You will have heard of a few Thai dishes before, maybe eaten a rather bastardized version in so-called “authentic” restaurants at home: pad thai, tom yam kung, Thai green curry, or som tum. You know, the usual mainstream ones you can find anywhere, but usually in a watered-down shadow of itself, tasting nothing like the real thing. When you come to Thailand, you should definitely try them properly cooked, but if you’re visiting anyway why not go off the beaten track a little? After all, there's more to Thai food than those familiar dishes! Try out some of these dishes, which you may have never heard of before, so when you return home you can sniff and turn up your nose at your friends when you’re going to an “authentic” Thai eatery.
Pad kra prao muu/pad kra prao kai: pork and chicken respectively stir-fried with sweet basil, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and Thai chili peppers. This dish is slightly spicy and emphasizes salty taste, and is best eaten with rice; some restaurants serve it with rice and fried egg.
Thot man pla/thot man kung: fish and shrimp cakes respectively. This is made of a paste that consists of minced fish (or minced shrimp), chili paste, cumin, coriander. The paste is then cut into thin slices, usually circular, and deep-fried as opposed to western fish cakes which are battered. It is strongly flavored and can serve as part of the meal or as snack. It may also be served with sweet plum sauce for dipping. Best eaten fresh off the pan and can also be bought from street vendors.
Tom ka gai: a variant on the tom yum (spicy Thai soup), the tom ka gai is a soup with a large helping of coconut milk, mixed with coriander, lime, chili peppers and lemongrass; tender chicken is added to steep in the soup. Suitable either to being eaten on its own or with rice.
Pad khi mao: a noodle dish whose name translates, literally, to “stir-fried drunk.” You can be assured, however, that there’s no human meat in the dish: it is traditionally cooked with seafood, though variants with pork, chicken or beef are just as common. The main ingredient is a wide noodle, which is stir-fried in a mix of seafood (or any meat; vegetarian options also exist, depending on the restaurant), peppers, baby corns, mushrooms, and holy basil. Seasoning includes soy sauce, sugar, and chili powder. The spiciness varies according to recipe, but you can always ask the restaurant to make it to your taste.
Kai yat sai: Thai omelet! But unlike the more familiar western variant, the stuffed Thai omelet is made by frying a beaten egg in a thin spread, putting in the stuffing (usually tomato, bell peppers and minced pork), and folding it into a square.
Pla sam rot: literally “three-flavored fish,” which is to say sweet, sour, and salty. The fish is deep-fried and served with a tamarind sauce whose main ingredients include tamarind paste, garlic, and chilies. The type of fish varies, though usually it is a freshwater fish.
Khai pat met mamaung himmapan: deep-fried chicken cooked with cashew nuts, dried chilies, and soy sauce. Like most Thai dishes (though this one has Chinese origins), best eaten with rice.
All of these dishes and more, cooked to perfection by authentic Thai chefs, can be had at the Thai restaurant at the Empress Chiang Mai hotel!
No comments:
Post a Comment