Joanna James
Wandering the atmospheric streets of Bangkok and the likes, you are greeted by shopping megacentres, towering skyscrapers and a vibrant street life scene. Among all things delightful, something truly tantalising awaits — assortments of delectable street foods, sure to unleash the foodie in you.
Unquestionably Thailand’s most popular dish abroad, Pad Thai may be the least exciting dish to be savoured in the Southeast Asian nation, but it certainly makes for a great start for all foreign taste buds hoping to embark on an exploration of authentic Thai cuisine. The flavourful stir-fried rice noodles dish, pad thai, phat thai, or phad thai, is one of the most favoured choices of street food by tourists and locals alike, especially for its intricate combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavours. Rice noodles, shrimp, peanuts, scrambled eggs, and bean sprouts are the primary ingredients, while sugar, tamarind, lime juice, vinegar, and fish sauce flavour the tender rice noodles.
It would be a pity to fly halfway across the world to Thailand just to feast on some takeout Pad Thai that’s also available back at home, just a phone call away. For those craving something truly authentic, a fried silkworm or grasshopper is sure to sate your appetite for authenticity. Yes, you read that right! The traditional Thai dish, Malang Tod, features a variety of fried insects, traditionally enjoyed as an afternoon snack. Take your pick from crickets, beetles, worms, and grasshoppers and savour with a sprinkling of pepper and a dip in soy or fish sauce.
Similar to the aforementioned Som Tam, Khao Soi is another popular traditional Thai dish with its roots deeply embedded in neighbouring Laos. The coconut noodle soup dish is a favourite among locals and tourists alike and could be found being served at any Chiang Rai restaurant, including the likes offered by properties such as Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, as well as eateries in other parts of the country.
Delectable Thai cuisine, while being undeniably authentic, is heavily influenced by a range of other cuisines — Chinese being one of the most prominent. This incredibly generous rice dish, Khao Kha Moo, is one of the most favoured Chinese-inspired dishes of Thai cuisine and a popular sight at street food stalls countrywide. Although described as a rice dish, the braised pork leg, which sits on top of the bed of fluffy white rice, is almost always the most favoured element of the dish.
Scrumptious as it is visually striking, Som Tam may be one of the simplest and easiest dishes of Thai cuisine, but the flavoursome relish is incomparable to any other, even in native Thai cuisine. In its basic form, it is a combination of thin strips of unripe green papaya salad mixed with roasted peanuts, green beans, tomatoes, and a specially made tangy sauce. It is believed that the dish is hailed from the neighbouring Southeast Asian nation of Laos, but there’s no taking away Som Tam from Thais now.
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.
