Kab klaem, khong wang or khong kin len?

And Europeans, especially in the fast-moving cities, like their food clearly identified.

The whole world knows tapas, the Spanish snacks. They've come to symbolise that country's very soul, never mind its dining room. Anywhere you go, if you're having Spanish food, you know tapas are probably going to be involved.

When it comes to Thai cuisine, though, foreigners' passion for savoury starters hits a snag. So far, at least, there's nothing so simple as "Thai tapas".

It's possible to list the most popular kab klaem for those who want a quick bite before the meal or with a cold beer after a hectic workday.

The most recommended, I would think, would be kratong tong, todman, somtam temaki, kao kiarb, taengkua yatsai, poh pia tod, toa hu tod and lab nua tod (in meatball form).

The list could go on and on, of course, taking into consideration all the regional specialities. But how are foreigners supposed to tell which is which?

When the world first began falling in love with Japanese cuisine in the 1970s, it was guided through the immense variety of sushi, sashimi and other dishes by colourful posters that were widely distributed.

Foreigners soon came to recognise the individual dishes by name and sight, and this was further aided when Japanese restaurants began displaying wax replicas of the dishes out front. Customers too shy to attempt the language could simply point out what they fancied.

The Japanese simplified things as much as possible, gradually depicting, for example, only the 10 most popular types of sushi on the posters.

A similar idea could be applied to Thai appetisers - posters of the top 10 kab klaem, individually pictured and with the names given in Thai and other languages.

Short annotated descriptions of each item would help. Diners are often swayed by a tempting description.

Beyond the snacks, other Thai dishes could be similarly promoted, not to mention the fruit carving that's come to be associated overseas with the finest Thai cuisine.

More and more Thai chefs working abroad have concocted new appetisers mixing Thai ingredients and ideas with local favourites. One example is somtam temaki, which mingles Thailand's favourite salad ingredients with seaweed and sticky rice.

"Thai tapas" can compete with Spain's.

Properly prepared and presented, they're so colourful and casual that they're irresistible. Westerners find the small bites tasty and satisfactorily filling too.

And while Spanish tapas and many other Western snacks rely heavily on oil, Thai appetisers offer a tremendous range of light tastes and textures.

Cookman Redux

 The Nation

The writer can be contacted at cookman@nationgroup.com.