Thailand's best street food

Thailand’s street food culture is huge, locals and foreigners alike love street food because it’s cheap and delicious.

Recently, 3 Thai dishes were ranked among the best street food in the world.

See: 3 dishes from Thailand are in the top 50 best street foods in Asia

Thailand, and Bangkok in particular, is dotted with stalls selling street food in almost every soi (alleyway).

Just walking down a local street or market and the smell and sight of food will make your stomach cry out for food.

And, after trying some of the best street food, you’ll be begging for more.

From grilled pork marinated in its own sweet sauce to sticky rice with mango, Thai dishes incorporate every flavor from sour to spicy in most of their recipes.

As some foods are indicative of their origins, from Isaan (northeast) to the South, foodies will have no shortage of things to try.

Here are some of the most popular street foods in Thailand according to The Thaiger newspaper:

1. Moo Ping: grilled pork skewers

This delicious street food is one of the tastiest to try, it is very popular with tourists and locals alike.

Literally translated as “grilled pork”, know that this is no ordinary grilled pork.

The meat is marinated in coriander roots, garlic and crushed peppers, then slowly grilled to bring out the essence and juices.

Although the recipe can be modified, coconut milk is an essential ingredient.

Indeed, the milk tenderizes the pork to make it soft and juicy.

For those who sample this delicious meat on a stick, it almost always comes with sticky rice.

However you consume it, Moo Ping is famous for its ability to fill you up while giving you a healthy dose of flavor.

2. Pad Kra Pao: stir-fried with holy basil leaves

Pad Kra Pao is probably the most popular Thai dish among Thai people.

Made with Thai holy basil, garlic, sugar, chillies and oyster sauce, this dish combines all the flavors to create an explosion of taste and energy.

The dish uses Chinese-influenced stir-frying methods to blend the spices together in an amazing meal.

The dish is best when you add a fried egg (khai dao), as it takes the heat out of the chilies and blends in perfectly.

But if you can’t stand the chilli, don’t forget to say “mai phet” (not spicy).

3. Kluay Tot: fried bananas

In Southeast Asia, fried bananas are a common snack.

Thailand has also embraced this food in its street food markets because its taste is undeniably delicious.

This delicious snack is often accompanied by coconut ice cream, which can be difficult to find if you are not in Asia.

However, vanilla ice cream can also be used as a substitute.

Fried bananas, found in almost every street vendor group, are a classic example of a well-done dessert.

4. Thai Coconut Ice Cream

Thai Coconut Ice Cream is like a fusion of ice cream and sorbet, creating a lighter taste in your mouth.

Bursting with coconut flavor, this dish is definitely healthier than most western ice creams.

To prepare the ice cream, you don’t even need to use an ice cream maker, because it can be made by hand.

All you need is a few eggs, sugar, heavy whipping cream, whole coconut milk, flaked coconut, and vanilla or coconut flavoring.

These ingredients are easy to find and once you’re ready, the ice cream will melt in your mouth in no time.

Don’t forget to add mango or other fruit to top it off, or enjoy it with delicious fried bananas!

5. Som Tam: papaya salad

Cheap and generally healthy, this dish is prepared by grinding chili peppers, tomatoes, green papaya slices and other ingredients using a mortar and pestle.

This Thai salad is known for its extremely spicy taste.

But don’t worry if you don’t like spicy food because when you order you can just ask for it not to be spicy or for the cook to use only one chili pepper.

It may seem like using a single chili pepper isn’t going to make you cry, but when crushed, the spiciness of the chili multiplies, making it much stronger than if it was just cut and can even put your mouth on fire.

Either way, it’s easy to find Som Tam, as the dish originated in Isaan, northeast Thailand, and has been adopted across the country.

6. Khao Niao Mamuang: sticky rice with mango

This dish was recently made popular around the world by a Thai singer.

See: Mango sticky rice from Thailand becomes world famous. This dessert is simple and only requires a few ingredients.

The mixture of coconut milk, mango, sticky rice and sugar gives an unparalleled taste.

7. Kai Jiao (Thai Omelette)

Thai omelet is probably one of the cheapest and most satisfying dishes.

The Thai crab omelette, kai jeow pou, is one of the dishes ranked as the best street food in the world by the CNN Travel newspaper (see link above).

This egg and rice omelet, which is popular for helping people stay full longer, uses fish sauce to give it the flavor that most Thais prefer.

Thai people fry the omelet using lots of oil to make it crispy and delectable.

For a tastier option, you can make the omelet with the meat of your choice (ground pork is popular).

Even the Thai eggplant definitely adds a unique flavor to the dish.

But the best thing about this dish is that you can make it quickly if you’re in a hurry and it costs next to nothing in terms of ingredients.

Serve it with a little chili or tomato sauce and you’ve got a meal ready to fill you up on the go!

8. Banana Roti

A popular snack and dessert, Banana Roti’s ability to incorporate all sorts of different toppings makes it a winner.

And as locals and visitors love it, you can find it almost everywhere.

Plus, if you go to a big market, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to toppings.

From Nutella to chocolate sauce, getting creative with your toppings is recommended.

Most sweet tooths choose banana and chocolate, but younger people usually choose tastes closer to candy.

After choosing a filling, watch the vendor magically fry it.

And don’t forget to enjoy the scent that will soon be spreading on your tongue!

The land of a thousand flavors

Thailand’s abundance of delicious and varied food is arguably its best feature.

This list won’t do justice to all the street food, which is plentiful and varied.

Follow the locals to locate the best street food, or ask seasoned expats for the most tantalizing street food stalls.

And if you want to learn how Thais prepare these magical cuisines, why not take a cooking class?

Here you can learn the art of tapping on a mortar and pestle while taking the pizzazz to a whole new level.

One thing’s for sure: leaving Thailand with a newfound love for street food, you’ll want to go back.

Thailand’s best street food

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