goods.

Read more: The main flavors of Chinese cuisine

Source The Culture Trip

Tuesday 17 September 2019

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try

In Qatar, breakfast is usually a light meal that includes yoghurt, cheese, olives and coffee, while lunch is the main meal, with mezze followed by main courses such as lamb or chicken stews. As for dinner, it is usually a light snack, except during Ramadan or special occasions. Overall, the country’s local cuisine is varied, complete with international influences.


Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try

Saloona

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
Saloona is basically spicy meat and/or vegetable broth. It usually contains tomatoes, aubergine, carrots and potatoes. People eat it by itself or with rice.

Machboos

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
One of the most popular dishes in any Qatari home is machboos, or Kabsa, which is basically rice cooked with delicious spices and any kind of meat – chicken, lamb, shrimp, camel or fish. It looks similar to biryani.

Madhruba

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
A Ramadan favourite, madhruba, also known as ‘beaten porridge’, is a combination of rice, milk, butter and cardamom that is cooked together until it becomes mushy. Chicken and other types of meat are stewed along with mashed beans.

Luqaimat

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
Usually made during Ramadan for a dessert-filled evening, this dish is a mixture of butter, milk, flour, sugar, saffron and cardamom. These ingredients are used to create little dumplings, which are then deep-fried and dipped in sugar syrup or honey to increase the sweet factor. Soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, this dish is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Thareed

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
Another Ramadan special and similar to a pot of stew, thareed, often called the Arab lasagna, includes vegetables such as carrots, beans, onions and potatoes cooked with chicken or lamb and mixed with tomato sauce and spices. Bread is placed on the bottom of the dish, soaking up the stew juices and making the bread soft and flavourful.

Balaleet

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
Pasta made sweet – this Indian-influenced dish includes fried vermicelli topped with a saffron omelette, making it soft, crunchy, sweet and savoury all at once. People eat it not only for breakfast but also dessert.

Kousa Mahshi

Traditional dishes in Qatar you must try
Kousa mahshi is stuffed zucchini, and it is a favourite all over the Middle East. The zucchini in this international-inspired dish features a stuffing of lamb flavoured with mint and garlic; it is then baked in the oven before being served hot.

Read more: The must-visit museums in Doha, Qatar

Source Internet