Thai Food: 25 Popular Dishes + 6 Secret Recipe Tips
Diana Barkley
(Senior Editor)
Thai food is a bright and remarkably delicious cuisine that achieved worldwide popularity, thanks to its unique ingredients and bold flavors. However, not many people know much about this amazing cuisine’s diversity, as it includes far more than just Pad Thai! Read on to find famous dishes from the Thai cuisine.
In today’s article, we will explore the full potential of this cuisine with some of the most popular Thai food recipes, along with some highly underrated ones. Additionally, stick around for some secret tips that will take your Thai food to the next level!
Traditional Thai Cuisine – More Than Pad Thai and Tom Kha Gai
Understanding Thai cuisine history and the factors that influenced it over the ages can give you an excellent perspective of traditional Thai cuisine and how it came to be the delicious and popular one it is today.
One of the main aspects that influenced traditional Thai cuisine is Thailand’s location, which gave it remarkable access to different types of ingredients, allowing it to host a remarkable variety of recipes.
Many traditional Thai recipes today have been around for hundreds of years, as the current culinary traditions of the country started in the 1200s with the Sukhothai Kingdom.
However, Thailand also got many inspirations from neighboring civilizations while also influencing theirs, such as Malaysia, India, and China.
Surprisingly, chili peppers weren’t indigenous to Thailand. Instead, it was introduced to the region by Portuguese merchants and missionaries in the 1500s. However, the Thai population quickly fell in love with that spicy kick, and soon after, almost all their recipes would include it.
Most Popular Street Food in Thailand
Most Popular Street Food in Thailand
While enjoying a trip to Thailand, you’ll find a huge variety of street vendors across Bangkok and other cities. This is because street food is a vital part of Thai culture, with reports showing that most tourists spend over 20% of their travel budget experiencing street food alone!
In fact, the same report mentions that street food vendors make up a little over 32.4% of the food industry in the country, compared to Thai restaurants. Here’s a quick overview of some of the most popular options to try out when in Thailand:
- Pad Thai: Traditional stir-fried rice noodles are easily one of the most popular dishes all across the country. It’s usually made with a variety of delicious ingredients, including shrimp, and scrambled eggs, with a dash of peanuts!
- Pad Krapao Moo: This literally translates to “holy basil stir-fried pork”, which is cooked in a mixture of tasty oyster and soy sauce for an unmatched umami flavor.
- Moo Ping: Grilled pork is popular all over the country for its rich flavor and fairly affordable price. You typically buy them by the skewer with a side of sticky rice to make them more filling.
Moo Ping – Grilled Pork
- Khao Kha: This one is perfect if you prefer less spicy food. Khao Kha is a slowly braised pork cut into thin slices and laid on top of a rich serving of steamed rice, which is heavily inspired by Teochew Chinese cuisine.
- Guay Tiew Reua: These are commonly known as “boat noodles” because they’re typically sold by vendors on boats in the Bangkok canal and waterways. The dish contains fried noodles and pickled bean curd. It’s also topped with beef, pork, or both.
Thai Food in the World
Thai Food in the World
Thai food has established itself as one of the most popular ethnic cuisines in the world, as it managed to perfectly blend complex flavors and delicious ingredients that appeal to both Eastern and Western palates.
Of course, Thai communities across the world also helped in massively popularizing their traditional cuisine. Today, it’s hard to find a major city without several joints and restaurants that specialize in Thai food.
How Healthy Is Thai Food?
How Healthy Is Thai Food?
Besides the delicious flavors, many Thai food recipes are also surprisingly healthy. This is because Thai food is based on a wide variety of ingredients, especially vegetables and greens, such as beans and cabbages.
Thai food also uses a variety of meats, including pork, beef, chicken, and shrimp. The good news here is that most Thai recipes use leaner cuts, so they’re also rich in protein.
That being said, you should still be careful while eating Thai food, as some recipes contain large amounts of sodium-rich fish sauce and soy sauce, which can increase blood pressure.
Also, too much spice can cause digestion problems, especially if you have irritable bowel syndrome.
Famous and Popular Thai Dishes You Have to Try
Famous and Popular Thai Dishes You Have to Try
Now that we’ve covered the background of Thai food and its progression through history, it’s time to get down to recipes and find out more about the most popular dishes all across Thailand.
Although the language barrier might make some of these dishes hard to figure out, they’re usually literal translations of what the dishes include.
In this section, we’ll check out a huge variety of dishes, including some of the most popular main dishes as well as side dishes and starters, spicy soups, salads, and even desserts.
Soups & Salads
Soups & Salads
Soups and salads make up the majority of Thai dishes. In fact, many of the following recipes are enjoyed throughout the day and even considered main dishes. This is because Thai soups are much richer and ingredient-rich when compared to Western ones.
Tom Kha (Coconut Galangal Soup)
Tom Kha (Coconut Galangal Soup)
Let’s start with one of the most popular soups in Thailand! Tom Kha is a creamy soup made with coconut milk and galangal, which is a root that looks like ginger but has a unique, less spicy flavor.
Tom Kha is usually made with a protein element, which is typically tender chicken in addition to limes and lemongrass. In that case, the dish is known as “Tom Kha Gai”.
Massaman Curry
Massaman Curry
Massaman Curry is a special Thai dish that is mildly spicy when compared to many other Thai recipes. The word Massaman refers to its origins in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, which is why this curry doesn’t incorporate Thai staples as main ingredients.
For example, this is one of the few Thai dishes in this section that you can make without using any coconut milk, but it includes oriental spices like cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, and nutmeg, giving it its uniquely fragrant quality.
Som Tom (Green Papaya Salad)
Som Tom (Green Papaya Salad)
The delicious green papaya salad is another special Thai recipe to enjoy on its own as a snack or alongside some stir-fried noodles.
While neighboring countries also have their own version of the dish, the Thai salad stands out as the easiest to prepare along with a balanced flavor and crunchy element that makes it highly addictive.
Tom Yum Goong
Tom Yum Goong
If you’re all about authentic Thai food, Tom Yum should definitely be on your must-try list. This iconic Thai dish uses some of the main ingredients used in Thai cuisine: galangal, chilies, lemongrass, fish sauce, and makrut limes.
This combination gives it a highly familiar taste that locals simply adore, which is why you can find this dish served in various styles across the country. Traditionally, Tom Yum is made with shrimp (Goong) as a protein element, but you can use any type of meat you like with the dish.
Phla Kung (Spicy Shrimp Salad)
Phla Kung (Spicy Shrimp Salad)
Phla Kung is an iconic Thai salad that uses ingredients similar to the ones mentioned in Tom Yums, including kaffir (makrut) limes, lemongrass, and galangal, but without using broth. As the name suggests, you also enjoy this salad with prawns and shrimp.
However, you can also eat it with other types of seafood and fried fish. The sweet and sour salad is typically served on top of steamed rice and garnished with some mint sprigs and lemongrass.
Yum Kai Tom (Spicy Egg Salad)
Yum Kai Tom (Spicy Egg Salad)
Before wrapping up the salads section and heading to the starters and sides, here’s a transitional dish that meets the criteria for both categories. Thai egg salad is as simple as it gets, as you can prepare it in under 10 minutes and even use the microwave to cook the eggs.
The traditional recipe calls for soft-boiled eggs, but you can also make it work with medium-boiled eggs if you prefer hard yolk. Like other Thai dishes, this one is best served with steamed rice and drizzled with a dressing of fish sauce, sugary lime juice, and ground chilies.
Starters and Sides
Starters and Sides
Thai food is best enjoyed with a generous amount of side dishes, as they add remarkable depth to the flavor profile of each recipe and can be enjoyed on their own as a snack. Some of the following recipes are also hearty and filling enough to be enjoyed as a main dish or street food meal.
Galam Plee Pad Nam Pla (Garlicky Stir-Fried Cabbage)
Galam Plee Pad Nam Pla (Garlicky Stir-Fried Cabbage)
Pronouncing galam plee pad nam pla might seem like a challenge on its own. However, it’s a remarkably simple and delicious dish that takes as little as 30 minutes to prepare and cook from scratch!
The vegetable-based dish is mainly stir-fried cabbage, made with fish sauce and garlic to give it a bold flavor that blends in nicely with curries and steamed rice. The traditional recipe requires high heat, which is why a wok is necessary for this dish. However, you can use a steel skillet if you don’t have one.
Kaeng Khio Wan (Green Curry)
Kaeng Khio Wan (Green Curry)
Another simple yet massively popular Thai recipe that you must try out is the green curry. This one has a paste-like consistency and an iconic green color from its green chilies and lemongrass.
You can also turn this paste into a sauce that you enjoy as a side dish with tons of dishes. The best part is that it’s incredibly easy to make and you can prepare a large batch in under 10 to 15 minutes.
Panang Curry
Panang Curry
Panang Curry, also known as “Phanaeng”, is a type of special red curry with Malay origins that is currently a staple in Thai cuisine. This dish gets its color from using red chili peppers, shrimp paste, and crushed peanuts.
This dish is known for boasting subtle sweetness when compared to other types of Thai curries, as it also includes sugar in its main recipe. Unlike green curry paste, preparing this one from scratch can take some time, so you might want to make a large batch for future use.
Khao Jee (Grilled Sticky Rice)
Khao Gee (Grilled Sticky Rice)
Sticky rice is one of the staple ingredients in Thai cuisine and a prominent element of the nation’s culture. For that reason, it’s not uncommon for locals to enjoy a quick snack of sticky rice with other dishes and even on their own.
Of course, the sticky rice is mixed with some eggs and fish sauce and grilled on open charcoal to give its outstanding flavor.
The origin of this surprisingly delicious grilled sticky rice on skewers can be traced back to Laos. However, the Lao version is a little flatter and shaped like a pancake, compared to the ball-shaped Thai style.
Pad Pak Boong (Stir-fried Water Spinach)
Pad Pak Boong (Stir-fried Water Spinach)
Pak Boong is the name of a unique water spinach vine that grows freely across Thailand, which is scientifically known as “Ipomoea aquatica”. When cooked, the tender shoots of the plant make an excellent side dish alongside meat and fish.
Preparing stir-fried Pak Boong is fairly easy, as the healthy dish takes as little as 10 to 15 minutes to prepare. The original recipe calls for a Tao Jiew, which is a fermented soy sauce paste, but you can replace it with regular soy sauce if you can find it where you live.
Kai Jeow (Thai Omelette)
Kai Jeow (Thai Omelette)
If you’re just starting with Thai food and you prefer a simple dish to try out this cuisine, Kai Jeow might be exactly what you’re looking for. In fact, you can whip out this simple yet delicious dish in less than 5 minutes if you have all your ingredients ready.
The secret behind this recipe is adding some fish sauce and green onion to the mix, which gives the dish a distinguished flavor. Additionally, you can experiment with the dish by adding a variety of extra ingredients, such as minced garlic, pork, thai chilies, shrimp, and much more!
Pad See Ew (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles)
Pad See Ew (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles)
Pad See Ew is a flavorful Thai stir-fried noodle dish that will delight your taste buds with its heaty ingredients and flavorful spices. The dish is commonly enjoyed as a street food dish but you can also find it at Thai restaurants and local households.
Of course, like other rice noodle dishes in Thailand, this one is inspired by Chinese cuisine. However, the combination of authentic Thai ingredients and the use of crunchy vegetables alongside the noodles gives it a completely fresh flavor.
Sai Krok Isan (Isan Sausage)
Sai Krok Isan (Isan Sausage)
Although sausages and curated meat are not particularly popular in these regions, the Isan region in Northern Thailand is known for its small, round fermented sausages, which are commonly enjoyed as a snack or eaten alongside sticky rice, ginger, and raw cabbage.
As expected from Thai cuisine, these sausages are made by mixing ground pork with cooked rice and seasoning and allowing them to cure under the sun for 1 to 2 days, then frying them in a pan.
Mains
Mains
The wonderful variety of Thai food also extends to the cuisine’s exquisite range of delicious main dishes. In this section, we’ll shed some light on some of the most popular main dishes Thailand has to offer, in addition to some massively underrated gems that you must try out.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai
Pad Thai is easily the epitome of Thai food and the cuisine’s most popular dish all over the world. To everyone’s surprise, Pad Thai is actually a relatively new dish that has only been around for one hundred years or less!
Like other rice noodle-based dishes, Pad Thai is heavily based on Chinese food. However, the addition of tamarind sauce as well as fish sauce, cilantro, and peanuts makes it a true one-of-a-kind.
The stir-fried dish is usually made with bean sprouts and tender chicken, but you can replace the chicken with shrimp, mushroom, pork, or even tofu to mix things up.
Pad Krapow Gai (Stir Fried Basil Chicken)
Pad Krapow Gai (Stir Fried Basil Chicken)
Pad Krapow Gai is the kind of dish you can find anywhere in Thailand, from street fall stalls to family lunchtimes and even restaurants.
The iconic spicy recipe of Pad Krapow Gai includes a generous serving of steamed rice and stir-fried ground chicken topped with a combination of palate-tickling ingredients.
These ingredients include but are not limited to holy basil, Thai chilies, minced garlic, sliced shallots, and fish sauce. You can also substitute or try different types of chilies and sauces to transform the dish entirely.
Larb (Laab)
Larb (Laab)
Although Larb Gai qualifies as a salad, it’s one of the most popular dishes in the region and is often enjoyed as a main dish. Larb is not only popular in Thailand but also in Laos. In fact, it’s widely accepted as the country’s national dish.
The secret behind Larb’s popularity is how refreshing and flavorful it can be. The salad-based dish mainly consists of ground meat, which is usually chicken (Gai) but you can also use other types of meat like beef, pork, and lamb.
Besides the meat, the dish gets its enticing flavor from the combination of side ingredients used in the recipe, such as mint, cilantro, holy basil, chilies, lemongrass, kaffir lime, onions (red and green), and much more!
Gai Pad Med Mamuang (Stir-Fried Cashew Chicken)
Gai Pad Med Mamuang (Stir-Fried Cashew Chicken)
There are plenty of reasons to love this recipe. For starters, it’s incredibly quick for a filling and healthy lunch or dinner. Additionally, it’s one of the most uniquely flavored dishes you may taste in your life, as it packs a punch when it comes to flavor.
Apart from oyster sauce and Thai chilies, cooking Gai Pad Med Mamuang doesn’t require plenty of Thai food ingredients, which also makes it a brilliant pick for a serious first-timer.
Pad Khao (Stir-Fried Rice)
Pad Khao (Stir-Fried Rice)
Although stir-fried rice is fairly common across Southeast Asian cuisines, the Thai version stands out as one of the most popular variants because it uses balanced and widely enjoyed ingredients in the creation of the dish.
Pad Khao has a distinguished savory element that gives it a tantalizing flavor and strong aroma, especially if you use oyster sauce instead of soy sauce while making the dish. Thai fried rice also uses brown sugar to caramelize the food, which balances its flavor significantly.
Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)
Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)
If you don’t mind a slightly challenging recipe, this one should be an excellent contender. Tod Mon Pla is a Thai classic and is commonly enjoyed all over the country.
You can use any type of fish to prepare these fish cakes, but we highly recommend going for a tender variety rather than a firm.
To make the fish cakes, you’ll need to finely chop your fish using a food processor or by hand. You then add your fish to a bowl along with the other ingredients, including rice, eggs, onions, cilantro, and fish sauce. The patties are then fried and enjoyed with Thai sweet chili sauce.
Gai Tod (Thai Fried Chicken)
Gai Tod (Thai Fried Chicken)
If you’re a fan of fried chicken but want to try them in a new style, you’re going to enjoy this Thai version! Gai Tod simply translates to fried chicken. However, preparing this recipe is somewhat different from what’s considered a traditional fried chicken.
The secret here is using a 1:2 ratio mixture of Gogi tempura flour and rice flour to coat the chicken while adding fish sauce to infuse the chicken with umami goodness. After that, you’ll fry the chicken as usual and serve them alongside Thai sweet chili sauce.
Desserts and Pastries
Desserts and Pastries
Although Thai food is mainly known for its savory goodness, it also boasts a decent variety of sweet desserts and traditional treats that you’ll fall in love with. This section will show you some of the must-try options you should check out.
Khao Niaow Ma Muang
Khao Niaow Ma Muang
Khao Niaow Ma Muang simply translates to “mango sticky rice”, and as the name suggests, this dish combines sticky rice with mango slices in a bowl of coconut milk. The refreshing sweet bowl is easy to make and tastes creamy and tangy.
Bua Loi
Bua Loi
This one means “floating water lilies”, which is a sweet Thai dessert that includes colored rice flour balls submerged in sweet coconut milk until they’re mushy and gelatinous. Bua Loi is considered a form of cereal and is eaten with a spoon.
Kluay Kaek
Kluay Kaek
Kluay Kaek is a popular Thai dessert that you can often buy from street food stalls, but it’s made at home as well as a snack between meals.
This dessert is made by slicing bananas into flat fritters and dipping them in a flour-based batter with some sesame seeds and coconut milk, then deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown.
Khao Taen
Khao Taen
Khao Taen, also known as sticky rice chips, is one of the most popular desserts all over Thailand. In fact, these delicious and easy-to-make rice cakes are also sold commercially and in street food stalls.
The recipe uses the sticky quality of cooked Thai rice to shape it like discs. The rice is first soaked in watermelon juice and coconut milk overnight, then deep-fried until crispy and golden brown. You can also drizzle cane sugar syrup on top if you like it extra sweet.
Secret Recipe Tips for Thai Food
Secret Recipe Tips for Thai Food
As you can see, Thai food uses plenty of common ingredients, which makes a lot of people wonder why authentic Thai food stands out dramatically.
That’s where this section comes in handy! Here are 6 secret tips that will help you craft some of the most delicious Thai recipes, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned home chef!
Grind Your Spices and Herbs in a Mortar and Pestle
Grind Your Spices and Herbs in a Mortar and Pestle
While using a mortar and pestle is rare in Western cuisine, it’s still the traditional way of preparing ingredients in Thailand. In fact, grinding your herbs, seeds, and spices doesn’t only crush them quicker, but it also helps you release their oils for better consistency and aroma.
Grinding also gives you perfect control over the texture of the ingredients while a food processor can overcrush the ingredients, which may alter their flavor, rendering them too fine. In fact, food processors can cause some herbs to taste a bit bitter.
Use Fresh, Authentic Ingredients Whenever Possible
Use Fresh, Authentic Ingredients Whenever Possible
It’s always easy to take the easy way out and opt for substitutes while cooking traditional ethnic dishes. While this is perfectly okay in many situations where you can find the right ingredients, it doesn’t always turn out as you might expect.
Since Thai food relies heavily on complex flavors and textures, there are many situations when replacements can do your dish justice. That’s why you should try to stock up on authentic Thai ingredients like fish sauce, palm sugar, and kaffir lime leaves before cooking Thai food.
Don’t Overfill the Pan
Don’t Overfill the Pan
If you’re trying to create an unforgettable Thai stir-fry, you should always avoid overcrowding your wok or pan. In fact, some might even suggest that you should cook each ingredient separately, but you don’t have to go to that extreme either.
This is because overlapping ingredients will end up steaming/sauteing them instead of the desired searing, which makes your ingredients soggy instead of crunchy. A good rule of thumb here is to keep your wok-load under one pound.
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Fish Sauce
Don’t Be Afraid to Use Fish Sauce
As you now know, fish sauce is simply the cornerstone of Thai cuisine, and in many cases, you can’t just make Thai food without using it. This condiment is often misunderstood because of its pungent odor and strong taste.
However, adding some fish or oyster sauce to your food will dramatically improve its depth and give it a savory, umami flavor that you won’t find in any alternative, so don’t be afraid to add it if the recipe calls for it.
Use a Wok to Cook Fast at High Heat
Use a Wok to Cook Fast at High Heat
Since stir-fries make up the vast majority of popular Thai dishes, you’ll need to get a good-quality carbon-steel wok to cook your food properly. This is because the wok’s deep, curved shape allows intense heat to circulate efficiently, which is essential while searing the dishes.
The design of the wok also allows you to toss your ingredients while they’re cooking. This technique ensures that all ingredients are cooked evenly on all sides, which is critical to avoid burning your food and activating Maillard’s reaction necessary for browning and caramelization.
It’s Okay to Tune Down the Spiciness
It’s Okay to Tune Down the Spiciness
We’ve previously touched on the importance of using authentic ingredients to get the right flavor while making Thai food. However, this is not necessarily the case when it comes to how hot and spicy your food is.
Thai food is known for being quite spicy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat it the way you like it. After all, trying out new culinary cooking styles is meant to be fun and enjoyable.
For that reason, if the only barrier between you and experiencing the full glory of Thai food is the heat, it’s perfectly okay to tune it down a notch!
Beverages in Thai Cuisine
Beverages in Thai Cuisine
It’s hard to walk through a main street in Thailand without stumbling across stalls that sell delicious beverages, as locals enjoy a wide range of drinks alongside their food. Here are some of the best beverages in Thai cuisine.
Cha Yen
Cha Yen
Cha Yen translates directly to Cold Tea, and while this tea shares some similarities with traditional iced tea, they’re entirely different drinks. For starters, Thai tea is often made using Ceylon black tea and sugar with the addition of milk and ice cubes.
The traditional recipe for this tea doesn’t contain any special spices, but new varieties with cardamom and star anise are becoming popular around the world.
Nam Manglak
Nam Manglak
This drink is among the most popular non-alcoholic beverages in Thailand, and it means “Basil seed drink”, but is often referred to as grass jelly drink.
The refreshing summer drink is made by soaking basil seeds in water until they swell, then mixing them with iced water, rose syrup, and sugar syrup or honey for sweetening.
Nom Yen (Pink Milk)
Nom Yen (Pink Milk)
Nom Yen is one of the best Thai drinks to enjoy on a hot summer day. The drink gets its name from the vibrant color it gets from mixing milk (preferably condensed) with red sala syrup.
Nom Yen is also incredibly easy to prepare as you don’t need any special tools or complex steps. Just mix the ingredients and enjoy your drink right away.
Oliang
Oliang
Oliang is the common name for Thai iced coffee. This rich drink has a unique flavor and aroma thanks to the combination of spices added to the mix, including cardamom, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and even soybeans.
Besides being a refreshing drink served with ice cubes, Oliang is also an excellent stimulant because it’s made with robusta coffee grounds, which contain more caffeine than traditional arabica beans.
Nam Manao
Nam Manao
Nam Manao is Thai lime juice. This version is fairly similar to regular lemonade but is fairly zestier and tangier. You can also try Cha Manao, which is black Ceylon tea infused with lime juice.
Top Ingredients in Thai Food
Top Ingredients in Thai Food
We’ve previously mentioned that using authentic ingredients is one of the keys to creating an unforgettable Thai dish. This section will walk you through some of the most essential items that should be in your pantry if you want to make proper Thai food.
Fish Sauce
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is the heart and soul of Thai food, and you can create tens of authentic Thai dishes just by having it around. The pungent liquid is made by fermenting anchovies and other types of fish, with some variants using oysters instead.
Curry Paste
Curry Paste
As the name suggests curry paste is responsible for providing a flavor-rich base for stir-fried curries in Thai cuisine. The paste is made by blending a variety of herbs, including Thailand-special spices like galangal, lemongrass, cumin seeds, and turmeric.
The exact ingredients of curry paste will vary from one recipe to another, and they come in two main varieties: red and green.
Soy Sauce
Soy Sauce
It’s hard to find an Asian cuisine that doesn’t rely on soy sauce, and Thai cuisine is no exception here. The savory sauce gives a rich umami flavor to recipes and blends in nicely with other ingredients.
Coconut Milk
Coconut Milk
Many soups, drinks, and desserts in Thailand use coconut milk as a primary base, thanks to its rich and unique flavor. Coconut milk is also a healthy ingredient, so it’s a great overall addition to your kitchen.
Palm Sugar
Palm Sugar
Thai food is one of the best cuisines when it comes to harnessing the unique qualities of sweet and sour in their recipes. For that reason, it’s commonplace to find palm sugar as a staple ingredient in many Thai recipes ranging from desserts to stir-fries.
Herbs and Spices in Thai Food
Herbs and Spices in Thai Food
While main ingredients are essential for creating the base flavor of your dishes, they alone can’t create that savory, umami flavor that Thai food is rich in, so here’s a quick look at some of the herbs and spices that you need to use to achieve it.
- Galangal: This peppery rhizome looks similar to ginger and turmeric but is a bit milder in flavor.
- Kaffir Limes: Also known as “makrut limes”. These citrusy limes have a bold, tangy flavor and are used in various ways, whether as a juice or dry peel zest.
- Coriander: Commonly known as “cilantro”, which gives food and beverages a lightly sweet and citrusy flavor.
Lemongrass
- Lemongrass: Like coriander, lemongrass also has a unique lime tone with a hint of mint that adds depth to many dishes.
- Cardamom: These seeds are added to soups and even beverages to give them a delicious gingery flavor.
- Thai Chilis: Thai food uses a variety of chilis to make the food spicy, but the most popular ones are Prik Mun, Prik Noom, and Prik kee noo suan
Thai Food Culture
Thai Food Culture
The food culture in Thailand extends beyond the dishes and recipes alone. If you’re interested in finding out more about Thai eating habits, meal structure, and even proper etiquette while enjoying Thai food, this section will have you covered!
Eating Habits
Eating Habits
It’s common for families and groups to gather over various dishes together, although smaller bowls might be used, especially for soup dishes. This is one of the reasons why you shouldn’t order food for yourself alone while eating out with Thai people.
Meal Structure
Meal Structure
Although Thai people enjoy three meals a day, they value snacking equally, so it’s common to see people enjoy up to 3 snack meals per day as well.
Like Western countries, dinner is usually the largest meal of the day in Thailand, while lunch is similar in composition but smaller in quantity. Breakfast is usually leftovers from the previous day’s dinner and lunch.
Etiquette
Etiquette
Thai table manners are heavily based on family values and the fact that people eat together and share dishes. For example, you should sample different plates but avoid taking too much of the same plate while eating. This also goes for dipping from your end of the plate.
Additionally, when it comes to sitting, the head of the family in Thailand sits at the center rather than the head, so you have to keep that in mind while sitting among Thai people or if you’re invited into their homes.
