What to eat in Thailand?

Thai food is renowned for its intense flavours and fragrant spices, making it popular worldwide.

However, nothing beats the experience of tasting these delicious dishes while being surrounded by Thailand’s fantastic and colourful atmosphere.

So what to eat in Thailand?

We have compiled 10 fantastic and popular Thai dishes that you must try on your tour to Thailand.

1. Pad Thai

You can’t mention Thai food without saying Pad Thai.

The famous Thai dish consists of stir-fried rice noodles, shrimp, bean sprouts, shallots, and eggs. In some versions of the dish, the shrimp can be replaced with chicken, pork, or tofu.

Pad Thai is loved by many for its great mix of sweet, salty, and sour flavours – and it’s known for not being too spicy, so everyone can enjoy it.

2. Khao Pad

Khao Pad is also known as fried rice.

At any Thai restaurant, they will have a variant of Khao Pad – and there are endless combinations.

Khao Pad is simply stir-fried rice with eggs and various vegetables like carrots, peas, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The dish can also contain different types of meat such as chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp.

This means you can get the version of Khao Pad that you prefer.

3. Khao Soi

If you want to try a traditional dish from Northern Thai cuisine, then you should try Khao Soi.

Khao Soi is a curry soup with egg noodles and coconut milk, typically served with chicken or beef, and often topped with lime, spring onions, and deep-fried noodles.

The dish, which combines sweet, salty, and spicy flavours, is very popular around Chiang Mai, so if you are in the city, we highly recommend you try Khao Soi.

4. Tom Yum

Tom Yum is a spicy, sour soup.

The soup is based on a broth made from lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal (which is similar to ginger), lime juice, fish sauce, and crushed chili. It is packed with strong flavours that complement each other – and it’s spicy!

Goong means shrimp in Thai, and Tom Yum Goong is the most popular variant of the soup. It is also available with other types of meat or with mushrooms.

The soup is often served with rice as a side dish.

5. Tom Kha Gai

If you want to avoid really spicy dishes and found Tom Yum too hot, there is another fantastic Thai soup that is not as spicy: Tom Kha Gai.

The combination of fresh lime, coconut milk, and lemongrass gives the soup a great contrast between sour and sweet.

The soup is often served with chicken and jasmine rice.

6. Yellow, red, and green curry

Curry plays a central role in Thai cuisine, and there are many variants. The most well-known are yellow curry (kaeng lueang), red curry (gaeng daeng), and green curry (gaeng keow wan gai).

They can generally be categorised by their level of spiciness. Yellow curry is the mildest, followed by red curry, while green curry is the spiciest.

All variants are rich in the flavours of chili, lemongrass, and coconut milk and are served with rice and chicken.

7. Panang

Panang is also a curry dish like yellow, red, and green curry.

However, it distinguishes itself with its thicker consistency and sweeter taste, and it is made with peanuts, giving it a different flavour than the closely related red curry.

The origin of Panang curry is debated, with some believing it originates from the Malaysian island of Penang, while others believe it has roots in central Thailand.

Regardless of its origin, it is a popular Thai dish that can be found all over Thailand.

8. Moo Satay

The street food classic Moo Satay is popular among locals and visitors alike.

The spicy pork skewers are marinated in coconut milk, curry, coriander, garlic, and turmeric, and then grilled.

These grilled skewers are popular throughout Asia, and they are perfect as a small snack on the go or as a side dish for dinner.

9. Khanom Krok

Khanom Krok is a pancake made of rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk, shaped like small bowls. The pancake has a crunchy shell, while the inside is creamy.

Khanom Krok can be eaten as is, but it comes in many variants. They can be topped with everything from spring onions and taro to corn or something entirely different.

The coconut pancake is particularly popular in Northern Thailand, but it is sold throughout the country. It is one of the most popular snacks in Thailand, and if you go to a market that serves street food, there is a high chance they will sell Khanom Krok.

10. Mango Sticky Rice

If you were to eat only one Thai dessert, we know which one it should be: Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Mamuang).

The iconic Thai dessert is made of sticky rice, fresh mango, and sweet coconut milk in which the rice is cooked.

The combination of the sweet coconut milk and the fresh mango makes this dessert the perfect end to any Thai meal.

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller