Thai Food Pet Peeves

[Pla shado]

On shrimp I really don't mind the heads on thing, from a culinary POV that's good for taste. However in this case I do think there IS something that should be removed.

The poop!

Yes, heads are okay. Lots of flavor in the heads. I don't mind peeling and eating shrimp. I just don't know why partially shelled shrimp are left with the tail intact. That adds nothing as far as I can see. Someone must think it the thing to do as one sees it in all kinds of cuisines. And yes, I agree, the digestive track should be removed if serving shelled or partially shelled cooked shrimp.

[fred Kubasa]

1). Tasteless

2). Unidentifiable ingredients

3). Greasy/oily

4). Often unsanitary preparation methods

5). Indigestion

Other then the above - pretty good for meals under 40 B !

[ChangMaiSausage]

The problem with the garlic is that the bulbs are really small unlike the ones found in the West or other parts of the world. I used to try and peel them, gave up and now go with the bash/smash/pulp/beat method.

[bazza40]

All Of It,

So what food do you like? Be careful with the answer.

[ChrisB87]

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You smash the Thai garlic and shallots.

You do not peel them.

That's the trick of it.

I would complain if they were not SMASHED.

I just got smashed by my wife for telling her she is suppose to smash the shallots.

She does smash the garlic though and agrees with you on that.

OK, here are most of my Thai food pet peeves, some the same as others:

Brown rice not offered on menus as an option (with rare exceptions)

Palm oil and too much palm oil

Fried foods cooked in old palm oil

Too much sugar!

Too salty (I love high spice and high chili but often if you ask for that also get too much salt)

Dodgy meat, usually beef but sometimes pork

Fake processed chicken served at both street and middle level restaurants

Communication issues with spice levels. Like I said I like very hot and spicy.

First time in a Thai place they usually don't believe me.

Over time, I can "train" a place to do that but then I get another problem.

I will order one dish hot and spicy and not another dish that is not suitable for that treatment because of the nature of the dish.

Quite commonly they will make EVERYTHING I order super hot and spicy, basically ruining any dishes that shouldn't be that way.

Another issue, often they will kick up the CHILI but not the OTHER spices, basically messing up the balance of the dish.

For example a green curry with plenty of chili but way too little CURRY PASTE ... really awful.

Now you are just being pernickety.

In my experience it is best just to let them cook it as they wish. Otherwise, it ends up far worse.

You're lucky they never intentionally gave you food poisoning just so you wouldn't come back.

Cultures that rely on rice for the bulk of their energy (like India) have 45 minute evening meals. 250g dry weight of rice is only 825 kcals, and you don't even get that many: it isn't perfectly digested. Meat and veg has very little energy, so a Thai meal of rice, meat, veg - if it can be eaten in ten minutes - probably provides very little energy, unless it's swimming in oil.

This unwillingness to just sit down and eat enough starch is why the Thais consume so much energy-dense sugar and fried food, which provides a lot of energy and doesn't fill them up = a diabetes epidemic.

Chemically, white rice IS sugar, as JT has already told you. There is no difference.

Only 825 kcals? No comment.

[Craig krup]

Not really sure what you're on about but the truth is obesity levels are rising sharply in Thailand and India even more.

White rice converts directly into SUGAR in the body.

Think of white rice as SUGAR and you'll be on the right track.

Add that to actual sugar and you've got a health disaster in the making.

Diabetes - yes, soaring as people stop fueling themselves with a gut-full of mixed starch and veg, and have started to consume lots of sugar and fat.

One of the great internet "truths" - said repeatedly, and self-evident because it is said repeatedly - is that white rice "is just sugar". It isn't. Rice is full of water, and it takes ages for your body to separate the carbohydrate from the water, which is why 1) when a drunk spews in the street hours after a curry the pavement is covered in rice, and 2) when you have a big rice meal at 2000 you are up and peeing like a horse at 0200. Add in some pulses, veg and meat into that gut of rice and it'll be hours before your body has managed to filter out the nutrients from the water.

Picture a packet of dehydrated vegetables in the bottom of a bowl, add 250g of dry rice and some beef jerky. Then fill the bowl with water - three pints. Getting those three pints back out takes half a day.

[Craig krup]

<s

Chemically, white rice IS sugar, as JT has already told you. There is no difference.

Only 825 kcals? No comment.

Well - 1) I have 7% bodyfat, and I'm surrounded by people who know that white rice is just sugar and have 37%+ bodyfat. 2) Why no comment - it is 825, and that's using a bomb calorimeter. It will be less in the body.

Nutrition is science. As Dara O'Briain says, dietician is the legally protected term. "Dietician is to nutritionist what dentist is to toothyologist".

There's a journal called The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I used to lift it down from the shelf and wonder how so much could be said when Gillian McKeith knew everything there was to know, and it all chimed with what was said on the web: pumpkin seeds, wheatgrass, "pure sugar". Then I began to suspect that maybe Gillian wasn't much of a scientist.

[mikecat]

Elastic bands and plastic bags p me off but as one poster noted, a sharp knife sorts that out. Dont mind garlic cooked in its skin, in fact quite enjoy it. Definitely love the herbs etc left in the Thom Yung.

[carter1882]

I always think it is hilarious when people complain about hygiene at street stalls. At least you can see what is going on. All my worst experiences of food poisoning and that of many friends has been at at so called classy hotels and restaurants. What goes on behind closed doors I dread to think.

[ChrisB87]

<s

Chemically, white rice IS sugar, as JT has already told you. There is no difference.

Only 825 kcals? No comment.

Well - 1) I have 7% bodyfat, and I'm surrounded by people who know that white rice is just sugar and have 37%+ bodyfat. 2) Why no comment - it is 825, and that's using a bomb calorimeter. It will be less in the body.

Nutrition is science. As Dara O'Briain says, dietician is the legally protected term. "Dietician is to nutritionist what dentist is to toothyologist".

There's a journal called The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I used to lift it down from the shelf and wonder how so much could be said when Gillian McKeith knew everything there was to know, and it all chimed with what was said on the web: pumpkin seeds, wheatgrass, "pure sugar". Then I began to suspect that maybe Gillian wasn't much of a scientist.

You are a very unique individual, i will give you that.

I also think you underestimate the amount of carbs Thais eat.

[Mr Somtam]

Sugar, sugar, sugar, I thought the UK/Usa was bad but here it's added to literally everything.

Finally everything cooked in pools of oil.

But you know what's funny (in a sad sort of way) is how much time I spend in some western-centric forums debating the Food Babe, Natural News and Mercola followers who claim that the USA uses too much sugar and that they should follow the "healthy" ways of the Asian countries where everything is stir-fried using practically no oil and where sugar is almost unheard of.

Same as the spiritual folks who always tell you that we in the west are stressed and materialistic but the asians are super relaxed and meditating and doing yoga all day, and they don't care about money or stuff to buy. Huh huh!

[attrayant]

Chemically, white rice IS sugar, as JT has already told you. There is no difference.

I'd rather you say nutritionally instead of chemically. They are nutritionally similar (long glucose strings), but chemically there are some notable differences that I won't bother boring everyone with since it's not germane to the topic. We now return you to the discussion of shrimp heads and garlic skins.

Edited April 23, 2015 by attrayant

[ChrisB87]

Chemically, white rice IS sugar, as JT has already told you. There is no difference.

I'd rather you say nutritionally instead of chemically. They are nutritionally similar (long glucose strings), but chemically there are some notable differences that I won't bother boring everyone with since it's not germane to the topic. We now return you to the discussion of shrimp heads and garlic skins.

I would love for you to bore me with the elaboration, since i just watched an hour long documentary where doctors stated, "chemically sugar acts the same in your body regardless of where it come from."

[Craig krup]

You are a very unique individual, i will give you that.

I also think you underestimate the amount of carbs Thais eat.

I don't think I am unique. I never, ever, ever drink sugared water and I never eat sweets. I never eat biscuits. I ate one street pancake in Nong Khai and didn't eat another one. You never spend 24 hours with someone and have any difficulty understanding why they are in the position they are in. People graze all day, every day, and they thoughtlessly shovel junk into their mouths every mealtime.

If the Thais eat a lot of complex carbohydrate they must do it at home, and they don't shop at Tesco Lotus. In the street they eat little portions of proper food and then they buy huge bags of sugar and eat it, often without even stepping off of the scooter. They go to Tesco Lotus and buy trolleys full of garbage.

If you don't eat refined sugar and fat the sheer volume of "proper" food required to get fat will defeat almost anyone. People get fat and diabetic because they eat energy dense food, become overweight and don't exercise intensely (which would otherwise sensitise the cells to insulin). Want to be diabetic? Buy bags of cola while standing astride a scooter.

[Jingthing]

Anyway ... sugars from fresh fruit not juice are much more healthy than other sugars including white rice because of the fiber. Thai fruit is glorious.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited April 23, 2015 by Jingthing

[SoiBiker]

I always think it is hilarious when people complain about hygiene at street stalls. At least you can see what is going on. All my worst experiences of food poisoning and that of many friends has been at at so called classy hotels and restaurants. What goes on behind closed doors I dread to think.

I've worked in a few kitchens. You don't want to know.

[attrayant]

Well now you're restricting the discussion to metabolism, which was not what you said in the first quote. I am simply referring to general chemistry, which considers skeletal structure, reactivity, taste, solubility and so on.

Sugar is soluble in water whereas starch is not (unless it's cooked first). I don't disagree that they are both medium to long-chain saccharides that provide about 17 KJ of energy per gram.

[mikiea]

Dear Sir,

Your peeves are my peeves also.

Especially the 4th one.

I opened a thread sometime ago and members told me to go and get a life.

Please read

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/768318-elastic-bandsa-curse/

wawawawa & wawawawawa wawawawa :-)

[nahkit]

OP.

Take a Thai cooking class.

Yes. I did.

You don't peel Thai garlic.

You leave the herbs in soup.

Maybe you just don't like Thai food.

Next ...

lol

how old are you?

No idea how old he is but he definitely seems to be more mature than you.

[Craig krup]

Anyway ... sugars from fresh fruit not juice are much more healthy than other sugars including white rice because of the fiber. Thai fruit is glorious.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Personally I think a lot of Thai fruit is ludicrously sweet and lacking all nuance of flavour.

Italian plums? Spanish nectarines and peaches? English Cox's Pippin? European fruit is a lot more complex, a lot less sweet and there's a lot less waste.

I've been having a chopped conference pear and an apple in my morning oats, with dried skimmed milk powder and a fistful of mixed nuts. About 1,000 kcals on paper, and it takes my tum four and a half hours to work through it.

[northernphil]

My Thai wife was trying to right out an English menu when we first had a bar/restaurant in Hua-Hin. I made up some dishes that ferlung might like. One was Cottage Pie.

Pim said " How do you spell Caustic Pie ? " Burning Ring of fire anyone.

[gemguy]

When the shrimp still have only the tails still on......When the rice comes last irks me as well or twenty min before the other courses.......

Ha Ha...I could go on and on for hours about the Thai restaurants in general that I more or less do not like to go to and basically avoid ...if I have a choice.

A food court is fine by me and much preferred because I have had so many lousy dining experiences here in Thailand.

Overly priced Thai food that taste the same as the food you would buy at a food court while the service, near ever time, is just plain dismal.

Of course there are nice Thai food restaurants and fine Thai food restaurants in Bangkok and or other locals that are great ..but basically I avoid restaurants because 80% of the time they are a disappointment.

Meantime I know what you mean about the rice not being served when all the other dishes are being served first....and then you have to remind the waiter or waitress about the rice....and that usually takes longer than it should after having to ask for the rice 2 and sometimes 3 times before they finally bring it.

I never complain ...rather I just shake my head and try to not let it frustrate me too much.

*** And, like other people mentioned in previous posts related to Thai food and restaurants........you would not want to go and have a look at the kitchen area and the food preparation area as you would be aghast at the filthy mess and the unhygienic conditions your meal is subjected to.***

Commonly you have to ask for everything that should be on the table anyhow, while there are no spoons...no fork...no knife ( for a meal that more or less requires a knife) .....no glasses, no salt and pepper, no sauces or other condiments, no napkins ......and then ...oops, they got the order wrong and then ....oops they do not have that item available as they have no more of what you ordered...but.... they did not tell you before hand rather they do not tell you and have you waiting for 25 minutes.....and if you had not asked about your meal they would never have come over and told you they are all out of what You ordered.

I like the one where you come into the restaurant and there are say only 4 to 6 people already there ( but basically empty ) and then you order a simple dish ...like chicken fried rice....and then several more people come in 10 minutes after you did and order food and there you are watching them being served, before you are served, and wondering were your order is...now going on 25 minutes.....so you ask about your order and the waiter or waitress is all confused and says..."wait", "wait" and then walks off and makes you wait...for another 10 minutes and still nothing.....nothing happening.

That is about the time I usually get up and walk out and go find a food court.

That and so many other nonsensical events happening nearly every time ( as in most of the time but not always of course ) when I go to a Thai food restaurant or any restaurant run and staffed by the Thais....especially young waiters and waitresses...which is usually the case.

That being the case all too often, after nearly 30 years, I just avoid the inevitable restaurant disappointments occurring all too often and find a food court...quick and simply and no frustrations or disappointment.

Besides...although Thai food is tasty .. it is not as big a deal as many people make it out to be while raving on and on about Thai food...Thai food...Thai food ......as if it is the best food in the world....

No big deal the way some people make it out to be.

Cheers

[SoiBiker]

What the hell are you ordering in a Thai restaurant that requires a knife?

[F K Thornbury]

OP.

Take a Thai cooking class.

Yes. I did.

You don't peel Thai garlic.

You leave the herbs in soup.

Maybe you just don't like Thai food.

Next ...

lol

how old are you?

No idea how old he is but he definitely seems to be more mature than you.

is that a difficult question to answer?

[SoiBiker]

OP.

Take a Thai cooking class.

Yes. I did.

You don't peel Thai garlic.

You leave the herbs in soup.

Maybe you just don't like Thai food.

Next ...

lol

how old are you?

No idea how old he is but he definitely seems to be more mature than you.

is that a difficult question to answer?

Is it anything at all to do with the topic we're discussing?

[F K Thornbury]

It actually applies to any topic.

I'll rephrase: "Why, after I asked a completely open-minded, diplomatic question in the OP do you come out all smug and dismissive; is it bc you're a crabby old man?"

(You should feel free to answer for yourself as well)

[redandyellow]

Jingthi ng

[aronp1]

Not peeling the shrimp.

[AyG]

Is it any wonder that diabetes is so prevalent in Thailand .

Diabetes is not particularly prevalent in Thailand: according to the IDF it affects 8.45% of the population. Compare that with America (9.39%), Germany (11.52%), Singapore (12.83%) (and many, many other countries) all of which are higher. And it's nowhere near on a par with Saudi Arabia (20.52%).

Source: http://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/Atlas-poster-2014_EN.pdf

[hugh2121]

MSG already added.