The people of the southern peninsula are known for being impetuous. They talk fast and act fast and have a spice and zest for life. Southern cooking seems to reflect these characteristics to a certain extent.
Vegetables are taken raw or cooked. The most notable is the large tree-grown bean known as Sato, a bit like garlic because everyone knows when you've been eating it!
Kaeng Tai Pla, quite famous among southern curries is cooked from fish kidneys with added vegetables.
Kaeng Luang, a yellow curry with fish and bamboo shoots. If you have a delicate palate, approach this dish with extreme care.
Muslim dishes are, of course, common in this strongly Islamic region.
Khao Mok Kai exhibits strong Middle Eastern influences with its saffron rice and marinated chicken.
Kuai Tieo Khaek, noodle curry, inspires thoughts of India, though it is believed to have originated in the Malay peninsula.
- Bangkok Tourist Bureau