Why Don'T Thai People Like Indian Food?

[brit1984]

Some Thai people do like Indian food but it seems most do not. I am surprised as Indian food is mostly spicy curry and Thai people generally love spicy curry. I have asked many Thai people about this and they normally give ridiculous answers, eg "it's smelly". Interestingly, most Indians I know love Thai food. Any ideas why Thais don't like Indian food?

[Jingthing]

Like you said, the usual complaint is the smell and another one I have heard is that the curries are wrong. Hilarious, huh? Also of course, and very sadly, there is sometimes an obvious racist subtext to when Thais say Indian food smells bad; they often are implying Indian people smell bad. Thais like spicy food. Their spices.

About Indian people liking Thai, frankly, that hasn't really been my personal experience. I don't recall hearing Indian people diss Thai food the way Thais diss Indian food, but I haven't known Indians to be into Thai food. Chinese food, yes.

http://indiafoodandt...-food-in-india/

Edited March 25, 2012 by Jingthing

[chops]

Sorry. Thai people only eat Thai food.

[Jingthing]

Sorry. Thai people only eat Thai food.

Is Fuji Thai food?

[gogobar8]

Sorry. Thai people only eat Thai food.

That's why there's big trouble in the south.

Spices don't mix.

[necronx99]

Thais generally think Indians are dirty, and by extension that their food is dirty.

[koknia]

It's just too heavy for the Thai palette IMO.

And the use of ghee would not be acceptable to the vast majority of Thai digestive systems.

[TexasRanger]

More than one Thai friend has been asked by me why they don't like Indian food and I often get the reply "Indian people smell bad".

Maybe it is the taste of "Indian" food here, a lot of the Indian food here is different from the Indian food in the UK for example, my wife doesn't like the Indian food here although she has tried it twice to her credit (I know a lot of Thai's who wouldn't), but when in the UK she has tried it a few more times and actually likes it.

[brit1984]

More than one Thai friend has been asked by me why they don't like Indian food and I often get the reply "Indian people smell bad".

Yes, one Thai person said the same to me - at the time I just assumed what she really wanted to say had been lost in translation!

[Deserted]

The most common complaint I've heard is the smell. They often call it 'aharn musalim', and seem a bit wary of the people who make it too.

[smokie36]

Thais generally think Indians are dirty, and by extension that their food is dirty.

I believe this is the correct answer. The same one you would have found a generation ago in the UK.

[onionluke]

It is a bit heavy with oil for my pardner's constitution . She is not alone , I have observed , in preference to a diet of twigs and leaves . We have had a few Chungking talees in the past , but alas my blood diabetes now says " no to that " .

[Jingthing]

I once "converted" an old Thai friend. He was the typical Thai (smells!) and then I took him to a really good place, and later he told me, I like Indian food!

[NewlyMintedThai]

Had dinner with a mixed group of Thais and farangs tonight at Indian Hut. Everyone enjoyed.

[Pseudolus]

The heaviness caused by Ghee is the real reason I think for Thai's that have tried what passes as Indian food in the restaurants around the world. The fact that this food is basically Bangladeshi though (the thick heavy ghee soaked sauces) and not Indian does prompt me to say that actually when my Thai ex wife and my thai gf try real Indian food they have enjoyed it. They do not like the stodgy oily gunk though that is quite suitable for people that have consumed 10 pints of lager. They especially enjoyed the Goan style of food.

[Jingthing]

Could be a coincidence but the Indian food that converted my friend was at one of those South Indian curries served on a banana leaf places. Very light for Indian.

[smokie36]

Agree with the last two posts. Real dry Indian food is much better than the slop served up throughout most of Thailand.

[ravip]

After reading the above posts, I find two reasons very relevant. - Smell and the excess oil.

Thai cuisine and Indian cuisine are very far apart and I think there is not much similarity between them, if any.

When an Indian is first exposed to authentic Thai food and when a Thai is first exposed to authentic Indian food, majority of them will definitely find the 'smell' very strange and sometimes even repulsive. This has nothing to do with 'racism' - it is just that a person had been exposed to something new.

Some Thai food has an oily consistency, but the 'oiliness' and taste in Ghee is very different (I myself dislike it).

By the way, is Ginger a common ingredient in Thai food?

I highlight the authenticity of the food, as any type of food made in a foreign country is normally slightly 'adopted' to that countries tastes and likes. For example KFC, Pizza Hut, etc.

With some 'getting used' to, either party could eventually develop a taste and enjoy the 'foreign' food.

While some people are brave and adventurous in trying out foreign food, others would rather die than venture out to the unknown (I am quite wary myself)!

About 15 years ago on my first visit to Thailand, I was unable to eat anything at a 5 star hotel buffet, except steamed rice and Tabasco sauce! I still remember this... (I think it was the smell of the fish sauce or something).

Today, I love and enjoy Thai food!

Edited March 30, 2012 by ravip

[brit1984]

After reading the above posts, I find two reasons very relevant. - Smell and the excess oil.

Thai cuisine and Indian cuisine are very far apart and I think there is not much similarity between them, if any.

When an Indian is first exposed to authentic Thai food and when a Thai is first exposed to authentic Indian food, majority of them will definitely find the 'smell' very strange and sometimes even repulsive. This has nothing to do with 'racism' - it is just that a person had been exposed to something new.

Some Thai food has an oily consistency, but the 'oiliness' and taste in Ghee is very different (I myself dislike it).

By the way, is Ginger a common ingredient in Thai food?

I highlight the authenticity of the food, as any type of food made in a foreign country is normally slightly 'adopted' to that countries tastes and likes. For example KFC, Pizza Hut, etc.

With some 'getting used' to, either party could eventually develop a taste and enjoy the 'foreign' food.

While some people are brave and adventurous in trying out foreign food, others would rather die than venture out to the unknown (I am quite wary myself)!

About 15 years ago on my first visit to Thailand, I was unable to eat anything at a 5 star hotel buffet, except steamed rice and Tabasco sauce! I still remember this... (I think it was the smell of the fish sauce or something).

Today, I love and enjoy Thai food!

Thanks - that is really interesting and informative...

[Jingthing]

I agree the food repulsion thing is not always racism. Just sometimes. Also keep in mind that if you eat spicy foods (or distinctive diets in general) your sweat and smell can include the strong foods that you eat.

[brit1984]

I agree the food repulsion thing is not always racism. Just sometimes. Also keep in mind that if you eat spicy foods (or distinctive diets in general) your sweat and smell can include the strong foods that you eat.

Thanks, that is good to know... next time the wife accuses me of being stinky (as part of her mission to add a 3rd daily shower into my routine), I will blame my stinkiness on all the spicy food she gives me

[Jingthing]

I agree the food repulsion thing is not always racism. Just sometimes. Also keep in mind that if you eat spicy foods (or distinctive diets in general) your sweat and smell can include the strong foods that you eat.

Thanks, that is good to know... next time the wife accuses me of being stinky (as part of her mission to add a 3rd daily shower into my routine), I will blame my stinkiness on all the spicy food she gives me

No problem if its the same type of food she eats. Garlic is a good example. If you're a garlic lover and hang with other garlic lovers, you're cool.

[tutsiwarrior]

I agree the food repulsion thing is not always racism. Just sometimes. Also keep in mind that if you eat spicy foods (or distinctive diets in general) your sweat and smell can include the strong foods that you eat.

Thanks, that is good to know... next time the wife accuses me of being stinky (as part of her mission to add a 3rd daily shower into my routine), I will blame my stinkiness on all the spicy food she gives me

No problem if its the same type of food she eats. Garlic is a good example. If you're a garlic lover and hang with other garlic lovers, you're cool.

oohhh, them chinese girls that smell like garlic dey so sexyyyyy...they put a polite hand over their mouths and apologize and you say: 'don't worry sugar, you gots what I like...'

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=raise+the+red+lantern&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=77143609069137002&sa=X&ei=8vR1T4PtEofwrQfJtICWDQ&ved=0CKQBEPMCMAo

would you deny Gong Li?...

Edited March 30, 2012 by tutsiwarrior

[brit1984]

Back on topic... we had a nice Indian dinner at Himali Cha Cha & Son on Sukhumvit Soi 31 tonight...

[khunphilip]

It bloody stinks

[BigJohnnyBKK]

If they don't know it's Indian food then they like many of the plainer dishes, and I would think would get used to the stronger alien spices. Muslim Thai food is different, many Thais from other regions are fine with many of those dishes.

But they aren't willing to acquire unfamiliar tastes when they don't have a good impression of the associated ethnic group.

Same with Arab, Persian, Turkish/Greek, African etc.

Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French are fashionable and therefore worth it to them to go to the trouble of getting used to the unfamiliar stronger aspects.

[KarenBravo]

If there is one dish that is eaten all over SE Asia for breakfast, it is rotis with a curry gravy dip.

Of course, it originated in India.

[TantraMantra]

This is from the point of view of a vegetarian,

Having spent over 2 years in India (off and on) and a similar time in Thailand I would say that Indian food is very heavy compared to Thai. It's based on oil or ghee and strong flavored ground or seed spices are used. Plus chapatis,paratha and nan bread etc.

It give one a sense of feeling very full (or fat) after eating. I've often felt that I don't need to eat for a few days after an Indian meal.

Thai food is much lighter and uses more leafy herbs for flavoring. A Thai meal is not as filling and you might feel like eating again an hour later. Hence,Thai's often eat 5-6 times a day. Indians eat at 3 fixed times.

Every country has it's own food but the British are gradually being weaned off fish n' chips to accept International food. Just as Americans are slowly, I hope, giving up Burgers and Thais are eating more Burgers than before, sadly.

[KarenBravo]

Every country has it's own food but the British are gradually being weaned off fish n' chips to accept International food.

If you wrote this in the 1970's I'd agree with you.

You do know that the national British dish is now chicken tikka masala, don't you?

[Jingthing]

Every country has it's own food but the British are gradually being weaned off fish n' chips to accept International food.

If you wrote this in the 1970's I'd agree with you.

You do know that the national British dish is now chicken tikka masala, don't you?

Yeah and that SALSA has outsold ketchup in the USA for many years now.