inthekitchen
inthekitchen
fire in the belly
Bangkok Thai strikes sweet harmony amid fiery mouthfuls.
Somewhere in the second-story building of a bustling corner in Osborne Village, a wok is simmering. In it, morsels of salmon, squid, lemongrass and green peas are stewing in a fragrant green chile curry. Toui Savangsengouthay, makes quick work of the wok, and passes the dish off to her husband, Vileth Savangsengouthay, who carries it out to the dining room of Bangkok Thai, where the two have been serving culturally curious Winnipeggers for more than a decade.
Contained within the seemingly disparate elements of that one dish, lies the long history of colonization, immigration and foreign trade that make up modern Thai cuisine. To understand Thai food, it is necessary to first understand its history.
Nearly 95 per cent of all Thai people identify as Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Many practicing Buddhists adhere to a vegetarian diet, as eating the meat of large animals, or eating large pieces of meat, was eschewed. Instead, if eaten, meat was minced or laden with spices. Then the Chinese settled the area known today as Thailand some 1,400 years ago, bringing with them stirby Dunja Kovacevic
Photography by Ian McCausland
14 ciao! / feb / mar / two thousand fourteen