Created with quintessential Thai ingredients like lemongrass, chilli, galangal, kaffier lime leaves, shallots, fresh lime juice and plenty of fish sauce.
Tom Kha Gai (Chicken in Coconut Soup)
Tom kha gai is related to tom yum and offers people with a lower tolerance to spice the opportunity to taste the same beautiful flavours.
Som Tam (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
Som tam comes in a variety of styles, however, the classic som tam consists of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, dried shrimp, runner beans, palm sugar, tamarind pulp, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and plenty of chillies. The ingredients are mixed together using a mortar and pestle, which amplifies the flavours into a super moreish dish.
Yam Pla Dook Foo (Fried Catfish with Green Mango Salad)
The secret to this dish is the pairing of the crispy fish with sweet, sour and spicy green mango salad. This dish is best enjoyed as an appetizer with a group of friends or as a beer snack.
Yam Talay (Spicy Seafood Salad)
Depending on where you are, this salad can have any combination of squid, shrimp, mussels, scallops or crabmeat in it. Added to the seafood medley are tomatoes, onions and rice glass noodles for good measure.
Pad Thai (Thai Style Fried Noodles)
Pad thai is a fried noodle dish which is usually made with shrimp or chicken, however, the vegetarian option is popular too. Pad thai is available on almost every street corner and is a cheap and tasty meal.
Pad See Eiw (Thick Noodle Dish)
A flavorful but safe choice, it’s an excellent option for those who can’t handle spicier Thai dishes but want to branch out from pad thai. Foodies who like a little more kick can add dried chilli flakes, vinegar, or both.
Khao Pad (Fried Rice)
Khao pad simply translates to “fried rice” and is just that with some egg, onion and that’s about it. The dish usually comes with slices of cucumber to garnish and plenty of condiments are usually dumped on top to suit the consumer’s taste.
Pad Krapow (Fried Basil)
The Thai basil has a very sharp, peppery flavour, while the chillies add a hefty dose of spice. You can always take the heat down a notch by asking the vendor to make it “pet nit noi” (only a little spicy).
Panang (Thai Curry)
Panang curry is a bit milder than its other curry counterparts in Thailand. It is for this reason that it remains a popular dish amongst tourists who are remaining in the spicy “safe zone.” Panang curry typically is served with shrimp, although vegetarian options are popular too.
Gaeng Keow Wan (Green Curry)
Originating from central Thailand, green curry is the spiciest of them all, with a perfect balance of sweet from the added coconut milk.