Southeast Asian Cuisine

The lands of Southeastern Asia were once known the world over as the land of the spices. Adventurers from across the globe risked life and honor to set out for these fabled lands.
The wonderful cuisine of Vietnam, Thailand and the Filipino Islands are a melting pot of flavors and sometimes-exotic ingredients local only to the southern part of Asia.

Some of the most common ingredients used in south East Asian cuisine include:
Lemon Grass
Coconut Milk
Thai Basil
Fish paste
Dozens of varieties of local chilies.

The distinctive taste of southeastern Asian cooking comes from the merging of all five of the palatable tastes; sour, salty, sweet, spicy and bitter. Another common aspect of this regions cuisine is its use of many different greens and vegetables. Asian cooking in itself is particularly healthy, with its many uses of rice and regional greens.

Vietnamese foods are becoming more popular all over the world. This country is well known for its many flavorful soups and consommé’s, as well as its distinct sweet and spicy flavor combinations.

Filipino food is very unique. Unlike common western foods that highlight specific parts of a dish, Filipino foods are a complex blending of many flavors. All of these flavors are meant to balance and counteract each other in a very complex way. Filipino foods are also typically less spiced than other southeastern Asian countries.

Thai foods are probably the most popular and well known of the Southeast Asian foods. Nearly every town in America has a Thai restaurant of some kind serving the popular dish, Pad Thai. Traditional Thai foods are typically spicy, using a variety of local peppers and spices. The popular Chile paste “Siracha” also comes from Thailand, and can be found on the counter of most Thai restraints even in America.

Southeast Asian fare follows a complex symphony of many ingredients, preparations and tastes. Travelers visiting Vietnam, Thailand or Indonesia can look forward to great experiences and maybe even a new favorite dish.