Spicy, aromatic dishes are hallmarks of both Yunnan and Thailand, whose shared ancestry makes them the equivalent of culinary cousins
At a Yunnan restaurant, you might expect a feast of mushrooms or a warm bowl of chewy noodles. However, some dishes carry the unmistakable, citrusy perfume of lemongrass, lime and galangal, which combine into the very familiar scent of the classic Thai tom yum soup.
This is no coincidence. It is an echo of a shared ancestry, one that makes Thailand and the highlands of Yunnan the equivalent of culinary cousins.
Yunnan’s culinary diversity comes from the Chinese province being home to 25 of the 55 ethnic minority groups recognised by the government, each with distinct cultures and cuisines.
Among them are the Bai people of Dali city, situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan province, not far from the borders with Myanmar and Laos.
