Beside Vietnam, Thailand is renowned for its food among countries in South East Asia. Explore what’s best in Thai cuisine, and go beyond to the truly local and authentic food of our favorite destination of Thailand.
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1. Tom yum goong – Spicy shrimp soup
Photo: Freepik
This well-known soup, which comes from the country’s central region, can awake all your senses with its iconic flavor of spicy, sour, and aromatic. This soup is made from spicy galangal, shallots, fish sauce, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. This hot and sour soup, which includes straw mushrooms and succulent river shrimp, is best served with steamed white rice. Although shrimp (Goong) is the most popular ingredient and is thought to be the tastiest, other options include chicken, fish, or mixed seafood. Thai chicken coconut soup, a northern specialty, offers a milder, sweeter, and delectable alternative if you find this Tom Yum Goong to be too hot. It has the same mouthwatering flavors and spices, but the chilies are optional, and the creamy coconut milk reduces the heat.
2. Som tum – Spicy green papaya salad
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The state of Isaan in northern Thailand is where som tum, or hot green papaya salad, originates. A distinctive sweet-sour-spicy flavor is released when raw papaya, green beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and chilies are crushed in a pestle and mortar. In some regions, the mix may also include peanuts, dry shrimp, or salted crab. Some people simply cannot handle the spice, while others can’t get enough of the flavor of this dish.
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3. Pad Thai – Thai-style fried noodles
Photo: Freepik
One of the most popular dishes in Thailand is Pad Thai. The ingredients are stir-fried in a searing hot wok with handfuls of small, flat or wide noodles, fresh beansprouts, onion, and egg. Additional seasonings used in the dish include fish sauce, palm sugar, dried shrimp, shallots, garlic, and red chilies. While fresh shrimp, crab, or squid are typically included in pad thai, some restaurants also serve chicken, beef, or pork. A wedge of lime, crushed roasted peanuts, and fresh herbs are frequently added to the plate of stir-fried noodles. Simple, but yet so tasteful!
4. Chim Chum – Hotpot
Photo: Captain Chim Chum Restaurant
This famous Thai street food that is sometimes referred to as a “Hotpot Of Meat and Vegetables.”. “Chim” denotes “dipping” while “Chum” means “pouring broth over something”. A traditional charcoal stove is used to cook chim chum in earthenware. With vegetables, tofu, marinated pork or chicken, or with Thai basil, lemongrass, and galangal, the broth is made. Accompanied by a dipping sauce made of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, shallots, garlic, and chili peppers, the food after being cooked in the pot can be dipped in it to maximize the taste. What’s best about the dish is how they pick ingredients and spices that they flawlessly harmonizes all the flavors.
5. Pla Pao – Thai grilled fish
Photo: cicikuliner
Pla Pao is grilled fish served with sticky rice. Usually, Pla Pao uses one of three fish species: tilapia, catfish, or snakehead fish. Lemongrass and pandanus leaves that have been dusted with flour are used to stuff the fish, while rock salt will be used to covered the whole fish from the outside. This dish, which is served with a fish sauce, lime, and chili dip, is widely available in restaurants as well as on Thai streets.
6. Pad krapow moo – Stir-fried basil and pork
Photo: Freepik
Quick and filling, this dish comes on one plate, can be eaten for lunch or dinner. A wok is used to stir-fry minced pork, holy basil leaves, large fresh chillies, pork, green beans, soy sauce, and sugar. A fried egg (kai dao) is placed on top of the cooked mixture as it is piled high atop a bed of steaming white rice.
7. Kai pad med ma muang – Stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts
Photo: hot-thai-kitchen.com
Chicken being cut in cube shape. A variety of vegetables (typically chopped bell peppers or carrots) is adding in. To bring all the ingredients together, the chef will use soy sauce, honey, onions, chilies, and pepper. Although there are dried chillies mixed in with the cashew nuts and chicken, the dish is hardly spicy. Children or those who can’t handle spicy food should definitely try this dish.
Photo: wellplated.com
Other than the popular Red and Green Curry that you can find anywhere in Thailand, Massaman curry is usually served in authentic Thai restaurants. The dish is a combination of Indian and Thai cuisine. Massaman paste is a mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, chili peppers, bay leaves, lemongrass, nutmeg, and white peppers. The paste is later stirred over coconut cream to boost the richest flavorss. Commonly they will use pork as the main ingredient, but there are other types of meat available as well. Don’t forget to try this one of “the World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods”.
9. Laab (Spicy Salad)
Photo: thespiceodyssey.com
Laab (or larb), a dish with a similar north-eastern flavor profile to Som Tam, is another regional specialty. It is known for its hot, salty, and spicy flavor explosion. Laab, a traditional spicy salad from Laos, is usually made with minced meat, mushrooms, mint and coriander leaves, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, and, of course, chilies. This flavorful salad packs a punch, which is why it is always served with a side of raw vegetables to reduce the heat.
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10. Khao Niao Mamuang (Mango Sticky Rice)
Photo: foxyfolksy.com
This popular dish, which can be found in even the most upscale eateries and street food stands, is made simply with sticky rice, coconut milk, and fresh mango slices. Sweetened condensed milk is optional. Mango sticky rice is the best way to finish up any flavorful Thai meals, with its best and most-loved ingredients from the South East Asia region.