What Is It With This "fried" Culture In Thailand

[TheJoker]

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...? Also noticed that actually people and foreigner say the have a "so wide range" of food choices and tastes great. Well I have to say that what I think, is they just poor everything together they can find, add huge amounts of sweeteners and sauce and chilies are used, let's stand alot the quantity of olive oil and fat used to prepare the stuff? So what's healthy?

In our culture we also know Butter... and bake things ass well. Also our meat for dinner.

Like sometimes i miss my morning bread with baked eggs in butter in the pan.

Also fun yesterday i mentioned at Pizza Company the also have the " BBQ Chicken wings"... LOL.. in our country we call that not BBQ but baked in a pan with butter.

Now I respect the Thai food and culture. But I'm very curious about the FRY thing....

[bkkjames]

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...? Also noticed that actually people and foreigner say the have a "so wide range" of food choices and tastes great. Well I have to say that what I think, is they just poor everything together they can find, add huge amounts of sweeteners and sauce and chilies are used, let's stand alot the quantity of olive oil and fat used to prepare the stuff? So what's healthy?

In our culture we also know Butter... and bake things ass well. Also our meat for dinner.

Like sometimes i miss my morning bread with baked eggs in butter in the pan.

Also fun yesterday i mentioned at Pizza Company the also have the " BBQ Chicken wings"... LOL.. in our country we call that not BBQ but baked in a pan with butter.

Now I respect the Thai food and culture. But I'm very curious about the FRY thing....

I won't go into the asian history thing about frying (too long and I am going for lunch), but if you look at the averge Thai lifestyle, you will notice that getting home at 6pm to cook a roast is not really an option. Frying is fast.

[benw10]

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...? Also noticed that actually people and foreigner say the have a "so wide range" of food choices and tastes great. Well I have to say that what I think, is they just poor everything together they can find, add huge amounts of sweeteners and sauce and chilies are used, let's stand alot the quantity of olive oil and fat used to prepare the stuff? So what's healthy?

In our culture we also know Butter... and bake things ass well. Also our meat for dinner.

Like sometimes i miss my morning bread with baked eggs in butter in the pan.

Also fun yesterday i mentioned at Pizza Company the also have the " BBQ Chicken wings"... LOL.. in our country we call that not BBQ but baked in a pan with butter.

Now I respect the Thai food and culture. But I'm very curious about the FRY thing....

I won't go into the asian history thing about frying (too long and I am going for lunch), but if you look at the averge Thai lifestyle, you will notice that getting home at 6pm to cook a roast is not really an option. Frying is fast.

in true thai cooking frying is done with the skimed broth of animal bones etc, using the fats, the advent of palm oil and other killers is the problem, and the frequent reuse of. there are schools where you can learn to fry without all the added oils and the taste is great even better without the sugar salt and msg..............

[AmeriThai]

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...?

Sure, there are foods that are fried, but there are also many foods that aren't fried. Some non-fried examples: khao mahn gai, various noodle dishes, soups. Around the country, you can buy plenty of prepared dishes at the talat that you can take home and is ready to eat. And there are plenty of food stalls and streetside food vendors where you can eat non-fried food dishes.

[phaethon]

Sure, there are foods that are fried, but there are also many foods that aren't fried. Some non-fried examples: khao mahn gai, various noodle dishes, soups. Around the country, you can buy plenty of prepared dishes at the talat that you can take home and is ready to eat. And there are plenty of food stalls and streetside food vendors where you can eat non-fried food dishes.

Shame on you! You forgot strawberry ice cream

[IMA_FARANG]

As I am curious why the Thai almost FRY everything...? Also noticed that actually people and foreigner say the have a "so wide range" of food choices and tastes great. Well I have to say that what I think, is they just poor everything together they can find, add huge amounts of sweeteners and sauce and chilies are used, let's stand alot the quantity of olive oil and fat used to prepare the stuff? So what's healthy?

In our culture we also know Butter... and bake things ass well. Also our meat for dinner.

Like sometimes i miss my morning bread with baked eggs in butter in the pan.

Also fun yesterday i mentioned at Pizza Company the also have the " BBQ Chicken wings"... LOL.. in our country we call that not BBQ but baked in a pan with butter.

Now I respect the Thai food and culture. But I'm very curious about the FRY thing....

Frying is quick and easy....as someone else said (by the way it is as, not ass, as you probably accidentally typed) and for many Thai families that is the reason many foods are fried.

And I wouldn't consider The PizzaCompany as a valid example of "Thai cooking".

There are many stands were you can get noodles and soups that are not fried.

Or just go for steamed rice with boiled or stewed vegatables (not fried). That can be found if you look around.

Or go to a Chinese or Chinese/Thai restaurant and get the steamed or baked fish with stewed vegatables in a citrus sauce (with red peppers added to the sauce). Good food and cheap (relatively).

One of my favorite meals is a Seafood mixture(clams and mussels included) baked with rice in a clay pot meal that you can find in some Thai restaurants. It uses Butter baked into the seafood rice mixture so it may not be the most healthy choice, but it is moist and tasty.

If you take the time to look you CAN find good tasty meals in Bangkok that are not just fried food.

Just look around, don't just follow the crowd. Bangkok is full of surprises.

(You used to be able to get an English high Tea with scones on Sukhumvit road, but I'm not sure that shop is still open).

[DP25]

Frying is the prevalent cooking method in tropical countries due to the climate. In a hot and humid climate you want a fast cooking method that will disperse heat. In Western countries the climate can get extremely cold, so cooking is also used as a method of heating your home, hence you get lots of stuff slowly cooked in ovens.

[TheJoker]

So is the fryed food actually healthy? I think that the Thai people stay thin, because they don't eat snacks, mostly just their food. Instead of the western people.

[JimmyTheMook]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

[kingwillly]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

rubbish,

thai food promotes the use of plenty of vegetables, raw and cooked.

depends if you mean thai or street food or resto food or the real issan diet.

[Plus]

Don't forget that a lot of the food is stir fired - with minimum oil and some water in a very hot pan. I think that's one of the best ways to preserve the vitamins and nutrients in vegetables.

Sure, some food can be very oily, but look at the traditional menu: rice soup in the morning with boiled or stir-fried meat and veg, and noodle soup for lunch. Fried dishes are mostly for dinner and for those who really want them.

[BugJackBaron]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

Dr Olivier in Pattaya tells me the reason for the diabetes is the

recent consumption of western junk food, "Thai food is healthy".

[TheJoker]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

rubbish,

thai food promotes the use of plenty of vegetables, raw and cooked.

depends if you mean thai or street food or resto food or the real issan diet.

I'f I compare real thai resto food with street food, I don't c that much difference. They use the same preparations. Back in Europe the Chinese restaurants for instance. You don't wanna be in the kitchen " one big disgusting sticky mess". Asian people live very dirty actually, and there kitchen arent clean at all. My dad uses the fix the kitchen problems in our town Chinese restaurant reguarly. Sometimes I c them prepar chicken in a pan sitting on the floor. Lucky people don't c it, else they wooldn't eat it for sure. Offcourse I can't compare to western standard, but the should have some more hygiene. Also i believe the vegetables are healthy, but the additives make it unhealthy.... Ever felt your hand after eating a fried dish? So fat and slippery as hel_l.

[sabaijai]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

Do you have any references to back up either assertion?

[hanno]

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

Not really sure where that comes from, as Thai food (like all Asian cuisines) relies heavily on vegetables, fish, fruit, etc. The problem appears to be more the prevalence of junk food and a change in life style.

No statistics to back it up, but walking around Thailand the population on average appears much slimmer than in the West.

[Merangue]

While i do not believe Thai food is unhealthy i do not agree that slim people is especially indicative of a healthy people,

Slim can hide a lot of cholesterol and other problems that some fat people do not have.

Size CAN be a problem but its not the be all and end all.

[pTh]

Another reason for frying - it is a cheap way to cook (aside from cooler for tropical climates) - traditionally (i.e., pre-industrialization/bottled gas), they could gather fuels & cook. Ever baked over a wood fire? Possible but costly - fuel, time, resources, tools, etc.

Speaking of frying -

Does anyone know where to buy peanut oil for cooking in Pattaya? It is hard to find, even in Bangkok (I had to go to Chinatown to find it).

I have tried supermarkets (T-L, BigC, C4, FoodLand, "Chinese" market on Pattaya Tai, etc.) - no joy. Only Villa had it, imported for 240 B/liter - outrageous! I got it in Bangkok for about 40 B/liter.

I have tried many small market shops, several open air markets & some distributors - no joy.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Thanks.

pTh

[chaiyapoon]

There isn't that much actual deep fried food in Thai cookery.Using a wok with a little oil is not true frying as if you watch many dishes have a small laddle of water added and most veg land up being steamed in their own juices.Lots of super fresh veg available ,better than most countries I suspect.

Stay away from too much coconut milk, palm oil,and msg.

Otherwise the fresh fish, seafood, pork, chicken and wide range of fruit and veg should manage to give you a healthy diet.It your choice.

[tgeezer]

One of the reason Thai's are ranked the fattest Asian's behind Filipino's

And also have the highest rate of Diabetes also

Most Thai food is not all that healthy

Life styes have changed the number of fat kids in Bangkok is alarming they are now in the majority, it used not to be this way the thin ones predominated. If you go up country you can find normal sized people maybe even the majority. Fried food is Thai or food cooked quickly, even the equivelent of our stews Geng kiow wan for instance can be a bit of a disappointment to find that the veg is not 'melt in your mouth' which is how a Thai visitor to England described English vegetables. Thai food does not disintergrate when you chew it this is good for teeth and gums. Also we don't eat a balanced Thai diet as Thais used to do, some times for them it is just raw cabbage, cucumber, and sausage. Or raw veg with nam prik ( chile paste) you don't find this stuff in restaurants very often, if at all. If you are not careful you can easily find yourself eating only the very tasty with sugar and fat because it sells. Buy some boiled yams or man meu sua from a street stall, fruit? crikey, you need five of fruit and veg a day it is all around us here, get some balance back into your diet, that is Thai food.

Edited February 10, 2009 by tgeezer

[najman]

While Living in Udon Thani for 3 months I had a bige selection of different foods from nearby stalls as well as the Buffet places and the Food court at Big C. All within 5 minutes of where I lived and alot of them open late at night. Some were fried and some were not. Some hot some not.

A funny thing happened one night... My gf was hungry and wanted to eat something. I wanted to go to the local corner store a bit like a small 7-11. I said I could get her something there. They sell various snacks and I thought her laziness would extended to eating anything, but she said..

"They dont have food there" And she was right too. They just sell snacks, something most farangs would consider "food" but not her. She knew when she was hungry she should eat a proper meal. Funny but accuarte thing coming from my student gf.

So I rode her motorbike up the road a few minutes to a late night food stall and bought 2 proper meals for $1 AUD each. To get the same meal in Australia I have to pay about $8.50 and I get less quantity. Prices suck in Australia. I want to go back to thailand soon.

Our higher standard of living does not jusify our rediculous prices and taxes and controlling laws and governments. I think we like thailand so much coz it gives us a sense of freedom and affordablity we dont find in the west. It's a bit like being back in the wild west when being in thailand.

[montrii]

The word "fry," or "fried" on an English language menu here is used, often improperly, to cover four different types of preparation:

ผัด - (pron. "phat," not to be confused with the hip-hop meaning, that's an aspirated p, there, folks, not an f): stir-fry in a lightly-oiled pan (this is the most common)

เจียว (jiaow) - fry in oil or lard; omelets are cooked this way.

ทอด (thawt) - fry in deep fat

กรอบ ("krawp") - fry to a crisp, fry the fat out of something

Often "stir-fried" should be used to refer to what is seen on the menu as "fried."

[blue eyes]

So is the fryed food actually healthy? I think that the Thai people stay thin, because they don't eat snacks, mostly just their food. Instead of the western people.

I really do not see that much fried food in Thailand.I do see ,at least in Issan, an over use of oil in cooking foods in the pan.As to the Thais not snacking.That is what they do all day unless they are working.Most of the adult snacks are peanuts,crickets,dried fish,bbq meat/fish balls, things of that nature.Anymore the kids are eating potato/corn chips,candy, icecream, creaps filled with candy and sweetend condenced milk(sounds like a kid to me).Just a number of snacks.The powers to be are seeing this also and are worried that Thai children are incresingly getting heavyer and more unhealthy because of all the "western"snaking that is going on.The powers to be are blaming the unhealthy eating habits of Thai children on the western influences they see on TV,or partly from.One of my favorit snacks in the middle of the day,photo below.