Joanna James
Among the many yearnings and hankerings that a trip to Bangkok checks off, the interests of the foodies are one of the most remarkable, especially those hot and spicy local treats that always leave you drooling for more. Taste your way through an assortment of Thai dishes and sate your cravings.
It is believed that Laos was the original creator of Som Tam, and Isaan or the northeastern part of Thailand first adopted the dish before it became a staple of Southeast Asian cuisine and relished throughout the country. A combination of a whole lot of shredded unripe papaya with a host of other ingredients such as peanuts, dried shrimp, crab meat and long beans, som tam is one of the simplest yet incredibly delicious dishes, where all the ingredients are crushed and mixed together in a pestle and mortar, with a red-hued fish sauce poured over, which gives the dish its spiciness.
"Tom" refers to the boiling in the making of the dish, and "yum" translates to "mixed" – the aptly named tom yum is a spicy, sour and wonderfully aromatic shrimp soup that is widely popular in Thailand, so much so the dish has quite a number of variations to it, such as tom yum gai, with added chicken, and tom yum talay, with mixed seafood. The traditional, or rather, the original tom yum is a combination of shrimp, mushrooms, shallots, galangal, lime juice, lemongrass, chilli peppers, and a tangy fish sauce.
Just as the aforementioned som tam, Tom kha gai too has its roots deeply embedded in neighbouring Laos and was first incorporated into Thai cuisine by Northern Thailand. The spicy and sour soup is now one of the most delicious national dishes of Thailand, enjoyed by Thais all around the country. Tom kha gai — which translates to boiled galangal (a ginger-like Thai alternative) chicken soup — strikes the perfect blend of taste and aroma with the creaminess of coconut milk and the pungent relish of galangal.
Nothing sates your spicy cravings like a tad bit of gaeng — the world-famous Thai curry paste, familiar among tourists to Thailand just as curry paste. The Thai classic comes to life in yellow, red, and green colours, sorted by the order of spiciness where yellow is the least spicy and green is the spiciest. Gaeng is never eaten as a main dish and is an accompaniment to an incredible number of local Thai dishes.
A highly favoured dish among locals and tourists alike, Pad Kra Pao Moo is a minced pork dish stir-fried with Thai basil and a whole lot of chilli peppers. This Thai classic is a popular choice at the best Bangkok restaurants, including the likes offered by Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel and eateries in other parts of the Southeast Asian nation.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
