Bangkok Street Food - Part 1

Bangkok Street Food - Part 1


Bangkok Street Food is a melting pot of Southeast Asian flavours, and as part of the overall cuisine of Thailand, is one of the most iconic and well-known cuisines worldwide. Thai cuisine has an emphasis on lightly cooked ingredients with strong aromatic fragrances, and a complex blend of the 4 fundamental tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. The key in Thailand cuisine is not simplicity, but a good balance of these 4 tastes. Bangkok Street Food exemplifies this balance.

Food in Bangkok can be found in pushcarts along the streets, in cafes, mid-range eateries or fine restaurants. Meals typically consist of white rice, several dipping sauces and condiments, along with other complementary dishes served together, and shared amongst diners. Food is consumed with hands, or with a fork and spoon, and chopsticks are rarely used by Thai people. Bangkok Street Food is noted for its spiciness, and for its use of fresh herbs and spices. Common herbs include cilantro, lemongrass, Thai holy basil and mint. Other common flavors in Thailand food come from ginger, tamarind, garlic, galangal, kaffir lime, chili, and fish sauce.

Breakfast in Bangkok is rather light, and very similar to dishes in Chinese cuisine, such as porridge or soy milk. Individual one-plate dishes often include rice or noodles, along with 1 type of meat or seafood. There is a large variety of desserts in Thai cuisine, although many people in Bangkok typically also consume fresh fruit as a dessert. Deep-fried insects are an exotic snack in Bangkok Street Food, and while fairly bland on their own, are often flavoured with herbs and spices to enhance their taste.


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Beer Chang is a pale lager, produced by Thai Beverage / ThaiBev, the largest brewery in Thailand. The name refers to elephants, an important animal in Thai culture. It has a simple aroma of floral and fruity notes, with a rich, sweet, and smooth taste.

Beer Chang

Beer Chang

Beer Chang

Beer Chang

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken is a thick creamy curry that is made with a blend of fresh Thai holy basil, green chili, coconut milk, white sugar, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, coriander root, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, peppercorn, salt, and shrimp paste, garnished with soft pea eggplant, crunchy string beans, and tender sliced boneless chicken chunks. Other types of meat may sometimes be used instead of chicken, such as beef, pork, or fish balls. There may be other vegetables added, such as carrots or peas. Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken has a sweet savoury earthy herbal spice meaty flavour, and is often paired with steamed white rice.

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken

Similar to Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai / Green Curry Chicken, the dish of Kaeng Khiao Wan Goong / Green Curry Prawn is made with similar ingredients (fresh Thai holy basil, green chili, coconut milk, white sugar, fish sauce, eggplant, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, coriander root, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, peppercorn, shrimp paste, salt, pea eggplant), except that deshelled prawns / shrimp are used instead. This sweet savoury earthy herbal spice flavour curry dish pairs well with steamed white rice.

Kaeng Khiao Wan Goong / Green Curry Prawn

Kaeng Khiao Wan Goong / Green Curry Prawn

Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck is a thick curry made with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorn, salt, red chili, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, coriander root, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, coconut milk, sliced pineapple, cherry tomatoes, Thai holy basil, fish sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, and sliced boneless roast duck. Sometimes, other types of meat is used instead of duck, such as sliced beef or sliced chicken. Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck has tender chewy juicy creamy textures with smoky meaty savoury salty sweet sour spicy flavour, and is often paired with steamed white rice.

Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck

Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck

Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck

Kaeng Phed Ped Yang / Red Curry Roast Duck

Often sold along the streets of Bangkok, and in restaurants across Thailand, Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice is a traditional Thai dessert. Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice is made with sticky glutinous rice coated in coconut cream, coconut milk, white sugar, and salt, then topped with juicy sliced ripe mangoes, garnished with crispy toasted mung beans. Carries fruity milky earthy sweet grainy flavour. Sometimes, the glutinous rice may be flavoured with pandan / screwpine leaf essence, lending a floral earthy sweet flavour. This is probably the most well-known Thai dessert worldwide.

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

Khao Niao Mamuang / Mango Sticky Rice

The most well-known and popular noodle dish in Thailand, Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles consists of medium-wide flat rice noodles stir-fried with chicken eggs, firm dry tofu bean curd, tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, white sugar, red chili, bean sprouts, garlic chives, coriander, fresh deshelled prawns / shrimp, and sliced boneless chicken, then garnished with lime wedges, spring onions, and roasted ground peanuts. Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles has textures of sticky chewy tender crisp, with bold grainy earthy sweet savoury salty sour spice flavour, and is commonly served along the street in Bangkok.

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

Pad Thai / Stir-Fried Thai Rice Noodles

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork is a popular Thai street food, made by stir-frying minced pork in garlic, chili, Thai holy basil, red onions, white sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaf, shallots, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and lime juice. Instead of minced pork, other ingredients like minced chicken, minced beef, or minced duck may sometimes be used. Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork has a grainy oily chewy tender texture, with smoky meaty salty savoury herbal earthy spice flavour, and is typically served with steamed white rice topped with a fried egg, lending grainy sweet eggy savoury flavour.

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork

Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap / Stir-Fried Holy Basil With Minced Pork

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice is usually prepared with Thai jasmine rice, which results in an aromatic fragrance. The rice is stir-fried with several types of meat or seafood, such as deshelled prawns, boneless chicken chunks, or deshelled crab. Tossed together with chicken eggs, red onions, garlic, pineapple, white sugar, salt, red chili, fish sauce, lime juice, black raisins or golden raisins, peanuts, then garnished with juicy sliced cucumber and optionally wispy chicken floss or pork floss. Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice carries lovely smoky fruity sweet savoury sour flavour, has tender crunchy grainy crisp textures, and is almost always served in a hollowed out pineapple.

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice

Khao Pad Sapparod / Pineapple Fried Rice

Commonly sold by pushcarts along the streets of Bangkok, Poh Pia Tod / Fried Spring Roll is a deep-fried dish often consumed as a snack or appetizer. Because Poh Pia Tod / Fried Spring Roll is so simple to prepare, recipes for this dish vary widely, although most versions include glass vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, black fungus / cloud ear fungus, and cilantro. Poh Pia Tod / Fried Spring Roll is often served with a Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Poh Pia Tod / Fried Spring Roll

Considered to be an iconic Thai salad, Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad is made with julienne unripe papaya mixed and pounded in a mortar with chili, white sugar, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp, and shrimp paste, then garnished with cherry tomatoes, string beans / yardlong beans, carrots, and toasted ground peanuts. Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad may sometimes also include salted crab, fresh squid, fresh deshelled prawns, pea eggplant, or cucumbers. Typically, a Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad will have juicy crunchy tender textures, with bright vegetal fruity sour sweet spice flavour. Instead of julienne unripe papaya, a variation uses julienne unripe mango, and this version is called Som Tum Mamuang / Green Mango Salad.

Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad

Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad

Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad

Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad

Som Tam / Green Papaya Salad

Thai Cha Yen / Milk Tea is a chilled beverage made with a blend of black tea, white sugar, evaporated milk, and condensed milk, as well as an edible orange brown food dye, which gives it the signature colour. Cha Yen / Milk Tea has a thin creamy texture, with robust earthy milky bitter sweet flavour. Cha Yen / Milk Tea is a typical drink commonly found along the streets, in kiosks, cafes, or restaurants.

Cha Yen / Milk Tea

Cha Yen / Milk Tea

Cha Yen / Milk Tea

Cha Yen / Milk Tea

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake is a classic street food eaten as a snack or appetizer. Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake is made with minced fish paste, egg whites, string beans, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorn, salt, red chili, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, coriander root, shallots, garlic, and shrimp paste. Everything is pounded and blended together until it forms a paste, which is then shaped into circles and deep-fried. Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake has a bouncy tender soft texture, carrying meaty savoury salty sweet spice flavour, and is usually served with Thai sweet chili.

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake

Tod Mun Pla / Fish Cake

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup is a milky soup / broth / curry, made from a blend of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, lime juice, fish sauce, white sugar or palm sugar, dried red chili, and coriander leaves, then garnished with bouncy mushrooms (shiitake, straw, or button) and tender boneless chicken chunks. Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup has an enticing aroma, a smooth creamy texture, meaty milky sweet savoury sour herbal flavour, and is served with steamed white rice as a main dish.

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

Tom Kha Gai / Coconut Chicken Soup

An iconic dish of Thailand, the versatile Tom Yum is a soup / broth made with a blend of red chili, cilantro, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, lime juice, water, galangal, and shrimp stock. There are 2 main variations, if Thai red chili paste (Nam Phrik) and coconut cream is added to turn the soup / broth red and creamy, this version is known as Tom Yum Nam Khon / Tom Yum Creamy Soup. If no red chili paste and coconut cream is added, then this clear soup / broth version is known as Tom Yum Nam Sai / Tom Yum Clear Soup. Both versions carry robust savoury sweet sour zesty tangy herbal spicy flavour.

There are several different types of ingredients that go into Tom Yum. It usually includes one or more kinds of bouncy mushrooms (straw, shimeiji, or oyster / king trumpet) with vegetal earthy sweet flavour. If the main ingredient is purely fresh deshelled or shell-on prawns / shrimp, this rendition is known as Tom Yum Goong / Tom Yum Prawns. The prawns / shrimp lend crunchy juicy texture with meaty sweet savoury flavour. If the main ingredient comprises prawns / shrimp, squid, white clams, striped catfish, sea bass fish, mackerel fish, or any other combination of seafood, then this rendition is known as Tom Yum Talay / Tom Yum Seafood. The mix of fresh seafood has bouncy tender textures with meaty sweet savoury flavour. If the main ingredient is purely boneless chicken chunks, then this rendition is known as Tom Yum Gai / Tom Yum Chicken. The chicken should have tender textures with meaty savoury sweet flavour. All types of ingredients will gradually be infused with the flavours of the soup / broth.

The Tom Yum Talay Nam Khon / Tom Yum Seafood Creamy Soup features a medley of fresh seafood, including tender deboned sea bass fish fillet, bouncy squid, bouncy shimeiji mushrooms, and juicy crunchy deshelled prawns / shrimp, in the creamy red tom yum soup that infuses all the ingredients with savoury sweet sour zesty tangy herbal spicy flavour.

The Tom Yum Goong Nam Sai / Tom Yum Prawn Clear Soup features large juicy crunchy shell-on prawns / shrimp and bouncy shimeiji mushrooms, in the clear tom yum soup that carries a strong sour zesty tangy sweet savoury herbal spice flavour, infusing the ingredients within with its taste profile.

Tom Yum

Tom Yum

Tom Yum

Tom Yum Talay Nam Khon / Tom Yum Seafood Creamy Soup

Tom Yum Talay Nam Khon / Tom Yum Seafood Creamy Soup

Tom Yum Talay Nam Khon / Tom Yum Seafood Creamy Soup

Tom Yum Goong Nam Sai / Tom Yum Prawn Clear Soup

Tom Yum Goong Nam Sai / Tom Yum Prawn Clear Soup

Tom Yum Goong Nam Sai / Tom Yum Prawn Clear Soup

Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce is a simple dish that is very popular, and usually ordered as part of a group / family meal. A whole sea bass fish, or a large boneless fillet of sea bass fish, is steamed together with garlic, lemongrass, red chili, white sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, fish stock / chicken stock, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and garnished with coriander. The Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce has flaky tender fish meat that comes easily off the bones, while the robust gravy lends bright meaty sweet sour savoury salty spicy flavour. Has a lovely freshness, so enticing and delicious.

Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce

Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce

Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce

Pla Kapong Neung Manao / Steamed Sea Bass Fish In Lime Garlic Sauce

Larb or Laab, is a type of salad derived from Laos cuisine, and features 1 type of minced or sliced meat, mixed with cilantro, onions, chili, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaf and pepper. Meat used in Larb or Laab is often pork, chicken, beef or duck.

Larb Moo / Pork Salad

Larb Gai / Chicken Salad

Larb Neua / Beef Salad

Larb Ped / Duck Salad

A sweet Thai dessert that is also visually pleasing, Met Khanun / Egg Yolk Coated Mung Bean Flour is made with fried mung bean flour coated with chicken / duck egg yolk. The egg is often wisped on the top, making it look light and airy.

Met Khanun / Egg Yolk Coated Mung Bean Flour

A traditional Thai dessert served during weddings / auspicious celebrations, Thong Yod / Golden Egg Tear Drop consists of wheat flour, rice flour, sugar, water and egg yolks. Thong Yod / Golden Egg Tear Drop is difficult to make, due to the skill required to create the teardrop shape with the fingers, and has a soft texture, a golden and glossy look, and a sweet taste. Thong Yod / Golden Egg Tear Drop is supposed to bring good fortune and wealth to those who eat it.

Thong Yod / Golden Egg Tear Drop

Khanom Chun / Layered Gelatin Jelly is a traditional Thailand dessert, popular in Bangkok. Khanom Chun / Layered Gelatin Jelly has a sticky and soft consistency, and is rather sweet. It is often served during celebrations.

Khanom Chun / Layered Gelatin Jelly

Khao Tom Mat Sai Kluai / Banana Sticky Rice is a traditional steamed dessert, made with glutinous rice soaked in coconut milk, sugar, salt, fresh sliced red banana, dried black beans / dried red beans and a small amount of water flavoured with pandan leaves. Khao Tom Mat Sai Kluai / Banana Sticky Rice is simple to prepare, and very popular.

Khao Tom Mat Sai Kluai / Banana Sticky Rice

A dark liquid produced by fermenting fish with sea salt, Fish Sauce is a key ingredient in Thailand cuisine, used in many dishes for its salty, savoury, umami tastes. Beyond its use as an ingredient, Fish Sauce is also used as a base for dipping sauce condiments.

Fish Sauce

Nam Chim / Dipping Sauce refers to a variety of dipping sauces, though most embody the 4 fundamental Thai tastes of sour, salty, bitter and sweet. The most basic and generic Nam Chim / Dipping Sauce is typically a mix of chili with sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar and garlic, often served with grilled or steamed food.

Nam Chim / Dipping Sauce

Nam Chim / Dipping Sauce

Despite looking and tasting like a dessert, Nam Tao Hoo / Soy Milk is actually a traditional breakfast dish in Thailand. Nam Tao Hoo / Soy Milk is served hot, and consists of soy bean milk and sugar with a variety of ingredients such as gelatin jelly, sago seeds, grass jelly, nata de coco, cereal, red beans, black beans, and more.

Nam Tao Hoo / Soy Milk

Nam Tao Hoo / Soy Milk

Pandan Spread And Bread is very similar to Kaya (Pandan / Screwpine Leaf Egg Jam), except that eggs have been left out of this version. This makes Pandan Spread And Bread a slightly thinner, but no less flavourful spread, with the pandan / screwpine leaf taste being a lot stronger, and the texture less sticky.

Pandan Spread And Bread

Pandan Spread And Bread

Pandan Spread And Bread

A poetically named dish (all 3 words rhyme), Gai Sai Takrai / Lemongrass Chicken consists of stir fried sliced chicken with lemongrass, garlic, kaffir lime leaf, galangal, shallots, garlic chives, onions, chilli, fish sauce and chicken stock. Gai Sai Takrai / Lemongrass Chicken has a fragrant, spicy aroma.

Gai Sai Takrai / Lemongrass Chicken

Yam Thale / Seafood Salad can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, but will nearly always contain sliced fresh shallots, onions, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, coriander and chilli. Seafood used in Yam Thale / Seafood Salad may include fresh prawns, squid, mussels, clams, fish or crab.

Yam Thale / Seafood Salad

Yam Wun Sen / Glass Noodle Seafood Salad consists of glass vermicelli noodles, shallots, bean sprouts, chili, garlic, onions, fish sauce, lime juice, dried shrimp, coriander, sugar, fresh prawns, minced pork and tomatoes. Yam Wun Sen / Glass Noodle Seafood Salad is served cold / chilled, and eaten as an appetizer.

Yam Wun Sen / Glass Noodle Seafood Salad

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