Thai dinner. Thai cuisine: what national dishes are worth trying. What to try in Thailand

Updated 12/26/2019 Views 4108 111 comments

Everyone knows the phrase “Thai cuisine,” but only those who have at least once visited this country have had the opportunity to try and find out what they eat in Thailand. And those who live or spend the winter there are even luckier - for them this exotic diet becomes commonplace. I know that some people get tired of Thai cuisine during the winter, but I haven’t gotten tired of it in all these years, so I can only give positive feedback. Now, in Moscow, sometimes I try to cook something Thai or just go to a Thai cafe.

Only I have never eaten truly normal Thai food in Russia; Tom Yam and Pad Thai are very different from what I am used to in Thailand. But it may well be that you will like Russian Thai food more, as it is more adapted; after all, any Asian food is specific.

About Thai food

Cult of food

We can safely say that Thailand has a cult of food. Not only are the Thais themselves not at all embarrassed to eat absolutely everywhere (they often eat soup or roast straight from a plastic bag, sitting at a bus stop or just on the sidewalk), but it’s also impossible to take a step without bumping into food for sale - it’s everywhere here. We can thank for this, first of all, the so-called makashnitsy (this is any type of seller who carries his “kitchen” with him on wheels, be it a bike or just a bicycle). I will talk about them separately below.

Is it dangerous to eat in Thai cafes?

It is customary among Thais to eat only freshly prepared food and not leave cooked food for the next day. So even in street cafes that look scary at first glance, the food will be fresh and tasty. In general, food is often prepared right in front of you - be it fried pancakes, pad thai or even soups. This can be seen especially clearly in the food courts of hypermarkets, where right in front of you they fry noodles in sauce to order, throw tom yam ingredients into the broth and pound som tam salad dressing in a mortar. In addition, Thais put a lot of hot pepper, curry and other spices in their food, which kill excess microbes.

At first it was scary to buy food from these dubious cooks, but after trying it once, we realized that often food in makashnitsa or simple cafes (including fukdorts) is even tastier than in a slick European cafe. And during all the time we spent in Thailand, we personally did not suffer from anything and did not experience problems with digestion, although we boldly tried to eat in various seemingly unpresentable places.

So there is no need to worry about the safety of food in Thailand. Don’t immediately rush to try everything, but you also don’t need to be afraid of Thai food and avoid it. You just have to forget about the unsanitary conditions.

Street food stalls at the Thailand Flower Festival

What to try from food, main dishes

It may seem that Thai food has little variety, but this is far from the case. Sometimes you are even surprised at the courage of their culinary art in mixing seemingly incompatible products and tastes. The basis of all dishes is rice and its derivatives. Moreover, rice itself comes in several types (brown, crumbly white and sticky), and rice pasta amazes with the variety of its forms. For Thais, rice is like bread for us; it can be served with anything. And there is a great variety of this! I won’t say that I tried all of Thai cuisine, but definitely a couple of dozen dishes. Pad Thai and Khao Pad are still my favorites.

Pad Thai Kung - rice pasta with vegetables, sprouts, shrimp and sauce. Occasionally, the menu may say Fried noodle, but most likely it will not be Pad Thai.
Kao Phad (fried rice) - fried rice with vegetables, chicken or shrimp.
Tom Yam is a sour and terribly spicy soup, usually with shrimp and mushrooms (Tom Yam Kung), but can also be with chicken (Tom Yam Gai).
Tom Kha is also a soup, but less sour and less spicy compared to Tom Yum, with a large addition of coconut milk. Also served with either shrimp or chicken.
Som Tam (Papaya salad) is a spicy salad made from green (unripe) papaya interspersed with small shrimp. If you don't warn, it will be very spicy. In its different varieties there is also the addition of an egg, rotten crab, etc.

Please note that if, when ordering a dish, you do not warn that you do not want it spicy (no spicy), then prepare to be a fire-breathing dragon. But don’t worry, if you live in Thailand long enough, you gradually begin to get used to the spiciness of the dishes, and then it’s not even enough. By the way, sometimes when you pass by food being prepared, your eyes start to water from the pepper, and you’re just amazed at how they calmly stand there over the stove.

Price of food in Thailand in a cafe

Let's talk about how much food costs in Thailand. Prices for food in cafes are generally low. Even in the capital, you can eat inexpensively almost everywhere; you can choose from numerous food courts in shopping centers, and even inexpensive hotel restaurants in Bangkok.

Prices for food in Thailand in cheap cafes start from 30-60 baht for a simple dish such as fried rice with shrimp, and increase depending on the civility of the cafe and its proximity to the sea. Exactly the same rice with shrimp in a cafe on the shore or in a cafe with an interior will cost about 120-200 baht. You can eat civilly and inexpensively in food courts in supermarkets, prices are 50-100 baht per dish. As you can see, the prices are small, and everyone can choose how much to spend. That’s why Thais themselves and foreigners living in Thailand don’t cook at home so often; there’s simply no point in it.

Here are more examples of prices for food in food courts: som tam - from 35 baht, pad thai and fried rice - from 40 baht, a large plate of noodles with various fillings - from 60 baht, tom yum - from 60 baht.

Prices are approximately the same in simple Thai cafes not on the seashore. European dishes will, by definition, be more expensive, from 150-200 baht. For example, spaghetti Bolognese or cream soup, depending on the place, will cost 200-250 baht or more. Cocktails - from 40 baht and above, up to 180 in bars for tourists by the sea. The same tom yum in a tourist place will cost 80, 120 or 200 baht in a cafe for tourists, depending on the interiors and the promotion of the place. Russian cuisine in cafes at resorts usually costs between 100 and 200 baht. Coffee costs from 40 to 120 baht per cup (if natural), cocktails - from 20 baht and above.

Thai menu in a simple cafe in Chiang Mai

Prices in a cafe in a Phuket shopping center

Fried rice - 50 baht

Tom Yam with mushrooms - 80 baht

Rice with vegetables with oyster sauce - 50 baht

Shrimp monsters - plate for 300 baht

Types of Thai cafes

Makashnitsy

As already mentioned, makashnitsa in Thailand can be found on almost every corner. This is a kitchen cart on wheels where you can buy soups, som tam salad (green papaya), rice, noodles, pancakes, peeled vegetables or drinks.

In addition, all kinds of kebabs and barbecues are very popular among Thais. Everything that can be put on a stick is smoked in the form of kebabs, the rest is simply smoked on the grill. Often barbecues are located right along the street, filling everything with very pleasant barbecue smells.

Traditional roti - filled pancakes

Street cafes for Thais

Noticed interesting feature: Thais themselves do not attach much importance to the place where they eat. Well, there are ordinary plastic chairs, well, there is a half-torn oilcloth on the table, well, shabby walls, just think! Farangs (that is, you and me) prefer to go to more well-kept establishments, where it is somehow more pleasant to sit.

At first, ordering dishes caused me difficulties, since a lot of them contain meat, and I am partly a vegetarian. And if there was no menu in English, then it was a big deal. A little later, I got out of the situation by ordering something with seafood. Usually they have either meat or seafood. And then, I learned to explain in English or on my fingers that I just needed rice and vegetables. And God forbid you say “without meat” (without meat), only “no meat” (no meat). Otherwise, for the first week we simply blew the minds of local residents with our without and other words. In the same way, you should say “no spicy” (not spicy).

Although, if you go to a popular resort such as Phuket, Pattaya and Samui, then there will be no problems at all, the menu will contain not only English language, but also sometimes Russian. Especially if we are talking about more civilized cafes, but more about them below.

Free ice water - only in cheap cafes

Cafe for tourists and foreigners

In popular tourist places there are no problems finding cafes of almost any cuisine. First of all, this is European cuisine, all kinds of pizzerias, kebabs, hamburgers, sushi. Of course, there are Russian cafes, as without them. Often, cafes offer local cuisine for Europeans, but it is more adapted for foreigners, almost not spicy.

Of course, the interiors in such cafes are much more interesting, everything is clean and beautiful. These are often closed, air-conditioned spaces. But the prices are higher than in simple street Thai cafes.

Cafe in Phuket - cook for yourself

Street food video

And for a snack, a video about how to prepare Rotti, and how I tried grasshoppers with larvae :)

Her distinctive feature is the use of a huge amount of spices, so most treats originally from Thailand are spicy and fiery. The basis of Thai cooking is rice. Classic fish sauce, meat, vegetables, and herbs are added to it. Tom yum soup is famous all over the world; there are at least several dozen variations of its preparation. Thais use exotic ingredients to prepare their national dishes: coconut milk, galangal, avocado, lemon grass, tamarind paste, soybean sprouts.

The five most commonly used ingredients in recipes are:

They combine sweet, salty, sour, spicy, leaving an unusual aftertaste. Thais cannot do without rice or egg noodles, which are served with fried peanuts or nut sauce, boiled or steamed seafood, local vegetables and fruits. Do you want to organize an evening of specific Asian cooking and surprise your family? Use proven recipes that taste amazing. But whether you should try Thai snacks made from dried cockroaches, flies, locusts, and scorpions is a big question.

Undoubtedly, all travelers unanimously claim that Thai cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. The formation of national cuisine in Thailand was influenced by Chinese culture, but the Portuguese also made their contribution. Despite this, Thai food was still able to retain its national specificity. If you want to know what food to try in Thailand, read on.

Classically, Thai cuisine combines two main tastes - sour and sweet, so it is not at all surprising to find a tandem of sugar and sour fruit juice in dish recipes. The variety of Thai cuisine also includes particularly spicy dishes made from noodles, rice, and seafood.

What ingredients are typical for Thai cuisine?

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Surprisingly, the ingredients in the dishes of Thai chefs are the most familiar - vegetables, fish, meat, seafood, but the main ingredient is rice. It is found in almost all Thai dishes. The only thing is that you shouldn’t compare it to Japanese sushi and rolls. Rice in Thailand is a separate and independent dish. In order to give ready-made dish To create a special taste, masters of Thai cuisine add about 40 different spices and herbs. Interesting fact: in one day, Thais can eat up to 1.5 kilograms of rice.

The secret of Thai longevity is food

There is an opinion that it is thanks to healthy and proper food that Thais live so long. But the secret itself lies in the use of various spices, since many of them not only provide flavor, but also have medicinal properties. So, for example, since ancient times, doctors have used the famous chili pepper to treat the wounds of soldiers, and today they treat bronchitis, colds and even stomach diseases.

What do they eat in Thailand?

Everyone has their own quirks - the Japanese and Chinese have special chopsticks, but Thailand, like most countries of the post-Soviet space, uses a spoon, but the knife and fork that are familiar to us are additional items for them. Food in Pattaya will always be cut into very small pieces.

Video

What to try from food

Sweets

Those who have a sweet tooth will be able to try the special dishes of Thai masters - pumpkin in coconut milk, fruits boiled in sugar syrup, all kinds of delicacies in the form of cookies and cakes. The most unusual dish from a number of desserts in Thailand is sweet meatballs. But they are not prepared according to the usual “meatball” recipe - here they contain palm sugar, jasmine oil, eggs, coconut milk and beans. See also:

Thai fruits

Exotic fruits are no exception, of which there is a huge variety: coconuts, sweet bananas, bright melons and mangoes, juicy pineapples, etc. Surprisingly, Thais are used to eating bananas green or boiled, cutting them into small pieces and pouring special soy sauce on them.

The most popular and famous fruit in Thailand is durian, its second name is “meat growing on a tree” - it received this name because it is very high in calories. The Thais say that if you eat a slice of durian in the morning, you won’t have a desire to eat until the evening. The most unpleasant thing about durian is its smell, which has become famous throughout the world for its unpleasant aroma, but the taste of durian has already won the hearts of more than one tourist.

Exotic dishes

The exoticism of Thailand is also embodied in the dishes of Thai chefs. The most unusual thing that can be found on the menu of expensive restaurants is fried various insects. Of course, they are not eaten every day for breakfast and dinner, but you can even buy an exotic dish in temples, fairs, markets or parties. The taste of fried insects is reminiscent of slightly burnt smoked traditional meat.

If such a dish disgusts you, you can try a more “delicate” exotic dish, for example, shark fin soup or crocodile steak.

Seafood

Of course, Thai cuisine cannot do without seafood, since most of the country is washed by the seas. Various seafood dishes are abundant here: shrimp, squid, octopus, fish, lobster, oysters, etc. We recommend that you definitely try some seafood.

Price of food in Thailand (Phuket, Pattaya)

You can eat in Thailand yourself, buying groceries or ready-made food in stores, or you can visit a restaurant or cafe. Thais are very hospitable and polite people, so they will find something to offer you for your every whim in food, but dishes throughout Thailand are not very expensive. For a full meal in a middle-class establishment you will have to pay from 200 to 300 baht, including drinks.

Koh Samui food prices are similar to the national average. A half-liter bottle of beer will cost 40 baht. The cheapest products that can be bought in the markets and bazaars of Thailand are fruits and vegetables; for example, for a whole pineapple you will be quoted a price of about 20 baht. Food prices in Pattaya can only be higher than average in this region.

Essential phrases in Thai

If you want your food to be healthy, ask the waiter for “mai pomcharot,” which translates to “gluto-free” in Thai. If you don’t like spicy food, and it’s worth remembering that almost every dish in Thailand is generously seasoned with pepper, tell the waiter “mai pet” - which translated into Russian will mean “don’t put hot pepper in the dish.” But praise the waiter and cook for Tasty food You can use the phrase “mak mak arooi” which means “very tasty.”

If you don’t like exotic food, you can buy more in stores familiar products and cook your own meals. Although sometimes, looking at the abundance of cafes and restaurants, one gets the impression that the Thais themselves do not cook at all.

Bon appetit!

The taste of Thai food depends on the place where it is prepared. If you tried one dish and didn’t like it, this does not mean that you won’t like it in another establishment. You can try everything, everywhere, choose and remember your favorite places...

30 baht approximately = 1 US dollar

May pomcharot - without glutomat.
May pet - do not add hot pepper.
Mak mak arooi (very tasty).

Top favorite Thai dishes:

Noodles in makashny “4 soups”.
Tom ka (coconut soup with chicken or seafood).
Tom yam of course (soup), which is prepared in Tesco on Lamai (in the gluttonous courtyard).
Pancake - pancakes (with banana and chocolate, etc.) - are made on the streets on special carts.
Satay in makashnitsa (meat on skewers).
Massaman (something like soup).
Som tam (salad with papaya) - so that it is not monstrously spicy, it is better to say “may pet” (without pepper), so as not to add glutomat, you can say “may pomcharot” (without glutomat). There are varieties of catfish (with eggs, with seafood, etc.) and whole catfish (establishments where they make only catfish).
Khanom krok - small round coconut puddings, sold in makashni on the street, prepared in cast iron molds, reminiscent of our waffle irons.
Muu deh dieu - pieces of pork meat, sun-dried and fried in oil.
Rat naa - noodles with pork.
Pad Thai is fried noodles, a very popular dish, probably right after Khao Pad (fried rice).
SenYai - wide rice noodles - if you order Pad Thai and say SenYai, it will be made with wide rice noodles (my favorite variety). If you order soup and say Sen Yai, the soup will come with wide rice noodles - this dish is more common in Pattaya and Bangkok.
Jokhk is a type of porridge, a thick soup with pork.
Moo pad krapau - fried pork with basil.
Khao muu daeng - red pork with rice.

Where to eat inexpensively and tasty in Thailand

You can eat cheaply and tasty in Thai cafes. Just go and try the food in all the many cafes that are nearby where you live. And you will definitely find the very best. Preference will most likely be given to a cafe where many Thais eat, rather than one where it is empty and a couple of farangs are sitting.

The most convenient way to search for cafes and restaurants (including Thai food) is through Tpipadvisor according to the rating, which is constantly relevant because it is updated with new reviews. To do this, open the Tpipadvisor application, click on the “Places Nearby” section and find all the restaurants or places where you can eat, look at the rating and select what you want.

About Thai food in photographs:

The most delicious tom yam in all of Koh Samui. They make it at Tesco in Lamai.

And this is coconut milk soup with seafood. Also very tasty from Lamai Tesco.

Makashni “4 soups”. The cost of a portion is 40 baht. The pepper is given in a separate bag. Half is enough to start with.) Delicious)) Makashni are scattered all over the island.

One of the "Four Soups". There are just noodles, noodles with “dumplings”, “dumplings” themselves.

Pad Thai made from Sen Yai noodles (wide rice noodles) with seafood. This is my favorite dish. Can be found in any part of Thailand.

Khao Soi, Noodle Soup, a Northern Thai dish

Makashnya at the Natona market.

Makashni at the Natona market (open in the evenings).

Baked corn at Nathon Market. 20 baht.

Squid skewers. 10-15 baht.

Shakes at Nathon Market cost 20 baht. True, they are not very tasty, there is a lot of ice and syrup.

Various meat and fish skewers on skewers. 10-15-20-30 baht

Sate - kebabs of various meats on skewers.

Soups at the Nathon market for 40 baht. You can take it with you.

Thai cuisine offers a lot of unique and unusual dishes for Europeans. The main components of national dishes are seafood and chicken, rice and noodles, vegetables and fruits. But the highlight of any Thai recipe are spices and sauces, herbs and dressings. Most dishes in Thailand are highly spicy, and if you are not a fan of such food, then it’s quite simple to correct the situation: when ordering, just say the phrase “Not spicy.” Thai food can be either fried or boiled, but the dishes are generally light and healthy. What is the national cuisine of Thailand, and what food is worth trying while traveling, we describe in detail below.

First meal

Thai cuisine is replete with unique soups, the main ingredients of which are seafood or chicken. The base for preparing liquid dishes can be either meat broth or coconut milk, and often both components are combined in one recipe. It is worth considering that Thai soups are somewhat different from those we are used to seeing. In most cases, in such dishes it is customary to eat only the main component and drink the broth, and the remaining ingredients are added only for taste and aroma.

Among the dishes of Thai cuisine, Tom Yam soup has gained deserved fame; there are a great many recipes for its preparation. But the constant ingredients of the national dish remain king prawns, boiled in coconut milk and flavored with garlic, lime sprigs and straw mushrooms. In the classic version, Tom Yam is cooked in fish broth, sometimes in chicken broth. Each cook, following his imagination, can add a lot of other ingredients to the soup, such as ginger, tomatoes, galangal, lemongrass, etc. This Thai dish has a sour taste and is incredibly spicy, so it is often served with boiled rice.

Those who don't like spicy dishes too much should try Tom Kha soup. Just like the previously mentioned Tom Yum, it is prepared with coconut milk, but the main ingredient here is chicken (sometimes fish). When preparing this national dish, standard Thai seasonings are used: cilantro, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves. In some restaurants, Tom Kha is prepared with shrimp and a large amount of chili pepper is added for spiciness. But in the traditional variation, the dish should have a spicy, slightly sweet taste rather than a spicy one.

Another popular dish of Thai cuisine is Kung Som Pak Ruam soup, which has a very specific smell and aftertaste. It is usually cooked using meat broth with the addition of stewed carrots, cabbage and green beans. The flavor palette of this dish includes all sorts of shades: Kung Som Pak Ruam has a sweet and sour taste with spicy notes. The soup is often served with an omelet and decorated with fragrant herbs. Overall, this national dish is light and healthy, and it’s definitely worth trying.

Main dishes

Traditional Thai cuisine offers a range of interesting and delicious dishes based on chicken, pork, fish and a wide variety of seafood. And among the national side dishes are rice, rice, egg or glass noodles and potatoes. All delicacies are prepared with the addition of traditional Thai spices, sauces and herbs. Which ones should you definitely try?

Pad Thai is perhaps one of the few Thai dishes familiar to most Europeans. Actually, these are rice noodles, which are fried with garlic, onions, bean sprouts and seasoned with vinegar, vegetable oil and pieces hot pepper. Sometimes a little sugar is added to the dish to give it a more piquant taste. At the final stage of cooking, the noodles are seasoned with egg, flavored with a couple of drops of lime and walnut pieces. You can try the noodles both in the classic form and with the addition of various fillings, which include fried slices of chicken or pork, as well as assorted seafood.

Kung Keow Wan (Green Curry)

This national dish will be appreciated by all lovers of thrills and unusual aromas. Kung Kno Wan is served in a miniature bowl filled with green curry sauce mixed with coconut milk. Inside the gravy you will find pieces of chicken and vegetables, which are complemented by lime wedges and a sprig of basil. By the way, among the vegetable components of Green Curry there is often Thai eggplant - a unique Asian fruit with a lot of useful properties.

Panang Gai (Red Curry)

Traditional Thai dishes have always been highly spicy, and Papang Gai is no exception. Tender chicken pieces topped with whipped coconut cream take on a fiery flavor in a thick red curry gravy. But there is also a fresh note in the dish, obtained from lemongrass. White rice is an excellent side dish for this spicy dish.

Massaman curry is nothing more than a Thai version of goulash. Everyone can try it, because the dish is not spicy, but at the same time rich in fragrant spices. The main component here is meat, cut into small pieces and fried with onions in a dressing of curry and coconut milk. Thai cuisine provides two standard side dishes for Massaman curry - potatoes or rice.

A simple but quite popular dish of national cuisine based on rice, which is sold in any Thai eatery. First, the cereal is boiled and then fried with pepper, onion and garlic, seasoned with Asian spices. Afterwards, the rice is mixed with seafood or pieces of chicken. Sometimes fruits are added to the cereal (for example, pineapple). And, of course, the dish comes with a traditional lime wedge, adding freshness and juiciness. Some Khau Phat recipes allow the addition of eggs. It is noteworthy that the dish is very budget-friendly, so it is very popular among both locals and travelers.

The best Thai dishes come in a variety of flavors, but if fried noodles and rice don't wow you, then you should definitely try Sen Khao Soi. This food is most widespread in the north of Thailand, so you can order it in rare resort restaurants. The base of the soup is a broth made from curry sauce, to which deep-fried egg noodles are added. The dish also includes onions, pickled cabbage, lime juice and chili.

Plah Plow (grilled fish in salt)

Another delicacy of national cuisine that all seafood lovers should try is Plah Plow. Only fresh white fish is used for cooking. It is rubbed with salt, due to which a crispy crust is formed during frying. The product must be seasoned with herbs, often adding palm leaves. The dish is thoroughly grilled and flavored with spicy additives. As a result, the fish meat is tender and flavorful. If desired, you can order traditional noodles or boiled rice for your meal.

Gai Pad Met Mamuang

If you are still deciding what to try in Thailand, then pay attention to this dish. Firstly, it is not spicy, but at the same time quite aromatic, and secondly, the main component here is chicken, so opponents of seafood should like this food. Pieces of tender chicken are fried in a special frying pan with vegetables and spices, and then seasoned with cashews. This Thai delicacy is served, of course, with rice.

Salads and snacks

In Thai cuisine, interesting recipes are also presented among salads and appetizers. The light and healthy ingredients used in their preparation find themselves in unimaginable culinary combinations. Among the dishes unusual for Europeans it is worth trying:

The peculiarities of Thai cuisine primarily lie in the ingredients used in it. Have you ever imagined green papaya salad? This fruit is the basis of Som Tam, which includes, among other things, garlic, onions, tomatoes and green beans. The final accord of the salad is shrimp and nuts, giving the dish a truly exotic taste. Sometimes instead of shrimp, crab meat is added to Som Tam. For a fresh note, sprinkle the salad with lemon juice and special fish sauce. It is noteworthy that preparing Som Tam does not involve simply chopping the ingredients: all components are mixed and pounded in a special mortar. As a result, the dish turns out soft and juicy.

Among the national snacks, it is worth noting spring rolls - a light, dietary dish served in the form of an envelope with filling. Rice paper serves as a wrapper for the filling, the preparation of which has a whole lot of variations. The most popular fillings in Thailand are chicken, seafood and vegetables. If you want to try a vegetarian option, get ready for a vibrant combination of bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, garlic and rice noodles. Spring rolls with seafood, as a rule, are not complete without king prawns. Can be used for cooking different ways– both frying and steaming.

Dessert

While traveling in Thailand, it would be a crime not to try national Thai dishes, especially desserts. Many of them include fruits, coconuts and, of course, rice. There are also delicious savory pastries here. First of all, you should pay attention to:

Among the desserts served in Thailand, a dish called Khao Nyug Ma Muang is of genuine interest. The dessert consists of three main ingredients: mango, sticky rice and coconut cream. A very unusual, but very tasty combination. Even though it is a sweet dessert, many locals eat it for breakfast. You can buy and try Khao Nyug Ma Muang both from street vendors and in cafes.

In Thai cuisine, a dessert called roti is a familiar pancake. It is prepared from liquid dough, which is stretched to the size of a thin flat cake. Chicken and egg, fruit, chocolate or simple sugar are added to the pancake as fillers. It is noteworthy that in reality roti is not a national dessert: the recipe was borrowed by the Thais from the Indians, after which it became widespread throughout Thailand.

This is exactly the dish of Thai cuisine, the photo of which can excite the taste buds. For many, coconut ice cream may be associated with a sundae sprinkled with shavings, but that’s not the case! The Thai version does include creamy ice cream, but the dessert is complemented not with shavings, but with coconut milk, fruit jelly, grains of sweet rice and even beans. The presentation of this dish is also very original: the balls are placed in a peeled coconut with pulp.

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Fruits

Thailand is known throughout the world for its incredible variety of fruits, many of which have such intricate shapes and shades that it is difficult to understand how to eat them. Some exotic fruits may appeal to most tourists, while others will appeal only to a few. But it’s definitely worth trying each of them at least once.

A fruit that can evoke conflicting feelings even among the most desperate gourmets. Having opened the brown shell with spikes, inside you will see a fruit of a yellowish-greenish hue. Durian is famous for its unpleasant smell, although it tastes sweet and has creamy notes. For obvious reasons, it is not recommended to store the fruit in your room or buy it as a souvenir for loved ones. But when in Thailand, you should definitely try the exotic durian.

The fruit is quite famous, distinguished not only by its sweet juiciness, but also beneficial properties for the body. The pulp of the fruit, depending on ripening, can be yellow or green. In Thai cuisine, mango is actively used both in salads and desserts. It is also often used in the production of cosmetics.

Mangosteen

This is a small fruit with a burgundy peel, looks like an apple on the outside, and resembles a head of garlic on the inside. The fruit has a sweet and sour taste: some compare it to a sweetened grapefruit, while others even think it is a mixture of grapes and peach.

Dragon fruit

Beautiful on the outside and tasteless on the inside, dragon fruit (or pitahaya) does not live up to tourists' expectations. The bright pink peel with green scales hides the snow-white fruit interspersed with black seeds. It would seem that such an intricate fruit should have a very interesting taste, but it is quite bland and unflavoured. Locals eat dragon fruit after moistening the pulp with lime juice.

Papaya is often used in national Thai cuisine; it is the main component of the Som Tam salad. A ripe fruit with a neutral taste is covered with a yellow shell, while an unripe fruit is covered with a green shell. Papaya contains a lot of useful microelements.

Longan is a miniature transparent fruit enclosed in a brownish shell. Outwardly it resembles Walnut. Inside the fruit there is a seed that should never be eaten as it is poisonous.

Jackfruit

This is a rather large fruit with a spiky green skin, similar in appearance to the durian we have already described. The flesh inside is yellow and has an interesting aroma. The sweet taste of jackfruit is slightly reminiscent of a Duchess pear. The fruit is often used in Thai cuisine and added to salads and desserts.

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Alcoholic drinks

We have already met the best dishes of Thai cuisine, and it’s time to talk about national drinks. In Thailand you will find a fairly wide selection of alcoholic beverages, which are distinguished by affordable prices and good quality. Rum, beer and berry wines are especially popular in the country. There are many variations of drinks, so we will only tell you about the best, long-proven brands:

This is a fairly young beer brand that has existed on the Thai market for no more than 10 years, but has managed to gain recognition among both locals and tourists. Classic Chang beer has a hoppy aftertaste and is distinguished by its increased strength (6.4%). However, the brand also offers varieties with reduced alcohol content - Chang Draft (5%) and Chang Light (4.2%). Translated from Thai, Chang means “elephant”, the image of which adorns the label on the beer bottle.

Sang Som rum is the most exported national Thai drink, which is definitely worth trying on vacation. Despite the budget price, the rum is of high quality and is sold in beautiful bottles. The strength of the drink is 40%, but its taste is soft and pleasant. In stores you can find bottles of 0.3 l and 0.7 l. Sang Som rum will be an interesting and inexpensive gift from Thailand.

Conclusion

Thai cuisine is a real discovery for many travelers. Unusual combinations of products and a varied taste palette of dishes allow everyone to find food to their liking here. At the same time, most of the dishes are dietary and healthy, which will undoubtedly be appreciated by adherents of a healthy diet.