FOOD NEWS
Traditional Thai Dishes You Should Be Aware Of
BY BRETT LLENOS SMITH & GREG BAKER
Pad Thai
Unlike Italian or Chinese restaurants in the States, which are likely to serve fusion dishes, Thai restaurants typically serve more traditional dishes, like pad Thai.
Created about 1,000 years ago, pad Thai became a popular Thai dish during a nationalistic surge when the country changed its name from Siam to Thailand in the mid-1900s.
Panang Curry
Named after Penang Island off the coast of Malaysia, Panang curry is a popular Thai dish made of red curry paste and peanuts.
Seasoned with chiles, lemongrass, cumin, and lime leaves, the curry is slightly sweet with a creamy texture and is served alongside rice for a tasty, traditional meal.
Tom Yum
Tom yum is a traditional Thai food, and in 2021, Thailand even petitioned the United Nations to officially recognize the soup as part of the country’s cultural heritage.
Although the earliest written record of the soup dates back to the 19th century, historians believe it has ancient origins despite a lack of documentation of its origins.
Green Papaya Salad
Aside from hearty curries and warming soups, Thai cuisine has many bright, refreshing dishes like green papaya salad filled with flavorful veggies.
Made of green papaya, carrots, and long beans seasoned with peanuts, lime juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce, the salad is the perfect, versatile side dish for any meal.
Pad See Ew
Thai cuisine has many delicious noodle dishes, and although pad Thai is widely considered the most popular, pad see ew is another delicious favorite well worth trying.
It is made of wide, flat noodles in a salty-sweet sauce of rice wine, vinegar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and both light and dark soy sauce to make a mouth-watering dish.