If you have been lucky enough to visit the glorious grounds of Thailand, you would know how amazingly rich-cultured the country is! From its scenic beauty to tasteful treats, Thailand has it all! It is among one of the most visited destination, for vacations. While many come here to relax and enjoy the scenic beauty that the island has to offer, most tourists choose this place for the purpose of trying out popular Thai food.
If you belong to the latter group of people, here is a list of most popular Thai dishes that you must try, when in Thailand. Due to the rapid popularity of Thai cuisine, many Thai restaurants have opened up around the globe, but nothing beats the experience of trying Thai food in Thailand, itself!
10 of the most popular Thai Foods loved by Foreigners
1. Tom Yum – a spicy, aromatic soup
Without any doubt, the first on our list is the flavorful Tom yum, which is basically a soup made with the most refreshing and bold flavors. The perfect blend of lemongrass, shallots, galangal, lemon juice, fish sauce and lots and lots of chilli, gives this soup a distinct taste. It is usually served with a choice of proteins, the most tasteful and popular being shrimps.
2. Pad Thai – Thai version of fried noodles
Nothing beats this street food specialty of Thailand. With the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, Pad Thai is one of those Thai dishes that you just have to eat, at least once in your lifetime!
It is made from fresh and thin, rice noodles, Tossed in a fiery blend of ingredients that include fish sauce, chilli flakes, palm sugar, tamarind, vinegar, bite-sized shrimps, tofu and fried egg. Needless to say, this dish has scored an evident place in my heart.!
3. Khaosoi – a coconut based noodle soup
Thailand is a land of aroma filled food, and KhaoSoi, is definitely one of the best examples of it. This coconut based curry is all you need to awaken your taste buds!
This dish consists of perfectly grilled portion of protein, chicken or meat along with al-dente egg and wheat noodles infused in a pool of perfectly balanced coconut curry, topped with a zing of lemon, shallots and fried, crispy noodles.
4. Khao pad – Thai styled fried rice
Are you in Thailand and craving for some fried rice ? If so, Khao Pad, is what you should order! Like every other dish on the menu, Khao pad is bursting with flavors and herbed fragrance. Khao Pad is one of Thailand’s traditional Thai food recipes, which is a staple in most menus around town.
The right amount of spiciness, when mixed with chunks of shrimps and fried egg, tossed into rice makes an appetizing meal for any time of the day!
5. Som Tum – a green papaya salad
The Thai cuisine is known for its bold, tangy and spicy flavors and one dish that ticks it all, is none other than Som tum; an appetizing salad that can either be devoured on its own, or served with rice for a quick and filling meal.
This salad is made out of ripe papaya, which is shredded and tossed in with lime, long bean, tomato, peanuts, fish sauce and lots of chilies. Now a usual salad would be tossed delicately but to make a perfect Som tum, you need to mix it all up, in a mortar and pastel, in order to accentuate all the flavors; that is what makes Som tum stand out from other ordinary salads.
6. GaengDaeng – Thai styled red curry
GaengDaeng is one of the most popular Thai foods that is loved for its amazing aroma and tantalizing flavors. This coconut based curry when blended with right amount of red curry powder and succulent meat slices, makes for the perfect meal that goes well with rice or even noodles.
Over all, it is a mild and slightly sweet curry that is sure to make your taste buds rejoice!
7. Pad Krapow Moo Saap – pork and basil toss
When talking about what foods to try in Thailand, this dish here is a MUST TRY! Especially if you are a fan of pork. This dish is a simple yet extremely tasteful dish that is sure to leave a tantalizing mark on your taste buds.
Made over a sizzling wok, the pork is fried till tender than tossed together with loads of basil leaves, green beans, soy sauce, sliced chilli and a dash of sugar. It is served over a bed of rice and an optional serving of fried egg which makes a hearty meal.
8. GaengKeow Wan Kai – Thai green curry
This appetizing curry is a staple at all Thai restaurants, whether in main land or abroad. Like every other curry in the cuisine, this curry uses coconut milk as its base, which gives the curry a creamy flavor and texture. As for the aroma; bamboo shoots, coriander and basil leaves do the magic! But what gives the curry its exceptional bright green color? Well, a spoon full of green curry paste.
Best served with a generous serving of Thai rice.
9. Yam Nua – Thai styled beef salad
When talking about salad, Thai cuisine certainly has a few recipes that are sure to WOW your taste buds. One such being, Yam Nua. The perfect blend of spices when tossed in chunky pieces of beef and topped with the much needed aroma of spearmint, makes for an amazing side dish, which can also be served over a bed of rice along with a side of raw veggies, to make up a filling meal.
10. Khao Neeo Mamuang – sticky rice with mango
As you must have noticed, the use of coconut is essential in most Thai recipes. Likewise, we have another coconut milk infused recipe, but this one is a dessert. OH YES!!
This is certainly my most favorite, out of the top 10 most popular Thai foods. Want to know why? Because this dish consists of a serving of sticky rice infused in fragranced coconut cream, with loads of sliced mangoes. What’s not to love?
What would you like to try out first, out of the above mentioned popular Thai foods? Let us know in the comment box below!!
