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The people
of the southern peninsula are known for their impetuosity; they talk
fast, walk fast and act fast. Southerncooking reflects these characteristics.
Whether in spiciness, sourness, or saltiness, southern dishes have a
way of taking things to
the limit.
Vegetables
Vegetables
are everywhere. Taken raw or cooked, they often reveal a tremendously
aromatic pungency. The most notorious is the large, tree-grown bean
known as Sato. Like garlic, everyone
knows when you've been eating it. Famous among southern curries are
Kaeng tai pla, the fish kidney curry,
and kaeng luang, the yellow curry. It's a toss-up which will raise most
steam per mouthful. Approach with extreme care.
Khanom
chin
nam ya pak tai
Do
try the dried shrimps called kung siab that are a specialty of the South
and the Khanom chin nam ya pak tai,
Chinese spaghetti with southern sauce.
Muslim
dishes
Muslim
dishes are of course common in this strongly Islamic region. Khao
mok kai exhibits strong Middle Eastern influences in its
saffron rice and marinated chicken. Kuai tiao
khaek, noodle curry, inspires thoughts of India, though it
is believed to have originated in the Malay peninsula.
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