Top 5 Thai delicacies you must try in Bangkok

by Lee Xiang Ning

When people think of South East Asia, Thailand might be the first country that comes to mind. However, apart from the beautiful and famous places to visit, Thai food is an absolute must-try when visiting Thailand. Thai food is renowned all over the world because of its unique aroma and it is often an explosion of flavours withfresh ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Thai chillies, galangal, and ginger, and this is why it is considered one of the significant parts of travelling. In the alleyways of the city, you can find food stalls with skewered meats, spicy soups, fried rice, and noodles for quite affordable prices. For a more comfortable setting, Bangkok has a number of restaurants offering a wide selection of Thai dishes. Our guide to the best Thai food in Bangkok will help you sample the best of Thai cuisine in the city.

1. Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp(Tom Yum Goong: ต้มยำกุ้ง)

Image source: https://seonkyounglongest.com/tom-yum-kung/

What comes first is the most popular Thai soup, both inside and outside Thailand. This clear, fiery, and sour soup is spiced with flavorful galangal root, kaffir lime leaf, bird's eye chillies, and other ingredients including aromatic lemon grass. Depending on the primary component of the meal, there are countless versions of tom yum. Typically, tom yum is prepared with mushrooms, prawns (Tom Yum Goong), chicken (Tom Yum Gai), fish (Tom Yum Pla), or mixed seafood (Tom Yum Taleh). What is widely acknowledged is that the ideal side dish for this hot and sour soup is steaming white rice. As a first-time visitor, you should choose the shrimp (Goong) variety because locals believe it to be the best!

2. Thai-Style Stir-Fried Noodles(Pad Thai: ผัดไทย)

Image source: https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/5-min-pad-thai/

A staple of Thai cuisine, pad thai is available at street vendors, cafes, restaurants, and just about every store on a corner in Thailand. There are a variety of traditional ingredients in Pad Thai, including egg, tofu, peanuts, and bean sprouts, that make it a tasty meal to try if you're new to Thai cuisine. It consists of egg, tofu, peanuts, and bean sprouts. The traditional taste is a bit funky (fish sauce & dried shrimp), sour (fresh tamarind paste and lime juice), sweet (palm sugar) and not really spicy, unless you will add too much chilli which is usually served to you separately. Since Pad Thai is Thailand's national cuisine, it should come as no surprise that visitors prefer it when eating lunch on Bangkok’s Kho San Road.

3. Spicy green papaya salad (Som Tum:ส้มตำ)

Image source: https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.com.vn/en/recipe/somtum-salad-R0082163.html

Som tum, or spicy green papaya salad, is a dish from Thailand's Isaan province in the northeast. Som Tum tastes great when combined with red chilli pepper spiciness, fish sauce's saltiness, lime or tamarind's sourness, and palm sugar's sweetness. It may be combined with rice noodles, peanuts, dried shrimp, and crab. Mangoes, cucumbers, or other vegetables can be used as the primary component in place of green papaya. Also, it goes great with sticky rice in Thailand. You should get "Som Tam Thai" from the sellers who can be found on practically every street corner in Bangkok and sample the most well-known Thai salad. The funny fact is, some people can't get enough of the flavour of this meal, while others can't stand the spiciness. Hence, it is highly recommended to try on it!

4. Thai-Style Fried Rice (Khao Pad: ข้าวผัด)

Image source: lifestyle.okezone.com

All locals like eating Khao Pad. Khao is rice and Pad is stir-fried in Thai. The dish often consists of the meat of your choice—shrimp, chicken, hog, crab, or beef—along with an egg, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and a delectable spice. Jasmine rice, which has a fragrant flavour, is used to make Thai fried rice. Simultaneously, sliced cucumber and limes are typically placed on the side while serving it, Khao Pad is often enjoyed for lunch in Thailand. Furthermore, the fragrant rice and unique flavouring make it become one of the must-try dishes in Thailand.

5. Thai Green Chicken Curry (Gaeng Keow Wan Gai: แกงเขียวหวานไก่)

Image source:https://asianinspirations.com.au/recipes/thai-chicken-green-curry-gaeng-kiew-wan-gai/

In Thailand, green curry is the most often consumed curry. It is a curry cooked using a spice and herb mixture that is cooked with coconut milk. The flavour of green curry is more sweet than hot. It tastes richer and sweeter than the classic tom yum. A warm bowl of steamed rice or flatbread goes exceptionally well with green curry.

Image source:https://www.lacademie.com/thai-foods/

Thai food is intended to be shared, so order accordingly. Meals are frequently given separately to tourists in Thailand, but if you observe how locals eat, you'll see that rice is provided separately and the main dishes are placed in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. We simply begin sharing and tasting food as it comes since it never arrives at the same time. When you plan your next trip to Thailand or when ordering from one of your favourite Thai restaurants, make sure to venture away from the usual Thai cuisine and try some of the lesser-known Thai dishes, you may find your next favourite meal.