Cooking shows are quite prevalent here on Thai television. Any day of the week you can tune in for delicious, flavorful Thai recipes or even Japanese or western cooking shows dubbed into Thai. They sure do enjoy their food here in Thailand!

Most of the time these are typical Thai dishes, sometimes Thai "Fusion" using the staples of chefs in this region (basil, chilies, garlic, bergamot, shrimp paste, lemongrass, shallots, fish sauce, etc.), but every once in a while you see something unusual.

Today, the TV Chef was cooking a savory soup using vegetables, mushrooms, chicken stock and then added an ingredient somewhat common to Northeastern Thailand which looked like small, white beans. These little "beans" were RED ANT EGGS! (I'm told that these taste a bit sour, like lime, and are enoyed by some Thais from the northeast.)

I can't say I'm really surprised. This type of thing is common in Thailand. Even here in Bangkok you are sure to spot carts selling an assortment of tasty insects for snacking! (These are definitely not as popular as the grilled or fried pork or chicken street vendors or noodle carts!)

Don't worry, if you are visiting Central Thailand, you don't have to worry if that delicious dish you bought from the street cart has red ant eggs or some other really exotic ingredient in it. Most of what you will find here is mainstream Thai food that you might find in your favorite Thai restaurant back home, only better and much cheaper! Although, if you really want some red ant egg soup without taking a trip up near Laos, I'm sure you could find it here somewhere. If you did, it would most likely be expensive as it is not common here in Bangkok and kind of difficult to get.

If you've tried Thai food, you know it's delicious. If you haven't don't worry that you're going to be eating something as exotic as red ant eggs! Visit Thailand and give it a try! If you can't make it to Thailand, or you've been there and want to learn how to cook your favorites, here are a few great cookbooks with some delicious Thai recipes to try at home (I'm sure none of the recipes call for red ant eggs):

Thai Home Cooking: Quick, Easy, Delicious Recipes to Make at Home (Essential Asian Kitchen Series)

Gourmet Thai In Minutes: Over 120 Inspirational Recipes

Vatch's Thai Cookbook: 150 Recipes with Guide to Essential Ingredients (Great Cooks)

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