Popular Thai Dishes Teachers Will Eat (and Teach)
Thai Food Teachers Eat:
Mai Phet, Spoon First, Busy Stalls
Sawasdee from Ban Lum. This is how we order at the market stalls around our office: find the dish, point at the Thai script, say mai phet, and pick the busy wok over the quiet tray. Tap any card's button to show the cook your order in big Thai letters.
The Five Tastes: And How to Eat Them
What you are tasting, and how to eat it without looking new.
The Five Tastes
Sweet (palm sugar), sour (lime or tamarind), salty (fish sauce), spicy (chilies) and a little bitter (herbs and greens). Most dishes aim for a balance, and the condiments on the table let you adjust it.
Fresh Herbs, Not Powder
Lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and holy basil go in fresh, pounded or torn, not as dried powder. That is the smell that hits you at the market.
Family-Style Sharing (Gin Khao)
At school, lunch is social. Colleagues often order a few plates for the middle of the table and share. If someone offers you food, take a little and say aroi; it goes a long way in the staffroom. Festival days bring their own food, too: see festivals in Thailand.
🍴 Table Etiquette: Spoon in Right Hand, Fork in Left
Rice dishes are not eaten with chopsticks. Spoon in your right hand, fork in your left.
12 Dishes You Will Meet: Canteen to Night Market
What turns up at school lunches and night markets. Each card has a button that shows the cook your order in big Thai letters. More on everyday eating in our Thai food guide.
Holy Basil Stir-Fry with a Fried Egg
The lunch most Thais order without thinking. Minced pork (or chicken, gai) fried hard with holy basil, garlic and chilies, over rice with a fried egg (kai dao) on top. It comes hot by default, so ask for mai phet.
Northern Coconut Curry Noodle Soup
A northern favourite, best known from Chiang Mai. Chicken in a coconut curry broth with soft egg noodles and crispy noodles on top, with pickled mustard greens, shallots and lime on the side.
Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Prawns
The one everyone knows. Thin rice noodles fried with tamarind, tofu, egg, bean sprouts, garlic chives, dried shrimp and crushed peanuts. Mild, and a safe first order.
Hot & Sour Prawn Soup (Creamy)
Prawns in a sour, spicy broth with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chilies and roasted chili paste (nam prik pao). Nam khon is the creamy version, usually made with evaporated milk.
Thai Green Curry with Chicken
Green chili paste cooked down in coconut milk with pea eggplants, bamboo shoots, chicken and Thai basil. Wan means sweet, but it can still be hot. Eat it with rice or fresh rice noodles (khanom jeen).
Green Papaya Salad (1 Chili)
Shredded green papaya pounded in a mortar with lime, palm sugar, fish sauce, tomatoes, long beans, dried shrimp and peanuts. Som tam Thai is the sweeter, gentler style; Isan versions with fermented fish (pla ra) are saltier and often much hotter. Night-market som tam is usually far hotter than anything the school canteen serves, so ask for one chili.
Massaman Curry
A mild, rich coconut curry with Muslim and Persian roots: cardamom, cinnamon, potatoes, shallots, peanuts, and beef (neua) or chicken (gai). A good pick if you don't like heat.
Wide Rice Noodles with Dark Soy
Wide rice noodles (sen yai) fried in a very hot wok with dark soy, pork, egg and Chinese kale (kha-na). Smoky, mild and filling.
Chicken Fried Rice with Egg
Jasmine rice fried with egg, onion, spring onion and chicken, with cucumber, a lime wedge and fish sauce with chilies (prik nam pla) on the side so you season it yourself. Mild and canteen-safe.
Chicken in Coconut Galangal Soup
Chicken in coconut milk with galangal, lemongrass, mushrooms and lime. Creamy and sour with a little chili, and milder than tom yum.
Pork Boat Noodle Soup
Small bowls of dark, spiced pork broth with noodles, pork slices, meatballs, morning glory and pork crackling. The name comes from the canal boats they were once sold from. Nam tok means the broth has pig's blood in it.
Mango Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream
Sticky rice cooked with coconut milk, sugar and salt, served with ripe mango (often nam dok mai) and a pour of coconut cream. Best in the hot season, when mangoes are in season.
Order Cards: Point, Show, Eat
Tap a button to show the phrase full screen. The cook reads the Thai; you practise the sound.
Not spicy: Usually means no fresh chili. Some cooks still add a little, so taste first.
A little spicy: Often one chili (prik neung met). A night-market "little" can still be hot.
Vegetarian: No meat. It may still come with egg, fish sauce or oyster sauce, so use the jay card if that matters.
Jay food (vegan): No meat, fish sauce, eggs or dairy. Traditional jay also skips garlic and onion.
No MSG: For when you'd rather skip it. Stock and bottled sauces may still contain some.
Add a fried egg: The usual extra on pad kra pao and fried rice, for a few baht more.
No sugar: For smoothies, iced tea and coffee. The full-screen card also asks for no condensed milk.
A little sweet: Less sugar and syrup. Many drink stalls treat it as about 25%.
Takeaway in a bag: Packed to go, often in a plastic bag with a rubber band.
Eat here: To sit at the stall's tables. Gin thii nii (กินที่นี่) is the everyday version.
Bill, please: At a street stall, gep tang sounds more natural; check bin suits sit-down restaurants.
Very tasty: The compliment every cook and colleague likes to hear.
| English Meaning | Spoken Phonetics | Thai Script | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not Spicy | Mai phet | ไม่เผ็ด | Usually no chili. Good for your first few weeks. |
| A Little Spicy | Phet nit noy | เผ็ดนิดหน่อย | Often one chili. A night-market "little" can still be hot. |
| Vegetarian | Mang-sa-wi-rat | มังสวิรัติ | No meat; may still use egg, fish sauce or oyster sauce. |
| Jay (Vegan) | Gin jay | กินเจ | No meat, eggs, fish sauce or dairy; traditional jay also skips garlic and onion. |
| No Sugar Added | Mai sai nam-taan | ไม่ใส่น้ำตาล | Smoothies, iced tea and coffee. |
| Bill, Please | Check bin khrap / kha | เช็คบิลครับ / ค่ะ | Sit-down restaurants. Men say khrap; women say kha. |
The Condiment Caddy: Season It Yourself
Most noodle stalls put a four-pot set (puang khrueang prung) on the table. Taste first, then add.
1. Prik Pon (พริกป่น)
Dry roasted chili flakes. A pinch goes a long way in noodle soup.
2. Prik Nam Som (พริกน้ำส้ม)
Chilies sliced into vinegar. Adds sourness more than heat; good with rich broths like boat noodles.
3. Nam Taan (น้ำตาลทราย)
Plain sugar. Yes, people put it in noodle soup. Try half a spoon before you judge.
4. Prik Nam Pla (พริกน้ำปลา)
Fish sauce with sliced chilies, often with garlic. A spoonful over fried rice (khao phat) or an omelette (kai jiao).
How to Cook Classic Thai Pad Thai at Home
Five steps for a basic Pad Thai in a teacher's apartment kitchen:
- Soak the Rice Noodles: Soak flat rice noodles in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes until pliable but still firm.
- Mix the Tamarind Sauce: Whisk fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind paste, and a splash of warm water in a bowl until dissolved.
- Sear Protein and Eggs: Heat oil in a wok on high heat, sear tofu cubes and shrimp, then push aside to scramble an egg.
- Toss Noodles with Sauce: Add the drained rice noodles and tamarind sauce into the wok, tossing constantly over high heat until the liquid is absorbed.
- Fold in Greens and Peanuts: Turn off the heat, fold in fresh bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and crushed roasted peanuts, then serve with a fresh lime wedge.
Food & Everyday App Toolkit
Apps that help with menus, food delivery and getting around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most popular Thai dishes?
What is the best Thai food for beginners?
How do you order non-spicy or vegetarian food in Thailand?
Is street food safe to eat in Thailand?
How do Thais eat with a spoon and fork?
Written by Matthew John
Co-Founder & Operations Manager : 20 Years in ThailandI'm Matthew, co-founder of Kids English Thailand. I've lived in Thailand for 20 years and work from our office in Ban Lum, Sukhothai. Since 2009 we have placed over 1,500 teachers in Thai schools, and this is what we tell them before their first trip to the market.
