Joanna James
Thai cuisine distinguishes itself by its generous use of spices, freshness and exotic fragrance. Here are five must-eat Thai dishes that beautifully capture the essence of this unique culture.
A spicy shrimp soup, the Tom Yum Goong, is famous all over the world. The mouth-watering flavoring is achieved with a balanced combination of kaffir lime leaves, fragrant lemongrass, lime juice, shallots, fresh chilis, prawns, and a generous helping of fish sauce. With its rich and exotic flavor, indulging in a piping hot bowl of this soup is a great way to mark your foray into the Thai food culture.
If you are dining in Bangkok, then missing out on the perineal favorite of Thai cuisine, the Pad Thai, is not an option. A true signature dish of the land of smiles, pad Thai will feature prominently on the manure of every restaurant in Thailand including ones in hotels such as the likes of Avani Atrium Bangkok. The dish compromises of thin or wide rice noodles, a generous portion of fresh prawns, tasty tofu cubes, onions, eggs, and bean sprouts, and roughly grated peanuts for some added crunchy texture. Do remember to splash some lime juice for some extra tanginess that will thrill your taste buds.
A cult favorite among those who love to sample the street food fare of Thailand, this noodle soup is packed with plenty of nutrients and divine flavours. The Guay Tiew Reua was originally served from boats docked along the winding canals of Bangkok. The soup features an amazingly fragrant broth simmered with meat or seafood with traditional Thai spices.
This minced pork is stirred fried with Thai basil, the pad kra pao moo is a popular one-plate dish that is frequently ordered in Thai restaurants. This wonderful dish features a delicate balance between sweet and spicy flavoring with a touch of oyster sauce, fish sauce, and a spoonful of sugar. The cooking method is simple and quick. Chopped shallots, chilies, and garlic are stir-fried in a pan until all the heady aromas are released, following which, freshly minced pork is added and mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. After which the Thai basil leaves are introduced for a spectacular flavor and scent. One can opt to have the rice served with an egg as well.
A spicy green papaya salad, the Som Tum is a wonderfully popular dish synonymous with Thai cuisine. The ingredients are fresh and simple and include a green unripe papaya, carrots, tomatoes, peanuts, long beans, chilies, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Together these ingredients come together to create a dish backed with vibrant flavours; sour, salty, spicy, savory, and sweet. While this dish can be eaten on its own, it's best sampled with other Thai dishes for an explosion of flavours.
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