Polka Dot Socks
1. Moo nam tok (grilled waterfall pork neck)
Moo nam tok directly translated means ‘waterfall meat’. The dish is made up of grilled tender, juicy pork or beef mixed with a good portion of lime juice, chilli, mint, and toasted rice.
Once you’ve tasted this, we promise that you will keep craving more.
We recommend having this with khao new (sticky glutinous rice) just like the locals do!
2. Sai krob (sour pork sausage)
If you’ve been to Thailand’s night markets, you may have seen this being sold alongside grilled pork satays at various stalls.
The sour-ish flavour in the meat is a result of the ground pork having been fermented in vinegar for three days.
Sometimes the dish comes with raw cabbage on the side, which we recommend wrapping around the pork for a good balance of meat and crunch!
3. Khao ka moo (stew pork leg with rice)
Not a fan of spicy food? Khao ka moo is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a savoury dish that won’t burn your tongue or a**.
It is braised pork leg that is slow cooked for hours in soy sauce (similar to bak kut teh!) and is served hot with rice and salted vegetables on the side.
It is quite a popular dish, which you will be able to find at almost every food court or food street market in Thailand.
4. Pla pao (grilled fish in salt)
Covered in salty goodness, this fish is grilled to perfection leaving its skin crispy outside, while maintaining a white, fluffy texture inside. It often comes with green chilli and lime sauce which you can use as a dip for an extra ‘pedas’ zing!
We highly recommend sharing this with someone as the grilled fishes sold are often quite big and fleshy.
5. Pu phad pong karee (stir-fried crab curry)
If you’re a seafood lover, you’re gonna want to try this stir-fried crab curry cooked in spices, spring onions, and fresh milk. You can probably find these at bigger seafood restaurants or crab stalls. It’s totally worth it!
6. Laab gai (minced chicken salad)
Laab gai is a Thai minced chicken dish flavored with lime, fish sauce, herbs, and onion. Although quite similar-looking to Thai basil pork, this dish has a completely different taste.
It’s also great to eat with sticky rice.
7. Khao mok kai (Thai chicken biryani rice)
Contrary to its name, this biryani is “same same but different” from the usual Indian biryanis we find at Malaysian Indian restaurants.
Khao mok kai is essentially chicken buried in rice with lots of spices and fried onions, minus the curry.
8. Roti kluey (banana pancake)
You can find at least one of these pancake or roti canai dessert stalls at night markets where there will be one person making them from scratch.
Have it plain with condensed milk and sugar or get it fried with bananas, Nutella, peanut butter, or any other combination. Super yum!
9. Khao tom mud (banana glutinous rice)
Wrapped in banana leaves, this Thai dessert is made out of steamed sticky rice and bananas. It also comes savoury, with mung beans and pork fat.
Though it’s not very common to find, if and when you do, this dessert is definitely worth a try!
10. Moo ka ta (Thai barbecue)
While Chinese have their steamboats and Koreans have their barbecues, Thais have their moo ka tas. It is essentially a hot pot where you can grill your own pork or beef slices and make your own soup.
What makes it stand out from other steamboats or barbecues is the way the meat strips are marinated. Moo ka ta stalls are often like a huge buffet spread with raw vegetables and meat that you can cook.
Always place the fatty bits on the grill first to let the lard drip and spread onto the rest of the meat as they cook.
11. Tom kha gai (chicken soup with coconut milk)
If tom yam had a brother or sister, this would be it. Although, it’s less popular, Tom kha gai is a dish that you have to try when visiting Thailand.
The chicken soup is cooked in coconut milk and lemongrass and has a spicy yet sour creamy flavour. The oyster mushrooms in this dish is our fave!
12. Miang kam (betel leaf wrap)
This is a traditional Thai snack that is extremely underrated – in our opinion at least!
You can usually find these sold in packets by the side of the streets or at night markets. It is made up of betel leaves, chopped nuts, chilli padi, onions, dried prawns, coconut bits, lime, garlic, and a special sauce.
There’s a step-by-step process to eat it – first, wrap the leaf in a cone shape, place a little bit of each condiment inside the cone, close it up, and pop it in your mouth!