Isaan refers to the Northeastern region of Thailand. Although the people of Isaan are only around 30% of the entire population of Thailand, they are well-known for numerous exceptional Thai delicacies. To cope with the hot and humid conditions of the region, traditional Isaan food is usually well fermented and preserved. Made with lots of local spices, herbs, peanuts, cilantro, dried shrimps, and vegetables, Isaan meals are great for both locals and foreigners.
No particular cuisine can be regarded as the only traditional Isaan food in Thailand. In other words, many of them are made with astounding proteins, spicy chilies, and tasty sauces to suit the taste buds of the consumers. Some of the best traditional Isaan dishes include somtum, pork namtok, sticky rice, and gai yang.
It is worthwhile to note that these traditional Isaan dishes are made with a wide range of ingredients. So, you may look at some of the recipes for making traditional Isaan food. In this post, we will shed light on a few of the most delicious traditional Isaan food that you should try whenever you visit Thailand.
Gai yang
Basically, gai yang is a grilled chicken. Although grilled chickens are quite common in other countries around the world, Isaan people add extra spices that make their grilled chicken taste different from others’ grilled chicken. To enjoy your Isaan grilled chicken, you should take num jim dipping sauce along with it. If you are in Bangkok or another part of the country, you will likely find street vendors and shops selling gai yang.
Spicy pork salad
This meal contains diced port steaks that are placed inside fine mincemeat. Otherwise referred to as pork larb, spicy pork salads are prepared with different shallots, chili, spices, and limes. The food also has a fish sauce that adds more nourishment to the meal.
Somtum
Somtum is a popular Isaan food prepared with shredded green papaya and some other ingredients. This common dish has different varieties based on the kind of flavors it has. The flavor is determined by rice paddy crab, salted egg, or fermented anchovy. Also known as papaya salad, som tum can be found in most Isaan restaurants. While some restaurants can prepare somtum without any spice, others can add as many spices as they want to the meal. So, consider your taste before select your papaya salad.
Sticky rice
Most dishes prepared by the Isaan people use sticky rice as their condiments. The people of Northeastern Thailand have perfected the art of making sticky rice that is delicious and healthy. It is worthwhile to note that sticky rice can be prepared in different ways by the Isaan people. While it could be made dry by some people, others may decide to keep it sticky. To enjoy your sticky rice the most, do away with cutlery and dip your hands into the meal.
Pork Nam Tok
Spicy pork salad and pork Nam Tok are almost the same dishes, but pork Nam Tok tends to have more spices. The meat in this Isaan meal is cut into thin slices that ensure that it can be eaten easily without any stress. Notably, the sliced meat is usually stir-fried with spices and allow to simmer for some minutes before serving. Remember that pork Nam Tok is quite spicy, so you want to keep some water within your reach as you start eating the meal.
Catfish larb
Catfish larb is another food that is prepared like spicy pork salad. However, instead of pork, catfish larb contains catfish and has a distinctive texture. Since the catfish has been marinated properly, the dish will melt away as you place it in your mouth. The spices added to the meal will make you savor for more for a long period. But you should look out for the small bones of the catfish as you devour your catfish larb.
Tom sap
Tom sap is a popular Isaan food that looks like Tom yum soup. However, it tends to come with more spices which is the trademark of Isaan meals. Tom sap contains lots of herbs as well as some tomatoes. Make sure that the dish is served with chicken feet or chicken legs. A vegetarian dish can also go along with tom sap.
Sundried beef
The preparation of this meal starts with the sun drying of thin strips of raw beef for some hours or days. Once it has been dried properly, the meal will be fried with various spices added to it. At the end of the day, you will get a tasty beef meal that can be served along with other meals or eaten alone. If you don’t have any issue with the mode of preparing this dish, you will likely enjoy it.
Kor moo yang
Kor moo yang is a grilled pork neck that has been made to give you a soft, tasty dish. Like other Isaan meals, this grilled pork neck contains tons of spices that give the meal its unique yet enjoyable taste. To improve the taste of your kor moo yang, take it with num jim dipping sauce.
Lab moo tot
Last but not least, we have lab moo tot. Also called deep-fried pork larb, this Isaan meal contains small spicy meatballs that are properly deep-fried until you can see a brittle yet soft shell that is firm around them. Without mincing words, lab moo tot is one of the most enjoyable Isaan dishes that you can ever take. You can take the dish with num jim dipping sauce that contains lots of fish. However, you can also eat your lab moo tot alone.
Conclusion
The dishes above are a few of those considered to be the best and most traditional Isaan food by Trip Savvy and other well-established platforms. Many other Isaan meals also taste great. Most of the Isaan meals above are served by street food vendors as well as local Thai restaurants scattered around Thailand. So, you should have a taste of these meals whenever you are in this Southeast Asian country