Delicious Thai dishes such as Pad Thai, Tom Yum Goong and Khao Pad are just three of the most popular and well-loved food in Thailand. But the diversity of this Southeast Asian country, as it is divided into four distinct regions influenced by their own unique cooking styles, has resulted in a variety of Thai food celebrated in and out of the country. Travel in Thailand and enjoy a gastronomical journey as you sample famous regional dishes from the Land of Smiles!
Central
Bangkok, one of the places to visit in Thailand is situated in the country’s Central Region which draws in culinary influences from nearby regions. Characterized by rivers flowing unto fertile soil, the Central Region is where you can find the best rice in Thailand.
Tom Yum Goong – Look through different Thailand travel guides and you’ll always find Tom Yum Goong as one of the dishes you should try while you’re in Thailand! The mouth-watering aroma of this delicious Thai food is a blend of lime leaves, fish sauce, galangal, chili, lemongrass, shallots and lime juice.
Tom Kha Gai – The main ingredients which influence the rich, tasty flavor of Tom Kha Gai include chilies, crush shallots, tender strips of chicken and stalks of lemongrass. It’s a milder version of the famous Tom Yum, with coconut milk to soften the spiciness.
Gaeng Keow Wan Gai – Also known as the Green Curry, Gaeng Keow Wan Gai is a combination of green curry paste, eggplants, chicken, bamboo shoots and sweet basil. It is served with a bowl of Thai rice for a more tasteful dining experience.
North
A travel in Thailand’s North region which enjoys a cooler climate has dishes with more variety of vegetables and the strong presence of roots and herbs.
Khao Soi – This Burmese influenced dish is a highly popular one in North Thailand. It is made of egg noodles, curry soup base and coconut milk.
Kaeng Yuak – Kaeng Yuak is one of the famous curry dishes made with banana palm hearts.
Kaeng Hang Lay – Thai food Kaeng Hang Lay is often found in North Thailand’s festival celebrations as it is dish easy to cook for large volumes. This curry based pork belly is seasoned with tamarind, turmeric and ginger.
Northeast
You can find Isan dishes anywhere in Thailand – from street food vendors in Bangkok to high-end restaurants in Chiang Mai.
Som Tam – Som Tam’s distinctive taste make it a favored Thai dish is Thailand’s Northeast region. Its sweet-sour-spicy flavor is from the combination of green beans, shredded raw papaya, chilies, garlic and cherry tomatoes.
Gai Yang – A staple Isan food, Gai Yang is often grilled on the side of the road, marinated with sugar, lemon juice and other delicious ingredients to complete the mouth-watering flavor of this Northeast Thai food.
Moo Ping – Marinated pork served on stick with tasty sauce is a popular food choice in Isan. They sell Moo Ping for around 5 – 10 baht per stick and is a great snack when traveling to different Thailand attractions.
South
The food from Thailand’s Southern region is a great reflection of its own diversity, as influenced by the different landscape, scenery and culture.
Southern Thai Ancient Fermented Fish Innards Curry with Grilled Catfish – This spicy Southern dish is made of fermented fish innards, brown in color and salty in flavor. It can be water based or coconut cream based but whichever its variety, one thing’s for sure, it’s one hot spicy Southern dish.
Roasted Southern Thai Curry of Pork – The intense flavor of three combined peppers make a slow-burning sensation in this Southern Thai dish. With its ingredients being roasted before pounding them together make for an even tastier flavor which leaves locals always wanting more.
Southern Thai Spicy Sour Yellow Curry with Lotus Stems and Sea Bass – The bitter taste and earthy aroma is from the big amount of fresh turmeric that also provides sour, spicy and salty curry taste. This Southern Thai dish is also made of southern dark fermented shrimp paste.
Travel in Thailand and experience the rich taste of the famous Thai cuisine! Go to Bangkok Airways website today and look for flight booking offers available and start planning your Thailand travel itinerary. You can also check out Bangkok Air’s blog for interesting Asia destinations Bangkok Airways can take you!
