Thai Noodle

Thai noodle, also called guai-tiaw refers to the different types of noodles from Thailand, that can be cooked in a variety of ways. The noodle dishes can be broadly categorized into four basic types which include stir fried rice noodles, fried rice noodles served with raad naa sauce or soy sauce and noodles cooked with fish or meat sock.

Phad Thai noodles or fried rice noodles with thick raad naa sauce is the most popular and included in the menu of almost all Thai restaurants both within the country and elsewhere. The meat and fish stock based noodles are quite rare and can only be found in specialty restaurants and from the noodle vendors.

It is customary to ask for a specific type of noodle and request for a different sauce at a Thai restaurant. The noodle is usually eaten with chopsticks with the exception of the fried rice noodles which are consumed with the aid of a spoon and fork.

The noodle vendors generally use all kinds of toppings while serving Thai noodles which includes meat balls, sprouts and chopped parsley. Tourists are allowed to season the noodles according to choice in certain parts of Bangkok where the vendors only add crushed, roasted peanuts to the dish.

Origin of Thai Noodles Recipes

The people of South China migrated to Thailand over 4,000 years ago and noodles have dominated the Thai cuisine ever since. Rice noodles, egg noodle and noodles prepared from mung bean together with fine vermicelli can be traced back to their roots in China.

Thai Noodles Recipes

The popular stir fried rice noodles or Phad Thai is prepared with the chicken breast and cooked in chicken stock while the entire dish is seasoned with black pepper and topped with soy sauce. Crushed, roasted peanuts and eggs along with bean sprouts are the other ingredients that go into the dish.

The noodles are immersed in hot water just before stir-frying them with the other ingredients. A combination of fish and chili sauce blended with tamarind paste and brown sugar is served with the sauce in authentic Thai restaurants.

The tom yum noodles are usually served with the stock that includes a seasoning of fish sauce, chili vinegar and red chili flakes.

Thai Noodle Variations

• Gu-tiaw rua – Nam Tok style- Noodles served with stock that is mixed with fresh pig or cow’s blood and boiled before serving.
   
• Sen Yai Nua Nam-Tok- Wide rice noodle soup with beef and blood.

• Gu-Tiaw Raad Naa-Wide rice noodles are stir fried and topped with the thick raad na sauce that consists of seafood and meat.
   
• Yen-Tah-Foe- A red colored noodle soup that is prepared with fermented red soy beans and fried tofu. Pickled squids, meatballs and mushrooms are also added to the ingredients generally.

Trivia

Poking chopsticks into a dish of Thai noodle is considered to be an impolite gesture in Thailand.