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Thai Regional Dishes
Although considered as a single cuisine, Thai food is better described according to the country’s four main regions: Northern, Northeastern, Central and Southern Thailand. With cultural and ethnic infusion over centuries, regional cuisines have absorbed both Eastern and Western influence while maintaining their own unique flavors and characters. Thais living in the Central region prefer fragrant steamed rice. Additionally, Sino-Thai – Thai dishes influenced by Chinese cuisine – have become popular in major cities like Bangkok, especially in the form of numerous noodle dishes.

Northern Region
In the Northern region, steamed glutinous rice is preferred to fragrant rice. Traditionally, glutinous rice is kneaded into small balls using only the cook’s fingers. Reflecting Burmese influences, Northern curries are generally milder than those of the central and southern regions. Popular dishes include Kaeng Hang Le (traditional pork curry), Khao Soi (a curry broth with egg noodles and meat, topped with shallots and slices of lime), and Sai-Ua (spicy local pork sausage). Visitors to the Northern region should not miss Khantok dinner – the traditional form of eating during which diners sit around a small table.

Northeastern Region
The Northeastern region, locally referred to as I-San, is perhaps the least known region to travelers. I-San food is highly seasoned, often cooked with herbs and spices. Influences of neighboring Laos are evident in a number of dishes including Som Tam (green papaya salad) and Lap (spicy minced meat or chicken salad). Fresh water fish and shrimp are also popular and usually fermented. Like residents of the Northern region, glutinous rice is preferred and sometimes is used as a dessert.

Southern Region
The Southern region houses not only well-known destinations, but also hidden treasures in its renowned culinary treasure chest. Local ingredients play an important role in developing distinct fragrant aromas and flavor of Southern cuisine. Fresh seafood from the surrounding waters is abundant in the Southern region including fish, prawns, lobsters, crab, squid, scallops, clams and mussels which are commonly used in main dishes. Many Southern dishes have exotic flavors by adding cashew nuts, stir-fry with chicken, dried chilies, and a pungent flat bean called sator.

SIGNATURE DRINKS

In a move to give the Thai tourism and hospitality industries a much-needed boost, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thai Hotel Association (THA) have jointly unveiled “Siam Sunrays” — Thailand’s new signature cocktail. Well-established cocktail drinks — such as The Big Apple’s Manhattan, the Singapore Sling or the Cuban Mojito — have become a part of global cosmopolitan culture and are recognized worldwide.

Siam Sunrays — is based on the Thai ingredients that have made Tom Yam soup world renowned including freshly-picked lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai lime and Thai bird chili (phrik kee nuu). All these play a key part in the unique culinary experience Thailand has to offer and leave the first-time visitor with a very distinct and long-lasting impression. The recipe for this revitalizing cocktail drink, which also calls for coconut liqueur, was created by Surasakdi Pantaisong, winner of the 2008 Bar Tender Championship hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thai Hotel Association.

Thai Sweets & Snacks
Thai desserts and snacks, called Khanom, are well known for their delicious flavor and presentation. Desserts have been among the favorites of the Thais for hundreds of years and several kinds of sweets have been mentioned in valuable works of Thai literature.

Thai desserts are mostly made of coconut flesh, coconut cream, sugar, and rice flour. Given most areas of the country has been used for farming purposes, natural ingredients for producing sweets and desserts are plentiful and easy to obtain.

Thai desserts have played an important role in special occasions and ceremonies including wedding banquets. In the past, Thais made a special kind of dessert called sam kloe (three friends) made of flour which is molded into three small balls and attached to each other and then fried in oil. It was a Thai belief that when heated, the sam kloe could foretell the future marriage life of newlyweds. If the three balls remained attached to each other, it signaled a happy marriage life. If one ball came apart while the other two still joined together, it meant that the couple would have no children. It would be a bad sign for the bride and groom if all three balls were separated from each other, indicating an unsuccessful marriage.

In Thailand, the term jeh is generally used interchangeably with the Western idea of vegetarian cuisine and refers to food made without animal ingredients. Vegetarian Thai cooking is authentic and delicious using a variety of ingredients such as grilled corn, boiled peanuts, steamed buns, fruit-flavored mochi rolled in coconut, dark cubes of grass jelly, and roasted purple-skinned sweet potatoes. Meat ingredients traditionally used in Thai cuisine can be easily replaced with tofu. For example, the northern dish, larb esarn, replaces the ground pork with steamed chopped tofu, dried chilies, ground roasted rice, shallots, mint, green onions and coriander root. Below are some delicious vegetarian recipes offered in restaurants across Thailand.

• Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings with Shiitake Mushrooms and Ginger
• Thai Pumpkin Curry with Citrus Notes
• Vegetarian Thai Green Curry
• Thai Tofu Coconut Curry
• Thai Green Papaya Salad
• Coconut Pancakes
• Thai Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lemongrass

Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods (Phuket Vegetarian Festival)
The Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods, also known as the Pkuket Vegetarian Festival, is held over a nine-day period in late September/early October, celebrating the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar will help them obtain good health and peace of mind. Though the origins of the festival are unclear, it is thought that perhaps the festival was brought to Phuket by a wandering Chinese opera group who fell ill with malaria while performing on the island. They decided to adhere to a strict vegetarian diet and pray to the Nine Emperor Gods who would ensure purification of the mind and body. On recovery, the people celebrated by holding a festival that was meant to honor the gods. In addition to the visual spectacle of the festival, visitors can partake in specially prepared vegetarian cuisine made available at street stalls and markets around the island.

Tom Yam Kung (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)
Ingredients
• 3 cups (24 fl.oz./750 ml.) water or light chicken stock
• 8 oz. (250 g.) shrimps/prawns, shelled and deveined
• 5 kaffir lime leave (Bai Makrut)
• 3 thin slices fresh or dried galangal (Kha) Cup fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 2 stalks of lemon glass/citronella (Takhrai), Lower 1/3 portion only, cut into 1 in. (2.5 cm.) lengths, coasrsely pounded
• 2 shallots coarsely pounded
(optional) 5 hot green Thai bird chili (Phrik Khi Nu)
• ½ cup sliced straw mushrooms
• ¼ cup (2 fl. Oz/ 60 ml.) lime juice
• 1 teaspoon roasted chill paste (Nam Phrik Pao)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro/coriander leaves (Bai Phak Chi)
 
Preparation
Use medium heat to bring the stock to boil. Add lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce, lemon grass and shallots, then the mushrooms and chili peppers (if used). Let the stock simmer for at least 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the shrimps and cook until they turn pink, opaque and firm. This should be done within a minute. Set aside. Put 1-2 teaspoons of lime juice and the chili paste in a serving bowl. Pour the soup into the bowl, stir and garnish with kaffir lime leaves.

Tom Kha Kai (Chicken Coconut and Sour Soup)
Ingredients
• 2cups (16 fl.oz./ 500 ml.) coconut milk
• 6 thin slices young galangal (Kha On)
• 2 stalks of lemon grass (Trakhrai), lower portion cut into1 in. (2.5 cm.) lengths, crushed
• 5 fresh kaffir lime leaves (Bai Makrut) torn in half
• 8 fl.oz. (250 g.) Sliced chicken breast
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup (4 fl. Oz. /125 ml.) lime juice
• 1 teaspoon roasted chili paste (Nam Phrik Pao)
• ¼ cup cilantro/coriander leaves (Bai Phak Chi), leafstalk clipped
• 5 green Thai bird chili (Phrik Khi Nu), crushed
 
Preparation
Combine half the coconut milk with the galangal, lemon grass and lime leaves in a large saucepan, and bring to boiling. Add the chicken, fish sauce and sugar and let it simmer for 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Then add the remaining coconut milk, heat to boiling. Place lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl and pour the soup over them. Stir well and garnish with kaffir lime leaves and crushed Thai bird chili.

Kaeng Khiao Wan (Green Curry with choice of meat)
Ingredients
• 1 lb. (450 g.) Choice of meat (chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp)
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cups green curry paste (easily found at Asian or Thai grocery store)
• ½ egg plant, chunks
• ½ cup small round green eggplant
• 4 leaves kaffir lime leaf, torn
• 5 green-red spur chilies, sliced
• 1 cup sweet basil leaf
• 2 table spoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 1 ½ cups broth
 
Preparation
Stir-fry meat fillets in a pot until fragrant. Add 1 cup of coconut milk, chicken broth to mix over low heat. Use low heat to warm the oil in a saucepan or wok, and then add the green curry paste and sauté until fragrant. Pour one cup of coconut milk continue to stir gently until well mixed. Transfer the curry paste mixture to a broth pot. Add boiled eggplant, small round greet eggplant, and leave to cooked, then add the remaining coconut milk. Adjust the seasonings as desired using the fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves, spur chilies, sweet basil leaves. Leave until boiling.

Phat Thai (Stir-Fried Thai Noodles)
Ingredients
• 3 cups narrow rice noodles (Sen Lek) soaked in warm water till flexible
• Cup sliced meat (choice of shrimp or chicken)
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup cooking oil
• 1/3 cup soya bean curd, cut into small slivers
• 1 tablespoon pickled white radish (Chai-Po), chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon shallots or onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground dry red chili or paprika
• 4 tablespoons palm sugar
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons tamarind juice (substituted by vinegar)
• 1/3 cup spring onions, chopped to 1 ½ in. long
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons ground roasted peanuts
 
Preparation
Fry the chopped garlic and onion until they turn yellow. Add the meat and fry until well cooked. Add the shrimp, pickled white radish and soya bean curd, then add the eggs and scramble. Put in palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind juice or vinegar and stir until cooked. Add the noodles, stir-fry until mixed well, then add the spring onion and half a cup of bean sprouts (the rest is for garnishing) and stir-fry until cooked. Garnish with ground roasted peanuts, ground dry red chili, bean sprouts, a lime wedge and the remainder of the spring onion.

Kai Phat Bai Kraprao (Stir-fried Chicken with Holy Basil)
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 lb. choice of meat (minced pork, beef, chicken or shrimp)
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• ¾ cup Thai Holy Basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 Phrik Khi nu (hot Thai chili peppers), crushed
• 2 tablespoons water
 
Preparation
Stir-fry the chopped garlic until turned golden brown. Add ½ cup of basil and the chilies and stir-fry for about 1 minute or until wilted. Then add chicken and stir-fry for some 3 minutes. Add fish sauce, water and sugar and stir-fry until sauce slightly thickened. Add the remaining ¼ cup of basil and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Served with rice and accompanied by Nam Pla Phrik (fish sauce with red or green hot Thai chili peppers).

Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)
Ingredients
• 1 medium dark green papaya
• 4 garlic cloves
• 6 green Thai chilies (Phrik Khi Nu)
• 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
• ½ cup green beans, chopped into 1 cm. pieces
• ½ tablespoon palm sugar
• ¼ cup (2 fl. Oz/60 ml.) lime or tamarind juice
• 2 tablespoons of dried shrimp
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanut
 
Preparation
Peel the papaya and rinse under running water. Roughly grate the papaya flesh or cut it into shreds. Remove the seeds. Set aside. In a mortar, pound the garlic cloves, chilies, chopped green beans and cherry tomatoes to a rough puree. Add the papaya, fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice and dried shrimps. Gently pund them until roughly mixed. Add the chopped peanuts and garnish with dried shrimps. Tip: serve cold accompanied by sticky rice.

Visitors can find traditional cuisine anywhere in Thailand. For most Bangkokians, roadside dining is a way of life and for year’s street foods has become a haven for those looking for good quality food. Dotted on almost every street in Bangkok, food stalls are open all day and, in some places, all night. This round-the clock street-side delight offers an amazing array of food ranging from rice with curries, to noodles and Som Tam (green papaya salad), grilled chicken, and fresh seafood. Following are a few recommended areas known for delicious street food:

China Town
Between Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Road there are hundreds of food stalls providing different kinds of food and snacks including Chinese food, dumplings, seafood noodle soup, bird’s nest soup, Chinese herbal drinks, and congee.

Silom Road (Silom Soi 20 onwards) and Suan Luang Market
As Bangkok’s main business street, this part of Silom Road offers many options to office workers for lunch and dinner. Recommended dishes include egg noodles with barbecued pork and wanton (Bamee Keaw Moo Daeng), rice with barbecued pork (Khao Moo Daeng), rice with chicken (Khao Man Kai), beef noodles, grilled seafood, Thai-style Sukiyaki, Som Tom and grilled meat.

Thonglor and Ekamai
While more expensive than other vendors in the area, the food stalls in Thonglor and Ekami are open all day and night. Food options range from Khao Tom, noodle soup, pork satay, grilled pork, and Phat Thai

Don Wai Market
Located on Nakhon Chai Si River 18 miles outside of Bangkok, the Don Wai Market provides authentic and rich Thai desserts that are difficult to find in the metropolitan areas.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND