| Thai cuisine is full of colours, flavours and sheer | | | | also be hot, robust and full-flavoured . Spicy 'heat' is |
| vibrancy, where the natural good taste of the most | | | | one of the unmistakable characteristics of Thai food, |
| delicious ingredients in never disguised, blessed with rich | | | | reflecting the fact that more than half a dozen of the |
| natural resources and reliable climate, Thai cooks have | | | | world hottest chillies are indigenous to the country. |
| been able to develop and refine a cuisine that is unique. | | | | The uniqueness of the Thai food can be sampled in |
| It is not difficult, however, to spot the influence of near | | | | the light stir-fries which are not thickened with cornflour |
| neighbours China and India in Thailand's stir-fries and | | | | (cornstarch) as they are in China, curries based on a |
| curries, yet there is always the distinct Thai style with | | | | freshly pounded paste of fresh herbs and spices |
| the use of herbs, spices and the ever-present coconut. | | | | rather then a blend of dry flovouring that are used in |
| The result is light, aromatic and zestful food that can | | | | India, and the liberal use of coconut milk. |