Top 5 Thai Dishes Everyone Should Try (Part 2)

What strikes you when you stay in Thailand is the place occupied by the kitchen. They are passionate about it, and they take great care of it. Like millions of other tourists, we fell under the spell of their fragrant cuisine with a perfect balance of tangy, spicy, sweet, and salty flavors. In Thailand, we eat well everywhere, and it is precious.

You can eat in the street, it’s the kingdom of street food, in the restaurants in town but also in the small shops in the villages and each meal is an experience. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn some of the Thai dishes that you should taste at least once in your life.

Why is Thai food so good?

Forget the structure of Western meals. A Thai meal is composed of several dishes with different heats, textures, and flavors to form a beautiful balance. It goes from broths and soups with or without noodles to rice noodle dishes such as Pad Thai, to fresh, fragrant, and spicy salads such as green papaya salad, to the big family of curries, such as the green chicken curry, as well as fish, shellfish (see our recipe for sautéed shrimp), poultry or meat dishes (we love this pork with cucumber and egg). No meal is complete without one of the many rice dishes, whether flavored or glutinous.

Balance

Thai cooks are magicians. Any dish is perfectly balanced between the tangy flavors brought by lime and/or tamarind, the spicy flavors brought by curry pastes and/or fresh chilies, the salty flavors brought by fish sauce (Nam Pla) and/or shrimp pastes or dried shrimps and the sweet flavors brought by fruits and/or palm sugar. The secret is to taste to understand and be able to reproduce at home what you loved during your travels.

Flavors

We warn you; you will become addicted to the flavors of Thai food. They are brought by the countless fresh herbs that give so much beauty to the markets. The most famous are lemongrass, Thai basil, and all varieties of cilantro, of which everything from the leaves to the roots and lime leaves are used. The flavors are enhanced by garlic, shallots, ginger, galangal, turmeric (in root form), and all citrus fruits, such as lime or combava.

Thai cuisine is full of countless fruits and vegetables that we don’t even know exist in Europe. Grateful to this generous nature, the Thai are champions in highlighting them in their cuisine. Here are 5 specialties not to be missed when you travel in Thailand:

1. Thai soups

Thai soups are homemade broths that are garnished with ingredients such as chicken, shrimp, fish, vegetables, coconut milk, noodles, fresh herbs, and chilies. The generic name is Tom Yum or Tom Kha, to which the name of the main ingredient is added. There is a multitude of combinations.

2. Pad Thai

This is the most famous dish in Europe, America, Canada, Australia, and all over the world, if we are being honest, and it is one of the most recent in Thailand. Don’t miss this dish of very large rice noodles, stir-fried in a wok with chili and sweet and sour sauce. Pad Thai is served with crushed peanuts and a wedge of lime.

3. Curries

There are hundreds of curries, thanks to the different culinary influences found in Thailand. The most famous are green curries made with green curry paste, red curries made with red curry paste, and yellow curries made with yellow curry. Don’t miss the Panang curry and the massaman curry.

4. Green papaya salad (Som Tam)

To be tasted in street food as well as in many restaurants. It is a salad that is prepared in a large mortar to intimately mix the grated green papaya with spices, fish sauce (Nam Pla), lemon, and palm sugar in a beautiful balance of flavors.

5. Mango sticky rice

This is the must-have dessert to be found on the street, in the markets, and at the restaurant. The sticky rice (a particular variety of rice) is steamed and then topped with a coconut milk sauce with sugar and a touch of salt before being served with diced mango. It is comforting, fresh, and fragrant.

Looking for help?

Are you looking for authentic Thai food? Are you in Montreal? Then look no further than Mia Thai Cuisine. They are an authentic Thai restaurant located in the heart of Montreal on St-Denis St. We pride ourselves on offering traditional Thai curries, stir-fries, and more to hungry patrons from all over the city.

We will also soon offer cooking classes for everyone looking to replicate our dishes in their home. So, what are you waiting for? Give them a call to fix all your cravings and get some authentic Thai food. For more information, visit their website or give them a call.