Indian food versus Thai food makes for a lovely culinary comparison. After all, both these cuisines are rich in flavours and variety.
As more and more people are inclining towards Oriental food, there are two delectable preferences that stand out – Indian food and Thai food.
In my current blog, I will offer insights into both these cuisines. As foodies, this will help you in making your own choice of preferred food.
Indian Food Versus Thai Food – Which is Better?
Let me now get started at drawing a valid comparison between Indian and Thai food. I will be covering a total of 22 aspects that concerns all foodies like me.
In case you’d like to add more points of comparison, feel free to share them with me in the comments section after this blog.
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INFLUENCES Indian food Thai Food Central Asia Eastern Asia |
| COMMON FOODS
Indian food Thai Food Curries Soups and Salads |
| FOOD TEXTURE
Indian food Thai Food Mostly fried Mostly steamed |
| COMMON INGREDIENTS
Indian food Thai Food Turmeric & Chillies Lemongrass & Coconut Milk |
| DOMINATING MEAT
Indian food Thai Food Livestock Sea Food |
| SPICE LEVEL
Indian food Thai Food Medium to high High |
| SPICE TYPES
Indian food Thai Food Dry Wet Paste |
| DAIRY USE
Indian food Thai Food Widely used Rare use |
| POPULAR STAPLE FOODS
Indian food Thai Food Wheat & Pulses Tapioca & Corn |
| USE OF BREAD
Indian food Thai Food Common Rare |
| NOODLES USAGE
Indian food Thai Food Very rare Very common |
| RICE TYPE
Indian food Thai Food Non-sticky rice Sticky rice |
| CURRY INGREDIENTS
Indian food Thai Food Can be stored previously Need to be fresh |
| CURRY CONSISTENCY
Indian food Thai Food Thick and heavy Thin and light |
| CURRY BASE
Indian food Thai Food Thick and heavy Thin and light |
| CURRY TEXTURE
Indian food Thai Food Rich complex flavours Light colorful flavours |
| OILS USED FOR COOKING
Indian food Thai Food Large variety of oils Limited variety of oils |
| TYPES OF LEAVES USED IN COOKING
Indian food Thai Food Bay leaf Makrut leaves and lime grass |
| POWDERS IN FOOD
Indian food Thai Food Commonly used Not used |
| THALI CULTURE
Indian food Thai Food Every region has a Thali Absent |
| VARIETY OF DISHES
Indian food Thai Food More diverse Less diverse |
| COOKING TIME
Indian food Thai Food More time Less time |
To say that one cuisine is better than the other will be completely wrong and unfair. What you like should always be based on your individual choice and taste. Both, Indian and Thai food are sumptuous. Therefore, make your pick based on the upcoming 22 aspects on both cuisines below.
Now that you have a basic comparison of Indian food versus Thai food, let me explain all of these aspects in more detail. This way you will have more clarity.
Influences
Indian food comprises of influences from Central Asia. Thai food comprises of influences from Eastern Asia. These influences are easily reflected in the most common dishes that native populations consume.
Common Foods
Rich flavoured curries are common in Indian food. In Thai food, delicious soups and salads are more common. Now, curries are important in Thai cuisine as well. However, the common food comprises of soups and salads more.
Texture of Food
Indian dishes mainly rely on the ‘fried’ method of cooking. That food, on the other hand, relies on the ‘steamed’ method of cooking. Now it needs to be mentioned here that fried food doesn’t imply unhealthy food especially when the oil being used is coconut oil or olive oil.
Common Ingredients
Turmeric, Coriander, and Chillies are three dominating Indian food ingredients. Lemongrass, Fish Sauce and Coconut Milk are common ingredients in That food.
Dominating Meat
Livestock is more common in Indian cuisine whereas seafood is more dominating in Thai food. Various dishes comprising of meat and poultry are easily spotted on the Indian Menu whereas Thai food is sea food reflecting.
Spice Level
Thai food is much more spicier than Indian food. This spice level varies from one dish to another. But even then, the overall spice level is hotter than Indian food spices.
Spice Type
Indian menu is dominated by dry spices. The Thai menu is dominated by a wet paste of spices. In India, sometimes a grounded dry mix of spices is also used. However, in Thai food, a fresh wet paste of spices is preferred.
Dairy Use
Dairy is used in various forms in Indian food like milk, cottage cheese, and curd. In Thai food, dairy is mostly absent. The recipes make use of coconut milk instead.
Staple Food
Wheat, vegetables, and pulses are staple foods when it comes to normal Indian cuisine. Tapioca, corn, and fruits are staple foods when it comes to normal Thai food.
Use of Bread
Bread is very common across cultures in India. Various forms of Rotis and Paranthas dominate the Indian menu. However, bread is virtually absent from the Thai menu. If at all, it is used, it is very rare.
Use of Noodles
Indian food isn’t really noodle centric. However, when it comes to Thai food, noodles are readily consumed as native dishes. In fact, the variety of noodle dishes is quite large.
Rice Type
Across regions in India, long grain and non-sticky rice is used. In Thai food, sticky rice with shorter grains is much more readily used. Both, Indians and Thai folks love rice. But the grain is different.
Curry Ingredients
Most Indian curries are dominated by tomatoes and onions dry spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and cinnamon. Thai curries, on the other hand, are prepared from ingredients such as fresh chillies, ginger, lemongrass, lime, shrimp paste, garlic, and shallots.
Curry Consistency
The consistency across Indian curries is always thick. In fact, the base is always heavy. Thai curries on the other hand almost always have a thin and lighter base. This difference is because of the difference in oil.
Curry Base
In India, most commonly, the curry base is water. In Thailand, the curry base is coconut milk. However, in both cuisines, it takes a while for the base to boil up.
Curry Texture
Indian curries are velvety and have rich complex flavours. Thai curries, on the other hand, are colourful with lighter flavours. Both curries are absolutely delectable in taste.
Oils used in Cooking
In Indian cooking, the nature of oil used varies from region to region. Some parts of India use mustard oil whereas others use coconut oil. There are others using rice brand and sunflower oil. Also, a lot of regions use normal and clarified butter. Thai food, on the other hand, uses coconut oil, sunflower oil, and peanut oil.
Types of Leaves used in Cooking
While northern India makes use of Bay Leaves, the southern parts of India make common use of Curry Leaves. In Thai food, Makrut lime leaves and lime grass are used.
Powders in Food
Indian food commonly makes use of dry powders comprising of grounded spices. The powders can be from an earlier time as well. However, Thai food abstains from using powders. It makes use of wet paste only. And that too from fresh spices and herbs.
Thali Culture
Indian food indulges in Thali culture. A Thali is a large plate. However, in food terms, Thali also implies a lavish meal comprising of starters, main course, appetisers, desserts, and beverages together. Almost every popular cuisine in India has an associated Thali. Thai food, on the other hand, doesn’t have Thali culture.
Variety of dishes
Even though both Indian and Thai food are varied in colours, flavours, and taste, Indian food is more diverse than Thai food. Reason being, in India, a new food form is cooked in every state and region. And even within those places, the diversity is heartwarming.
Cooking Time
Cooking Indian food takes a lot more time than cooking Thai food. However, Thai food takes a longer time in initial preparation than Indian food overall.
Indian Food Versus Thai Food & Curry Culture
Even though the curries prepared in Thai and Indian cuisine are completely different, both are appetising to even first time tasters.
India – The Land that Gave the World Rich Curries
India is the land of the Curry. In fact, the world was first introduced to the concept of Curry by Brits leaving India. It is believed that the origin of Indian curry dates back to more than 3000 years. Over time, locales across India have come up with their own unique curry ideas.
Popular Meat Based Indian Curries
Meat-based Indian curries are prepared by adding chunks or well-cut pieces of meat to a thick sauce. This sauce is prepared from vegetables using water as a base. Sometimes, coconut milk is also added although that is restricted to a few regions only. Meat-based curries are savoured among the non-vegetarian population.
Kashmiri Rogan Josh
This traditional Kashmiri Mutton dish is full of aroma and flavour. The gravy is bright red in colour and is served with a bowl of freshly steamed rice.
Goan Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Vindaloo is a very popular curry in the coastal state of Goa. The sweet and tangy curry is flavoured with local spices, palm sugar and vinegar.
Punjabi Butter Chicken
This is probably the most well known amongst all Indian Curries. With a rich creamy velvety texture, this is one Indian curry that you must absolutely try.
Chettinad Chicken
Made from freshly roasted spices and coconut, this aromatic south Indian Chicken gravy is an absolute delight to any food lover. However, if you are someone too sensitive to spices, be a little careful before you take that huge bite.
Rajasthani Laal Maas
Laal Maas is basically mutton cooked in a gravy of traditional Indian spices, ginger garlic paste, and yogurt. It is one of the most popular dishes in Rajasthan and is slightly high on the spiciness scale.
Bengali Macher Jhol
Macher Jhol is one of the most beloved and popular dishes in the state of West Bengal. This traditional fish curry is packed with flavours and tastes best when served with rice.
Andhra Kodi Kura
Kodi Kura is the traditional name of the Andhra Chicken Curry. This hot and spicy curry is fairly easy to prepare. It can be made with simple ingredients and tastes absolutely delicious.
Meghalaya Do O Kalai
The lesser-known Meghalaya Do O Kai is a simple yet delicious delicacy of North East India. The curry is made using minimal oil and lentils, which makes it healthy and unique.
Popular Plant Based Indian Curries
Plant-based Indian curries are prepared by adding an assortment of vegetables or lentils. The base is usually water. Sometimes, a dairy-based ingredient can also be added as a base. Plant-based curries are widely enjoyed and are delicious. The aroma is good and the colour is appealing.
Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka masala is a popular Indian curry. It is made by cooking marinated grilled cottage cheese cubes in a yogurt-based onion-tomato gravy. If you haven’t tried it yet, I would strongly recommend that you try it soon.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo
Dum Aloo is a very popular Kashmiri dish that is made by using baby potatoes. Filled with subtle flavours, the main ingredients of this dish are Kashmiri red chilli powder and fennel powder.
Navratan Korma
Navratna Korma is a vegetable curry made using vegetables. The curry has a spicy, nutty, rich, and creamy texture. It gets its divine richness from the combination of vegetables with nuts and cream.
Punjabi Kadi Pakora
This bright yellow curry is one of the most popular north Indian dishes. Served with rice, the dish has two main parts- Deep-fried fritters (pakora) and a yogurt-based curry.
Gujrati Kadi
This is yet another yogurt based curry, popular in Westen India. As opposed to the Punjabi kadi, this kadi is slightly sweet to taste. It is generally served with some hot rice.
Sindhi Kadi
Sindhi Kadi is a tangy curry made using a variety of vegetables. What I like most about the dish is that it is very easy to cook. The dish tastes best when it is served with hot rice.
Orissa Aloo Potol Rossa
If you want to taste some truly authentic Orissa food, try the Aloo Potol Rossa. Made using potatoes and pointed gourds, the gravy is made rich by using coconut.
Single Bright Coloured Thai Curries
In Thai food – Red, Green, and Yellow Curries are extremely popular. In fact, in recent years people across countries have been adding them to their food bucket list. All these Thai curries are different in two major aspects – colour and the kind of chilly used.
Red Thai Curry
Red Thai Curry comprises of red chillies in the core paste. This could have made this curry extremely spicy. However, that is not the case. A good amount of coconut milk is added to the red chilly paste. And this tones down the curry into a fine mild blend.
Green Thai Curry
Green Thai Curry is the hottest of all curries when it comes to the type of chillies used. Hot green chillies that are freshly bought are ground into a wet paste. The other ingredients include coriander, kaffir lime, and Thai basil. Coconut milk is added here as well. However, despite it, the Thai Green Curry is still spicy.
Yellow Thai Curry
The Yellow Thai Curry is different from Red and Green ones because it uses turmeric. In fact, it is the turmeric that lends the yellow colour. The rich ingredients of Yellow Thai Curry comprise of fresh herbs and dried spices. This curry is medium mild hot.
I hope my current blog adds more perspective to your existing views on Thai and Indian cuisine. If you feel like, do view the surprisingly alike foods in Mexican and Indian cuisine. They will surprise you and make you stand in awe of the two cuisines.