A deeper dive into Thai cuisine!
Thai food is absolutely delicious. In Denver, we have many great options for Thai restaurants. Personally, I love Pad See Ew, but there are also plenty of other possibilities to explore! So, I wanted to look into some of the most popular, or well-known Thai dishes, as well as some of the lesser-known meals that deserve more attention.
Fun fact: Thailand is known as the land of smiles! While the name was given partly to attract tourists, it holds true! Thai people do smile, or yim, quite often.
Thai cuisine has so much to offer, and I can't wait to broaden my horizon when it comes to some of the things I order. I generally consider myself to be an adventurous or curious eater, but there's always more to learn! This is especially when it comes to all of the multicultural food in our area alone. Today, of course, we are focusing on Thai food. So, let's get into it!
Most-Popular/Well-Known Thai Dishes
Let's get started with a few of the most popular Thai meals! These dishes are a popular choice for many of us in the United States, and they are, of course very tasty.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai, or Thai Fried Noodles, is a very popular dish we all know and love. This stir-fried noodle dish can be found in any type of restaurant. Whether it be a food stall or somewhere more upscale, Pad Thai has a place anywhere! She's the cool girl everyone loves. Pad Thai is usually made with rice noodles, peanuts, shrimp, a scrambled egg, bean sprouts, and other veggies, that are all fried in a wok. Pad Thai takes inspiration from Chinese cuisine, as stir-fried noodles come from it.
Massaman Curry
This is another Thai dish that is more likely to be known in the U.S. There are many types of curry dishes in Thai cuisine, so this is just one particular dish, and it's a well-known one. In Thailand, it is typically made with beef or lamb, while in the states it's commonly served with chicken. Massaman curry actually has roots in Persian cuisine. It contains spices such as nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom, which are actually not as common in other Thai dishes. It's so fun how other cultures influence one another!
Least-Popular/Lesser-Known Thai Dishes
Now that we've mentioned a couple of the more well-known Thai meals in the U.S., let's get into some dishes you may be less familiar with.
Suea Rong Hai (Crying tiger)
This dish comes from the northeastern region of Thailand, or Isan. It consists of sticky rice, grilled steak, and a spicy chili sauce. Isan is known for combining strong spicy, sour, and salty flavors. It is also very popular in this region to pair their dishes with a side of sticky rice. You can find a version of this at Daughter Thai, which they call "Thaigerrr Smile."
Khao Soi
I had my first Khao Soi experience at Daughter Thai, where I ordered their special duck version of the dish. Let me tell you, it was amazing, and I look forward to eating Khao Soi more often when I eat Thai food. This dish is essentially a noodle soup with a creamy coconut broth with pickled mustard greens, raw shallots, and crispy egg noodles. It encompasses many flavors and textures, which is a huge aspect of Thai cuisine. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Thai cuisine has so much to offer! Whether it is a more well-known dish or one that we may not be as familiar with here in America, it is definitely worth a try. Thai food will have you showing off your best "Yim thang nam taa" smile!
As you can probably tell, Daughter Thai is one great option in the Denver area to find Thai food. They serve up popular Thai dishes and lesser-known ones while adding their own twist to the classics.
