Ketchup On Pizza

[mark45y]

Why do Thais put ketchup on Pizza? Does this happen in other Asian countries or only Thailand?

[Ulysses G.]

The same reason that they put sugar on fried noodles?

[britmaveric]

Maybe more tomato taste?

[Nio]

You must be a newbie asking this.

[gotlost]

I put ketchup on my broccoli, cauliflower and scrambled eggs.

[thaigerd]

The same reason when they put ice cubes in a 40k bottle of red wine......

Gerd

[mark45y]

You must be a newbie asking this.

I am hardly a newbie. I am considering a food project in Thailand. So I began wondering about why Thai’s like certain flavors and don’t like others. I wondered if this is an Asian thing or just a Thai thing. I sat opposite a KFC and recorded the sales of vanilla, chocolate and ½ and ½ ice cream cones over a period of time and now I know the answer to that. As a result of numerous surveys I also know the percent of Thai’s who like pizza. But I don’t know why Thais even sophisticated Thais put ketchup on Pizza.

[mark45y]

It helps them keep their virginity longer

Thought you would know that being an expert

A nonsensical personal attack on the food forum. Wow! The mind boggles.

[chiang mai]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

[Jingthing]

It could indeed be related to sugar as Thai ketchup has lots of sugar or at least fake sugar. You might ask why not just add sugar? Well pizza has tomato sauce so it might make sense to add sugary red stuff on there.

[Jingthing]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

[Farma]

I still haven't acquired the taste for pizza covered in mayonnaise that seems to be popular addition on Thai made pizzas.

[niveknedwob]

I cook ... cooked for (now estranged) family in the UK. Can happily spend 8 hours preparing and cooking a dinner - then at the end of it not be hungry enough to eat anything.

When I was in the UK I cooked (style, depending on availability of ingredients) Indian, Thai, Vietnamese ... I find that my Thai friends actually like my cooking - and prefer things like liver and bacon casserole with a thick onion gravy & a creamy, cheesy, buttery mash to my attempts on dishes like Penang and Massaman (although they seem to go down just as well).

Never been sure about the ketchup thing ... I always make it available ... but I always question why/when it is used, especially on a slow beef stew/hot pot.

The answer is usually "well, I always use it" !!!

Go figure.

[mark45y]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

I am kind of horrified by it as I am by deep fried candy bars. But that is not my point. I am wondering why Thais do it? Do they really want the pizza sweeter? Do they want more sauce on the pizza? Do they put it on because they have some role model who puts ketchup on pizza? I know why medium rare in NY is not the same as medium rare in Texas but I don’t know why Thais put ketchup on pizza. So far I am hearing they want it sweeter. So if I gave the average Thai three pizzas, one standard with ketchup squirted on top, one made with the sauce on top of the cheese and a third made with a sweeter sauce which would they prefer? While I am asking; how about cheese? My experiences are mixed on this. 1 out of 100 Thais in my experience like cheese.

[Jingthing]

Ask some Thais. I have and get this response -- it tastes good so why not? Of course to me its horrifying, ketchup or mayo on a pizza and it also seems really low class. This reminds me of an experience I once had on a small cruise ship in Europe. I was dining with some sophisticated Europeans and we were served an apple for dessert. Before I could even think about it, I started biting into the apple as Americans do. The other guest were shocked. I then realized they were going to eat the apple with utensils. I didn't stop. I just said, well this is the way Americans eat apples, directly ...

Edited March 9, 2010 by Jingthing

[lazygourmet]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

What is more horrible is to call Belgian fries french fries!

[tutsiwarrior]

'an' yew know what they put on their fries in Amsterdam?'

'no...what?'

'mayonnaise! swear to god I seen them drown them in that stuff!'

name that film...

[Ulysses G.]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

I LOVE malt vinegar on chips/fries.

[DP25]

I've only seen it happen in Thailand, but maybe other countries do it to. I've also seen them put ketchup on ANYTHING in an Italian restaurant, from bolognese to carbonara. Seem to think it goes on everything, and don't realize it's not the same as a pasta sauce. Ketchup also covers up the nasty taste of cheese on pizza for Thai people.

I find the sight of it to be revolting and prefer to get take away pizza and pasta from places with Thais so I don't have to see it.

Edited March 9, 2010 by DP25

[angiud]

Also some farang, mostly in Chiang Mai, put ketchup on pizza.

[Jingthing]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

I LOVE malt vinegar on chips/fries.

Me too. It's great. I still don't see how even people who don't understand it could be disgusted by it. It's just vinegar, like vinegar and oil for a salad dressing.

[Jingthing]

I've only seen it happen in Thailand, but maybe other countries do it to. I've also seen them put ketchup on ANYTHING in an Italian restaurant, from bolognese to carbonara. Seem to think it goes on everything, and don't realize it's not the same as a pasta sauce. Ketchup also covers up the nasty taste of cheese on pizza for Thai people.

I find the sight of it to be revolting and prefer to get take away pizza and pasta from places with Thais so I don't have to see it.

Good points. The Thai style Italian tomato sauce tastes like watery ketchup anyway. What you say makes sense.

[kurnell]

My missus ordered from Pizza co on the weekend. The pizza was so dry it needed ketchup. That will be our last order. I believe Scozzi now delivers to our area.

[DP25]

My missus ordered from Pizza co on the weekend. The pizza was so dry it needed ketchup. That will be our last order. I believe Scozzi now delivers to our area.

The last one I ordered from there didn't have any tomato sauce as far as I could see, but came with about a dozen packets of ketchup. Still, putting ketchup on it is disgusting to me, would rather eat it dry. Had some blue cheese dressing in the fridge I used as well. Knew when I was ordering I was making a mistake.

Scoozi is decent, unfortunately don't deliver to me. Seem to have closed some of their branches.

[IMA_FARANG]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

I LOVE malt vinegar on chips/fries.

I'm an American...and I know the difference between French Fries, Pommes Frites, and Chips. I wouldn't put Malt Vinegar on French Fries, but I would put Mayonaise on Pommes Frites, and Vinegar on good chips.

That's because the French Fries you get in American style fast food places are made with extruded Potato paste and will get too mushy if you put Vinegar on them, the others won't.

[whistleblower]

You must be a newbie asking this.

I am hardly a newbie. I am considering a food project in Thailand. So I began wondering about why Thai's like certain flavors and don't like others. I wondered if this is an Asian thing or just a Thai thing. I sat opposite a KFC and recorded the sales of vanilla, chocolate and ½ and ½ ice cream cones over a period of time and now I know the answer to that. As a result of numerous surveys I also know the percent of Thai's who like pizza. But I don't know why Thais even sophisticated Thais put ketchup on Pizza.

Sophisticated Thais eating pizza? perish the thought.

I do laugh though when i order a pizza and i get more ketchup sachets than there is meat on the pizza! maybe its to mask the god awful cheese they use.

[whistleblower]

'an' yew know what they put on their fries in Amsterdam?'

'no...what?'

'mayonnaise! swear to god I seen them drown them in that stuff!'

name that film...

pulp fiction, samuel l jackson and john travolta

[sceadugenga]

I'm considered strange in Australia because I DON'T put sauce (ketchup) on a meat pie.

I like a bit on a pasty though.

[NanaFoods]

I wonder, for example, if most Americans might feel that putting vinegar on their French fries is similarly horrible.

I am guessing no, Americans would mostly not be horrified by that at all (as it is delicious).

I am kind of horrified by it as I am by deep fried candy bars. But that is not my point. I am wondering why Thais do it? Do they really want the pizza sweeter? Do they want more sauce on the pizza? Do they put it on because they have some role model who puts ketchup on pizza? I know why medium rare in NY is not the same as medium rare in Texas but I don't know why Thais put ketchup on pizza. So far I am hearing they want it sweeter. So if I gave the average Thai three pizzas, one standard with ketchup squirted on top, one made with the sauce on top of the cheese and a third made with a sweeter sauce which would they prefer? While I am asking; how about cheese? My experiences are mixed on this. 1 out of 100 Thais in my experience like cheese.

I suppose we could ask the same about why so many Westerners feel the need to put soy sauce on all their Chinese dishes....to the point where Chinese restaurants in the West must provide packets of soy sauce with take out meals - similar to pizza parlors in Thailand providing ketchup packets.

Both are equally gouache. But why?

Undeveloped palates is my guess.

My impression is that modern Thais dont seem to ever outgrow their childhood sweet-tooth. My theory on that is that they are conditioned from a young age -- ever notice the entire 6-tier isle at supermarkets filled with boxes of sickeningly-sweetened UHT milk products? Chocolate flavor, "pink" (whatever that one is), vanilla, and just plain super-sugary milk. Then there's Ovaltine. While the pasteurized unsweetened plain milk takes up about 2 feet of space in the fridge section. Well, at least in my area and other areas I've seen "up-country".

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

condiment snobs!

I don't see any problem with people eating foods with whatever condiments they want. I wouldn't eat steak with ketchup or steak sauce, because it masks the taste of expensive meat. I do eat my sashimi with wasabi/soy sauce, however, as fish and rice can be a little bland. And what about salsa, guacamole or sour cream on Mexican food? It's all individual taste.

I know someone who always eats pizza with catalina dressing. So, the ketchup thing on pizza doesn't surprise me. Usually, the Thais are using tomato sauce rather than ketchup anyway, so to them, it's probably just extra sauce. Many pizza chains in Thailand skimp on pizza sauce.