Thai food is lightly cooked so it's crisp, colourful, sharply flavoured and nutritious. The distinctive taste comes from a handful of fundamental ingredients, all widely available at Asian foodstores. Ingredients that are essential in Thai cooking are spices and herbs, which, beside their aromatic quality, are known to have diverse health benefits. The essence of many types of herbs can aid in regularizing the circulatory system of the body. The knowledge of using herbs in Thai cooking, derived from traditional Thai medicine, makes Thai food a healthy choice in a real sense.
A Thai meal normally consists of a variety of dishes such as a curry, a soup, a stir-fry and a dipping sauce or salad. There is normally a balance of spicy and mild dishes with at least one mild dish to counter the spicy dishes.