How do you distinguish between Burmese, Lao, and Thai cuisines?

Question

How do you distinguish between Burmese, Lao, and Thai cuisines?

Answer 1

Great questions, Charlie C!  They are a challenge!!  

There are lots of similarities between these cuisines and the differences are quite subtle.  For example:

Burmese food is heavily influenced by Thai and Indian cuisines. The crispy, almost airy, Burmese tofu, for instance, is made from fermented lentils, not the more typical soybeans. "Golden Triangles," stuffed with potato curry, share the shape of a samosa, but the dough is papery-thin, not the pastry pocket of Indian tradition. Ginger is a common spice. A fried Burmese "won-ton" is offered, the shell stuffed with minced pork, then halved and oozing syrupy, sweet coconut milk. But the curry blends of Burma are much lighter than most of India's or Thailand's.

Laotian cuisine has a distinct French influences, baguettes are very popular!  Cooking techniques have a large influence on Laotian food.  The typical Lao stove, or brazier, is called a tao-lo and is fueled by charcoal. It is shaped like a bucket, with room for a single pot or pan to sit on top. This cooking technique adds a wonderful subtle smoky aroma and taste to many Laotian dishes.  

The Laotian wok, maw khang in Lao, is used for frying and stir frying. Sticky rice is steamed inside of a bamboo basket, a huad, which sits on top of a pot, which is called the maw nung.  The bamboo basket adds a distinct taste to Laotian rice.

Thai Cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional).  Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce (instead of fish paste or dried fish).