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Why exactly do Asian foods taste different from Western foods?
Posted: Feb 07, 2016
There are numerous reasons why this spiciness is characteristic of Ecuadorian countries in general, including the fact that seasonings ensure the preservation of unstable ingredients and of course they ensure a unique taste. But more importantly, Thai or Malaysian food tastes different because Asians have a different way of pairing flavours. This article aims at explaining why Asian foods are so spicy and why is the flavour pairing system so unique.
To begin with, Asian cuisine is based on the core flavours, meaning salty, sour, sweet and hot. After ordering Thai food online, you will notice that each individual tries to strike a balance between these four elements. For this exact reason, the vast majority of dishes incorporate soured foods such as soy sauce or fish paste that simply add to the intensity of the eating experience. Unlike traditional Asian cuisines, Thai cooking focuses mainly on fresh ingredients and less on preserved ones. What is essential to remember is that Thais cook hot dishes because they believe they are incredibly healthy. Science has proved that seasoned dishes will clear out your sinuses and boost the immune system. Additionally, heat is an element of traditional Chinese medicine, being useful for treating systemic health problems caused by excess of cold and cardiovascular issues. The point is that spiciness is an integral part of Asian culinary traditions.
On the other hand, Asian cuisines avoid using ingredients that have the exact same flavour. The more they have in common, the less the flavours will be used. Take for example garlic and sesame oil – they have nothing in common. What Western cuisines tend to do is pair the same flavours, the result being less exciting cooking. They also tend to use a lot of bread, potatoes and pasta, while Asian ingredients are so vast. Asians manage to realize ingenuous ingredient combinations and this is why their dishes are so hard to imitate in other countries. It is no secret that Thai food made in the USA or UK does not taste the same as that cooked in Thailand.
The bottom line is that Western and Asian foods are very different, some people even being of the opinion that Asian dishes are superior. The secret of the superiority lies in the intensity of the flavours, but more importantly in the pairing of the flavours. Better also means healthier and at present you can order ingredients online and replicate the dishes you enjoy in traditional restaurants. Even if you have grown up on a Western diet, you will definitely take pleasure in the discrepancy and you can take advantage of benefits like enhanced immune system.
To learn more about Thai food online and Malaysian food, please visit these links!
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