THAI FOOD

When I was preparing to leave for Thailand, one of the most popular comments I heard was some variation of “Thai people are so small, you are going to lose so much weight over there!” Well… let me put that myth to rest. Thailand is actually the second most overweight country in Asia (behind Malaysia), and you would be hard pressed to find many Thai street food options that don’t include fried food, lots of oil, processed meat, or all of the above. Sure, there are also fresh fruits and vegetables on every corner, but if you don’t have a kitchen (like me and lots of other Thai people) then it is kind of hard to cook a healthy and nutritious meal for yourself. And so we are left with the street food. That being said, I am far from angry about having to live off of the delicious food from the markets and street vendors. Thai people don’t just flavor their food with salty and sweet, like I am used to at home in the states. To flavor your dinner at a Thai table, you will find salt, sugar, chili peppers, lime, and even crushed peanuts if you’re lucky.

The list of amazing Thai food is quite extensive… I couldn’t narrow it down to a few favorites. So instead, I have divided up my favorite Thai foods by category. Also, I have spent the past 5 months in Northern Thailand, where the cuisine can be very different from Southern Thailand (more seafood). Northern and central Thai people also eat seafood dishes, but I don’t really like seafood so you won’t find it on this list.

Soups in Thailand are not like soups in the states. Soups in Thailand change your whole outlook on soups forever…

Nam Tok: Noodle soup made with spices, pork, and, most importantly, blood. I actually didn’t know I was eating blood soup the first few times I had nam tok, and once I found out I decided it was too delicious for me to care.
Khao Soi: A distinctly northern Thailand dish, known as Chiang Mai’s signature dish, Khao Soi is coconut curry noodle soup served with chicken. It has fried, crispy egg noodles on top and it is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and spicy. I made it my mission to try as many different variations of Khao Soi as possible while in Thailand.
Tom Yum: The flavor of this sweet and sour noodle soup is impossible to accurately describe because it is so unique. Most famous is Tom Yum Goong, which is with shrimp, but I like the pork version.
Thai Suki: A hot pot of whatever meats, noodles, dumplings, and vegetables you are feeling.
Kuay Teaw: General Thai noodle soup, of which there are many delicious variations.

Tom Yum Moo
Khao Soi
Chinese Noodle Soup
Tom Yum Gai
More Khao Soi
Suki Naam
Kuay Teaw
Nam Tok

If you aren’t feeling soup, there are plenty of other Thai Entrees to choose from, although most of them do include rice in one way or another…

Pad Thai: This is what you were expecting, right? This is the Thai food that everyone has tried and loved. But trust me, the Pad Thai in Thailand is better.
Pad See Ew: A savory thick-noodle dish with vegetables and chicken. I get this whenever I’m feeling noodles but not in the mood for Pad Thai.
Pad Gra Pow: Spicy minced basil pork served over rice, often with a fried egg.
Som Tam: Spicy papaya salad.
Gaeng Keow Wan: Green curry, usually with chicken and served over rice.
Panang: Red, coconut curry, usually with chicken and served over rice.
Pad Phak: Stir fried mixed vegetables over rice.
Gai Tod: Deep fried chicken over rice.

Pad See Ew
Panang
Gai Tod
Som Tam
Pad Thai Gai

Thai culture is very snack-y (unsurprising with all the markets and their bite size samples of everything). So, aside from the fresh pineapples, watermelon, and sweet potato I’m always snacking on, here are my favorite Thai Snacks…

Banana chips: Sweet or salty.
Taro Chips: I really like taro, and the chips are like a dense potato chip. Somebody told me they are healthier than regular potato chips, so I use that as an excuse to binge-eat them.
Rice cakes: They are topped with a sweet, brown caramel-like sauce.
Steamed Pork Dumplings: I get these every single weekend at the Buffalo Market.
Meats on a stick (Thai people put everything on a stick)
Khao Lam: Baked sticky rice in a bamboo stick.

I eat fresh pineapple in Thailand every single day.
Meats on a stick!
Breakfast at school.
Various meat snacks cooked in banana leaves.
My favorite pork dumplings.
More meats on a stick!

Last but not least, the sweets. Thai Desserts aren’t chocolate, which has always been my favorite, but you never miss it….

Gluay Buad Chee: Bananas boiled in warm coconut milk soup.
Fried Bananas: You can get these, along with fried pumpkin, sweet potato, etc., at every street corner in Thailand.
Mango Sticky Rice: Sweet coconut sticky rice and fresh mango topped with candied peanuts or sesame seeds. If you can only try one dessert in Thailand, this should be it.
Pa Thong Ko: Thai donuts are the best donuts I have ever had in my entire life. I am not exaggerating.
Coconut Ice Cream: Fresh coconut ice cream is super refreshing in the Thai heat. They top it with peanuts and sometimes there is also sticky rice!
Khanom: Technically this just means dessert, but it is a good overarching term to refer to the chewy, flour sweets and the sticky rice treats wrapped in banana leaves.
Roti: Roti is made fresh by street vendors and my favorite is the banana/Nutella filled version.