Do You Like Hot,spicy Food?

[Neeranam]

I am going to my local restaurant for lunch today. I have lived in my house for 8 months, visiting this place regularly. I still can't get my "prik gaeng gai" right.

The first time, there was no bloody "prik" in it. I am not joking Then I tried to explain to the woman that I have lived in Thailand, "lai bpee laew"(many years now), and "chin laew" (accustomed to it now).

After several visits, she knows me quite well now. There is still the surprise and laugh when I order my food done normally. Always someone else in the restaurant inquiring about the farang who can eat spicy, hot food. When my wife ordered the same the other week, mine was ridiculously hot, almost uneatable - hers was perfect. She just doesn't understand, or is she taking the piss?. I tried to explain that people from my country generally like hot food as there are many Indian restarants, and some other stuff. Don't bother! Simple, uneducated,Thai people do not care about the reason why. They do not care about my country's culture. I will, as with countless other things, simple accept it, and try to laugh.

Language is not the problem(even got the wife to try and tell her), maybe it it because I am the one of the few farang here.

Who are these farang that don't like hot food, and have given Thais the impression we don't like chillis? Apart from the old codgers, all my friends like hot food.

Is there another reason why they think we don't like hot food?

Maybe today I will order bloody noodles, or Phad see-ow.

[taxexile]

She just doesn't understand, or is she taking the piss?.

sounds like she is a useless cook who cant be arsed to please her customers.

I have lived in my house for 8 months, visiting this place regularly

that sounds like a lot of unsatisfactory meals.

why do you keep on going back there if the food she cooks is never to your liking.

no shortages of eating places to choose from in this country.

bon appetite !

[Neeranam]

QUOTE

I have lived in my house for 8 months, visiting this place regularly

that sounds like a lot of unsatisfactory meals. 

why do you keep on going back there if the food she cooks is never to your liking.

no shortages of eating places to choose from in this country.

bon appetite !

Unfortunately this is the only place near our house, apart from "Moo ping, khao neeow" and somtam. There are a couple of pork places, but I don't eat pork or beef. She isn't a bad cook, it is just the amount of chilis she can't get right.

When we first moved here we didn't have a car, so it was the only place to eat out. Now, it saves taking the car out, the restaurant is right next door.

[bangkok_till_i_die]

really dont like it. i suffer diaarhoea every morning whenver i have spicy food. fail to understand how the thais can eat it every ###### day.

Edited January 30, 2005 by bangkok_till_i_die

[taxexile]

She isn't a bad cook, it is just the amount of chilis she can't get right

then she is a bad cook. end of story.

[anna234cn]

Really really dont like spicy food.

Yesterday, as usual I said:"my pet." But when I saw the noodle, I was totally surprised. All red chilli covered the noodle. Then the waitress said:my pet", pointing at my noodle. At last, I ate half of the noodle with tears and nam.

[bangkok_till_i_die]

Really really dont like spicy food.

Yesterday, as usual I said:"my pet." But when I saw the noodle, I was totally surprised. All red chilli covered the noodle. Then the waitress said:my pet", pointing at my noodle. At last, I ate half of the noodle with tears and nam.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

shouldnt haved eaten any. i dont see a need to be 'keng jai'

Edited January 30, 2005 by bangkok_till_i_die

[taxexile]

i guess if the restaurant is next door and you know the "chef" then you or your wife could go into the kitchen with her and supervise the addition of the chillis or the chilli paste and by trial and error over the next few days she can be trained (persuaded) to get it right.

good luck.

[Ajarn]

i guess if the restaurant is next door and you know the "chef" then you or your wife could go into the kitchen with her and supervise the addition of the chillis or the chilli paste and by trial and error over the next few days she can be trained (persuaded) to get it right.

good luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would seem like the best response. Thank goodness this forum exists so that people can get the help they need

Edited January 30, 2005 by Ajarn

[aletta]

Do like a bit of spice in the old meal but stop short at eating the old raw chillies dipped in that brown paste.

[sua yai]

Definitely good advice to visit the kitchen. Also if you like the food the way your wife gets it, ask her to order two bowls/plates and then you turn up a few minutes later.

Personally, I love chillies. Cooking at home and following Thai/Indian cookbooks, I always put at least 4 times the amount of fresh chilli in than is called for. Don't know why, but if the chillies are cooked for a reasonable amount of time, the overall taste is not TOO hot. And good for the body. Long live chillies

[Pablo H]

Always someone else in the restaurant inquiring about the farang who can eat spicy, hot food. When my wife ordered the same the other week, mine was ridiculously hot, almost uneatable - hers was perfect. She just doesn't understand, or is she taking the piss?. I tried to explain that people from my country generally like hot food as there are many Indian restarants, and some other stuff. Don't bother! Simple, uneducated,Thai people do not care about the reason why. They do not care about my country's culture.

I was in Pattaya and Bangkok last week and twice saw people ordering meals, the first time was a Russian family sitting on the table behind me, they ordered a hot plate of seafood and vegetables, cant remember the name, I had ordered the same, I dont like food too spicy and it was very nice. The father of the family tried a mouthful, started abusing the waiter and then walked out of the place, I couldn't help but laugh, at him not the waiter.

The second time I was in a hotel in Banglampoo, another family walked in and repeated the phrase 'no spicy' at least five times to the poor girl who was serving. They ordered a fried rice, then sprinkled the spice on themselves, later they called the girl over to pay the bill, the girl noticed that the plates were half full, she said "you no like?", the reply from mother was "it was too spicy, we cannot eat that".

Jeez, no wonder these young people working in Bangkok probably relay these stories back to friends and family up in the villages so its no surprise to me that they do not care about a farangs country culture.

[Jockstar]

I love it. I eat spicier than my gf and some of our Thai friends. Restaurants have sometimes got 2 menus in the touristy areas. 1 Thai the other farang. I know what i like and can order in Thai. So the staff are a bit surprised when i order one of the most spicy dishes. They say its pet mak mak, So i say to them i love spicy so bring it on. They are always surprised when they see me wolfing it down with out stopping to drink.

[lampard10]

I am one of these strange people that when in England I eat nothing but Thai food,and over here I eat mostly Falang food. O.K. owning a Falang restaurant does give me a wider selection of food than even back in Blighty,but even though we do a very good selection of Thai food I rarely touch it. What is stranger is the fact that I love hot spicy Thai food,especially the type our restaurant does. I suppose it's due to the fact that I eat what is served to a majority of my guests.

The weirdest fact is that most of the guys that use my establishment do themselves hate Thai food.Gawd knows why they're here.

As was written by Tolkein 'There's nowt queer as folk'

[DJ Pat]

When I was in London for 3 weeks I ate western meals everyday after spicy every day whilst in Thailand. My crap and farts stank badly of old eggs and as soon as I came back to Thailand and got on the spice again I was back to normal.

[cdnvic]

If I go to a local food stall where they know me they know that I like food spicy. If I go to KFC they seem incredulous that I want the "spicy" chicken.

I guess its because the locals know me, but the KFC staff think I'm a two week tourist or something.

cv

[lampard10]

When I was in London for 3 weeks I ate western meals everyday after spicy every day whilst in Thailand. My crap and farts stank badly of old eggs and as soon as I came back to Thailand and got on the spice again I was back to normal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm glad you told me that

[DJ Pat]

Next time don't ask then!

[sua yai]

After you've had a few, just ask for "pat kee mao". If the chilli dosn't wake you up for some more partying, it's definitely time to go home.

[Boon Mee]

The hotter the better.

Just got back from Sisaket where I chowed down on everything I could and have to say - no stomach problems!

Bring it on!

[Jockstar]

After you've had a few, just ask for "pat kee mao". If the chilli dosn't wake you up for some more partying, it's definitely time to go home.

pat kee mao. Doesnt this mean Pat drunk man? My gf says to me often Kee mao.

[britmaveric]

Always get the ooooo too hot for Falang! I laff and eat it to much amazement without shedding a tear!! Eaten indians far hotter IMO!!

[lampard10]

After you've had a few, just ask for "pat kee mao". If the chilli dosn't wake you up for some more partying, it's definitely time to go home.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

pat kee mao. Doesnt this mean Pat drunk man? My gf says to me often Kee mao.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually you're knob on...............it is the Thai version of 'Drunken Noodles"

[johnrh]

Great topic everyone, keep it up! This is what life in Thailand is all about. Can you take it, or not?

My experience lies between extremes. Sometimes I can read the face: "Uh-oh here's farang, no hot." But the other day here I ordered a curry and it blew my face off: "I hear you like spicy K. John." So how to win? It's part of the fun, keep trying!

Surely farang coming here should be prepared for it.

[sua yai]

Definitely drunken noodles. When you fall over all you have to do is ask for the dish and you're guaranteed to run back home.

I will not guarantee the toilet rota the next day.

[NaiGreg]

For many dishes you can specify the exact number of chili's to be added so as to avoid any "pet" ambiguities.

"Sahm-prik" or "chuay-sai-prik-sahm-met-noi-krup" will get you three of the usual prik-kee-noo variety.

If you're adventurous say "yee-sip-dee-gwa"

[PeaceBlondie]

One of my favorite/least favorite topics about Thailand.

I cannot eat spicy anything. We're not talking about preference or mere taste, we're talking about INABILITY. Or pain. It literally hurts my mouth tissues, burns my mouth. You wouldn't cause more pain if you inserted rusty blades in my mouth.

Thais (at least upcountry) are absolutely f---ing incapable of comprehending this. Their Thainess prevents them from understanding that spicy food HURTS. They think something's 'pet mak' when it's only got five furnaces of ###### inside it, rather than 59. They do not understand two of the simplest words in their own language: no, and spice. No spice means no spice, kojai?

I wish more Thais understood like the ones you seem to know - that farang tend to be unable or unwilling to eat VERY spicy. They are absolutlely moronic about believing that food can be served with absolutely no spice at all. I eat lunch regularly with Thai teachers with advanced degrees who don't begin to commence to start to understand two basic words of Thai:

PET MAK

Also, lots of Thai food, even when it has no spice, smells nasty and tastes terrible.

Edited January 30, 2005 by PeaceBlondie

[Ajarn]

If you're really adventurous, say, "Taam jai" ตามใจ

Edited January 30, 2005 by Ajarn

[daveh]

I never thought of "hot" as a flavor. For me, it adds to the experience of eating the food, but does not actualy add to the flavor. In fact, it detracts from the flavor.

What I wonder is what was Thai food like before chili pepper's were brought from the Americas. It could not have been nearly as spicy 500 years ago as it is now.

[lampard10]

PET MAK

Also, lots of Thai food, even when it has no spice, smells nasty and tastes terrible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ped Mak means very hot.............you sure you've got it right