| Breakfast, that's the key. I'd find myself in | | | | pow (pronouncing "pot kapow" with a smile on my |
| Thailand standing on the street in front of my | | | | face usually does the trick.) |
| hotel or guest house that first morning in a new | | | | The beauty of pad gra pow is that it's so simple |
| city or town or village and realize that I was | | | | that it's almost impossible to not do well and it can |
| ravenous after yesterdays' travel. Once more | | | | be done quickly and easily. A plate of cooked rice |
| down the list of options. Eat in a nice hotel dining | | | | smothered in a stir-fry of meat and holy (or |
| room where the food tastes exactly like every | | | | sacred) basil. It is obviously peasant food but it's |
| other hotel dining room in the world or is priced | | | | exactly what is needed to get your day off to a |
| several times beyond what I would like to pay? | | | | good start. |
| Maybe take a chance on one of the "Farang" | | | | To prepare at home, put about two tablespoons |
| restaurants (that means foreigner.) A sign in | | | | of oil into a hot pan, chop or mince about two |
| English and photographs on the menu so ordering | | | | tablespoons of garlic and about the same amount |
| can be done by pointing. And yes, the credit card | | | | of chili peppers and drop into the hot oil. Stir the |
| size piece of ham is as small and the eggs are as | | | | garlic and chilies until the garlic just starts to |
| runny as they look in the picture. You can also | | | | brown then add about a half pound of ground |
| bet that the toast will be as cold as my high | | | | chicken (gai) or pork (moo.) Stir the mixture until |
| school English teachers' heart. The "Thai" food | | | | it seems to dry a little then add a tablespoon of |
| won't much better because it's always carefully | | | | sugar and one or more tablespoons of Thai or |
| adulterated so as not to offend the taste buds of | | | | Vietnamese fish sauce. Last, add from about one |
| foreigners who don't like Thai food anyway. | | | | half to a full cup of fresh holy basil leaves. Give a |
| No. Start walking in any direction you see people | | | | quick stir to mix the basil in well and wilt the |
| are going and take a chance on what you will find. | | | | leaves, remove from the heat and serve over |
| You'll know it when you see it. Indoors, outdoors | | | | rice. If finding fresh holy basil is a problem go |
| or even street side, people are sitting and eating. | | | | ahead and use sweet basil and the results will be |
| Better yet is if you see more than one operation | | | | close to the original. |
| serving food in an area and only one of them is | | | | In the authentic Thai restaurant, the condiment |
| busy with satisfied customers while the | | | | offered on the table will be nam pla prik (fish |
| competition stands around contemplating a career | | | | sauce with some chopped chilies and a squeeze |
| change. If there are taxi or Tuk Tuk or | | | | of lime juice.) Just a few drops of this is sufficient |
| Moto-Taxi drivers starting their day there, you | | | | to add some saltiness and a bit of after burn to |
| know you've hit the mother-lode. The food will be | | | | make the meal satisfying. |
| good and the price right. | | | | When ordering, don't be afraid to ask for mai |
| Walk in, sit down and look like a customer. Catch | | | | phet (not spicy) or phet nit noi (a little spicy.) A |
| someones' eye and have a go at ordering. I might | | | | popular garnish is an egg (kai) fried sunny-side-up |
| end up with jok (rice porridge,) khao thom | | | | (dow.) Don't be frightened off by all those who |
| (cooked rice stewed with some meat) or even | | | | say that Thai is a difficult language to learn. Try |
| some noodles in a broth if I have to resort to | | | | ordering pot kapow moo kai dow, mai phet for a |
| pointing to the next table and asking for the | | | | very satisfying and authentic Thai breakfast. |
| same. My first choice though is usually pad gra | | | | |