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Thaifood

2012-01-10T10:10:00.001-08:00

Prawns on Charcoal - kung phao

2012-01-09T09:18:00.001-08:00

This dish has the same sauce. Though a tamarind version is sometimes used. These prawns were cooked on a grill over a charcoal fire.

Steamed Crab - pu neung

2012-01-09T09:17:00.001-08:00

It is sometimes amazing what kind of street food you can find for a cheap price. This is steamed crab, or "pu neung" in Thai. The crab itself is not cooked in any special way. However, as usual, it is the sauce that makes the dish. In this case, it is a mixture of chillies, garlic, lime juice and fish sauce that is pounded together with a mortar and pestle. This gives you a sour, salty and spicy hot taste.

Red Curry with Roasted Duck

2012-01-09T09:15:00.001-08:00

The red curry with roasted duck (kaeng pet bet yang) is my favourite version of the red curry. I don't often get a chance to eat it outside of restaurants. The downside of street food is that there is usually more bones than meat. But this dish was all duck and only cost 40 baht. Pretty good value for money. What you can see in the picture is the roasted duck, plum tomatoes, eggplant peas, basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves. It also has coconut milk and is seasoned with fish sauce and palm sugar. It is actually quite easy to make as long as someone else has prepared your curry paste. You can buy this down the market or even at supermarkets like Big C and Tesco Lotus. This curry paste has ground galangal, lemon grass, red shallots and garlic amongst other ingredients. Make sure you don't miss this highlight. It is also nice with pineapple chunks.

Fried Fish with Chili (pla tod rat prik)

2012-01-09T09:14:00.001-08:00

As I live in the seaside port of Paknam, there are plenty of seafood dishes to find. It is a shame I am not that keen on fish. But, I appreciate that some visitors to this food blog might be interested. However, be careful as this one is very spicy! Basically, garlic, pepper, chillies and salt are pounded together in a mortar and then poured over the fish.

Spicy Roast Pork Slices (nam tok moo)

2012-01-09T09:12:00.001-08:00

This is a popular dish from Isaan, the north-east of Thailand. The name "nam tok" means waterfall which refers to the juices that drip from the meat and is then used in the dish. You can either get beef or pork. The meat is mixed with chilies, lemon juice, red shallots and roasted rice powder.

Bamboo Shoot boiled with pork bones

2012-01-09T09:11:00.001-08:00

I guess this is then the main dish. I like bamboo shoots with red curry. However, this dish was very bland and unexciting. There was a lot of this left over so we only bought it for you to see. Luckily we had a couple of repeat dishes of stir-fried vegetables and pork and an omelette which interestingly had a little bit of coconut milk.

Fried Fish in Chili Paste

2012-01-09T09:10:00.001-08:00

My favourite dish on the Friday Lunch Menu today is this one, the "pla tod rad prik gaeng". Basically fish fried in chili paste. Very simple but also very tasty. The chili paste includes shallots, garlic, lemon grass, minced galangal, shrimp paste and red curry paste.

Stir-fried Cauliflower with Shrimp

2012-01-09T09:07:00.001-08:00

You cannot really go wrong with a stir-fried vegetable dish. I always order at least one for all meals. This one is basically cauliflower and shrimp. I usually season my stir-fried vegetable dishes with oyster sauce. But this one had fish sauce instead. As Thai people are sweet toothed, they always add some sugar to most dishes.

Duck Red Curry (kaeng pet pet)

2012-01-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite Thai dishes is the red curry with duck. It is also sometimes served with pineapple. This dish is quit expensive in the restaurants. This is a street food version which we bought for 25 baht. It tastes good, but as far as meat goes, you get what you pay for! I usually add my own meat to help it go further. The red curry is often served with cherry tomatoes and also eggplants. These are like oversized peas and are rather hard.

Fried Prawn and Squid in Curry Sauce (pat pong kari talay)

2012-01-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

I really like the "pong kari" curry powder dishes. My favourite is the soft shelled crab curry (pu nim pat pong kari). Be careful when you order the hard shelled version as it can get quite expensive and is not very good value for money as you cannot eat everything. This version uses seafood such as fried shrimp and squid. I am never that keen on seafood like squid but I enjoyed the curry. I have never tried to cook this but might have a try some time. You basically fry the seafood with some curry powder. Then you add a mixture of milk, chilli paste and an egg. Add some oyster sauce and then chopped onion, spur chili and spring onion and season with pepper.

Coconut Milk and Fermented Soy Bean Sauce (tao jiao lon)

2012-01-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

The main ingredient of this is a mixture of coconut milk and fermented soy bean sauce. It also has chopped shrimp and pork and shallots and chillies. It is seasoned with sugar and tamarind juice. The fermented soy bean makes this a little salty. It is usually served with fresh vegetables such as cabbage and cucumber.

Stir-fried Thai Flat Beans (kung pat sa-tor)

2012-01-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

The Thai flat beans used in this dish are common in Southern Thailand. It is called "sa tor". This healthy dish which helps to increase your appetite has two versions. One with shrimp paste and this one with curry paste. Other major ingredients include pork, shrimp, garlic and shallots. It is seasoned with fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. This is a good side dish well worth buying to eat with something else.

Pickled Crab Papaya Salad (som tam bpoo kem)

2012-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

The other main som tam dish is som tam bpoo kem. This has salted crab instead of the dried shrimp. I don't like this one so much but we bought it to share with you. It is much the same but he didn't add the roasted peanuts. Our vendor comes from Isaan, in the north-east of Thailand. He usually asks if you want to add "pla rah". This is fermented fish. This is not always a good idea or even a safe thing to do in the hot weather. But, it is a popular version eaten in Isaan and Laos.

Thai Papaya Salad (som tam tai)

2012-01-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

We are now on our 20th week of the Friday Food Blog Incredibly, we have now introduced you to 86 different Thai dishes that are not only delicious, but also also cheap to buy on the street. The first dish today is one of my all-time favourites. It is som tam which is popular with many foreign tourists. There are quite a few different versions. My other favourite is the fruit salad version. This one is som tam tai and uses shredded green papaya. Everything is pounded togehter with a mortar and pestle. The ingredients green beans, cherry tomatoes, include garlic, red chili, palm sugar, fish sauce, lemon juice and tamarind paste. They probably also add a touch of MSG if you are not looking. This version also has dried shrimp and dry roasted peanuts which are added after the pounding. The vendor will probably inquire if you want it spicy. An easy way to explain is to say how many chillies you want. So, for three, you would say "prik sam met"

Stuffed Bitter Gourds in Pork

2012-01-09T08:56:00.002-08:00

I wouldn't eat this dish by itself but it is a good accompaniment with something else. The Chinese bitter melon is a bit like a light green cucumber though larger and it has knobbly skin. To prepare, you need to cut open and remove all of the seeds. This one is stuffed with ground pork, but you sometimes see a vegetarian version with a mushroom mixture

Prawns and Mung Bean Noodles (kung ob wunsen)

2012-01-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

This is a good dish that uses the transparent wunsen noodles. It seems easy to cook and I will try one day. What you have to do is fry some coriander roots, ginger, peppercorns and onion in a wok until fragrant. Remove these and then add the mung bean noodles to the wok together with a seasoning of salt, sugar, light soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add the shrimp and keep tossing so that it doesn't burn. Now place all the ingredients into a clay pot. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

Green Curry with Beef (gaeng kiew wan neua)

2012-01-09T08:54:00.001-08:00

The next dish is an old favourite for many visitors to Thailand. I like both green curry and red curry and you can cook it yourself with just about any meat or even fish. This version is green curry with beef. You can buy the curry paste ready made in most supermarkets around the world. You will also need some coconut milk. In this picture you can see the quartered egg plants and hard peas. When I cook myself I use normal garden peas from the freezer

Stir-fried vegetables with pork

2012-01-09T08:52:00.001-08:00

Another stir fried dish was this basic one called "pad pak ruam mit" in Thai. When I go to restaurants I often buy this dish as it goes well with most curries. The ingredients will vary depending on what the cook has in stock. I often cook this myself as it is quick and easy. As always, fry some garlic until golden brown. I add the carrots and cauliflower first as they take slightly longer to cook. Keep stirring all the time. Then add the remaining ingredients. Add some water if it starts to dry out. Season with oyster sauce and sugar. Some recipes say add fish sauce instead but I prefer oyster sauce. This version also had pork which obviously you add first!

Stir-fried bell pepper with pork

2012-01-09T08:51:00.001-08:00

This is an easy stir-fried that you can cook yourself in a wok. In Thai it is called "pad prik yuak gup moo". The main ingredient is the green bell pepper. But there is also spring onion, onion and pork. You also add oyster sauce and some sugar.

Radish Soup

2012-01-09T08:50:00.001-08:00

The second dish uses Chinese radishes. You need to peel these and then cut them into one inch blocks. You cook the stock with pork on bone. Once the pork has cooked through, add the radish and mushrooms. Some recipes also add dried squid for the stock and fresh shrimp. However, we had clear soup. A basic dish that goes well with something spicier

Spicy Salad (yum tua poo)

2012-01-09T08:49:00.001-08:00

The first dish on our menu for this Friday lunchtime was this spicy salad. The basic ingredients include shrimp, squid, minced pork, hard boiled egg, sliced red shallot, roasted ground peanuts, and dried chilies. The sauce includes coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and a sprinkling of sugar.

Sweet and Sour Pork (pad priao wan)

2012-01-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

This sweet and sour dish is a favourite among foreign tourists. Sometimes you will find it is just stir-fried vegetables. This one has pork. Other ingredients include onion, cucumber, tomato and spring onion. Stir fry this as normal though don't use garlic. Instead add some water. Once done add some ketchup and season with sugar, soy sauce and vinegar. To make the sauce thicker, mix some water with some wheat flour. This is easier enough to make yourself

Stuffed Omelette (kai yad sai)

2012-01-09T08:46:00.001-08:00

A nice accompaniment to a sour curry is an omelette. It is easy to cook this yourself. However, this version is slightly different as it contains a surprise. It is a bit like a crepe wrapped around another ingredient. In English we would call it a stuffed omelette. When you cook the egg, you need to make it thin by spreading it all around the pan. Once it is cooked, remove from the pan and then prepare the ingredients. This can be anything you like. This one had minced pork with tomatoes, onion, string beans and mushrooms. Once cooked, put the mixture onto the middle of the egg sheet and fold it into a square

Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shrimp (gaeng som)

2012-01-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

Prices of food have been going up by about 20% and so it is now even more difficult for us to stay within budge for our The price of rice has also increased. At the local supermarket, in order to stop rice hoarding, a notice says that we are only allowed to buy two bags of rice per family. Though there doesn't seem to be a shortage yet. This first dish is an old favourite sometimes called orange curry though really it should be called sour curry. The word "som" can mean both. The chili paste for this is made up from red chillies, chopped red shallots, shrimp paste and steamed fish. To cook, use either a chicken stock or a shrimp stock. Bring this to a boil and add the paste. Season with fish sauce and tamarind water (which makes it sour). You can also add some sugar if you like. Now add the shrimp and vegetables

Fermented Pork Fried Rice

2012-01-09T08:43:00.001-08:00

This is a basic fried rice dish though with fermented pork. In Thai it is called "khao pad naem". You add the fermented pork to a hot wok together with the sliced onion and red shallots. Once they are cooked through, add the cooked rice and continue stirring until cooked. This one also has egg. Season with sugar and fish sauce

Fried Kale with Crispy Pork

2012-01-09T08:42:00.001-08:00

For the next few weeks, we will be buying our Friday Lunch at our local food shop. This is the kind of place that does one dish meals. They have a menu up on the wall which is much the same as other shops. So, just call out your favourite and the chances are that they can cook it for you. The first one is fried kale with crispy pork or "khana moo grob" in Thai. The pork is usually fried in advance. So just cook the kale with garlic and chili in an oyster sauce.

Fishball with Green Curry

2012-01-09T08:33:00.001-08:00

As you know, I don't always like seafood. But this is a good green curry that has fishballs. This is made by pounding the fish together with garlic and coriander roots and then they are shaped into balls. This is then placed into boiling water. Coconut milk is then poured into another pot and the green curry paste added. Next comes the fishballs. Season with fish sauce and sugar. Next you add the eggplants, sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves.

Spare Ribs Soup (tom soop gradook moo)

2012-01-09T08:32:00.001-08:00

The second dish is a plain soup with pork spare ribs and mushroom. Not very exciting, but always nice to have such a dish to counterbalance anything else which is spicy. On the far left of the picture you can see bamboo "tissue" which is a soft substance from the inside of a bamboo

Tofu and Minced Pork (tao hoo song kreaung)

2012-01-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

This is our weekly Thai menuwhere we try to buy lunch for four people with a budget of only 100 baht. The first one today is deep fried tofu with minced pork. It is not that difficult to cook. You just need to deep fry the tofu first until it turns yellow. Then stir-fry the minced pork with the pork. I am not always a fan of tofu, but I do quite like it in a number of different Thai recipes. This dish cost us 25 baht.

Sour Orange Curry (kaeng som cha-om kai)

2012-01-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

We have a similar dish to this at school and I always used to call it "orange curry" because of its colour and also because "som" means orange. It was only later that I found out that this word could also mean "sour" which is a good description of this curry. Most Thai curries use coconut milk. However, two notable ones don't. These are this sour curry and jungle curry. It is really a bit like a soup but it is often thick with vegetables. This 30 baht version was pretty plain, but you can also have ones with shrimp or fish. The sourness comes from the sour tamarind and lime juice. The main feature here is the "cha-om kai". This is a green vegetable called acacia which is then fried with eggs to make a kind of omlette. It is then cut into squares and added to the curry. I found this one a bit salty but I have tasted good ones in the past. Worth a try if you haven't tasted it before.

Fried Garlic with Chicken (pad khing gai)

2012-01-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

We are now on week 10 of our Friday Lunchime Menu, We are trying to keep below the budget of 100 baht for four people by buying street food. I am afraid I have to say that I didn't like this first dish. I am not really that keen on the strong taste of ginger and I think the cook went a bit overboard with ginger as you can see. I have had different versions where the chicken was more predominant. But, with this 20 baht dish I had trouble finding any chicken at all! It is easy to cook. Add garlic to hot oil until it is golden brown. Add the chicken and stir it well until it is nearly cooked. Now season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, fermented soy beans and lime juice. Then add the onion and shredded ginger and continue until everything is cooked.

Clear Soup with Mixed Vegetables

2012-01-09T08:27:00.001-08:00

This is a clear soup called "gaeng liang" in Thai. It is not really spicy so don't be misled into thinking that "gaeng" always means hot and spicy. The soup stock is mixed with shrimp paste, pepper, red shallots and dried shrimp which has been grounded until well combined. It is really up to you about the vegetables. This one has shrimp, pumpkin, wax gourd, baby sweetcorn, and sweet basil leaves.

Spicy Stir-fried Chicken with Long Beans

2012-01-09T08:24:00.001-08:00

Judging by the letters we are receiving, people are eager to visit on Fridays to see what we are eating for lunch. It is sometimes a challenge for us when producing the Friday Lunchtime Thai Menu We are restricted to not only street food, but also to a budget of about US$3 for all of us. Plus, we cannot repeat any of our favourites. Every Friday we are eating something new. So, for me it is sometimes hit and miss. But, this first one is one of my favourites. It is called "pat prik khing gai". It is basically pork fried in chili paste with long beans. A simple dish but tasty. The curry paste includes spur chillies, shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander root, kaffir lime, dried shrimp and shrimp paste. Strangely, no sign of ginger despite the name being in the title. To cook, marinate the sliced chicken (or pork) with a tea spoon of fish sauce. Blanch the yard long beans in boiling water until nearly cooked. Cut them into one inch lengths. In a hot pan, fry the chili paste until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook until done. Season with sugar and fish sauce and then stir in the beans. The version we had today is not as red looking as it should be. Maybe they watered it down a little.

Salad (salad khaek)

2012-01-09T08:23:00.001-08:00

I guess we will have to start blaming you, our readers, for not allowing us to have balanced meals on Fridays. I would have much preferred to have a stir fried vegetable dish with the above. But, we are not allowed to repeat and are trying our best to come up with unique menus each week. This next one is called "salat khaek" which could be translated as Indian style salad. Though I think only because mayonnaise is not used for the dressing. Here they use a spicy peanut dressing similar to the one used for the satay pork dish. In this picture you can also just see some white bean curd which was actually quite nice.

Fried Chicken with Basil Leaves (gai pad gra-prow)

2012-01-09T08:22:00.001-08:00

This is a favourite among Thai people and is often bought in shops as a one dish meal topped with a fried egg. I think the minced pork version is more common, though this chicken one is just as good. When you buy as a meal with rice it will cost about 25 baht. You might need to add an extra 5 baht for the fried egg. As we bought without rice it cost us only 20 baht. This can be a very spicy dish so you might like to say "pet noi" which will result in the cook not using so many chillies. The ones used in this dish are the small variety and can be very hot. A small handful is used. In Thai these are called "prik kee noo" which translates as mouse dropping chili. To cook, use a mortar and pestle to ground the chilies and garlic. Then add to hot oil until fragrant. Add the chicken and stir until done. Season with fish sauce and sugar. Some recipes add oyster sauce too. Now add the holy basil which gives it a very distinctive taste. Also add a sliced spur chili. It is now ready to eat.

Green Chicken Curry (gaeng khiao wan gai)

2012-01-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

We are now onto Week 8 of our Friday Lunchtime Thai Menu If you have just joined us, we are trying to buy a meal every Friday for four people that will only cost us not much more than $3. Sounds impossible? Not if you live in Thailand. Thai Street Food is both cheap and delicious. The first dish on our menu today is a classic example. It is a chicken green curry which is among the favourites of many foreign tourists. Believe it or not, this dish only cost 20 baht and tasted just as good as from a restaurant.
I often cook green or red curry at home as it is quite simple. I also like making up my own recipe for this but here is the traditional method of cooking. First add the green curry paste to the pan of hot oil. You can buy this ready made down at the market. When it becomes fragrant, gradually add the coconut milk. If you are Western you will now be asking for exact measurements. But, in Thai cooking you use your gut feeling. Keep stirring until a green oil surfaces to the top. Next add the sliced chicken. You could also use beef or pork. Remember, Thai people don't use knives so everything has to be pre-cut to bite size. At the same time you should add the kaffir lime leaves. These should be torn just before adding so that the fragrance is released immediately. Once it is cooked through, transfer to a pot. Add the remaining coconut milk and season with sugar and fish sauce. Bring it back to the boil. Now add the eggplants that have been quartered. Sometimes the pea eggplants are added but I find these too hard. I usually add frozen garden variety peas instead. Once the eggplant is cooked, add sweet basil leaves and the red chilies. Now it is ready to eat!

Fried Mungbean Noodles with Egg (pad wunsen sai khai)

2012-01-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

This is a basic vegetarian dish, though you could also add say minced pork. The vegetables here are carrot, tomato, Chinese cabbage, onion and spring onion. The transparent noodles (wunsen) are first soaked in water. They are then added to the frying pan at the last minute as they don't need so much cooking. This dish also has egg. You season it with dark and light soy sauce and sugar.

Stir Fried Morning Glory with Pork and Shrimp Paste

2012-01-09T08:17:00.001-08:00

Of all the dishes today this one was the one I disliked the most. The pork and morning glory was good. However, I think the cook went a bit overboard with the shrimp paste. The taste was very strong so I could only eat a little.

Spicy Minced Meat with Herbs (larb moo)

2012-01-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

This is the continuation of our Friday Lunch Menu where we show you that Thai Street Food is not only cheap but can also be very delicious. Our budget for four people is about US$3. Today we had larp which is a kind of salad. The recipe has been around for hundreds of years. There are different versions of it in different regions of Thailand. Quite commonly it contains minced pork or chicken like in this one. The Isaan version has raw meat but I prefer to have this cooked version. The seasoning includes lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar and mint. There are also finely sliced red shallots. The key ingredient that makes this a larp is the roasted rice powder. This is uncooked rice which is roasted and then finely grounded. It is usually served with raw vegetables such as cabbage, snake beans and cucumber. I enjoyed eating this dish which had a distinct lemony taste.

Thai Fish Cakes (tod man pla)

2012-01-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

The next one can easily be eaten as an afternoon snack. If you have ever been to Thailand then you would surely know that Thai people like snacking all day. This one is a curried fish cake. However, it is not as spicy as you might think. Don't be fooled by the green ingredients in the fish cake. This is not green chili as I used to think. It is in fact finely sliced long beans! You will also find finely shredded kaffir lime leaf. This makes it a little sour in taste. The ingredients are mixed in a bowl and then made into small patties. This is then deep fried until golden brown.

Minced Pork and Tofu Clear Soup

2012-01-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

This is the continuation of my weekly Thai Lunch that I am documenting on Our budget is always about 100 baht which we are able to do because we buy Thai Street Food and then bring back to the office to share. The first one today is a clear soup which compliments very nicely anything else that might be a bit spicy. In Thai it is called Gang Jued Tao Hoo Wun Sen. I have seen some variations that use eggs, but more commonly, the dish is made with tofu. It is a basic soup that has cilantro root, garlic and pepper. The minced pork balls are then cooked in this boiling stock. It also has wun sen which is the transparent noodle. At the end it is seasoned with fish sauce which is the Thai way of adding salt. Chopped spring onion and cilantro leaves are sprinkled over the top.

Seafood Tom Yum (tom yum talay)

2012-01-09T08:11:00.001-08:00

This is the famous hot and sour soup called "tom yum" in Thai which I have written about before. I normally eat with shrimp or chicken. But this is a seafood version which, to be honest, I am not so keen on. This dish cost less than $1 but we cheated a little and added a few of our own shrimps. You will find that although street food is often cheap, there isn't always a lot of meat. Sometimes, when we only have curry or soup left over, I will cook up some more meat the following day to add to whatever is left over.

Crispy Catfish Salad(yum pla duk foo)

2012-01-09T08:10:00.001-08:00

This is the continuation of our weekly Friday Lunchtime Thai Menu Every week I will be bringing you pictures of what we eat at lunchtime in the Paknam Web office. Everything you see here is Thai street food which surprises many people. Quite often, restaurants sell the same food, though at inflated prices. A lot of street food in Thailand is single dishes. For example, noodles, fried rice and Chinese chicken. However, most of the food that we have been buying is the kind that you share between your friends. This makes it more economical. We will try and give you some single dishes in the future.

Som Tam Fruit Salad (som tam polamai)

2012-01-09T08:09:00.001-08:00

I have saved the best for last. Off all the varieties of som tam, this is most definitely my favourite after som tam tai. Most som tam stalls will make this for you as long as they have fruit. Actually, I am not sure why they call it "tam" as it is not pounded in the bowl like its cousin. Anyway, this one contains apple, guava, rose apple, shredded unripe mango, shredded carrot and cherry tomato. And whole roasted peanuts. When you do takeaway, they put the fruit in one bag and the sauce in another. Then you just mix together when ready. The sauce was very sweet but sour at the same time. It contains, water, sugar, lime, salt, garlic and chili. Normally I find one chili is enough for fruit salad. This sauce also had some dried shrimp. I love this very much. It can be a meal in itself. You can either eat it by itself or with sticky rice.

Omelette

2012-01-09T08:08:00.001-08:00

The final one was an extra dish of omelette. For today's menu we actually went over budget as we had one extra guest visiting. But, that is a considerable saving when you compare to how much a similar meal costs in a restaurant. Last night I went with some friends to a restaurant at "Bangsaen 2" by the Gulf of Thailand here in Samut Prakan. There was four of us and with four dishes, fried rice and beer it cost me 890 baht or $26. Obviously I don't want to spend that kind of money too often. And living in Thailand, you really don't need to spend a fortune to eat a King's meal. Just eat by the side of the road for some of the cheapest and most delicious meals in the Kingdom.

Stir Fried Vegetable with Prawn

2012-01-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Always a good idea to have a dish of stir-fried vegetables. This one comes with fresh shrimp. So many variations. To get the bright colours, a good tip is to dip into boiling water for one minute before stir frying.

Pat Gra Pao ( Meat or Seafood Fried with Sweet Basil )

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

“Gra prao” or holy basil is a Thai herb, it’s used for Thai cuisine as spice and a medicine for traditional Thai medicine long time ago.
It is all time hit dish. Ga-prao can be made with ground or sliced chicken, beef, pork or seafood. It’s usually served as a one-dish meal, a quick meal eaten over rice, and is usually topped with ”Kai Dao” (Fried egg). It is quite simple to cook and the result is very delicious!

Gai Pad Met Mamuang (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)

2012-01-09T04:32:00.001-08:00

Even though Gai Pad Met Mamuang does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.

Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)

2012-01-09T04:31:00.001-08:00

Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers for foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)

2012-01-09T04:30:00.002-08:00

Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too meaty for some people that prefer vegetables with their dishes.

Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)

2012-01-09T04:30:00.000-08:00

Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you want less chili pepper.

Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)

2012-01-09T04:28:00.001-08:00

This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d’oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.

Tom Yam Gai (Spicy Chicken Soup)

2012-01-09T04:27:00.001-08:00

Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Gai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup as a favorite where-ever they go so you should not miss it by any means!

Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)

2012-01-09T04:26:00.000-08:00

Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more preffered by non-spicy eaters.

Kang Keaw Wan Gai (Green Chicken Curry)

2012-01-09T04:25:00.001-08:00

Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Gai”, you would have guessed that it is the Thai word for chicken. Chicken is on of the popular meats used in Thai cuisine; it is usually available in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom Jeen” a more ‘spaghetti-like’ noodle.

Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)

2012-01-09T04:22:00.001-08:00

This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors. The stir-fried noodle has become popular because it tastes yummy and is served with a variety of seasonings to suit your tastes. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in country of origin is the way to go.

Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

2012-01-09T04:21:00.000-08:00

No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.