Thailand’s cuisine is renowned for its vibrant flavours and diverse dishes

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

May 14, 2024

These dishes represent the essence of Thai cuisine, known for its balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savoury flavours.

Pad Thai (stir fried noodles)

A classic Thai street food.  Made from stir fried noodles with shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts and eggs.

Tom Yum Goong (hot and sour shrimp soup)

An iconic Thai dish know for its sweet sour and hot flavour made from lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and chili peppers.

Kaeng Lueang (Yellow curry)

A mild curry made with chicken or beef with potatoes and a coconut curry sauce.

Gaeng Daeng (Red curry)

Spicy and creamy curry with coconut sauce made with meat or vegetables.

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Green curry)

One of the most popular curries made with green chilies, coconut milk and chicken or fish.

Khao Pad (Thai fried rice)

This dish can be found all over Thailand, fried rice served with shrimp or chicken.

Pad Kra Pao Moo (Stir-friend Thai basil & pork)

A fragrant and spicy dish with minced pork, Thai basil and chilies.

Som Tum (Green Papaya salad)

A refreshing salad made with shredded papaya, tomatoes, beans, peanuts and chillies.

Massaman Curry

A rich curry influences by Indian and Malay cuisines with meat, potatoes and peanuts in a spiced coconut milk gravy

When traveling to Thailand, it’s important to be adventurous yet cautious with food choices. While Thai cuisine is celebrated for its diversity and flavour, some traditional dishes may be challenging or risky for travellers to try due to their unusual ingredients or potential health risk!

Hon Mhai (Deep-Fried Silk-Worms)

A traditional insect dish that’s popular in Bangkok, made from deep-fried silk worms and bitter in taste.

Luu Moo (Raw Pig’s Blood Soup)

A traditional Thai dish that includes raw pig’s blood.

Goong Ten (Dancing Shrimp)

This dish features live shrimp seasoned with chili, fish sauce, and lime. There may be a risk of parasitic infection so beware.

Larb Leuat Neua (Raw Beef Salad)

Made with raw beef and seasoned with spices and herbs.  Whilst this is a delicacy there is a risk in eating raw meat.

It’s always best to exercise caution and ensure that you are comfortable with what you’re eating, especially when trying more exotic dishes. Remember, what might be a delicacy for locals could be an acquired taste for visitors.