What to Eat in Thailand?

Gizem Tas
Urbansurf

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If you can’t decide what to eat in Thailand, you are in the right place!

As well as its beautiful beaches and iconic scenes, Thailand is world-famous with its traditional cuisine. A tasty fusion of spice (notably different types of curries), coconut milk, and a variety of vegetables, Thai cuisine is worth exploring.

What to eat in Thailand?

It is no surprise that Thai restaurants are popular all around the world. But the best thing to do is to try Thai food in Thailand. Here are the 18 mouthwatering dishes from Thai cuisine that will help you find out what to eat in Thailand.

If you are interested in new tastes, check our previous article about what to eat in Delhi.

Tom Yum

We will start our list of what to eat in Thailand with tom yum. This famous bowl of steam is aromatic and spicy. It is made of kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal ginger, chilies, lime juice, and fish sauce. The most common tom yum variation is tom yum goong with prawns and usually mushrooms.

Moo Ping

This delicious street food consists of pork skewers marinated in garlic, coriander root, white pepper, sugar, and dark soy sauce. Smokey, sticky, and served with rice. You can find it freshly grilled on the street.

Pad Thai

Egg noodles are quickly stir-fried with tamarind sauce, fish sauce, chili powder, eggs, and beansprouts and served with crunchy peanuts and freshly squeezed lime juice. One of the most popular dishes of Thailand among strangers, Pad Thai, can be found almost on every street corner. You should try this favorite dish of the tourists.

Khao Soi

Rich egg noodles and topped with a spiced coconut broth, more crispy noodles, shallots, lime wedges, and roasted chili sauce. Its flavors mainly come from Myanmar and India. People usually prefer it for breakfast and lunch.

Khao Man Gai

Let us introduce you to another option to help you decide what to eat in Thailand. This chicken dish is made by boiling chicken. With steamy rice cooked in the chicken’s fat, it is served with a spicy sauce made from ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Making khao man gai is more complicated than it seems. Its taste is worth it.

Gaeng Daeng

As a fragrant spice, gaeng daeng (or red curry) is quite preferred in Thai cuisine. An aromatic paste made from red chilies, garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and galangal is cooked with coconut milk and meat or rice. Don’t be surprised if it comes with steamy jasmine rice, as it is typical.

Krapow Moo

It is a stir-fry made from minced pork, garlic, green beans, chilies, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Thai holy basil. It is best served with heaps of steamy jasmine rice, a Thai-style crispy fried egg, and cooled sliced cucumber. Along with its chicken-based variation, krapow gai, it is a must-try.

Laab

Laab is a northeastern-style spicy salad with meat or mushroom and mint. It is originally from the northeastern province of Isan. Laab has a variety of styles, including chicken, pork, and mushroom. It is a great option, especially for those who can handle a kick of spice.

Kai Med Ma Muang

Cashew nuts are commonly used in Thai cuisine. This sweet and flavourful dish also consists of stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts, soy sauce, honey, onions, chilies, pepper, mushrooms, basically whatever vegetables. Both locals and foreigners love this taste.

Som Tum

This famous dish originates from Isan and Laos. This version, som tum Thai is a sweet, spicy salad made from grated papaya, green beans, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, chilies, peanuts, and dried shrimps. Other variations include the use of tamarind, crab, or noodles.

Gai Tord

Chicken thighs and legs are coated in a lightly spiced batter and fried until crispy and golden. They serve it with sticky rice and a spicy cucumber salad. This crispy fried chicken is far tastier than its fast-food chain counterparts. One of the best you can try.

Yam Pla Dook Foo

It is “fried catfish with green mango salad.” Catfish is fried in teeny tiny pieces creating a fluffy and yummy fish salad. The trick of this dish is the pairing of the crispy fish with sweet, sour, and spicy green mango salad. Both fluffy and crispy, yam pla dook foo is generally served as an appetizer, or as a beer snack.

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Gizem Tas
Urbansurf

content writer, editor, translator ||| traveller, yoga teacher, crochet designer https://www.linkedin.com/in/hgizemtas/