Traditional Thai cooking methods were boiling, steaming or grilling.  Chinese influences saw the introduction of stir frying and deep-frying. Baking came much later with Western influence.  Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French, English, Arab, Indian and Japanese.  Chili was introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired the taste while on missions in South America. Custard was introduced by the lady of a diplomat.  Cooking with peanuts were brought in by Arab Muslim.

   Thais were very adapt at foreign cooking methods and substituting ingredients.  Example, the ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk.  Eventually, coconut cream is substituted for all dairy products. Overpowering spices were toned down, and fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while enhancing it with fresh herbs such as lemon grass, galangal, and etc.  It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas our counter part, Indian curries with strong spices, burn for longer periods. 

Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. 

   A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish, and a dip accompanied with vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by non spiced items. There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal.