Thai food is an increasingly popular choice when people are considering their dining out options but whilst most people are able to name a dish or two – generally a Pad Thai or a Thai Green Curry – the breadth and range of Thai cuisine is still relatively under explored in the UK. Here are ten of the most popular dishes.
Panang Curry – Phaneang
Another very popular curry in Thailand! It’s a little like a Red Thai Curry, sharing similar ingredients such as lime leaves, coriander, cumin and shrimp paste, only a little sweeter and richer with a sauce that is much thicker, thanks to the addition of peanuts which are ground into the curry paste. Traditionally it’s made with pork but it works beautifully with other proteins. At Giggling Squid our version is Salmon Paneang – take a look at our recipe if you fancy trying this at home
Massaman Curry
The origin of this indulgent curry is the stuff of legends, believed to have been introduced to the royal court by an envoy from Persia in the 16th century. Mild, sweet and rich, this fusion dish owes its moreish flavours to spices less commonly found in Thai curries such as cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
Thai Green Curry – Gaeng Keaw Whan
There is a common misconception outside of Thailand that Thai Green Curry is the milder out of red and green curries. Despite its name – Gaeng Keaw Whan – translating as sweet green curry, it is in fact the spiciest of Thai curries with red curry coming in second and yellow the mildest! Created from a green curry paste, the key ingredients which deliver both its fragrant flavour and rich colour are fresh green chillies (unlike most Thai curries which use red dried chillies), sweet coriander root, makrut lime leaf and Thai basil. Check out our Thai Green Curry recipe for the full list of ingredients.
Red Thai Curry – Gaeng Daeng
Originating from Central Thailand, Thai Red Curry is surprisingly the less spicy out of red and green curries despite its fiery colour which comes from dried red chillies pounded into a paste along with garlic, fresh lemongrass and shrimp paste.
Laab
We were going to feature a Pad Thai but honestly, it needs no introduction so we’d like to highlight a north-eastern speciality – Laab – a spicy salad which is less well known outside of Thailand but a true staple of Thai cuisine. Traditionally made with minced meat, it features fresh, zingy herbs such as coriander, lemongrass and mint leaves alongside chillies, green onions, lime juice and garlic. One thing is for certain it always packs a fiery punch!
Pad Kee Mao
We have to talk about Pad Kee Mao, not only because it’s a popular, fiery noodle dish but because the name translates to Drunken Noodles though the reason behind this is widely debated. Some say it’s because it makes the perfect hangover cure and others that the dish is so spicy there’s a danger you’ll end up washing it down with one beer too many! One thing is not in dispute and that’s the deep dining satisfaction this dish brings! Key ingredients are wide, flat noodles, chicken and Thai Basil…and plenty of fresh red chillies making it deliciously savoury and spicy!
Crying Tiger
An intriguingly named dish originating in Northern Thailand with a mouth watering combination of seared marinated beef and Nam Jin Jaew, a sweetly tangy, spicy dipping sauce. There are many different stories behind the name from the sauce being so spicy it can make tigers cry to the way the fat runs like tears when the beef is being seared. For the marinade and sauce ingredients and the cooking method, take a look at our recipe.
Pad Kra Pao
An iconic basil stir fry dish that is the Thai equivalent of a sandwich at lunchtime! It can be vegetarian or meat-based – typically with ground pork or chicken – but the key ingredient is holy basil which gives this dish its distinct peppery flavour and it is traditionally eaten with rice and topped with a fried egg.
Papaya Salad – Som Tam
The term salad falls short when describing the explosion of flavour that is created by the combination of fresh and fiery ingredients in a typical Thai salad such as Som Tam (which means ‘pounded sour’). In this dish, crunchy, green papaya and cherry tomatoes deliver freshness whilst red chillies add fire and fish sauce delivers an extra umami dimension to the flavour.
Moo Ping
Pork (moo in Thai) is the most popular meat in Thailand and these skewers are a staple in Thai street food. As with so many Thai dishes the secret to its popularity – apart from the moreish appeal of sizzling BBQ’d meat – lies in the balance of flavours in the marinade, a contrast of palm sugar sweetness, salty umami from the fish sauce and savoury hit of garlic and peppercorns.
