Ten Favorite Thai Dishes Served around the World

Current popularity of Thai food among the international community ,and the mushrooming of Thai food Restaurants in nearly all the large and important cities around the world, is not what we should call a phenomenon. Much like its other Asian counterparts, including Chinese and Japanese foods, Thai cuisine, which has a very long history of development, has its own special qualities of distinct flavours and aroma,  apart from essentially being non-fattening health food.

The “Thai way of life,” having been neglected for several decades after successive Thai governments exerted their efforts to develop the country into a modern industrial nation. In the past, national development programmes had successfully redirected the nation’s attention towards modernization, but had neglectedly allowed almost the entire population to forget to preserve their cultural inheritance. Thai cuisine, with its centuries of development, is one of the Thailand’s most refined national treasures, which has fortunately been kept intact. The thriving tourism industry of the past few decade had contributed enormously towards the successful presentation of Thai Cuisine to the international community. IT is a truly fortunate turn of events that national campaigns are now underway to rekindle the “Thai Way of Life,” and Thai cookery and culinary arts, specially local recipes, are among other refined Thai traditions and customs being revived in all their exotic splendor and sophistication.

Preparation of meals in Thailand is an ancient household custom, gently handed down from mothers to daughters through the generations. In the old days, young girls of the household were beckoned to the kitchen, and left to play with toy earthen pots and pans. While at play on the kitchen floor, the young lasses would unknowingly absorb the most guarded culinary secrets from their mothers.

When older, they would be gently asked to help out with simple cores, as peeling of vegetables or grounding nuts and chilli, and most would eagerly jump at such an opportunity. The young ones often found that they could accomplish most of the simple tasks without being taught. By the time they reach their late teens and ready for marriage, most Thai girls can pride themselves as exceptionally good cook…an essential quality for caring of their family.

International Favorites 

According to an official survey of Thai restaurants overseas, there are ten Thai recipes which have rapidly ascended to a position of prominence among international foods served around the world in over 100 countries, listed here in accordance with their popularity.

“ Tom Yam Kung”

So popular and famous, that our friends in the ASEAN had teasingly nicknamed the regional economic crisis as the “ Tom Yam Kung Disease”  Of course, this was to honour their Thai neighbor as being the first to have been brought down with the economic mumps and financial measles. However we are now steadily recovering ! Back to our main topic, Tom Yam Kung, a hot soup usually cooked with prawns or chicken, is prepared by the simple process of boiling water and adding spices, herbs and chilli paste, which when left to boil gives out the most fragrant aroma. Herbs such as Bai Makrut (leech lime), Takhrai (lemon grass) and Manao(lemon), besides helping the digestive system, produces the desired bitterness and sour taste.

Chicken or prawn is added later. A couple teaspoonfuls of fish sauce, a squeeze of half a lemon and a sprinkle of pepper and decorative greens completes the recipe. Tom Yam Kung is eaten with plain white rice and Khai Chieo, a plain omelet.

“ Kaeng Khieo Wan”  

Better known among Western connoisseurs of Thai food as “Green Curry,” is a medium hot curry soup flavoured with coconut milk, herbs and spices which gives it the name of Kaeng Khieo Wan, literally meaning “Sweet Green Curry.” Other ingredients include Rak Phak Chi (coriander root) Yi-ra(cumin),Kha(Siamese ginger), Takhrai(lemon grass), Puak Makrut(leech lime peel), Hom (shallot) and Kratiam (garlic). And for the hot taste,Priki-noo Khieo (small green chilli), is grounded with herbs into a light greenish paste, which  is the main flavouring ingredient. Meats used in this recipe are beef, pork and chicken are added in mid-process to tenderize the meat. Served with plain white rice. All herbs used for flavouring Kaeng Khieo Wan have medicinal qualities, Yi-ra and Ho-ra-pa (sweet basil leaf) reduces intestinal gasses and stomach discomforts, Puak Makrut prevents stomach disorders, while fresh Kratiam, has special qualities in Allicin, which controls high blood pressure and reduces cholesterol.Better still,if Kaeng Khieo Wan is served with deep fried fish to lessen the hotness of chilli.

“Kuai Tieo Phat Thai”

This plate of fried noodles can be tasted almost any time and any where in Thailand,from late morning to well past midnight. This “quick plate” is easily prepared and takes less than ten minutes. Phat Thai,ranking third on the international list of favourite Thai recipes,is prepared by pan-frying white Thai rice noodles …usually tossed in a large wok. The ingredients are small chopped blocks of bean curd, chopped Bai Kui-chai and Tua Ngok (bean sprouts)…and if you like, an egg, plopped into the wok and merrily tossed around with the noodles, while timely sloshes of brown sweet sauce, turns the pale white noodles and colourless bean curd and sprouts into a golden brown aromatic recipe of noodles ready to be served. Phat Thai is served with fresh bean sprouts, tender and crispy ovum petals of young banana flower and other greens.

Flavouring includes sprinkles of sugar, ground peanuts, dried powdered chilli—if you like it hot—half-a-lemon or vinegar and pickled chilli … then you can pick up your chop sticks and have a try!

“Phat Kra-Prao”

Kra-Prao, which is mint leaf, can be used to cook a wide variety of dry curries cooked with prawns, squid, pork, chicken or beef. This is another favourite “quick dish” served in most parts of Thailand. Preparation is uncomplicated, and cooking is fast. Vegetable oil is warmed in a deep pan and the meat (which ever is your choose), is minced and fried over a low flame until done, before ingredients as Kra-Prao leaves, Kratiam (garlic) and Prik-sot (fresh chilli) are added and seasoned with fish sauce. Kra-Prao leaves can also be fried separately in clean oil, producing a smooth, almost transparent, plastic like leaves which are crispy, to adds flavour and serves as edible decoration which helps to reduce cholesterol. Phat Kra-Prao is served with plain white rice, and can be served as a single dish, or with various types of eggs including Khai Dao (fried egg), Khai Tun (custard egg), Khai Pha-lo (eggs prepared in sweetish cinnamon soup), or Khai Luk Koei (hard boiled eggs served with sweet sugarcane caramel and chilli), or with fried assorted vegetables, salted and seasoned sun-dried beef, salted pork or a fly of any meaty fish.

“Kaeng Phet Pet Yang”

Kaeng Phet Pet Yang, which means Roast Duck Curry, uses the same Krueng Kaeng or ingredients as Kaeng Khieo Wan or Green Curry, which we had already written about in our last issue. The ingredients include Rak Pak Chi (coriander roots) Yi-ra (cumin), Kha (Siamese Ginger), Ta-krai (lemon grass), Pluak Ma-krut (leech lime peel), Hom (onion) and Kra-tieam (garlic). And while Green Curry uses Priki-noo Khieo (small green chilli) for the hot taste, Kaeng Phet Pet Yang uses Prik Khi Fah Haeng (sun dried red chilli). As for the meat, you have to hop down to China Town to buy some roast duck. The ingredients and roast duck meat are cooked in Ka-thi (condensed coconut milk) and brought to boil. Usually, roast duck and coconut milk together tends to be a bit oily, so some kitchens in Thailand would add slices of tomatoes, pineapple or lichee , giving the soup a tinge of bittersweet which helps to subdue the oiliness. Turn off the fire and allow the hot soup to simmer. Don’t worry, the roast duck should already be tender … and there you have your Kaeng Phet Pet Yang which goes extremely well with plain white rice topped with half a Khai Khem (salted egg).

“Tom Kha Kai”

This is also a hot chicken soup curry cooked with Ka-thi or coconut milk, but without the Nam Prik Kaeng (hot curry paste) as above, and is easier to prepare and cook than the previous recipes. First heal the coconut milk over medium fire, stir constantly and bring to boil. Lower fire, then put the chicken meat and cauliflower into the boil, and if you like, add some mushroom slices. Add slices of Kha (Siamese Ginger) and add salt to taste. Do not use fish sauce or any other sauce, as that would spoil the flavor of coconut milk. Allow the hot soup to simmer. After transferring the hot soup into a serving bowl, float some red and green chilli on the curry soup, and a squeeze of lemon finishes the job, then serve while hot with plain white rice.

“Yam Nua”

Yam Nua is an appetiser before lunch or dinner  and goes well with whiskey-on-the-rocks. Yam Nua is easily prepared by slicing beef into thin slices and grilled over low fire until fragrant.Then peel Hom Yai (onion) and mix onion rings with Nam Manao (lemon juice), sliced Prik Khieo (green chilli – not too much), and a couple of sloshes of a decent brand of fish sauce. That done, decorate your waiting platter with fresh green lettuce and slices of tomato. The lettuce  and tomato will help to reduce the hot taste of chilli. Then place your beef onion mix along with the lemon juice on to the decorated plate topped with mint leaves … Yam Nua !

If properly prepared, your Tam Nua should give out three distinct fragrances, the aroma of grilled beef, the fraerent of lemon and a whiff of mint.
Try it with chilled Vodka !

“Moo Sa - tae”

Sa-tae, can be prepared with pork, beef or chicken. Pork Sa-tae is called Moo Sa-tae, Beef Sa-tae is called Neur Sa-tae and Chicken Sa-tae is called Kai Sa-tae. Here we shall deal with Pork Sa-tae, which is the most popular, while beef and chicken Sa-tae is favored by the Muslim community. Moo Sa-tae is easily prepared. Ruk  Pak Chi and Yi-ra are grounded with Kamin (curry power) and Nam Ka-thi (coconut milk), producing a yellowish cream, into which thin slices of pork are immersed and left to absorb the curry cream.

The pork slicer are then slices are then screwered on to thin sticks, usually specially whitted pointed bamboo sticks, then grilled over charcoal.Use small brush to dip into the remaining curry-cream to paste on the pork while grilling. Don’t forget to  turn over the pork-sticks every now and then. Paste the curry-cream on both sides of the grilled pork. When done, the pork should be yellowish-brown. Moo Sa-tae is served a small plate with Ad-jard, which is prepared by thin slices of cucumber, red or green chilli and red onions in a mixture of vinegar and a little sugar.

“Kai Phat Met Ma-muang Himaparn”

Kai Phat Met Ma-muang Himaparn (fried chicken with cashew nut) has become another international favorite, which can be served as an appetiser, or with white rice as part of the main course. This recipe is also a quick-dish. Fry slices of chicken in heated oil over a medium fire. Not too much oil .. just enough to fry the chicken ! When nearly done, add a teaspoon of Nam Prik Phao (Thai chilli paste) and chopped Ton Hom Shallot (Liliaceae), and if you like, add sliced Horm Yai (onions) and Prik Khi Fah Haeng Thod (sun dried fried red chilli) and Met Ma-maung Thod (fried cashew nut). And while tossing the above in a wok, add Nam Pla (fish sauce), Si-ew Khao (white Chinese Si-ew sauce) and a sprinkle of sugar for taste. Attention: When frying cashew nut, do not put cashew nut into heated oil. The nuts and oil should be put in an unheated work and allowed to cook slowly—otherwise nut will only be done on the outside and still raw inside. Toss nuts gently in oil and take out from oil when yellowish. Nuts will turn a slightly darker shade when cools down.

“Panaeng”

Panaeng is a dry curry which can be prepared with pork, beef, chicken or prawns. If you use beef, then the beef should first be cooked in coconut milk to tenderise the beef. Kruang Kaeng Panaeng or chilli paste used to cook the Panaeng is made up of the following ingredients:

The ingredients are grounded (or finely minced) into paste and cooked with coconut milk until giving out a spicy-herbal fragrance. Finely grounded grilled peanut is then added to the coconut milk curry. Cook until the water evaporates leaving a thick soup-like curry before adding and cooking the meat. Then add fish sauce and sugar to taste. To finish, a tablespoon of condensed coconut cream is added as topping on the cooked meat and sprinkled with thinly sliced Bai Ma-krut (Thai lemon leaf) and thinly sliced strips of red chilli…and there we have our Panaeng.

About the Author

admin The author is a retired expat in Thailand and loves metal detecting at the beaches of Krabi.