Today we jump continents to discuss food tours in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia consists of two distinct geographic regions, so for the purposes of this post I am looking at Indochina. Indochinese Southeast Asia consists of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and peninsular Myanmar.
Southeast Asian food
Food across Southeast Asia varies immensely between countries and cultures. There are, however, some core similarities in basic ingredients. Regional and national dishes then have their own spin with different spices, meats, or vegetables.
A typical meal (very generically) in Southeast Asia is served family style, with all the dishes on the table and everyone encouraged to take a little of everything. Soups might be served as a palate cleanser. Tea is common, or hot water with lemon, to aid digestion.
Every country’s flavour profile is different, though most place an emphasis on light and aromatic dishes. In Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, you will find a lot of dishes use lime, lemongrass, Thai basil, and coriander. Nuts are common in a lot of dishes too. While peanuts are the primary nut, you’ll also see cashews in some places.
Popular dishes across Southeast Asia are dumplings, stir fries with fried noodles or rice, curries, and pickled slaws. The most common ingredients are fish sauce, pork, and fragrant herbs and spices.
Dishes you are probably familiar with include: bahn mi, pad thai, papaya salad, Penang curry, satay, and spring rolls. These are only some of the indigenous dishes that permeate Western culture!
Curry
Curries are one of the most popular dishes. They are also one of the most complex. There are dozens of different curries in the six countries that make up Southeast Asia and even more found in Sri Lanka and India.
The word curry comes from the Tamil kahri, which means sauce. So, traditionally, a curry was a sauce, not a blend of spices. Despite popular thinking, not all curries are spicy. In fact, before the chili pepper was introduced to Europe, and then to Asia, the spiciest ingredient in a curry would have been black pepper!
Today, the most common ingredients to flavour a curry with are coriander (cilantro), cumin, tumeric, and chilies. Many Southeast Asian curries have coconut milk as a base and kafir lime or lemongrass as a main ingredient.
Food tours in Southeast Asia
Food tours in Southeast Asia run the true gamut from group walking tours in the market to private cooking classes with local master chefs. In Thailand, experience the Bangkok floating markets at sunrise or sunset or visit a local farm co-op to learn about the sustainable farming practices. Craving something a little more adventurous? Explore Vietnam’s night markets by vespa or fish for your own seafood in Halong Bay.
A lot of tours are offered as day trips, but some tour operators offer multi-day trips that immerse travellers into both the history and the culinary culture of the destination. If exploring the temples of Cambodia at sunrise then dining with a local family is your idea of a great vacation, I can arrange it. You could be a farmer for a day, experiencing hands on the agriculture of Vietnam or Laos. Or you could tour markets with a famous chef, tasting different spices, speaking with locals, and even learning a little bit of the local language.
Food tours in Southeast Asia range from walking tours to bus tours. They are active and immersive. If you’re into adventure, action, and unique flavours, then this is the food tour destination for you!
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So far this week, I’ve shared food tours in Italy, France, and Melbourne. Where to next? Find out tomorrow at 10 am!
|| Italy || Melbourne || France ||
