Most Popular Thai Foods

Top 10 Thai Food

Most Popular Thai Foods

Thailand’s food needs little introduction. From San Francisco to Sukhothai, its profusion of exotic flavours and fragrances make it among the most coveted of international cuisines. As a walk through Bangkok forcefully reminds, these flavours and fragrances are seemingly inexhaustible. However, whether it be juicy pieces of grilled pork on a stick or a fiery bowl of ‘Tom Yum’ soup, we all have to start somewhere. And what better place than our carefully selected Top 10 of Thai Food, which spans everything from staple backpacker favourites to Thai classics. Once you’ve tried them all, please vote for the one that really thrilled your taste buds.

Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

The quintessential Thai aroma! A bold, refreshing blend of fragrant lemongrass, chilli, galangal, lime leaves, shallots, lime juice and fish sauce shapes this classic soup, giving it its legendary herbal kick. Succulent fresh prawns and straw mushrooms lend it body. A versatile dish that can fit within virtually any meal, the distinctive smell reminds you of exotic perfume, while it’s invigorating sour-spicy-hot taste just screams ‘Thailand’!

Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)

Hailing from the Northeast state of Isaan, this outlandish dish is both great divider – some can’t get enough of its bite, some can’t handle it – and greatly distinctive. Garlic, chilies, green beans, cherry tomatoes and shredded raw papaya get dramatically pulverized in a pestle and mortar, so releasing a rounded sweet-sour-spicy flavour that’s not easily forgotten. Regional variations throw peanuts, dry shrimp or salted crab into the mix, the latter having a gut-cleansing talent that catches many newcomers by surprise!

Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Soup)

A mild, tamer twist on Tom Yum, this iconic soup infuses fiery chilies, thinly sliced young galangal, crushed shallots, stalks of lemongrass and tender strips of chicken. However unlike its more watery cousin, lashings of coconut milk soften its spicy blow. Topped off with fresh lime leaves, it’s a sweet-smelling concoction, both creamy and compelling.

Gaeng Daeng (Red Curry)

Made with morsels of meat, red curry paste, smooth coconut milk and topped off with a sprinkling of finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, this rich, aromatic curry always gets those taste buds tingling. At its best when the meat is stunningly tender, it could be likened to a beautiful woman: it’s mild, sweet and delicately fragrant. And like all true love affairs, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

 

Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles)

From Cape Town to Khao San Road, the default international Thai dish! Dropped in a searing hot wok, fistfuls of small, thin or wide noodles (you choose) do a steamy minute-long dance alongside crunchy beansprouts, onion and egg, before disembarking for the nearest plate. A truly interactive eating experience, half its fun (and flavour) lies in then using a quartet of accompanying condiments – fish sauce, sugar, chilli powder and finely ground peanuts – to wake it from its slumbers.

Khao Pad (Fried Rice)

Fried rice, egg, onion, a few herbs – nothing more, nothing less. A popular lunch dish served typically with a wedge of lime and slices of cucumber, the secret of this unpretentious dish lies in its simplicity. The concept is this: you’re the one devouring it, so you dress it. To do so, Thais use everything from prawns, crab or chicken to basil, chili and left-over vegetables, in the process turning an unremarkable pauper into a gastronomic prince!

Gaeng Keow Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)

Morsels of fresh chicken. Cherry-sized eggplants. Tender bamboo shoots. Sprigs of Coriander. Generous handfuls of sweet basil. These humble elements form the body of this seminal curry. But how does it get so gloriously green you ask? Oh, that’ll be the spoons of green curry paste that’s stirred furiously into hot creamy coconut milk. Served alongside a bowl of fragrant Thai rice, Gaeng Keow Kan Gai is the extreme opposite.

Yam Nua (Spicy Beef Salad)

If there was such a thing as a ‘Salad Hall of Fame’, Thailand’s zesty own breed, or ‘yam’ as they are known here, would surely take pride of place. Unconvinced? Experience the fresh, fiery thrill of yam nua – with its sprightly mix of onion, coriander, spearmint, lime, dried chili and tender strips of beef – and you won’t be. It perfectly embodies the invigorating in-the-mouth-thrill of all Thai salads, the yummy-ness of yam.

Pak Boong (Morning Glory)

Found all across Southeast Asia, the leafy plant with hollow green stems and thin fragile leaves forms the main component of this super easy favourite. Cloves of garlic and birds eye chilies join it in a wok alongside oyster sauce, fish sauce and black fermented bean. A few lazy stirs, until the leaves are shrunk and soft, and it’s done! The result is an alluring favourite with an unobtrusive flavour, a staple for those who love their Thai food but not spice induced sweats.

Kai Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts)

Pardon the pun, but tourists go nuts for this stir fried dish. Perhaps it’s the wildly contrasting textures of a dish that saut’s chicken alongside roasted cashews, sweet soy sauce, onions, chilies, pepper, carrot and mushrooms. Perhaps it’s the sweetening dash of honey that appeals. Do you really care? The important thing is that this dish works: it’s simple but scrumptious, a little bit tame and yet still totally Thai.

 

 

Thai Gourmet Specialties

Thai Gourmet Specialties

While “Thai food” has gained international recognition, Thai cuisine can actually be broken down by the region from which it originated.  Each of Thailand’s different regions has developed its own style and is responsible for dishes that are quite different from those of other regions.  Thai food from Issarn, in the northeast of Thailand, shares many similarities with cuisine from neighboring Laos, though the Thai versions of the dishes, such as Som Tam, are a lot heavier on the chili.  Southern curries on the other hand, are less spicy, with a greater Malaysian influence, and feature more coconut and turmeric.  And while Thai people love fish, whether from the river or the sea, Thailand’s beaches are the prime destinations to sample the best Thai seafood dishes.

Thai Beer & beverages

Thai Beer & beverages

While tap water is not generally recommended for consumption, ice is generally safe in Thailand and bottled water is ubiquitous and cheap.  If you are concerned, you can always stick with Thai beer, its nearly as cheap and the high alcohol content of Thai beer ensures that any germs aren’t likely to survive; Singha (pronounced “Sing”) and Chang (which means elephant) are the two most popular.

Fruit smoothies and fruit juice are both very popular: smoothies made with fresh fruit and sugar syrup are blended with ice that is generally safe to consume.  Coconut milk is another safe option as the coconut is simply cracked open from the top and served whole with a straw.

Thai ice tea is served with condensed milk, which gives it a pinkish orange color and sweet flavor.  Thai ice coffee (oliang) is a strong black pick me up far superior to the Nescafe that is so often served as “coffee” in many restaurants.  Otherwise, there are many Starbucks throughout the Kingdom, particularly in Bangkok, if you really need a quick coffee fix.

Finally, red bull energy drink was invented in Thailand and can be procured at 7-11 and mom and pop minimarts for 10 baht.  There are other local brands, but taste and potency vary widely.

Thailand food | Thai fruit

Thai fruit

Thailand is undoubtedly a nation of fruits; fruit vendors sell dozens of different chilled fruits on street corners throughout the kingdom, selling sliced ponelamai (fruit) for as little as 10 baht per serving.  Thai fruits include the familiar: banana, pineapple, watermelon, and papaya, as well as the exotic: dragon fruit, chompu, durian, and jackfruit.

Dragon fruit is a large, odd looking fruit, with pink spiky skin, though beneath the extravagant exterior is a tender white meat akin to a mellow, juicy kiwi fruit.  Chompu is a refreshing pear-shaped fruit that tastes something like a watery apple.  The pungent smelling durian and its mellower cousin the jack fruit require an acquired palate, their flavors and textures revered by some and reviled by others; in fact so strong is the smell of the durian that it’s not infrequent to see “no durian” signs inside many buildings!

Mangos are served both ripe and juicy and unripe and excruciatingly tart, a taste that Thai’s typically balance by dipping in a mixture of sugar and chili.

There are literally dozens of other exotic Thai fruits, available seasonally, and always reasonably priced.  Buy a bunch and share with friends; they make economical and healthy snacks.

Thai foods | Source or Paste

Source or Paste

Thai chili paste, or nam prik, is the base of many Thai dishes, though variations of it are also served as dips.  Thai Chili pastes are made by muddling chili, garlic, shrimp paste, lime, and other spices (depending on region of origin).  As a dip, it is served along with raw vegetables and occasionally pork rinds.

 

Thai foods|Thai Salad or Yam

Thai Salad or Yam

A Thai salad is often one of the spiciest Thai dishes and is frequently ordered as one of the many communal dishes in a meal.  A Thai salad is generally made of raw vegetables mixed with chili, lime, and fish sauce, though some, such as Yam Neua (Thai beef salad) contain meat.

The most internationally recognized Thai salad, Som Tam is technically a dish of Lao origin, and is most popular in Northeastern Thailand, where it is prepared in a manner that would wreak havoc on the stomach of an unsuspecting visitor unaccustomed to real spicy Thai food.  Som Tam consists primarily of shredded papaya and is often served with grilled chicken (gai yang).

Yam som-o, is a more mild salad that is based on the pommels, a fruit similar to, but less sour than, a grapefruit.  Yam som-o is usually served with shredded chicken.

Other salads include Yam Neua, a Thai beef salad served with tomato and onion, and Yam Wonsan, a glass noodle and shrimp salad.

Technically Thai meals don’t include appetizers per se; all dishes are ordered at once and come out in random order for diners to share as they arrive.  However, there are certainly finger-food style dishes that can be categorized as appetizer style foods.  Satay (grilled meat on a stick) and spring rolls are the most common of these, the former available on many street corners and technically classified in Thai cuisine as a snack rather than an appetizer.

Thai food |Thai Desserts

Thai Desserts

You couldn’t tell by looking at slim waste lines of many Thais, but Thai people love to eat dessert.  This includes both traditional Thai desserts as well as western fare, including cakes and ice cream.  Traditional Thai desserts are quite sweet, made predominately from various combinations of rice, coconut milk, and sugar, along with a few seemingly less common dessert ingredients, such as sweet corn or kidney beans.  Some egg based Thai desserts trace their history back to the influence of Portuguese missionaries (who also introduced the chili!)  While these desserts are not prominently featured on menus in Thai restaurants and infrequently ordered at the conclusion of a meal, they are occasionally served complimentarily or can be found sold at street stalls that specialize in particular desserts.

Fruit is also a common Thai dessert and is usually served plain and sliced, though Mango with sticky rice, covered in sweet coconut milk is a popular dessert when Mangos are in season.

Thai foods |Thai Noodles

Thai Noodles

 

Unlike typical Thai dishes, which are served for communal consumption, most Thai noodle dishes are served as individual dishes.  While some restaurants will serve Thai noodle dishes, particularly Pad Thai noodles, noodles are more frequently served and eaten at street stalls that specialize in Thai noodle dishes.  Thai noodles come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including “small” (sen lek), “large” (sen yai), angel hair (sen mee), and x-large (gway tiow).  Most Thai noodles are made of rice, though egg noodles (ba mee) and mungbean based glass noodles are also common.

Other than pad Thai noodles, rad naa and gway tiow are stir fried noodles served with beef, chicken, or pork; condiments, including dried chilies, fish sauce, vinegar, and sugar, are available to tailor to individual diner’s taste.

Otherwise, Thai noodles are normally served in soup, either with spicy red pork (moo daeng), chicken (on the bone), and occasionally coagulated pigs blood.  Unlike most Thai dishes, which are eaten with fork and spoon, Thai noodles are typically eaten with chopsticks and spoon, a reflection of the Chinese origin of the cuisine.

 

Thai foods | Thai Curry and Soup

Thai Curry and Soup
As Thai meals are typically served family style, with all diners sharing entrees, a Thai curry or soup is usually ordered with a meal.  The consistency of each Thai curry varies widely, with some curries arguably classifiable as soups.  However, most Thai curries are coconut milk-based and some are spicier than others.  Gaeng Massaman, is a mild, peanut and potato curry; Gaeng Kiaw Wan (Thai green curry) is a curry of medium thickness and spiciness, while Gaeng Daeng (red curry), otherwise known as Gaeng Pet (spicy curry), is a thinner, obviously spicier option.  Tom Kha, a mild coconut soup, blurs the lines between soup and curry, while Tom Yam Kung, a quintessential Thai soup, is often blisteringly hot.

 
While Thai curries are shared and meant to be ladled over rice, soups are served communally with diners receiving small bowls to eat out of.  Although some curries and soups can be served without meat for vegetarians, many Thai cooks put fish sauce in all dishes as it’s the Thai substitute for salt.

 

Thai foods | Mains

Mains

While noodle dishes are quite common in Thailand (an influence brought by Chinese migrants) most Thai dishes are stir fried or grilled and served with rice.  Fish (blah), pork (moo), beef (neua), and chicken (gai) are all prepared in a variety of ways, though typically cut into bite sized pieces and stir fried with various spices, such as garlic, chili, and/or basil.  Fish and chicken are frequently grilled or fried, fish typically cooked and served whole.