Thailand is renowned for its exotic cuisine, which perfectly balances salty, sweet, sour and spicy tastes.
Street food is an amazing way to experience true Thai flavor! The best places to eat Thai street food are markets and local restaurants.
Thai street foods such as fried insects like worms and grasshoppers, marinated with spices and chilies, are a popular street delicacy. Not only is it an adventurous experience but it actually tastes quite tasty too!
Pad krapao
Pad krapao, or Thai basil stir-fry, is one of Thailand’s most beloved street foods. This classic and quick dish uses stir frying techniques borrowed from Chinese wok culture and season with fragrant Thai holy basil for added flavor.
Traditionally, this dish consists of pork or chicken stir-fried with garlic and chilies and served over rice. Over time, other proteins such as beef, seafood, and tofu have become common additions to this delicious meal.
This dish’s signature ingredient is holy basil (kaprow), which has a peppery taste that pairs perfectly with garlic and spicy chilies. Furthermore, this herb has anti-inflammatory properties and may help cleanse the kidneys.
This dish typically consists of a main protein component plus local vegetables like asparagus beans, baby corns, onions, carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and roots. The dish is served over steamed rice and topped with a fried egg to add creaminess and reduce its peppery spice.
Thai dishes like this one can be prepared with a variety of ingredients. Tofu can be substituted for meat in this recipe, while soy sauce can be used instead of fish sauce to make it vegan-friendly.
Another essential tip for this dish is to pound or chop the garlic and chilies with a mortar and pestle before adding them to the skillet. Doing so helps extract more flavor from them.
Once the chilies have been mashed, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding basil leaves that have wilted slightly. Finally, remove from heat and serve with a fried egg on top and nam pla prik (fish sauce infused with chilies).
Khao ka moo
Khao ka moo is a beloved Thai street food dish made with pork legs and served over rice with various side dishes and condiments. You can find this delectable dish in many restaurants as well as food courts at shopping malls around Thailand.
Thai style beef stew, heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine, has long been a classic Thai dish. When cooked until tender and falling off the bone, this stew often comes with sides like broccoli or mustard greens as well as boiled eggs for extra flavor.
Khao ka moo is the key component for a delicious dish made with pork legs that have been marinated for hours. This can be cooked with spices such as coriander, anise, five spice powder, soy sauce, brown sugar and cinnamon for flavor.
Traditionally, pork is grilled before it is braised in a flavorful broth for hours. You can also add beef for an even more substantial version of this Thai dish.
This dish is typically served with pickled mustard greens, which are an essential condiment in Thai cooking. You can also add raw garlic and fresh chili peppers for flavor if desired.
It is essential to be aware that this dish contains a high level of fat. Typically, it’s made with a whole pork leg which has been grilled and its bristles scraped before stewing – an effective way to maximize flavor in each bite.
In Thailand, this dish is typically served with a chile-vinegar sauce to complement the pork flavors. Unfortunately, it has become less popular in Western countries due to increased concern about health hazards.
Massaman curry
Massaman curry is an authentic Thai dish with Muslim influences from Persia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Malay Archipelago. Typically served alongside rice and a side dish called ajad (saffron), this fusion dish brings together flavors from Persia, India, and Malaysia.
Massaman curry is milder than other Thai curries, featuring a coconut milk base and generous use of spices like cinnamon. Additionally, massaman curry includes potatoes, peanuts, onions and is typically made with chicken, beef, lamb or mutton.
Curry is made by simmering a mixture of curry paste, coconut milk and sweet and sour ingredients to develop its unique flavor and aroma. Traditionally topped off with fresh herbs and garnished with lime juice to balance out the flavors.
Make your own massaman curry paste at home with ease, but there are also many commercially available options available for this recipe. Maesri brand, for example, contains no fish products and has just the right amount of spices to give it an authentic taste.
If you can’t locate these ingredients, a great alternative is purchasing high-quality yellow curry paste that contains all of the essential components. You’ll find various brands of this paste at Asian grocery stores and online.
You can add a variety of vegetables to the curry, such as green beans, broccoli, carrots and baby corn. If you’re short on time, frozen veggies work too! This makes for an incredibly flavorful meal that takes minimal effort to prepare – perfect for weeknight dinner or freezing leftovers in the fridge for later reheating.
Kuay tiao reua
Kuay Tiao Reua, a popular soup dish throughout Bangkok, is an easy yet delectable way to warm up on cold days. The broth is infused with garlic and chillies for flavorful broth that can be customized according to your preferences.
Kuay tiao reua is usually made with pork but can also be prepared with beef. The meat is poached in the broth until tender and then topped off with fried garlic, chopped chilies, and pork balls. For an additional fee you may request sweet basil and morning glory on the side as well.
If you’re in search of some delicious street food in Bangkok, this dish should definitely be on your list. It’s a spicy, flavor-packed Thai snack that will have you wanting more!
Thai street food, pad Thai, is a dish that’s beloved across Southeast Asia. You can find it at local markets and from street carts as well as restaurants.
Thai dishes don’t tend to be overly spicy, so you can enjoy this one without fear of getting a tummy ache. Meat typically comes accompanied by clear mung bean noodles as well as other ingredients you can customize according to your preference.
In addition to this dish, you can try other classics like Pad Thai. This dish has become a worldwide favorite due to its delicious combination of sweet, salty and nutty tastes.
After a long, stressful day, this simple yet satisfying meal is the ideal reward. It’s often enjoyed with a cold beer to complete the experience.
You’re likely to find this dish at most of Bangkok’s street food stalls, though they may not stay open late. It makes for a great pre-nighttime meal before hitting the town for some exciting nightlife activities.
Green papaya salad
Green papaya salad is a beloved dish in Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations such as Laos, Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam.
In Thailand, som tam is commonly known as “green papaya.” This light and refreshing salad embodies the flavors of Northeastern Thailand. The ingredients are pounded together using a mortar and pestle, creating the unique blend of sour, spicy, and savory tastes.
This salad’s main components are shredded green papaya, raw carrots, and a dressing made with garlic, fish sauce, palm sugar, chilies, oil, and lime juice. It is often served as an accompaniment to Thai main courses like grilled chicken or sticky rice.
This dish can easily be prepared ahead of time. Vegetables and the dressing can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Traditional som tam is prepared using a mortar and pestle, but food processors work just as well. The key is to gently bruise the ingredients so they release their flavors without breaking them up.
A light chopper or blender will do the trick, though you may need to add more liquid for thinning out the dressing. Alternatively, you could mix everything by hand by pounding gently but not too hard.
Green papaya is widely available year-round in most Southeast Asian markets and a great source of vitamin A and potassium. With its mild flavor, it makes an excellent addition to savory recipes or can even replace pineapple in desserts.