The Best of Thai Cuisine

One of Thailand’s principal appeals is the food. Although it has crossed over in the west with great success in recent decades, there’s nothing quite like tasting the flavor of the country with your eyes at the same time as your tongue. Renowned the world over for diverse ingredients, subtle, complex spice combinations and heavenly aromas, much Thai food even purports to have health benefits – and you can believe it when you taste the real thing. To experience Thai cuisine in its natural environment, try booking cheap flights to Thailand through DialAFlight.

Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup), one of my favorite Thai dishes!

One of the key subtleties to Thai food is the delicate balance of five flavors – salty, spicy, sour, bitter and sweet. Done well, this combination will charm your palate in a daring but covert fashion. To give you some cooking ideas – and perhaps persuade you to visit Thailand for yourself – I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 favorite Thai dishes…

Gai Pad Met Mamuang (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts) is a sensual delight for your taste buds. Very easy on the spice and heat, this salty fried chicken dish with a satisfying sweet crunch of cashew, is ideal for children or cautious eaters not used to explosive spice.

Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream) is cooked with pork, chicken or beef, and resembles Thai red curry in terms of taste, but with a thicker, richer coconut milk sauce. Panaeng is a mild combination of spice and sweetness. Best served with warm steamed rice, this is a classic Thai dish for meat lovers.

Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad) is a fiercely spicy experience with strong sour notes bursting through. Literally meaning ‘sour pounded’, Som Tam is made from shredded papaya, yardlong beans and tomato and is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Popular with locals, Som Tam is very low in fat and packed full of nutrition. Standard dishes may be too spicy for some, but you can easily request ‘mai phed’ (not spicy) to your waiter for a milder version.

A real Thai classic, Kang Keaw Wan Gai (Green Chicken Curry) is sweet and slightly spicy, blended from green curry chilli paste, coconut milk and fish sauce. Usually served with steamed rice or the thin rice noodle Kanom Jeen.

Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup) is a classic representation of Thai cuisine. Chilli pepper and shallots combine with fragrant herbs such as galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and tamarind, Tom Yam Goong is highly versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken and mushroom. A signature Thai dish and a revelation for the taste buds if you’ve never tried it.

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Photo by Ogulcan Ercal on Unsplash