The Best of Regional Thai Cuisine

Chef Chat Mingkwan takes the reader-chef on a culinary tour of his home country, offering favorites from each of Thailand's four regions: the cool, mountainous North, where "Curried Egg noodles" are the signature dish; the drier Northeast (Isan) where resourceful chefs rely on staples like glutinous rice and dried fish; the fertile Central region, which is home to Bangkok, abundant with seafood as well as fruits and vegetables; and the tropical South where locally grown coconut is a popular ingredient and where the majority of Thailand's Muslim population is concentrated, thus making seafood and chicken curries the classic dishes of the region. Thai people have taken the best of culinary influences from nearby countries such as China, India, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam, and adapted them to produce distinctly Thai creations like "Galangal Chicken," "Green Curry Chicken," and "Three Flavor Prawns." In addition to over 150 recipes, all adapted for the North American kitchen, Mingkwan provides helpful sections on Thai spices and ingredients as well as cooking techniques.