Southeast Asian American Food: Thai

The bold, contrasting flavors of Thai food have had the greatest presence in the American dining scene. Thai emerged as an important international cuisine between 1982 and 1992. Despite its popularity, there are a relatively small number of Thai Americans. Thai is a fusion of Chinese and Malay food ideas with some influences from India (massaman curry), Portugal (deep-fried appetizers), and elsewhere. In the early 1960s, during the Vietnam War, the American military “discovered” this cuisine. In Boston and New York during the 1970s and 1980s, a penchant for spicy Szechwan (Chinese) food paved the way for Thai flavors. This experience was reinforced during the 1980s when millions of American tourists began to visit Thailand, which was promoted as a gourmet paradise and a hub for all travel in Southeast Asia.