A large central
bowl of rice may be accompanied by a clear soup (perhaps containing
bitter melons stuffed with minced pork), a steamed dish (mussels
in curry sauce), a fried dish (fish with ginger), a hot salad
(sliced beef on a bed of greens with chilies, onions, mint,
lime juice, and more chilies), and a variety of sauces and
condiments, of which the most essential is nam pla (fermented
fish sauce), used as a dip. This is normally followed by a
sweet dessert (bananas coated with sugared coconut and deep
fried, for example) and, finally, fresh fruit (such as mangoes,
durian, papaya, jackfruit, watermelon and many more) of which
Thailand boasts a year-round supply.
|
