Dining Out: Thai Cuisine

Characteristics:

Dishes are usually packed with lots of fresh ingredients, and have many hot, spicy, flavorful, along with some sweet and sour options.

Common Ingredients:

These foods feature chili peppers, rice, noodles, sugar, citrus fruits, fish, chicken, and fresh vegetables. They’re often light in fats and meats, and heavier in noodles and vegetables.

Hidden Dangers:

Pad Thai noodles are stir-fried with a lot of oil, and often include eggs and peanuts.
Nam Prik (spicy peanut sauce) and Sao Nam (coconut sauce) are very high in fat.
Nam Pla and soy sauce are both high in sodium.
Watch out for peanuts, cashews, coconut, and any nut oils or sauces, which can be high in fat.
Avoid deep fried noodles and entrees.
Say “no” to the heavy sauces.
Avoid anything with full-fat coconut milk.
Tom Ka Gai (chicken in coconut milk soup)
Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (curry chicken with eggplant)
Gaeng Ped Gai (red curry chicken)
Gluay Kaeg (fried banana slices)

Healthy Finds:

You can often find a sweet, fat-free chili sauce.
Try sauces that are made with basil, chilies and lime juice.
Ask for more veggies and less meat or nuts in a dish.
Make sure meat is sautéed, stir fried (with vegetable oil) or grilled.
Thai Chicken (sautéed chicken with lots of vegetables and pineapple)
Poy Sian (sautéed seafood with cabbage, beans, and mushrooms)
Gai Yang (grilled chicken on cabbage and rice)
Tom Yam Goong (hot and sour shrimp soup)
Nuea Pad Prik (pepper steak)
Khao Newo Kaew (sweet sticky rice)

The Big Tip:

Watch out for Sator Beans! They’re very much an acquired taste, one that will stay with you for hours, tainting everything you eat with a pungent odor—not pleasant if you’re not prepared for it!

Substitution Ideas:

Try This	Skip That
Request vegetable oil	Food made in lard or coconut oil
Chicken	Duck
Fresh Spring rolls	Fried Spring rolls
Steamed rice	Fried rice
Hot & sour soup	Coconut-based soup
Steamed rice noodles	Fried noodles

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Member Comments

NANABFITZ

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POLSKARENIA

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ERIN_POSCH

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NASFKAB

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RAPUNZEL53

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MUSICNUT

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PATRICIAANN46

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ELRIDDICK

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YMWONG22

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_CYNDY55_

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Dining Out: Thai Cuisine

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