Thai food is one of the most prevalent and most beloved cuisines in the world. Ramble the streets of pretty much any city or mid-sized town anywhere in the world and sooner or later, you’re bound to stumble upon a Thai restaurant. Spicy, sweet and sour, Thai food just ticks all the right boxes.
Here are some of the Thai dishes we’re craving the most.
Pad Thai
Listing pad thai as one of our favourite Thai dishes might seem like such an obvious choice – but you know what they say: clichés are clichés for a reason. After all, few dishes capture the full range of glorious Thai flavours quite like a well-prepared plate of pad thai. This fried noodle dish usually features chicken or shrimp with a touch of peanut, fish sauce and of course, a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice. Perfection!
Tom Yum Goong
Just thinking about a steaming bowl of tom yum goong is enough to make our mouths water. This hot and sour soup makes use of Thai spices like kaffir lime leaves and galangal along with local staples like lime juice and fish sauce, giving the soup is signature hot-meets-sour flavour. Though the soup is often made with shrimp, different variations might use chicken or pork instead.
Tom Kha Gai
We’ll always be suckers for a coconut based soup and tom kha gai is no exception. This creamy soup resembles tom yum goons, but thanks to the coconut base, the flavour palette is less spicy and thus, an easier introductions to the spicy world of Thai dishes.
Pad Krapow
Pad krapow is one of the most iconic Thai dishes out there. The dish features minced meat (usually either beef or chicken) sautéed with generous amounts of Thai basil and chillies. Fish sauce and palm sugar add the final flourish. Pad krapow is traditionally served with steaming jasmine rice and perfectly runny egg on top.
Massaman Curry
Massaman Curry is probably Thailand’s most famous curry dish – and this spicy speciality certainly lives up to hype. Originating from southern Thailand, massaman curry introduces a touch of Middle Eastern flavours to the Thai palette, with spices like cardamom and cinnamon added to the mix.
Som Tam
Som tam is one of Thailand’s most famous exports, most commonly known as spicy green papaya salad beyond the country’s borders. This hearty salads generally features shredded green papaya and carrots, chopped tomatoes and a spicy mix of chillies, fish sauce, peanuts, palm sugar and assorted spices. If you’re ordering som tam in Thailand, proceed with caution – it’s bound to be spicy!
Mango and Sticky Rice
Nothing wraps up a feast of Thai food quite like a plate of mango and sticky rice. The name pretty much says it all. This classic Thai dessert features a serving of sticky rice sweetened with condensed milk, with delicate slices of fresh mango served on the side.
We can’t wait to be able to touch down is Phuket, Bangkok or Koh Samui once more and head to the nearest restaurant… Until then, you’ll find us right here, drooling by the takeout menus.
