14 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Chiang Mai

Thai curry is usually a soupy dish consisting of coconut milk or water, meat, and curry paste. Unlike the thicker Indian curries, Thai curries have a more soup-like consistency, and the cooks prefer to use fresh herbs and aromatic leaves instead of spice blends that are prevalent in Indian curries. In many Thai homes, curry is consumed on a daily basis, and the cooks can choose from two varieties of Thai curry: water-based or coconut milk-based curries. The most popular water-based curry is sour curry, or gaeng sohm plah, which is often prepared with fish or seafood, while the sour flavor comes from tamarind. Some of the spiciest Thai curries are water-based since there is no coconut milk in the dish to subdue the heat. Coconut-based curries are more popular in the West, such as red, green, yellow, or panang curry.Expand

A signature dish of Northern Thailand, khao soi is a delicious coconut soup in which numerous regional influences were combined to create a truly spectacular dish. The base of the soup is a slightly spicy broth which combines coconut milk and red curry paste. The broth is served with flat egg noodles and a choice of meat, which usually includes chicken, beef, and pork. It is topped with a handful of crisp fried noodles and chopped cilantro. The dish is commonly served alongside a variety of condiments such as fresh lime, pickled cabbage, shallots, and chilis. Even though the dish originated in the north of the country, it is still not totally clear how and when this famous noodle soup was created. The most probable theory claims that khao soi is a fusion dish which originated under the influence of Chinese Muslims, traveling from the Yunnan region through Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. It is also believed that the soup is a variety of an old Myanmarese coconut soup made with rice noodles, which were also primarily used in khao soi and were later replaced with the more traditional egg noodles. Regardless of its confusing origin, today this flavorful soup is a genuine product of Northern Thailand, found in numerous eateries and restaurants across the region, representing an irreplaceable dish among the locals and a favorite among the tourists. Khao soi is also popular in the neighboring Laos. However, the Lao version employs other ingredients and is somewhat different than the Thai counterpart.Expand

Kai yang is a poultry dish made by grilling or barbecuing a whole, marinated chicken. Although the dish has origins with the Lao people of northeastern Thailand, today it is extremely popular and commonly eaten throughout the country. The chicken is typically paired with sticky white rice, dipping sauces (sweet sauce in the Central region, sour sauce in the Northeast), and a vegetable salad called som tam. It can be found at numerous street stalls all over Thailand. Kai yang differentiates itself from other grilled chicken dishes by its marinade, which is made from numerous ingredients such as soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, fish sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and herbs such as cilantro, lemongrass, and garlic. The dish is also characterized by the method of preparation: the chicken is cooked slowly in order for the meat to absorb all of the flavors from the marinade. Although not much is known about the origin of kai yang, it is believed that the dish was reserved only for the wealthy people in the past, since Lao people primarily consumed seafood, and other types of protein were very rare.Expand

Khao kha mu is a Thai dish which consists of braised pork leg served over rice, complemented with a variety of side dishes and flavorful condiments. The leg is shortly seared and then braised in a flavorful broth which is usually spiced with anise, coriander, five spice powder, soy sauce, brown or palm sugar, and cinnamon. The spices infuse the meat, and the whole process results in a tender, succulent, and incredibly flavorful dish. Boiled eggs, mustard greens, and the leafy Chinese broccoli kana are also added and cooked in the same broth. In Thailand, khao kha mu is usually sold by numerous street vendors who exclusively prepare it as their specialty. At many street food stalls, it is possible to order the entire leg, accompanied by rice and various side dishes and condiments, or choose a small serving of rice, topped with sliced pieces of tender pork meat. Every serving should include a piece of lean meat, chunks of thick, glutinous skin, and a side of broccoli, mustard greens, and sliced boiled eggs. Raw garlic and fresh chili peppers are occasionally served on the side, but they are more commonly incorporated into a sour and fiery sauce which is used to generously season this exquisite Thai dish.Expand

Renowned for being flavor-packed, sai ua is a type of Northern Thai sausage that combines pork with a red curry paste and a variety of herbs and spices. The meat mixture is prepared with ground pork, green onions, kaffir lime leaves, and cilantro stems, which are all finely chopped and combined. It is then mixed with a curry paste usually composed of galangal, kaffir lime zest, lemongrass, garlic, fermented shrimp paste, chilis, shallots, and fish sauce. Traditionally, sai ua is added to an intestine wrapper and formed into a coil that is typically grilled. These days, however, the sausage mixture is not necessarily added to sausage casings and can be shaped into meat patties, balls, or caseless sausages. Sai ua is often broiled, baked, or fried, and consumed as a street snack, an appetizer, or an accompaniment to main dishes. Salty and somewhat spicy, this Thai sausage is usually served with fresh vegetables, sticky rice, and nam prikh num sauce on the side. Sai ua is a staple of northern Thai provinces, especially Chiang Mai, where it is available at numerous street stalls and markets.Expand

Som tam is a green papaya salad mostly associated with the northeastern part of Thailand (Isaan), though it is often suggested that it first appeared in Laos. Apart from thin strips of green papaya, this salad usually includes roasted peanuts, green beans, tomatoes, and a tangy sauce typically made with garlic, chili peppers, fish sauce, dried shrimps, palm sugar, and lime or tamarind juice. The varieties are plentiful and can include various additions. The sauce can also appear in many other combinations, and can significantly vary in sweetness and spiciness. Numerous restaurants and street stalls allow the customers to choose the variety they prefer and adjust the ingredients to their preference. It is still not clear whether this refreshing dish was invented in the north of Thailand, more precisely the Isaan region, or is it an original Lao creation. Many believe that it was primarily invented to utilize abundant papayas and that its original form did not use palm sugar because it mostly relied on spicy chili flavors. Regardless of its origin, this simple salad has gained global popularity and can be found on the menus of traditional Thai restaurants around the world. It can be enjoyed as the main dish or as a complement to rice, grilled meat, or marinated fish.Expand

Ruam mit is a popular Thai dessert made with ingredients such as coconut milk, sugar, tapioca pearls, corn, lotus root, sweet potatoes, beans, and jackfruit. Each bowl typically includes starchy noodles that are flavored and colored with various ingredients, and which may come in the shape of thin strips or more elaborate decorative forms. There is no set recipe for ruam mit, so each cook or street vendor adds their own ingredients to the mix. It is often consumed as a cool refreshment on hot summer days, topped with shaved ice. In Thailand, it is one of the cheapest desserts, and each bowl typically costs around 15 baht. Interestingly, in Thai language, ruam means get together, and mit refers to friends, so it can be said that ruam mit is a meeting of many desserts in one simple, flavorful dish.Expand

Suki is the Thai version of a communal hot pot dish. It grew out of Chinese and Japanese traditions of preparing and cooking ingredients tableside in a shared bowl. The assembling of the dish starts with a bowl placed in the middle of the table, usually filled with a lemongrass-spiced chicken broth. The rest of ingredients can include meat, pork, and chicken, a wide range of seafood ingredients, glass noodles, and vegetables such as cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, spring onions, carrots, and celery. The unique characteristic of Thai suki is the dipping sauce, created with a substantial amount of chili peppers, coriander, garlic, and lime. Occasionally, a raw egg is added to the broth, which creates unusual egg drippings and slightly thickens the soup. Having suki in a restaurant provides a unique dining experience in which each person can adjust the choice of ingredients and spiciness according to personal preferences. In Thailand, it is usually consumed at specialized suki restaurants. Expand

Suki haeng is the lesser-known, dry version of the popular Thai suki. Unlike the traditional variety that is cooked in broth, suki haeng is prepared in a wok, but it includes similar ingredients – meat, seafood, various vegetables, and glass noodles. All the elements are usually coated in eggs, shortly fried in a wok, and served accompanied by a signature, chili-flavored suki dipping sauce. Both versions are typically enjoyed at specialized suki restaurants.Expand

Tom kha gai is Thailand's delicious national dish coming from the central part of the country and bearing the influence of neighbouring Laos. It is a soup whose name translates to boiled galangal chicken soup, consisting of coconut milk, chicken chunks or shreds, galangal (reddish-brown or pink woody plant related to ginger), lemongrass, garlic, bird's eye chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and shiitake mushrooms. Galangal's peppery, pungent, slightly sour and floral flavors provide an interesting contrast to the creaminess of coconut milk, creating a wonderfully aromatic dish in the process. Tom kha gai is highly nutritious with great medicinal properties, such as the ability to soothe the gastro-intestinal tract. Since the dish is very popular, there are also other versions of the soup - vegetarian, tofu, seafood, and pork tom kha are just some of its varieties. It is traditionally served with rice on the side, garnished with coriander leaves and diced tomatoes.Expand