Because I spend most of the day in English-language classrooms with other anglophones, the Thai language hasn't really become a large part of my life yet. I can't really communicate (at all), though pointing and miming is an effective strategy. However, the situations where I can communicate most effectively invariably involve food. The Grinnell fellows aren't on any sort of university meal plan, and we don't have access to a kitchen in the dorms, so we have to go out for most of our meals. For me, "going out" means going to one of the local food stalls or to a nearby restaurant where I can eat in or get takeaway for about 30THB ($1). This is the one realm where I'm really forced to communicate, so I've figured it out to the best of my ability.
I've really rambled on more than is necessary, so let's get to the good stuff: what I've been eating!
Thais absolutely love their kanoms, or sweets! This is a "Mini Pineapple Cracker." At first, I wasn't sure what it was, but I like it!
Yum! Chicken stir-fried with basil, with the requisite side of rice. Delicious!!
One of my typical lunches--long bean omelet. Notice the little bag of sweet chili sauce to drizzle over it--it's not spicy, more like ketchup. Every time I get this, I chat with the girl who makes it. Her English is really good, and it's nice to be able to catch up with her.
Another typical lunch. Spring rolls! With a delicious peanut sauce! The peanut sauce really makes the whole thing--I would probably just eat it straight. There's also another sauce that you can get (which most of the Thais get), but I don't know the name. It's green and probably pretty spicy.
Woon sen, or glass noodle soup. This is one of my favorite things to get for lunch, though it takes a little while to eat. In the soup are thin noodles, minced pork, pork balls, cilantro, some other greens, broth...yum!!
Khao man gai!!! This is a Singaporean chicken dish, and one of my absolute favorites so far. It looks like chicken and rice, but it's so much more than that. The rice is cooked in the chicken broth, giving it a lot more flavor, and then there is a sweet chili sauce that goes on top, which pulls everything together! The chicken can be fried or boiled. Both are delicious. (Also, PORTLANDERS! I found the
website for a Khao man gai food cart in Portland. You should definitely check it out!!!)
Maddie, Betsy, and I went to get Burmese food, which I had never had before. There are so many fresh salads to choose from. This was the tamarind leaf salad, which was excellent. The spices and everything are like nothing I've ever had before--spicy, peanutty, savory, and more!
This is Khao Soi, which is a regional Northern Thai dish. Maddie and I went on an adventure yesterday to find it: it's the most well-known dish of the region, but only certain restaurants sell it, and only during lunch. The first place we went to had already sold out by 2 PM, but thankfully we ran into a friend who directed us where to go! You might not be able to tell from the picture, but there's a whole drumstick in there, plus the onions and pickled greens (and lime!) to go on top. A pretty excellent meal for 25 baht!
If you can't tell, I haven't had a bad meal in Thailand yet--everything I've eaten has been delicious. Except maybe the prawn chips from 7-11...
Peace, love, and food!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment