Joanna James
Thai cuisine is loved the world over for its rich balance of spices and herbs and when in Thailand, the choices are endless. To know what to try when in Bangkok in terms of flavourful dishes and more, read on!
Get ready for this fresh, tangy treat that will have you almost licking the bowl. Tom Yum Goong offers a burst of flavours with a fine combination of chilli, fragrant lemon grass, lime leaves, galangal, shallots, fish sauce and lime juice. Juicy and fresh shrimps together with straw mushrooms add loads of body to this very popular dish. Tom Yum enjoyed steaming hot at one of the roadside food kiosks offers a burst of spicy, sour and hot flavours in your mouth.
Som Tom or Spicy Green Papaya Salad is a conundrum. Many love the dish while others can’t decide on the acquired taste. Whichever way it screams ‘Thai’ and is a must-try. Head over to the nearest food street from your hotel like Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and you will be treated to various versions of this dish. Papaya salad is created with green beans, garlic, chilli, and cherry tomato and the main ingredient is shredded green papaya. All ingredients are mashed in a pestle to release a rush of flavours that range from sweet and sour to spicy. You will also be able to find this on a room service menu of any luxury hotel in Phuket, for that matter.
Relishing a bowl of Tom Kha Kai is a pretty good excuse to leave your room, especially on a rainy day. Made with crushed shallots, thinly sliced galangal, stalks of lemongrass and slivers of chicken the soup is made with loads of thick coconut cream. Served with a topping of lime leaves this will be the most heartening soup you have in Bangkok. It offers a sweet, spicy kick to its cousin the fiery Tom Yum.
Asking for a bowl of red curry will help you fit right in with the throngs of locals enjoying their spicy food. Gaeng Daeng is a spicy curry eaten with steamed rice; it’s made with thick coconut milk, red curry paste and chunks of meat. The dish comes to the table topped with strips of crushed Kaffir lime leaves that render the meal a marvellous aroma.
Pad Thai is by far the most popular noodle dish in Bangkok and across the world. It is a flavoursome Thai version of fried noodles made by dropping noodles into a hot wok already containing fistfuls of beansprouts, egg and onions. A crunchy spicy dish Pad Thai is eaten with lashings of sugar, fish sauce and heaps of finely chopped peanuts.
Khao Pad is fried rice with egg, onions and fresh herbs. A simple meal enjoyed at lunchtime Khao Pad is generally served with slices of cucumber and green chilli relish. Choose a combination of ingredients from leftover vegetables to crab, chicken and seafood.
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