By LizGoodwin04
When I first told people I would be studying abroad in Thailand, I got almost the same reaction from everyone: “You’re going to eat so much great food!” Thailand is definitely known for its cuisine. Thai food is the perfect combination of spicy, sweet, sour and salty. While I’ve eaten some stranger things since I’ve been in Thailand like ant eggs and grasshoppers, I’ve also eaten some amazing things that I’ll miss when I go back to America. In no particular order, I’ve ranked by top 5 favorite foods in Thailand.
- Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
I’m not a big soup person, but this soup is so good I find myself ordering it at least once a week! The soup is made with lemongrass, chili, lime and shrimp.
- Khao Niao (Sticky Rice)
I love sticky rice. It’s become an obsession since I’ve been in Thailand. The Thais eat rice with every single meal from breakfast to dinner. Regular rice is a core staple in Thailand, but in the Isaan province where I’m staying, sticky rice is the go-to. This glutinous rice sticks together so you can form a ball with the rice and mold it into a spoon to use to eat with your other dishes. Sticky rice is also used in a lot of Thai desserts. My favorite is Khao Lam, which is sticky rice that is roasted in a bamboo shoot and sweetened with coconut, sugar and red beans.
- Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
Som Tum isn’t a dish that can be found in all of Thailand, but it is very popular in the Northeastern province where I am living and it is by far one of the spiciest foods I’ve had in Thailand. It’s made with shredded raw papaya, fish sauce, lime, chili and cherry tomato. This dish is one of those distinctive dishes that people either love or hate.
- Khao Pad Tuna (Tuna Fried Rice)
As I mentioned before the rice in Thailand is really good and the fried rice is even better. I’m not used to eating fish in fried rice, but as a vegetarian in Thailand it can be hard to find protein so I try to incorporate as much fish into my meals as I can. This is a typical dish though and the fish in Thailand is much better than any fish I’ve ever had in the U.S. It’s super juicy and flavorful!
- Fruit Smoothies
And finally, one of my favorite foods in Thailand isn’t really a food, but I will count it as such. Thailand has some of the best fresh fruit including dragon fruit, jackfruit, coconut, mango, banana, pineapple, watermelon, etc. The list goes on and on! Almost everyday I go to the fruit stand next to my classes and grab a fresh coconut, which they chop open for me and stick a straw in. If I’m not feeling the coconut, I go the smoothie stand next door to the fruit stand and get a fresh fruit smoothie. Just like everything else in Thailand, the smoothies are delicious and especially refreshing when it is 100 degrees out!