Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot
or comparatively blands, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of
centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. The characteristics
of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked to suit all palates.
Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs were major
ingredients. Large chunks of meat were eschewed. Subsequent influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai
cooking.
