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