Thailand is one of the most convenient foreign destinations for an Indian traveller — affordable conversion rate, easy access with visa on arrival and a plethora of flight options from almost every major city. It helps that the shopping is cheap and even the luxury shopping is affordable, the beaches are pristine and it’s a paradise for food lovers.
Cuisine is a huge reason why people travel today and one of Thailand’s biggest draws is its food. Today, Thai food has become familiar yet exciting. It’s bursting with flavour with sweet, spicy, salty and tangy profiles in each dish and it is these robust flavours that really appeal to an Indian traveller. If you’re headed to Thailand, make sure to pack your appetite.
Here are a few bestsellers to sample for an authentic Thai experience.
Pad thai
The most popular dish all across Thailand — and possibly the most popular Thai dish outside Thailand — is pad thai, which is also their national dish. It’s wok-fried flat rice noodles cooked in a tangy-sweet sauce with a few vegetables like spring onions, pak choy and bean sprouts, and the protein of your choice. Being an island country, seafood plays a huge role in the cuisine and prawn or shrimp pad thai is the most popular, however the chicken, pork, or vegetarian versions are also worth trying.
Thai green curry
Another popular dish, Thai curry is never one standard curry, in fact there are three types (and colours) of curry available — yellow, red or green. The Thai green is the spiciest and most popular of the three. The curry paste is made with local ingredients like galangal, Thai basil, bird’s eye red chilli and much more. The paste is cooked in coconut milk with veges and the protein you choose — chicken, prawn or pork — and served on a bed of fragrant jasmine rice. You can easily skip the meat or seafood and opt for a vegetarian version.
Thai-style fried rice
For those who want to play it safe, or are not very adventurous eaters, the Thai fried rice is the perfect dish to sample. It’s a simple no-fuss fried rice but the Thai version comes with plenty of basil leaves and sometimes some chilli. It’s mostly vegetarian but comes with a choice of seafood as well — a familiar, comfort meal. Locals eat it as is but if you need some gravy with your rice, a bowl of curry is a great accompaniment.
Pad see ew (Thai stir-fried noodles)
If you’re a noodle fan then this local Thai favourite can’t be skipped. Pad see ew is made from thick, flat rice noodles with vegetables like Chinese cabbage and pak choy, with seafood or chicken thrown in, along with a sweet-savoury, soy and oyster sauce mix. It is more sweet than spicy but full of flavour and very different from the more popular pad thai despite having similar ingredients.
Som tam
For such temperate weather it’s surprising that Thai cuisine doesn’t have too many salads. However, the best and the most popular is som tam — a spicy, sweet and tangy salad made with shredded raw papaya, carrot, long beans, cherry tomato and topped with peanuts. It’s refreshingly light and works as a great appetiser before your meal.
Mango sticky rice
Thailand is known more for its fiery food than its sweet tooth. Like in most southeast Asian countries, desserts tend to be spartan, but some are worth it. Mango sticky rice is a simple uncomplicated dessert which is exactly as its name suggests. Chunks of fresh, sweet mango, served with a side of sticky jasmine rice that’s got a generous dollop of sweet coconut milk drizzled over it and garnished with a sprinkle of deep-fried mung beans. It sounds more savoury than sweet but it’s a very popular dessert and surprisingly delightful.
Banana crepe
Every food cart or street corner will have one vendor dishing out these delicious calorific crepes. Thin pancakes cooked in copious amounts of butter stuffed with sliced bananas and a drizzle of condensed milk on top. They cut the rectangle shaped stuffed pancake into smaller pieces, and you can opt for a chocolate or Nutella version as well. If you enjoy crepes you’ll love this Thai version which is never found in a restaurant but always on the street.
