Thailand - Food & Drink

Thailand is consistently ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations globally on the Asian continent. The salty, sour, spicy, bitter, and sweet flavors are expertly balanced in traditional Thai cuisine, making it tasty and beneficial to one's health. The local food and beverages offer an unparalleled flavor profile for tourists to try. The following is a list of the top conventional foods and drinks you must try when visiting Thailand. 

1. Tom Yum Goong 

One of the most well-known soups in Thailand is called Tom Yum Goong, a spicy prawn soup found in most of the meals that Thai people eat regularly. This traditional dish from Thailand is created with prawns (Goong), mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, and some powerful herbs, along with an essential quantity of lemongrass and lime juice. The most prominent flavors are those of an explicit, acidic, and peppery nature. Tom Yum Goong is best enjoyed in winter with white rice accompanied by steamed or roasted bread. 

Tom Yum Goong

2. Pad Thai 

Pad Thai, which is considered to be one of Thailand's national foods, has gained popularity all over the world in recent decades. Pad Thai is a fried noodle dish that is often served in the Thai cuisine style. It can be cooked with either shrimp or chicken, chiles, palm sugar, tamarind, and lime juice, and it typically includes egg noodles and some fried peanuts as a topping. This traditional Thai cuisine can be found entirely on every street corner and in all eateries in Thailand.

Pad Thai

3. Som Tam 

CNN compiled a list of the 50 tastiest dishes in the world in 2011, and one of them was a salad called som tam, often known as green papaya salad. It is the most popular salad in Thailand since it is an ideal combination of the five primary flavors used in the region's cuisine. Garlic, dried shrimp, brined crabs, tomato slices, yardlong beans, spicy plums, and raw eggplant are some of the other ingredients that go into making this traditional Thai cuisine, which will make you mouthwatering.

Som Tam

4. Green Chicken Curry

Another must-try local delicacy when visiting Thailand is the green curry with chicken. The main elements of this curry are coconut milk, green curry paste, and chicken; however, other types of meat, such as pig or beef, can be used. The soup's thick, creamy texture comes from the coconut milk, while the green curry paste adds heat and sweetness. When combined with hot, fluffy jasmine rice, this dish truly shines.

Green Chicken Curry

5. Mango Sticky Rice

If you're interested in learning more about the history of Thai traditional dishes, you should taste Mango Sticky Rice once. One of the classic Thai sweets, this is made of sticky rice and fresh mango. Prepare the sticky rice by heating water in a saucepan over low heat and complete after fresh mango slices are placed on the sticky rice, and the simple coconut sauce is drizzled over the top. It may look basic, but when all the elements are combined, it's wonderful.

Mango Sticky Rice

6. O-Liang, Thai-style coffee

The process of preparation is similar to yet distinct from the traditional Americano.  As a blend of coffee and, depending on the recipe, a wide variety of flavors, O-Liang introduces a new dimension to the coffee-drinking experience. Most commonly, though, it's produced by roasting rice and caramel with coffee beans. This has created an original flavor similar to Americano coffee's aroma.

O Liang, Thai Style Coffee

7. Thai Milk Tea

Milk tea is the most well-known beverage in Thailand, and it is highly recommended that you taste at least one of them while you are there. It would be best if you gave it a shot to understand better how Thai milk tea differs from the various kinds available in your native country. The unique flavor of Thai Milk Tea comes from its milk tea base, which combines the sweetness of condensed tea water with the flavors of spices and herbs, all of which are blended with a unique flavor.

Thai Milk Tea

8. Thai Beer

Singha and Chang are two of Thailand's most famous beer exports. These alcoholic beverages are often consumed throughout the colder months in Thailand due to their affordable pricing and delicious taste. Because of their widespread popularity, Thai beers may be found at any store. Visitors coming to Thailand should at least try the beer once to experience its unique flavor.

Thai Beer

Let's learn more about Thailand cuisine in the below articles.