Discover the Mouth-watering Street Foods of Thailand
Sawasdee Khrap! People often choose one specific taste for their food. For example, they either choose spicy, salty, sour, or sweet. However, did you know that there is a place in Southeast Asia that serves them all together in one meal? The place we’re talking about is “The Land of Smile” — Thailand! Formerly known as Siam, or officially as the Kingdom of Thailand, the country is located at the center of mainland Southeast Asia. You probably know that Thailand is famous for its Buddhist temples, spa massages, beaches, nightlife, and shopping. But what you should also know is that street food is supreme in Thailand!
As part of our #KlippersGoTo series, we’ll dive into some of the appetizing and mouth-watering street food in Thailand!
Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice
01. Poh Pia Tod (Spring Rolls)
Typically found in Asian cuisine, this sort of appetizer can make your street food more enjoyable. The streets of Thailand have Poh Pia Tod — one of the tasty fried go-to snacks. Thais make Poh Pia Tod, by chopping meat, vegetables, or rice noodles into bite-sized pieces and wrapping them in spring roll wrappers. Vendors serve them drenched in sweet-chili sauce.
02. Som Tam (Papaya Salad)
For vegan travelers who want to enjoy their Thai experience, this dish is best for you. Many agree that Som Tam is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand. Travelers it this with a variety of dishes. This vegan dish is composed of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, dried shrimp string beans, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and plenty of chilies. You can definitely enjoy the spicy Som Tam but if you are not into that, you can ask for mai pet (not spicy).
03. Guay Teow (Thai Noodle Soup)
One of the popular comfort foods in Asian cuisines has something to do with noodles. In Thailand, people call noodle soup as Guay Teow. Guay Teow describes any type of noodle soup that is made with chicken, pork, or beef stock, as well as rick or egg noodles. Some vendors put wontons or meatballs to the soup; they also add sugar, dried chili peppers, lime, and fish juice as toppers.
04. Roti (Pancake)
Though originally not part of the Thai cuisine, crepe-like Roti managed to become a street market staple over the years. It is made of dough, stuffed with bananas and condensed milk or chocolate sauce. When buying Roti on the streets, you’ll be amazed by how skilled vendors stretch the dough extremely thin and then fry it on a large hotplate.
05. Massaman Gai (Curry)
One of the best foods you can find in Thailand has something to do with curry. Massaman Gai, just like other curry recipes, is made with coconut milk, chicken, and potatoes. It is flavored with roasted peanuts, cinnamon, bay leaves, tamarind sauce, and sugar. Vegan travelers can have tofu instead of chicken, so you can enjoy this comfort food no matter what your diet is.
06. Moo Ping (Pork Skewers)
This street food in Thailand is for those who love to eat and run. Moo Ping is a skewer of grilled pork or pieces of chicken and other grilled meat. Vendors sell these meats with little plastic bags of sticky rice. These skewers are made of garlic, soy sauce, and sugar that are mixed all together, giving you a sweet and savory taste.
07. Sai Ooah (Thai Sausage)
For Sai Ooah, sellers mix pork, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chili paste. After combining the mixture, it is put in an intestine “wrapper” and grilled until golden in color. You can give this sausage a try the next time you visit the streets of Thailand.
08. Kluay Tod (Fried Bananas)
If you’re having a dilemma within you on whether to have a snack or go for a dessert, just turn to Kluay Tod. Kluay Tod is deep-fried mini-bananas sprinkled with desiccated coconut and sesame seeds. You will surely enjoy eating these fried bananas that are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.
09. Pad See Eiw
Sometimes, snacks are not enough to keep your tummies happy, and having rice might be heavy for you, too. In this case, you may want to try Pad See Eiw — the spaghetti-and-meatballs dish of Thai Cuisine. This dish is made with wide noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce, mixed with chicken, pork, or beef. For adds-on, you can also add Chinese broccoli or cabbage and top it with chili flakes or vinegar.
10. Kai Jeow (Omelette and Rice)
Are you running late for your errands today, and you haven’t eaten your meal yet? If yes, this on-the-go Thai dish is meant for you. Called Kai Jeow, this omelet that is served over rice has a crispy texture on the outside. Thai people usually cook this with fish sauce and chilies. On top of the chilies, they also add chili sauce to suit your love for spice! It may be a breakfast meal but you can eat this street food in Thailand any time of the day!
11. Gai Tod (Thai Chicken)
You’re probably saying that this can be found anywhere, but this Thai dish is different! Found on the streets of Thailand is Gai Tod. To prepare this dish, vendors marinate chicken wings or drumsticks on spices, toss them into rice flour, and deep fry them. If you are not on a low carb diet, you can accompany this dish with sticky rice.
12. Khao Kha Moo (Stewed Pork)
As simple as it looks, you can’t still tell the exploding taste of flavor in this one. Khao Kha Moo consists of stewed pork leg, mixed with soy sauce, sugar, and spices. Massive pots in the streets of Thailand contain these tender and juicy pig legs. You can also ask for a mai ow nang or no skin version of this dish served with Chinese broccoli, and a hard-boiled egg on the inside.
13. Pad Kra Pao (Minced Meat)
Pad Kra Pao is a bowl meal that consists of minced pork or stir-fried chicken, with Thai basil and chilies, all served over rice. The secret to this mouth-watering dish is Thai basil and chilies: Thai basil gives a sharp, peppery flavor, while chilies provide a strong dose of spice. Still, should you want a spicier taste, you can request for pet it noi to the vendor. It can also go well with pieces of chicken and a fried egg on top.
14. Kao Nie Ma Muang (Sticky Rice with Mango Slices)
As for our last street food to try in Thailand, let’s have some dessert. In Thailand, most locals and travelers eat Kai Nie Ma for dessert. Sellers make this extremely delicious sweet treat by mixing sticky rice with coconut cream. Later on, sweet mango slices are added to the dish. After eating all the spicy food, make sure you try this sweet treat during your visit to Thailand.
Those are the Top 14 street foods you can find, eat, and eat again in Thailand. Eat all you want but make sure you have your medicines with you since trying all these dishes might give you a difficult stomach.
But hey, your taste buds will remember these dishes even after your trip. Khap Khun Krap!