There are two things we can’t live without since we started traveling around Asia, and both are related to filling our stomachs. One is the typical Thailand food, and the second is Indian food. The food of these countries is reason enough for us to always want to visit them again. Yes, it’s true that we like spicy food a lot, but if it’s not your case, don’t worry, because you will also find dishes that don’t sting as much…
As the title of the article says, today we are going to talk about Thai food and the dishes that you should try on your first trip to Thailand. Of course, there are many, and other people may recommend others, but to make this list we have focused on the ones that we order the most and we always want to repeat.
Before starting, a warning to the consumer:
Now, enjoy!
We’ll begin talking about Thai food with something fresh to start off your meal: a salad. But first, forget about the idea of a salad with lettuce and tomato, here the star is green papaya. Other ingredients of som tam (Thai name) are: tomato, lime, peanuts, chili peppers, garlic, fish sauce and green beans.
Some variations include dried shrimp, seafood or fish paste. Oh, and you’ll also find a vegan version, since in some places you can order it without the fish sauce.
This dish, originally from Isaan, is one of the most frequent dishes on the menus of all the restaurants in Thailand. Very popular, yes, but also spicy.
Want to know how to order something that isn’t spicy? Mai pet (no spicy food).
Do you prefer your dish spicy? Pet (spicy) or Pet pet (very spicy).
It is a dish of wide noodles with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Egg and broccoli are always included, but you can choose whether you want it with or without meat, or seafood instead.
It can be very hot in Thailand, so don’t get dehydrated!
Naam – water | Naam keng – ice
One of my favorite Thai dishes, and not just because of its presentation, which is usually served inside a hollow pineapple and is very eye-catching. It is fried rice with pineapple, vegetables, egg and cashews as the main ingredients.
The extras depend on your tastes, as it can be vegetarian (if you want it vegan, ask for it without egg), with seafood, or with meat. It is a very exotic dish, but all its ingredients combine perfectly.
By the way, let’s learn the names of some fruits.
Sapparot – pineapple
Fried rice is the wild card of the Thai food. You can order it wherever you want and with whatever ingredients you want. It’s perfect for when you don’t know what to eat or when you don’t know the menu and don’t feel like taking risks. If you’re looking for something less boring, you can order it with cashews.
Khao Pad – fried rice
Pad Thai has a well-deserved reputation (in the link you can find its “peculiar history” that you may not know). It is cooked quite quickly if you have all the ingredients, it is delicious, and you can also find it on every corner in Thailand, and I say this almost literally as it is usually prepared in street food stalls and in markets.
The characteristic touch of these rice noodles is the fish sauce and tamarind paste. Egg, peanuts, bean sprouts and tofu are the ingredients that are never missing, but you can add shrimp, other types of seafood, or meat. You can also get it without fish sauce in vegetarian restaurants.
If you don’t eat meat, learn this word: Magsawirat (vegetarian).
It is a simple but very tasty dish and if you like eggplant as much as I do, I highly recommend it. It is cooked with basil leaves that, when crunchy, give it a very characteristic touch, and the eggplants are usually (at least on the occasions we have ordered it) small and round.
It’s not spicy, and it’s vegan. Order a bowl of rice to go with it if you’re hungry.
Aroy mai? – (Is it good?)
If you’re not very hungry, or if you fancy eating vegetables as a starter, morning glory is always a good choice. It’s a type of water spinach or Chinese spinach and is usually fried with garlic and chillies. But vegetarians, beware, because it contains oyster and fish sauce.
Aroy mak – (it’s very good)
Typical of northern Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, although the one in the photo is from a London restaurant. It is a curry with noodles that must contain khao soi paste and sometimes coconut milk.
It has a very peculiar, very powerful flavor, and one of the most funny things about this dish is its combination of textures. Although you can find it all over the country, it is more common in the north, especially in Chiang Mai. Although Toni loves all Thai food, I know that this dish is his favorite.
Kun mi takiap mai kap/ka? – (Do you have chopsticks?)
If you like hot soup or curry dishes, here is another curry dish with coconut milk. To make this Thai food dish, you need panang paste, which is usually made with dried chilies, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, kaffir lime leaves, coriander and cumin.
As you may have guessed, a dish with a lot of flavor.
Kun mi bia mai kap/ka? – (Do you have beer?)
A plate of tofu is probably the last thing you want to order from a Thai menu, but I can tell you that it packs more flavor in Thai dishes. It can be prepared stir-fried with vegetables (pictured), mushrooms or cashews, or fried and crispy with garlic.
Are you vegan? Don’t forget this word: Jey (vegan).
To say that mango with sticky rice is delicious is an understatement. There is no one we have ever traveled with in Thailand who has not loved this dessert. I myself could eat it every day of my life. Seriously, order it, and don’t go home without trying.
What is it? A ripe mango accompanied by glutinous rice and coconut milk.
Khaoniao – (glutinous rice) | Mamuang – (mango)
Fed up? Don’t worry, order a coconut and drink it. Many restaurants offer it, but it’s much more enjoyable on the beach. Of course, you’ll get it with a straw, so if you bring your own reusable one, use it, reject single-use plastics and travel without leaving a trace.
Mapraw – coconut
Are you hungry after all those Thai dishes? Now you know what to order on your next trip to Thailand.
If you are vegan or vegetarian you will not have any problems in this country, since it is very easy to find meat-free dishes. You can find much more information in the article we wrote a while ago: Being vegan or vegetarian in Thailand (coming soon).
