We’ve all indulged in the richness of a Thai Green Curry or the incredibly nuanced flavours in a Pad Thai. But Thai cuisine has so much more to offer! These aren’t literally unknown, you may even have heard of a couple, but I bet you haven’t tried them all!
This is the best Thai food I found in Thailand.
If you usually favour Chinese over Thai food, this is the dish that’ll win you over. Reminiscent of the famous Chinese Sweet & Sour, Cashew Chicken is usually a mix of carrots, mushrooms, toasted cashews, and dried chilies in a wonderfully gloopy sauce. Obviously everyone cooks it a little differently; it can come very sweet, very mushroomy, or nice and spicy. What should never change is it being served around beautiful Thai jasmine rice topped with a runny fried egg – heaven!
Earning its name by being so spicy that it makes you feel dizzy and drunk, these noodles aren’t for the faint hearted. Restaurants here and in Thailand can tone down the heat, but still, be prepared! I once tried to order Pad Ki Mao ‘mai pet’ (not spicy). The waiter looked at me very confused and said, ‘but that’s the flavour.’ You get the idea.
Even though it burns my mouth of every time, I’d recommend Drunken Noodles to anyone. Usually coming with super wide noodles and baby corn, there’s no other dish like it.
One of the more readily available meals on this list, you may even have tried Tom Kha before. Just like most Thai curries, the consistency is thin by design, and can be eaten on its own or with some rice on the side. Classic fresh Thai flavours like lemongrass and ginger reign supreme, adding heaps of depth to the comforting coconut and mushroom flavours. Fresh tomato is often thrown in towards the end, and sometimes it even comes with lovely soft chunks of eggplant.
It can be served vegetarian or, as is most common, with chicken. Of course, feel free to try other options like pork or shrimp. Just be careful that you avoid the lemongrass and discs of ginger – much like a cinnamon stick or bay leaf, they’re there for flavour, not to be bitten on. I’ve made that mistake and want to protect as many people as I can.
One of the simplest dishes on this list to cook, I’d recommend attempting Pad Kra Pow to anyone who likes quick, easy, delicious dinners! All you need is meat (usually chicken or pork), Thai basil, garlic, chilies, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. That’s right, no soy sauce – or so my Thai friend Mook told me when she taught me on her balcony.
Served alongside rice with an egg on top, this meal is sweet, spicy, garlicky, and fresh all at the same time. Kra Pow is also one of the only dishes I could consistently order without it being too hot, as long as I asked. While I now love it spicy, this stir fry is a great introduction to real Thai food for people who can’t handle their chilies.
I couldn’t settle on the English name for this incredible side – is it crispy pork? Grilled pork? ‘Deep fried marinated pork belly on skewers’ is the most accurate description, but it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. It does sound incredible though right!?
Found at every market I ever visited in Thailand, this delectable soft-yet-chewy snack or side is a must-try. Even picky eaters who don’t usually venture into Asian cuisines will be won over by the incredible taste the marinade works into the pork.
When I force fed her a spoonful, a friend of mine said ‘it’s like a party in your mouth’. She declined a second though, it’s spicy! With its recognizably bright orange colour and laundry list of ingredients from cumin to lime leaves, Panaeng (or Phanaeng, Paneng, etc.) should be the most popular Thai curry out there!
Contrary to many claims – it is not from, or named after, the nearby Malaysian island of Penang. Locals have informed me that the dish was heavily influenced by Indian curries, especially in how it uses nuts to thicken the sauce – unlike any other Thai curry – but it is truly Thai through and through.
How good can a fruit salad be, you ask? Life-changing, I answer! Actually a savoury dish, unsurprisingly it is super spicy. From the North-East of Thailand, Som Tam is one of many dishes from Isan cuisine (also written Isaan, Esan, Esaan) that have only just started to make their way over to us in the West, as tourists are few and far between in that area. Similarly to Spanish Tapas, these dishes are often ordered for the whole table to share.
Its sister dish, Mango Salad, is also wonderful, but Papaya Salad just has that extra special je ne sais quoi. While the complex, unique flavour is a struggle to describe accurately, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love it. Make sure to order it with sticky rice, and go slow if you’re not good with spice. The heat is no joke, and it builds as you keep eating!
This mind blowing dish hails from the north of Thailand, and can be tricky to find outside of that region or the capital Bangkok. Miraculously though, it is often available at Thai places in the West! While Thai cuisine is known for its fresh flavours, Khao Soi (pronounced cow-soy) is actually a very rich meal.
It’s often made by drowning shredded chicken and noodles in a rich coconut milk curry sauce. The star of the show though is the toppings. A fresh tangy mix of shallots or onions, cilantro, and lime would be great on their own, but they are blown out the water by the best bit – CRISPY NOODLES! If you ever get the chance to try this dish, you will have a new favourite food.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these dishes or are planning to. On returning home from Thailand, I discovered these dishes had all been hiding in local takeout menus right under my nose! So with a little searching you should be able to try them all from the comfort of your home.
And if you fancy cooking them yourself, check out my cookbook that walks you through 4 of these recipes.
