How Much Do You Know About Thai Cuisine?

By Pow Vachirajindakul

Balance

When it comes to Thai food, it’s hard not to think about its fresh herbal and spicy flavors. Unlike other foods that may only consist of a few flavors, Thai food consists of four flavors: salty, spicy, sour, and sweet. All of these flavors add more dimension to your meal and make it more interesting. 

More than what you see at the restaurants

After having been to many Thai restaurants around the Bay Area, I realized that the food served in Thai restaurants here comprises only a small fraction of Thai cuisine. Most of these dishes, such as Tom Yum soup (spicy and sour soup), Pad Thai (Thai style stir-fried noodle), and Tom Kha Soup (Thai spicy and sour coconut soup), come from the central region.

In fact, in Thailand, food is divided into four regions based on different geography and climates. I would like to introduce you to three other regional Thai cuisines that you may be less familiar with: northern, southern, and north-eastern. 

The Northern Cuisine

Let’s start with my home region, northern Thailand. Being in a mountainous area, the rainy climate is suitable for growing herbs and vegetables. Thus, Thai northern cuisine includes a lot of vegetables in their dishes and on the side. 

People in this region eat a lot of Nam Prik—a small bowl of dip that is served alongside the main dish, usually for boiled and uncooked vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, and cucumber. The most renowned kind of Nam Prik is Nam Prik Noom, a green chili dip sauce made from pounded roasted green chili and garlic. Another one, my favorite, is Nam Prik Ong, a mild sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce, stir-fried with minced pork. If you come to Northern Thailand, you must also try Sai Oua, a grilled Thai Northern sausage that is made from pork and packed with herbal flavors and scent. Another regional favorite is Khao Soi, which is a Thai coconut curry noodle soup, topped with a sprinkle of fried crispy noodles. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Nam Prik Noom

In North-Eastern Cuisine

In the north-eastern region of Thailand, the taste of food is primarily sour and spicy. People in this region usually eat sticky rice instead of jasmine rice. The most famous dishes in this region are Som Tum (shredded green papaya salad), Larb (Thai meat salad flavored with fish sauce, chili flakes, lime juice, and toasted rice flakes, which add the crunchy texture to the dish), and Sai krok Isan (pork and rice sausage).

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Larb

Southern Cuisine

Heading down from Bangkok is the Southern part of Thailand, the location of some of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world. Food in this region is the most flavorful and hottest compared to other regions. The most renowned dishes in this region are Pad Sataw stir-fried with a stink bean(a local plant) and Khao Mok Gai (turmeric rice with chicken). Another dish you can’t miss out is Kaeng Tai pla, a thick fish curry consisting of eggplants, bamboo shoots, and string beans. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Kaeng Tai Pla

No Fixed Rules

In Thailand, there is no fixed rule when it comes to food. Not all Thai food is 100% Thai. Thai food has always been influenced and developed through the emergence of new ingredients and spices over time, since colonization. Even today, Thai food still continues to develop, which is part of its glamor. Thai food is not limited to the dishes themselves, but is instead the combination of a balance of four flavors(sweet, salty, spicy, and sour), Thai herbs, and cooking techniques including Tom(boiling), Yum(mixing), Tum(pounded), Geang(currying). 

If you visit Thailand, you’ll be surprised to see interesting Thai fusion dishes that you won’t see elsewhere. Having grown up in Thailand, one of my all-time favorites is Tom Yum noodles, Chinese noodles soup with Thai Tom Yum soup. Unlike clear soup broth, Tom Yum noodles include all flavors: spicy, salty, sour, and sweet, as well as a herbal scent and taste to it. Another a Thai fusion dish is Pad Kee Mao (also known as drunken noodle), influenced by a Chinese stir-fried noodle. However, in this dish, Thai people added chili, Thai sweet basil, and pepper to make it more compatible with Thai taste. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Tom Yum noodle