A THAI meal is a feast for the senses with its medley of flavours, texture and aromas. Dishes are a combination of hot, sour, salty and sweet, with either a blending of these flavours or one predominating. The cuisine is also distinct owing to the clever use of herbs and spices. Typical Thai meals include boiled rice with chicken or pork, rice with an egg dish or salted fish and pickles for breakfast. For lunch, the Thais take a noodle or rice dish or rice and curry.
Dinner is heavier, a choice of two or three dishes with rice.
Thai cuisine also varies according to region. The Northerners prefer steamed sticky rice and spicier food, so more chillies are used in northern dishes than dishes from any other Thai province. As coconut milk plays a lesser role, curry sauces tend to be clear. In the north-east, laab , a spicy minced meat, is a speciality. Folks here also enjoy freshwater fish and river prawns.