My Love with Spicy Thai Food and Cooking

I was born and raised in Thailand for the first ten years of my life, which is why I have a deep love for Thai food. Even though we lived in a slum my grandparents, mom, auntie and uncles always made sure we had food to eat. Even at school, we were served delicious Thai meals for lunch.

I have a high tolerance for very spicy food and find that even the first hint of high spice content in dishes like Som Tum Pboo (papaya salad with salted crab) makes my mouth water with anticipation. From what I’ve gathered, the presence of capsaicin compound in spicy peppers can trigger the release of endorphins from my brain, which produces a feeling of pleasure and may contribute to my mouth watering.

I find it amazing how food can create such a delightful experience! When I break a sweat while eating Thai cuisine, it's not because I've lost my taste buds, but rather a sign that I'm truly savoring every bite.

Unfortunately, many delicious and spicy Thai food are not commonly found in most Thai restaurants in the US due to their unique flavors. Fortunately, my mom taught me how to cook many Thai dishes. She cooked practically everyday with the six of us at home, and she’s an excellent chef.

She taught me to cut vegetables and poultry at an angle and at a particular length for beautiful presentations and good bite sizes. She also taught me to cut meat against the grain for that tender touch. During high school, when I was active in Lacrosse, Taek Won Do, and soccer, she made me her ‘professional’ food prep as I ate so much food!

My Jewish dad focused more on Western cuisine, which I’ll talk about in another blog post. He taught me how to handle a kitchen knife. I’m very fast at slicing poultry and vegetables on a cutting board with my curled knuckles against my Shun chef knife.

I’m very thankful to my parents for teaching me how to cook my own delicious meals. I truly enjoyed spending quality time with them in our kitchen while growing up.

When I come across “pak boong” at a store, I often pick some up and make a very spicy Thai dish called Pad Pak Boong, which I learned from my mom. In English, “pak boong” is called morning glory or water spinach, and “Pad” means to stir-fry. It’s a quick easy dish to make for a hearty veggie meal if you’re looking for a Thai dish not usually found in Thai restaurants.

For those interested in learning more about Thai cuisine there are a ton of videos on Youtube and the internet, but I highly recommend checking out Pailin’s Kitchen, and on how to make Pad Pak Boong. Her videos are informative, easy to follow, and her friendly approach to cooking is inviting. I continue to learn new recipes from her all the time. Yum!