Thai food is known around the world for its wide range of flavours and fragrances. Dishes are flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices, and each has its own distinctive taste.
Tom Yum Goong
This is a spicy Thai soup made with shrimp as the key ingredient. Thailand is known for its fresh seafood, and this dish is a good place to start. It is one of the best-known dishes in Thailand. Other ingredients include lime juice, lemongrass, tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, chilli, galangal and fish sauce.
Pad Thai
This is another Thai dish that is famous around the world. It is stir-fried rice noodles made the Thai way, with ingredients such as eggs, garlic and chilli. It is a popular street food and is also widely available in restaurants. The dish is sweet and sour, and can be served with shrimp or chicken, or eaten as a vegetarian dish.
Som Tum
Ready to tickle your taste buds? Order the green papaya salad. It is made by shredding unripe papaya and mixing it with ingredients such as garlic, tomatoes, chillies, long beans, fish sauce and lime juice. The dish combines savoury, sweet, hot, salty and sour tastes at the same time. It is eaten with sticky rice and grilled chicken.
Khao Pad
Fried rice is common in many countries, but Thai fried rice has its own character. It is a favourite with locals and tourists alike. Ingredients include eggs, garlic and onions. You can also sprinkle fish sauce with a little chilli and garlic on top of your rice. It is served with chicken, beef, pork or shrimp.
Gaeng Keow Wan Kai
This is a green chicken curry made with green curry paste, coconut milk and other spices. The green curry paste is the key ingredient and is made by pounding green chillies and garlic. It is served with rice.
Pla Pao
Pla pao is fish grilled in the Thai style. The fish most often used in Thailand are red tilapia and snakehead. Before grilling, the fish is coated with salt and stuffed with lemongrass. It is usually eaten with rice and a spicy dipping sauce.
Pad Grapao Moo Sab Kai Dow
This is minced pork with Thai basil and a fried egg, one of the most common meals in Thai food culture. The minced pork is cooked in a hot pan with chillies, oyster sauce, basil leaves and garlic. It is served with rice and topped with a fried egg.
There are many more Thai dishes to try. These are just some of the best known.