Thai cuisine is renowned worldwide for its vibrant flavours, aromatic spices, and artful presentation. With a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes, Thai food tantalizes the taste buds and offers a diverse range of dishes to suit every palate. It is no surprise that many Thai dishes are ranked as some of the best in the world.
Thai Massaman curry ranks number 1 on The world’s 50 best foods list by CNN Travel while three other distinctive and delicious Thai dishes, namely the Crab Omelette, Khao Soi and Sai Krok Isan, feature on CNN Travel’s 50 of the best street foods in Asia. Read this article to find out more about these award-winning dishes.
Massaman Curry
Massaman curry is a rich aromatic dish that blends Thai and Indian culinary influences. This slow-cooked curry features tender meat, typically beef or chicken, cooked with potatoes, onions, peanuts and a medley of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and star anise. The result is a complex and flavourful curry acclaimed for its depth of taste and harmonious combination of ingredients. Massaman curry strikes a perfect balance between sweet, savoury, and slightly sour notes, with occasional hints of heat. The use of tamarind paste or lime juice adds a touch of tanginess, counteracting the richness of the curry and creating a well-rounded flavor profile.
Crab Omelette
A popular item in Thailand’s street food scene, made famous by Raan Jay Fai, one of the only street food stalls in the world that boasts a prestigious Michelin Star, and ranked 38 on Asia’s 50 Best 2023, the Thai crab omelette wins our hearts with its combination of delicate sweetness from crabmeat and savoury richness of a well-executed Thai omelette. It is often accompanied by sweet chilli sauce and served as a standalone dish accompanied by jasmine rice or as part of a shared meal in Thai cuisine.
Khao Soi
Khao Soi is a rich and flavourful curry noodle soup with soft flat egg noodles topped with crispy deep-fried egg noodles from Northern Thailand. This signature dish has a slightly spicy, creamy, coconut curry base. It is usually served with chicken or beef with an unmistakable line-up of pickled mustard greens, freshly-chopped shallots, lime wedges and chilli paste served on the side as optional toppings. These condiments are essential to cut the richness of the curry broth, providing tanginess, acidity and a touch of freshness. If you are in Northern Thailand, Khao Soi is a must-try dish that offers a delightful symphony of flavours and textures.
Sai Krok Isan
Sai Krok Isan, which translates as Isan sausage, originates from Northeastern Thailand. The irresistibly-addictive pork sausage fully demonstrates the wisdom in Thai cuisine, as the intense sour and garlicky taste is a result of a perfect blend of pork, sticky rice and garlic left to ferment under controlled conditions. Once ready, they are traditionally grilled over charcoal and served with bird’s eye chilli, raw cabbage and raw garlic cloves.
With our introduction to Thailand’s award-winning dishes, we hope you have been inspired to visit Thailand. For more recommendations on what to do around Thailand, visit https://tourismthailand.sg/ or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.