Thai cuisine description. Traditional Thai dishes are a must try

Hi all. This article will be on one of our favorite topics - food. Food in Thailand is a unique phenomenon. Here you can discover many new, bright, unusual sensations, try something both incredibly tasty and incredibly disgusting. And in this article we will list the main dishes that you should definitely try while in Thailand, so that you have the right idea about Asian cuisine.

Thai food is characterized by a mixture of flavors. So they can eat sweet fruits with hot pepper, fish soup can be very sour, etc. But still, when coming to Thailand, it is better to eat local food than constantly eat familiar burgers and fries, which are also not uncommon here.

Travel becomes truly interesting when you make some discoveries, including culinary ones.

List of Thai dishes you simply must try

Tom Yum– famous Thai Hot soup, which delights almost all foreigners. By the way, the portions here are very large. One soup is enough for two. Many even try to cook it at home on their own after returning from Thailand.

Thai coconut milk soup. Very tasty too rich soup with seafood, mushrooms, onions and other unknown ingredients. It is best to eat these soups in ordinary unremarkable Thai cafes, because in such establishments there are large portions, low prices and they are used exclusively for preparation. traditional recipes. In such cafes you can appreciate authentic dishes Thai cuisine.

Snails, mussels and all kinds of shells also deserve your attention. In most cases, they are mega tasty, especially if cooked with a delicate creamy sauce.

Fish and meat balls. This dish can be eaten in the so-called makashnitsa (motorcycle and cart where Thais cook and sell food), which can be found throughout the city. You select balls that are placed on skewers. There are usually 5 balls on one skewer, which will be fried and served with hot sauce and greens. Price per skewer 10 baht. You can also take a bag of rice with these balls as a side dish.

Squid with garlic. If you like garlic and seafood, then be sure to try garlic squid rings in Thailand. The dish tastes very thermonuclear, but tasty.

Skewers of fish, pork or chicken. They are inexpensive, only 20 baht per kebab. Very often, in addition to meat, various vegetables are placed on a skewer.

Rolls. Here they are a little different from the rolls they make in Russia, but they are also delicious and there is a large selection. Prices are 5 and 10 baht per piece.

Rice with egg, crab, shrimp or chicken. Rice with egg is very popular among tourists, to which Thais add chicken, shrimp, crab meat, etc. Simple and very tasty.

Fried rice with fish. The rice itself is very tasty, aromatic, and large juicy pieces of fish make it even tastier.

Grilled seafood. Shrimp, squid, octopus and other exotic delicacies...

Thai pancakes. An excellent and inexpensive dessert (40 baht) with various fillings: nuts, raisins, condensed milk, banana, chocolate, etc.

Seafood in sauce. An excellent choice, especially if accompanied by a side dish of rice.

Salad with rice noodles and seafood. Seafood, herbs and vegetables are boiled in a matter of minutes, mixed with herbs and sauces, the result is very tasty and unusual. By the way, you can choose the ingredients for this dish yourself.

Fish in salt. At first glance, this dish does not cause much excitement. Well, fish and fish, but as soon as you try it, you will understand why Thais and tourists love it so much. It is prepared in a special way, in which the meat turns out very tender, juicy and moderately salty. The fish is served with noodles, sauce and salad. Unrealistically delicious.

If you really decide to try everything, then don't pass up the fried crickets, grasshoppers and maggots. But, as they say, this is not for everyone.

If you have been to Thailand, write in the comments what dishes you liked. What do you recommend and what do you not recommend trying here.

It is considered one of the hottest in the world. Not every resident of neighboring countries of Southeast Asia, much less a European, can say that Thai dishes are to his taste. In Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar, the cuisine is not so spicy. That is why in popular tourist cities it is quite difficult to find restaurants with “real” Thai cuisine; for Europeans they usually serve less spicy version. Today I will introduce you to the best Thai dishes. With the help of my dictionary you will always know what to eat in Thailand.

Thai cuisine was formed under the constant influence of Chinese, Portuguese and Indian cuisine, while at the same time retaining its national flavor and spice. It is impossible to accurately determine the taste of Thai dishes; it is spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter at the same time. This mix of five flavors - the real art and magic of Thai cuisine - is achieved with the help of spices. Lemon grass, kaffir leaves, ginger of all kinds, chili peppers, garlic, cilantro, basil, coconut milk, lime juice are just a few of the huge number of spices that are found in every Thai home.

The basis of Thai dishes are dishes such as rice, noodles, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and fruits. Rice is especially popular. Even the word “to eat” in Thai sounds like “kin khaw” - to eat rice. According to statistics, every Thai eats a little less than 500 grams of rice per day. It is used to prepare soups, main courses and even desserts. In fact, rice plays the same role in Thai cuisine as bread does in Russian. Various sayings and proverbs are associated with rice in Thailand; it is used in traditional rituals, for example, rice protects children from evil spirits. Noodles are the second basis for Thai cuisine. Yellow egg, wide, ribbon-like, rice and “glass” noodles are used to prepare first and second courses.

Contrary to popular belief, Thais do not eat with chopsticks. They are used only for Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cuisine. In the Kingdom of Siam, people did not use cutlery and ate with their hands, which is still common in some regions. In Isan, sticky rice and some other foods are eaten with the hands. Only under King Mongkut was the custom of using a spoon and fork introduced during meals: the fork plays only an auxiliary role; Thais eat with a spoon. Thai restaurants in popular tourist regions will offer you a knife, but you can do without it. All Thai dishes are deliberately made from small pieces.

Lunch or dinner for every Thai is not just a meal, but a harmonious combination of tastes: hot and sweet, hot and sour. Don’t be afraid of the spiciness of Thai cuisine, not all dishes add hot red pepper, not all Thais like spicy dishes.

Thai salads and appetizers

Salads in Thailand are usually served as an accompaniment to the main dish. For those who watch their figure, salads in Thailand are a real find. They generally do not contain vinegar and are seasoned with lime juice, soy or oyster sauces. Most salads have chili added to them, so if you don't like it spicy, tell the waiter to make a mild version.

Som Tam - papaya salad

The most famous Thai salad born in northeast Thailand, in Isan province. Its sour-spicy taste long after a trip to Thailand excites the minds of even seasoned gourmets. Green papaya chopped into strips is pounded in a special mortar with garlic, seasoned lemon juice, fish and soy sauce, chili, mixed with pieces of tomato and green beans. Roasted peanuts and dried shrimp add a special flavor to the salad. Some Thai restaurants will offer catfish with blue crab, fish, or a variation of this cucumber or apple salad. Sticky Thai rice and grilled chicken are ideal accompaniments to som tam.

Yam or Thai salad

The word "yam" in Thai cuisine refers to any salad, literally translated as "mixture". They are prepared with the addition of chili, lime juice and lemon grass. Most salads have a spicy-sour taste, but at your request they can make a mild version.

Yam Yai (ยำใหญ่) – salad from fresh vegetables.
Yam Nua (ยำเนี้อ) – salad with fried beef.
Yam Mu (ยำหมู) – salad with fried pork.
Yam Thale (ยำทะเล) – seafood salad.
Yam Pla-myk (ยําปลาหมึก) – salad with squid.
Yam Som-O (ยำส้มโอ) – salad with pomelo, dried anchovies and peanuts.
Yam Wunsen (ยำวุ้นเส้น) – salad with glass noodles and meat of your choice.
Yam Mamuang (ยำมะม่วง) – green mango salad.
Yam Hua Pli (ยำหัวปลี) – banana flower salad.
Yam Pla Duk Fu (ยำปลาดุกฟู) - salad with green mango and fried catfish.
Yam Khai Dao (ยำไข่ดาว) - fried egg salad.
Yam Salad (ยำเนี้อ) – European salad of fresh vegetables with mayonnaise.

Lap or Thai hot salad

The word lapas refers to hot vegetable salads, minced meat and chili.

Lap Kai (ลาบไก่) – salad with minced chicken.
Lap Mu (ลาบหมู) – salad with pork.
Lap Nya (ลาบนัว) – salad with minced beef.
Lap Pla (ลาบปลา) – fish salad.

Thai cuisine is famous for its snacks. In every restaurant you will find an incredible amount of them. You can try some of the Thai snacks on mobile carts with frying pans, called "makashnitsy" in Russian, or at night markets.

Po Pia Thot or Spring Roll (ปอเปี๊ยะทอด) are famous fried vegetable rolls, sometimes they have pork or chicken added to them.
Po Pia Pak (ปอเปี๊ยะผัก) – vegetarian fried rolls with vegetables.
Thot Man Kung or Shrimps Cake (ทอดมันกุ้ง) – fried shrimp pancakes.
(ทอดมันปลา) – fried fish fritters.
Samosa (กะหรี่ปั๊บ) – crispy Indian pies with curry and potatoes.
(สะเต๊ะ) – fried chicken or pork skewers with peanut sauce.
Tempura (เท็มปุระ) is the general name for the method of cooking shrimp, squid, chicken, vegetables and fruits in batter.
Tempura Pak (เทมปุระผัก) – vegetables in batter.

Soups in Thailand

In Thailand, soup is an integral part of the meal; they are eaten not before, but along with all other dishes. In meat or fish broth add all kinds of seasonings, chili, vinegar, sugar and fish sauce, which gives a salty taste.

Don’t be afraid that Thai cuisine is spicy, just tell the waiter “no spicy” or “Mai Phet” in Thai, and they will bring you a special non-spicy version.

In any of the dishes described above, you can replace the main ingredient to your taste using the following list:

Kai (ไก่) – chicken,
Mu (หมู) – pork,
Nya (เนื้อ) – beef,
Pet (เป็ด) – duck,
Thale (ทะเล) – seafood,
Kung (กุ้ง) – shrimp,
Pu (ปู) – crab,
Pla (ปลา) – fish,
Pla-myk (ปลาหมึก) – squid,
Mangsavirat (มังสวิรัติ) – .

Thai cuisine is a kaleidoscope of flavors as varied and colorful as the country itself. Food in Thailand is not only varied, it suits everyone. I invite you to amazing Thailand, a huge world of delicious tastes! 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 dead dieu - pieces pork meat, sun-dried and fried in oil.
• Rat naa - noodles with pork.
• Pad Thai - fried noodles, very popular dish, probably right after Khao Pad (fried rice).
• SenYai - wide rice noodles— if you order Pad Thai and say Sen Yai, it will be made from 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 - a type of porridge, 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:

Getting hooked on Thai cuisine may require as little as one or two tastes of dishes flavored with galangal, cardamom, lemongrass, coconut milk and chili pepper. Their taste and smell have such a strong effect on the brain's pleasure center that the desire to please the receptors of the tongue and nose once again with something similar will periodically arise against one's will. Thai dishes will appeal to both inveterate meat-eaters and vegetarians, because almost each of them has a double. According to one of the recipes, the list of ingredients may include pork, chicken, seafood, in another - only components of plant origin. Many Thai dishes can be enjoyed at attractive prices from mobile carts called .

The most famous and popular Thai dish Tom Yam, to which the epithet “sour” is usually added, although it is both sweet and salty, and, traditionally, very spicy. It is very thick, almost everything in the house is put in it. In coastal areas, for example, shrimp, and in villages in the north - mushrooms. Mandatory ingredients are tomatoes, lime leaves, galangal. The basis of Tom Yum soup is coconut milk; in the “basic” version, “Nam Sai” is added to its name. But if the recipe also includes coconut cream (something similar to our sour cream), then “Nam Kon”. This soup has more calories, and the sourness in it is less pronounced.

2

Second most popular dish Thai cuisine Kung Som. At its core - light soup from vegetables, cooked on meat broth. The taste is traditional for Thailand - it combines sour, sweet and spicy. Main ingredients: stewed cabbage, carrot, green bean. There is a recipe where omelette and acacia leaves are added to this soup. Then “Cha Om Kai” is added to the name. This soup is served with fresh herbs and the obligatory chili pepper.

3

Rice for Thais, like all residents of Southeast Asia, is the basis of the diet. Therefore, recipes Thai rice dishes I can’t count it – one of my favorites. Rice noodles, quite large in size, which are fried with shrimp, along the way adding everything that is edible at home. For example: tofu, bean sprouts, green onions... The dish is seasoned with lemon juice, fish sauce, and pepper is traditionally added to it. The finished noodles are poured with egg. The result is a kind of casserole. Depending on the degree of readiness of the egg, it can be thick, semi-liquid or chunky. It is topped with lime juice, vinegar, and some gourmets add granulated sugar.

4

Panang Gai - favorite Thai chicken dish, cooked in red curry sauce and topped with whipped coconut milk cream, which enhances the flavor sensation. To stimulate appetite and suppress the feeling of fullness, serve with finely chopped lemongrass leaves.

5

A Thai scrambled egg called Gai Pad Pongali, which contains chicken, onions and tomatoes. It differs from the European one, consisting of bacon and tomatoes, with a killer portion of spices. Yellow curry paste and finely chopped parsley are used, which is generously sprinkled on Thai scrambled eggs. In general, many people eat this dish in the morning, but have absolutely no idea that it is Thai.

6

Very delicious Thai dish It is popular mainly among tourists, since meat is not very common in the Thai diet, and also because each chef can cook it in his own way. For example, use meat in pieces or minced meat. The types of spices used also vary. The main ingredients are meat, garlic, basil and chili pepper. There are recipes that allow deviations from the canons and the use of chicken or fish fillet. It is prepared using the “stir-fry” technology – quick frying in hot oil.

7

The main ingredients of green, yellow and red curry are: green chilies, lime leaves, lemongrass, basil, shrimp paste, coconut milk. Changes color depending on the recipe. The hottest and hottest is green curry, a little milder is red, and yellow curry is tolerated almost calmly by Europeans. Basic seasoning for rice.

8

Kung Massaman is a Thai sauce that falls out of a fiery sweet and sour symphony of flavors. It is sweet and moderately spicy. The base includes yellow curry with coconut milk, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg. Originates from the southern provinces of Thailand, bordering Malaysia, and is considered a halal dish. Served with boiled potatoes and meat (beef), poultry, tofu mushrooms.

9

Keo Wan - one of the national dishes of Thailand is prepared based on green curry paste. Additional ingredients are: bamboo shoots, eggplant, basil, galangal, lemongrass leaves. Serve thick with rice and boiled chicken.

10

The most famous and the same unusual salad Thailand. Firstly, the ingredients for it are not cut, but pounded in a mortar. Secondly, it is often added to fermented fish sauce, known in Vietnam as Nuoc Nam - spicy and fragrant, a real test for European stomachs. For cooking, use: chili pepper, garlic, tamarind juice, tomatoes, lime juice, cane paste (sugar), beans, green papaya, crab meat or shrimp.

As you can see, Thai dishes They are very appetizing and attractive, but if you decide to taste all the delights of Southeast Asian cuisine, then first assess the health of your stomach and start with small portions. Bon appetit!

What are the national dishes of Thailand? Fried cockroaches or grasshoppers? Black rotten eggs with durin paste? Everything is much more interesting! Details in the article.

Thai national cuisine can rightfully be considered a real creation and a place where “incongruous things come together.” The national dishes of Thailand are distinguished by a riot of colors, an unusual list of products used for us, strong spiciness and a pronounced “contrast” taste. No, no, now we will not talk about the “seeds of the Thais” - bugs, but about the most normal one, traditional cuisine, which tourists can safely try. Almost all national dishes of Thailand are prepared on the basis of chili pepper and sweet and sour sauces. Such “mixes” do not leave even the most fastidious gourmet indifferent. After all, the main rule of a deep, bright taste of a dish is a combination of acid, sweetness and spiciness.

Be careful with the latter. When ordering, tell the waiter “no spicy,” which means not spicy. Or “little spicy”, which means a little spicy. Don't forget that almost all Thai food is spicy by definition. For someone who is not used to it, even classic Thai national dishes “without pepper” can seem like a real fire of hell, so don’t hesitate to say “no spicy” so as not to be left without lunch.

National dishes of Thailand that you will find very tasty

Tom Yam soup

The “star” of Thai cuisine, the leader in sales among tourists and local residents. Served and cooked with different (main) fillings: shrimp, pork, chicken. The base of the soup is spicy and sweet chicken bouillon, chili pepper, California lime leaves, ginger and kolgan. The name of a Thai dish has 2 components: “tom” - to cook and “yam” - spicy salad. The basic name is supplemented if they want to indicate the composition of the soup, or rather, what ingredient the food is made with. Eg:

• “kai” - with chicken;
• “thale” - with seafood (fish sauce, etc.);
• “kung” - with shrimp;
• “Khon” - shrimp + coconut milk (relatively new variation soup);
• “ka-mu” - based on pork knuckle;
• “kung-maphrao-nam-khon” - with shrimp, coconut pulp, and coconut milk.

Pad Thai

A fantastic national dish of Thailand, the translation of which means “Thai-style fried noodles.” Thais consider it the main second course. Properly prepared noodles can trick the taste buds and “open up” like an expensive, aged wine. The original Pad Thai initially tastes sweet, then sour and salty, then spicy. Moreover, the spiciness of properly prepared Pad Thai should “go out” after a few minutes.

The basis of this national dish Thailand - rice noodles, tamarind, bean sprouts, cashew nuts, fish sauce, chili pepper. As a rule, the “correct” Pad Thai is served with chicken, but sometimes a modernized recipe is used: with shrimp and seafood; veal

Som Tam

The national salad, which is on par with Olivier in the CIS, is loved and prepared by Thais for any occasion and hint of a holiday. Consists of dried green papaya, dry shrimp, cashew nuts, green beans, tomatoes and crushed chili pepper. Very easy to prepare, refreshing and energizing.

Som Tam should be eaten freshly prepared, because... its ingredients fade very quickly.

Spring Rolls

Spring treat coming to Thai national cuisine from China. Thais associate it with the holiday and the beginning of the new year. Thai spring rolls are prepared exclusively on the basis of rice paper, with the addition of juicy vegetables and minced meat, generously seasoned with chili pepper. Rolls, depending on the clientele (in restaurants, markets, stalls), are constantly modified, but adhere to the traditional recipe and appearance.

There are several main types of spring rolls:

• Guay-tiew lui suan – base – rice paper, filling of vegetables, chili peppers, minced fish and greenery. Served in contrast with sweet and sour sauce.
• Por-pia sod – served with green mango and soaked in fish sauce carrots.
• Por-pia tod – are smaller in size and generously seasoned with chili pepper. Served with hot and sour sauce.

Khao Pad - fried rice

If not noodles, then rice! This is exactly what most Thais think. No less popular national Thai dish is Khao Pad – fried rice. It is this ingredient that is the hallmark of all of Asia, including Tailnad.

Typically used for cooking Brown rice. For the filling, finely chop pork, chicken or seafood (your choice), add leeks, chili, bean sprouts and fry it all over an open fire in a sweet and sour sauce.