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Every dish created in Thai cuisine has at least two of the four pillars of Thai food. Each dish is either sweet, spicy, sour, salty, or a combination thereof. What makes these pillars so important for definitive Thai cuisine? More importantly: what makes Siamais the go-to destination for experiencing authentic, skilfully created Thai dishes
Thai cuisine has become one of the most popular cooking styles in the world. Reportedly ranked as the world’s 8th best cuisine[i] and definitely everyone’s top ten – Thai cooking techniques combined with unique Thai flavour profiles are what makes this national food internationally famous.
One of the worst kept Thai cooking secrets lies in the harmonious blend of sweet, spicy, sour, salty tastes. These signature Thai flavour profiles are the key to finding, creating, and enjoying Authentic Thai food even when you are half the world away.
Reserve a Table Now to Experience Authentic Thai Food At Siamais, Birmingham’s Favourite Thai Restaurant
The Four Core Flavours Which Represent Balance in Thai Cuisine
Thai cooking techniques rely upon balance as a core concept. There are four key Thai flavour profiles which every genuine Thai dish depends upon. The four core profiles are as follows:
- Sweet Flavours
- Ingredients such as rich coconut milk and sticky palm sugars make Thai food sweet.
- Spicy Flavours
- Aromatic spices such as garlic powder, cumin, chilli powder and black pepper accompany fresh chillies to bring spicy balance in Thai cuisine.
- Sour Flavours
- This Thai flavour profile relies upon tamarind pastes, lime juice, and vinegars to elevate each dish.
- Salty Flavours
- Fresh fish flavours and sauces bring a salty taste to authentic Thai food. Shrimp paste, soy sauce, and fish sauce bring the umami flavour behind Thai food.
Creating Balance in Thai Cuisine
Creating balance in Thai cuisine is an artform. Chefs have the difficult task of skilfully blending each of these four core Thai flavour profiles together into one dish. Each dish must be sweet, spicy, sour, and salty, or at least two of these flavours. Each profile should offset and compliment the others.
One of the best kept Thai cooking secrets lies in each chef’s ability to blend the above flavours. Using traditional Thai cooking techniques, chefs at Siamais can create wholesome, delicious, genuine examples of Thai cuisine which keep customers returning, again and again.
If you want authentic Thai food in Birmingham, make it Siamais.
Classic Thai Dishes Which Combine Harmonious Flavour Pairings
There are certain Thai dishes which are internationally regarded as ‘classics.’ These dishes combine harmonious, complementary, and completely balanced flavour profiles which make each spoonful deliciously moreish.
The following classic Thai dishes are perfect examples of refined balance and beautiful flavours within Thai cuisine.
Tom Yum
Our mixed seafood tom yum soup contains the sourness of kaffir lime, the fragrance of lemongrass, the saltiness of seafood, and the spiciness of chillis.
Pad Thai
Siamais chicken, pork, or vegetable pad Thai is a traditional noodle dish served with the creaminess of egg, the crunch and saltiness of chives and the umami flavour of bean curd.
Green Thai Curry
Even Thai curry has this same mix of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavours. Green Thai curry is sweetened with coconut milk, spiced with red chillies, and given a second layer of delicate sweetness through basil and lime leaves.
Sea Bass/Fish Dishes
Try a delicately chargrilled sea bass which comes wrapped in a banana leaf for a traditional cooking style. Served with Thai chilli sauce made in-house, this dish is spicy, meaty, sweet, and perfectly seasoned.
Tips from Thai Cuisine
Insights taken from Thai cuisine do not just come from flavour profiles. These four core flavours are also complimented by the traditional cooking techniques used by Thai chefs. Below are some of the top Thai cooking techniques our chefs use here at Siamais.
Common Thai Cooking Techniques Include:
- Stir-Frying (Pad Dishes)
- Stewing (Toon Dishes)
- Slow Simmering – where broths are left to simmer for hours or days at a time
- Steaming (Neung Dishes)
- Salad or Tossing (Yum Dishes)
- Grilling (Yang Dishes)
- Deep Frying (Tod Dishes)
Siamais: Where Balance Becomes Beautiful
Here at Siamais, our skilled chefs create authentic Thai dishes which are expertly crafted to satisfy your tastebuds. With years of experience in balancing delicate Thai flavour profiles, our team are hand-chosen for their knowledge and expertise in Thai cuisine.
Siamais chefs offer Thai delights from the moment you start your meal. Our Chicken Tom Yum soup has the balance of spicy chillies with sour lime, citrus lemongrass, and umami mushrooms. Even our Thai Red Curry with Duck or Chicken features a delicate balance of sweet coconut milk, sour pineapple, and spicy red chillis.
Why Choose Siamais as The Place to Try Thai in Birmingham?
Not only do our chefs expertly highlight the balance of flavours found in every true Thai dish but our Birmingham Thai restaurant also provides our diners with an atmospheric experience, rich in Thai culture. You will find Siamais a friendly, welcoming place to dine, with an encouraging atmosphere. We want you to try new things. We want to bring you the taste of Thailand… and that’s what makes Siamais special.
Book Your Table Now for an Exemplary Thai Dining Experience!
[i] https://thailand.go.th/issue-focus-detail/support-thai-restaurants-abroad-thai-food-is-ranked-the-8th-best-cuisine-in-the-world-driving-thailands-soft-power-on-the-global-stage