One of the many reasons I love Thailand is the street food! Other reasons being – the culture, their beach destinations, the ‘variety’ of holidaying that can be done there from beach-jungle-culture-urban-shopping-etc. But more on that later… this post is about why I love the street food .. Welcome to the gastronomic journey!
In Thailand (as in most places in the world), the best food is out there on carts & little restaurants by the roadside – freshly prepared, delicious and rich in local flavours & fragrances.
Here’s my list of top 5 favorite street food – you shouldn’t leave Thailand without trying one of these:
Banana Pancakes
Chopped Bananas stuffed in crepes and fried on butter with a topping of maple syrup & condensed milk – cut into little bite sized pieces. In most touristy towns of Thailand (esp the beach destinations), you will find a Banana Pancake cart every 300 meters. This yummy treat can be eaten as a desert or just as an evening snack… and is a great hit with children of all ages (from age 3 to 70)! Try out the basic version or the variations (chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon, strawberries, pineapple, egg cheese and a zillion more). Don’t miss to watch how they make it – it’s as appetizing as the snack itself!
Stuffed Fish in Sweet & Sour Sauce
Available at most street joints that serve meals, this dish is a complete meal by itself. Fresh fish, with a variety of stuffing cooked in sweet & sour sauce. Usually served with some salad or the ‘not so thai’ fries/ wedges..
Green & Red Thai Curries
How can I write about Thai street food and not mention the green and red curries! Found just about anywhere in Thailand on little roadside restaurants, these are meals you’ll remember even after you get home! Made in chicken, prawns or fish, the green or red thai curries are served with steamed white rice (plain or sticky rice). The green is spicier than the red curry. For vegetarians, the vegetable green/ red curries taste great too. (For Vegetarians as per the Indian definition: this is one of the best meal option for in Thailand. Make sure you tell the cook what counts as vegetarian for you – you can ask them exclude fish, eggs, shrimps, etc).
Phad Thai
Satay
Originally an Indonesian/ Malay dish, Satay is very popular on the streets of many cities in Thailand. Food carts with chicken or pork satays (other meats also on offer) are freshly grilled for you (the smokey satay smell had us crossing the street to grab one).
Top Vegetarian Street Foods in Thailand
For the vegetarians reading this, you can try these –
- Tofu Cakes
- Papaya Salad
- Tofu Spring Rolls (fried)
- Thai Veg Green and Red Curry with rice
- Banana Pancakes
Kids will love:
Here’s what my daughter enjoyed the most –
- Banana Pancakes (of course!), try flavours like nuttella/ chocolate/ caramel (although my daughter didn’t quite look beyond nutella)
- Fish Cutlets (minus the chillies)
- Satays !
Bon Appetit!
Photo Credits: Deepti Gadekar except featured image: Flickr
