15 Thai dishes explained, before you order
Thai cooking balances sweet, sour, salty and spicy in the same dish, often with fresh herbs such as lemongrass, Thai basil and coriander. Fish sauce adds saltiness, lime and tamarind add sourness, palm sugar adds sweetness, and chilli sets the heat. Here are 15 dishes you will find on most Thai menus, what they taste like, and how hot they usually are.
Heat is a guide only: every kitchen seasons differently, and many add chilli to taste. Thai names are given in Thai script too, which helps with a menu that has no English.
Noodles and rice
1. Pad Thai ผัดไทย
Stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tofu or prawns, bean sprouts and crushed peanuts. Sweet, sour and nutty, from tamarind, palm sugar and lime. Usually mild, with chilli flakes on the side.
2. Pad see ew ผัดซีอิ๊ว
Wide, flat rice noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce with egg and Chinese broccoli. Savoury, smoky and slightly sweet, with soft, chewy noodles. Not spicy.
3. Khao pad ข้าวผัด
Thai fried rice with egg, onion and usually chicken, pork or prawns, served with lime and cucumber. Simple, savoury and lightly salty. Not spicy; chilli in fish sauce is often served on the side.
4. Khao soi ข้าวซอย
A northern Thai curry noodle soup: egg noodles in a coconut curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles, with pickled mustard greens and shallots on the side. Rich, creamy and warmly spiced, both soft and crunchy. Medium heat.
Soups
5. Tom yum goong ต้มยำกุ้ง
A hot and sour prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and lime juice. Very sour, very aromatic and spicy. Clear or with a little milk. Usually hot.
6. Tom kha gai ต้มข่าไก่
Chicken soup in coconut milk with galangal, lemongrass and lime. Creamy, gently sour and fragrant, much softer than tom yum. Mild to medium.
Curries
7. Green curry แกงเขียวหวาน (gaeng khiao wan)
A coconut curry made with fresh green chillies, Thai basil and aubergine, usually with chicken or beef. Herbal, creamy and fresh-tasting, often the hottest of the well-known curries. Medium to hot.
8. Massaman curry แกงมัสมั่น
A rich curry with potatoes, peanuts and usually beef or chicken, spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Sweet, rich and warmly spiced, the gentlest Thai curry for many first-timers. Mild.
9. Panang curry พะแนง
A thick red curry with less sauce, finished with kaffir lime leaves. Creamy, slightly sweet and nutty, rounder than green curry. Mild to medium.
Salads and stir-fries
10. Som tam ส้มตำ
Green papaya salad, pounded in a mortar with lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, chilli, tomatoes and peanuts. Crunchy, sour, salty and fiery, one of the boldest flavours on the menu. Usually hot unless you ask.
11. Larb ลาบ
A warm salad of minced meat with lime, fish sauce, mint, shallots and toasted ground rice. Sour, herbal and nutty, with a pleasant crunch from the rice. Medium to hot.
12. Pad kra pao ผัดกะเพรา
Minced meat stir-fried with holy basil, garlic and chilli, served on rice, often with a fried egg on top. Savoury, peppery and garlicky, an everyday Thai favourite. Usually hot.
Grilled
13. Gai yang ไก่ย่าง
Marinated grilled chicken, often eaten with sticky rice and a sour, spicy dipping sauce. Smoky, garlicky and juicy. Not spicy without the sauce.
14. Satay สะเต๊ะ
Grilled skewers of marinated chicken or pork with a peanut sauce and a sweet cucumber relish. Smoky, nutty and a little sweet. Mild.
Dessert
15. Mango sticky rice ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง (khao niao mamuang)
Sweet sticky rice soaked in salted coconut milk, served with ripe mango. Sweet, creamy and chewy, with a pinch of salt that makes the mango taste brighter. Not spicy.
All 15 at a glance
| Dish | Taste | Usual heat |
|---|---|---|
| Pad Thai | sweet, sour, nutty | mild |
| Pad see ew | savoury, smoky | none |
| Khao pad | savoury, lightly salty | none |
| Khao soi | rich, creamy, spiced | medium |
| Tom yum goong | sour, aromatic | hot |
| Tom kha gai | creamy, gently sour | mild to medium |
| Green curry | herbal, creamy | medium to hot |
| Massaman curry | sweet, rich, spiced | mild |
| Panang curry | creamy, nutty | mild to medium |
| Som tam | sour, salty, crunchy | hot |
| Larb | sour, herbal | medium to hot |
| Pad kra pao | savoury, peppery | hot |
| Gai yang | smoky, garlicky | none |
| Satay | smoky, nutty, sweet | mild |
| Mango sticky rice | sweet, creamy | none |
Which of these would you like most?
A list tells you what a dish tastes like. Taste10 tells you how much you will enjoy it. Photograph a Thai menu, even one written only in Thai, and see the dishes ranked for your own taste, with the reason why.
Taste10 is in testing. Want to try it early? Get in touch.
Questions and answers
What is the least spicy Thai dish?
Pad see ew, khao pad (fried rice), gai yang (grilled chicken), satay and mango sticky rice are usually not spicy at all. Massaman curry and pad Thai are usually mild, with chilli served on the side.
What is the difference between green, red and massaman curry?
Green curry is made with fresh green chillies and is usually the hottest and most herbal. Red curry uses dried red chillies and tastes rounder and a little smoky. Massaman curry is the mildest of the three: rich, sweet and warmly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom.
How do I ask for a Thai dish that is not spicy?
Ask for it "mai phet", which means "not spicy" in Thai. "Phet nit noi" means "a little spicy". Kitchens often add chilli to taste, so asking is worth it.