Types of Thai Cuisine

Thai cuisine can be classified as street food, mid range, and fine dining.

Thai fine dining are in upmarket Thai outlets that most locals do not visit. They serve expensive Royal Thai cuisine with on beautiful crockery with intricate fruit and vegetable carvings. There is a certain standard of English, and for us to visit such places, it is not difficult. Thai Prawn Cakes, Massaman Curry and Pandan Chicken are examples of dishes that you can only find at such establishments in Thailand.

Street food is everywhere, at every corner. Most Singaporeans are not adventurous eaters, and would choose to eat things that are familiar. The Thais eat street food most often as well. Their street food carts/stalls are similar to our kopitiams / coffee shops. The bulk of all Thai food Singaporeans are familiar with come from this category simply because it is everywhere. Examples include Pad Thai, Chicken Rice, Papaya Salads, Fried Chicken, Noodle Soups, Basil Minced Pork Rice, Tom Yum, Stir Fried Noodles, BBQ Meats, and the plethora of desserts everywhere. The list is never ending. Enjoyed by both Thais and Singaporeans alike.

Thai mid range dishes are the dishes Rochor Thai brings to Singapore. These chill out restaurants, usually with a live band, are found everywhere in Thailand, more in the cities. Most of these places are only patronised by local Thais, and unknown to tourists. This is because very little English is used, including in the menu. Had my Thai friends not brought me to the first, I would not have discovered this range of dishes as well. Dishes that cost more than just simple one dish meals, good for groups to share, and with wonderful complex flavours. The Thais love to chill chill which means chill out. Think Timbre? Singapore’s Timbre? In a totally Thai environment. That is with a live band performing Thai songs, eating only Thai dishes, and catching up with friends. Ah.. Wonderful! If the dish in the menu is unknown to you, it is in this category. MENU

Aside from these 3 general categories, there are actually 4 main regions in Thailand with representative dishes.

Central Thai / Eastern Cuisine

The world famous Thai dishes are mainly from this region. This is because this is the Centre for any international exchange. All things going in and out of Thailand would have to pass through the city capital of Bangkok, which belongs to the Central region of Thailand. As a result, the first meals that foreign visitors have would be food from this region.

The cuisine is the most complex amongst the four regions because aside from ingredients which were native to the region, the fertile land allows for cultivation of food from other remote parts of Thailand as well. As a result, there is a large variety of ingredients in which the cuisine evolved from.

Flavours: Although spicy and sour are dominant tastes, they are usually well balanced with other flavours. The main salting agent would be fish sauce, sourness lime juice or tamarind paste and the sweetness from white sugar and palm sugar. There is a strong Chinese influence from Chinese immigrants, thus resulting in many stir fries and dishes of Chinese origin.

Common dishes in Singapore: Green Curry, Pad Thai, Tom Yam Soup, Thai Fish Cake

Less common dishes in Singapore and a must have at an outlet specializing in Central Thai dishes: Gaeng Som(Orange Curry), Miang Kham, Hor Mok (Thai Otak)

 

Gaeng Som

Hor Mok Maprao On

Gaeng Som Pla Chon (Orange Curry with Whole Fish and Vegetables)

Miang Kham

North-East Region

The most commonly found dishes along the streets of Thailand, and even Singapore would be from this region. For a simple reason that this region has the highest population of Thais, and the Thais would travel out of their hometown to look for jobs.

The North-Eastern region experiences extreme wet and dry seasons every year. As a result, it is very hard to cultivate crops and the region has become deforested. A Thai’s standard meal would be dishes to be eaten with rice. Because there is so little food that can be cultivated to be eaten with rice, the food is extremely pungent and spicy.

The most common ingredient would be pla raa, a fermented fish sauce that provides the salinity for most dishes in this region. As there is very little fuel and fat, most dishes are eaten raw, grilled or boiled. Many preserved and dried food is eaten. A good source of protein would be from insects as well. An extremely popular dish with the Thais would be kai mot daeng, or red ant’s eggs.

Flavours: Extremely spicy, sour and pungent. The flavours are very distinct, but not complex. The main salting agent would be pla raa, and sourness from anything that is sour such as red ants or tamarind. Sweetness is very minimal. Most Thai outlets in Singapore have Chefs from this region, and the flavours of dishes they serve might be too spicy, sour and pungent.

Common dishes in Singapore: Papaya Salad, Grilled Meats, Laab (Usually a minced meat salad)

Uncommon dishes in Singapore and a must have at an outlet specializing in North Eastern dishes: Tom Saeb(spicy pork ribs soup), naem(fermented pork), sai grop(Thai Isan Sausage. There is another sausage from the Northern region, and both are distinctively different)

Naem

Laab

Tom Saeb

Sai Grop

Northern Region

The Northern region is mountainous with many forests. Excellent geography for cultivating food. The food is not as strong in taste compared to the other regions because food is readily grown and easily available. Similar to the North-Eastern Region, sticky rice is preferred over white jasmine rice.

Because it is so far away from the centre of Thailand, Bangkok, many dishes from other regions have been given a “northern” touch from the countries nearby. One ingredient that is only found in Northern dishes would be macquen (dried berries of a prickly ash with is a cross between sour plum and peppercorns). There are very little raw dishes from this region due to availability of fuel.

Flavours: Predominantly spicy and salty, with some bitterness. The bitterness is from fresh herbs/leaves from the vast fauna around. Sugar is uncommon and usually comes from the accompanying fruits and vegetables.

Common dishes in Singapore: As mentioned, there are many dishes that have been given the “Northern touch”.. Khao soi (Crispy Chiangmai Noodles)

Uncommon dishes in Singapore and a must have at an outlet specializing in Northern dishes: Hung Lay Curry, nam prik ong (a tomato based minced meat relish), Sai Oua (Grilled Minced Pork Sausage)

Khao Soi

Hung Lay Curry

Sai Oua

Nam Prik Ong

Southern Region

Personally, many dishes that I have eaten from this region gives me a Malay cuisine feel. This is because the South is heavily influenced by Malaysia. The distinctive ingredient used would be Turmeric. In terms of spiciness, this region serves the spiciest Thai dishes. Unless that of the North-Eastern where the spicy-ness stays in the mouth and on the tongue, the South serves dishes that chokes you as well.

Coconut cream and seafood is heavily used. The proximity to the sea allows for it. The famous pla tuu (Thai mackerel) are mainly caught from this region. Because there is an abundance of seafood, a lot of dried and fermented seafood products are used as well. The most pungent shrimp paste is made from this region. Tai pla (Fermented fish innards) are used as well.

Flavours: Extremely hot and spicy and sour. Sweetness from seafood and fresh raw vegetables.

Common dishes in Singapore: Massaman Curry, Thai Satay, Thai Style Briyani

Uncommon dishes in Singapore and a must have at an outlet specializing in Southern dishes: Gaeng Tai Pla (Fermented fish innards curry), Krua Kling (A dry curry stir fry with minced meat) Similar to the North, there are variants of common dishes with a “Southern touch”.

Krua Kling

Gaeng Tai Pla