In Thailand’s central cities like Bangkok, local and tourist palates are considerably slanted towards more gentle and more refined flavors, with common examples including the very popular mango sticky rice, or sweet green curries with beef or chicken.
But the southern region is a whole different story—here, the dishes pull no punches when it comes to packing on the heat and spice. As the south holds the majority of the country’s coconut groves, thick rich curries are a staple along with fragrant jasmine rice and plenty of fresh vegetables. Dry curries—known as khua kling to the locals—are a signature of southern Thai cuisine.
“Southern Thai food is, of course, much spicier than central Thai food,” says Varesara Smitasiri, owner of Bangkok-based restaurant Khua Kling Pak Sod. The Southern Thai-native continues: “We love extremely spicy food, and we believe it is a healthy burn. There’s a lot of curry paste and chiles in southern Thai food, so it’s much more spicy and sour, and not so much sweet.” Here, we get Smitasiri to share with us five popular dishes that best represent Southern Thai cuisine.
But the southern region is a whole different story—here, the dishes pull no punches when it comes to packing on the heat and spice. As the south holds the majority of the country’s coconut groves, thick rich curries are a staple along with fragrant jasmine rice and plenty of fresh vegetables. Dry curries—known as khua kling to the locals—are a signature of southern Thai cuisine.
“Southern Thai food is, of course, much spicier than central Thai food,” says Varesara Smitasiri, owner of Bangkok-based restaurant Khua Kling Pak Sod. The Southern Thai-native continues: “We love extremely spicy food, and we believe it is a healthy burn. There’s a lot of curry paste and chiles in southern Thai food, so it’s much more spicy and sour, and not so much sweet.” Here, we get Smitasiri to share with us five popular dishes that best represent Southern Thai cuisine.
Sataw Pad Kapi Goong
Sataw (stink beans) thrive in the southern region of Thailand, so it's no surprise this ingredient features prominently on the menus of any restaurants in the area. Here, the crunchy, slightly pungent green beans are stir-fried with fresh prawns and shrimp paste. It's a funky combination, but the sour, spicy flavors at play here make this a delicious—if an acquired taste—dish.
Sataw (stink beans) thrive in the southern region of Thailand, so it's no surprise this ingredient features prominently on the menus of any restaurants in the area. Here, the crunchy, slightly pungent green beans are stir-fried with fresh prawns and shrimp paste. It's a funky combination, but the sour, spicy flavors at play here make this a delicious—if an acquired taste—dish.
Khua Kling Moo Saab
A signature Southern Thai classic featuring the khua kling, the spicy dry curry is stir-fried with diced pork and a whole lot of chiles—a bit of a hazard if you accidentally bite into one as it is. The heat is turned up in this dish, and the southern Thais love it that way. You’ve been warned—eat this only if you can handle the spice.
A signature Southern Thai classic featuring the khua kling, the spicy dry curry is stir-fried with diced pork and a whole lot of chiles—a bit of a hazard if you accidentally bite into one as it is. The heat is turned up in this dish, and the southern Thais love it that way. You’ve been warned—eat this only if you can handle the spice.
Gaeng Leung Yod Maprao Pla
Though you might be more familiar with gentler red and green curries from central Thailand, the southern version, featuring a thick yellow gravy, is also packed with pure spice. The one at Khua Kling Pak Sod is brightened up with young coconut shoots to offset the heat, and generous chunks of fresh fish that absorb the thick gravy.
Though you might be more familiar with gentler red and green curries from central Thailand, the southern version, featuring a thick yellow gravy, is also packed with pure spice. The one at Khua Kling Pak Sod is brightened up with young coconut shoots to offset the heat, and generous chunks of fresh fish that absorb the thick gravy.
Moo Hong
This tender stewed pork in a Thai southern-style sweet sauce is one of the few southern Thai specialties that play down the fiery spices: chunks of pork belly are braised in a paste made of garlic, black peppercorns and coconut sugar. Similar to Moo Palo (another stewed pork dish), this dish does not use some of the ingredients in Chinese five spice, such as cloves and cinnamon.
This tender stewed pork in a Thai southern-style sweet sauce is one of the few southern Thai specialties that play down the fiery spices: chunks of pork belly are braised in a paste made of garlic, black peppercorns and coconut sugar. Similar to Moo Palo (another stewed pork dish), this dish does not use some of the ingredients in Chinese five spice, such as cloves and cinnamon.
Goong Pad Makham
Another specialty that is not a curry, the ingredients needed to cook this are easily found in most households—palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste—so this is a popular dish that often appears on local dining tables. The fried prawns give the dish some crunch, while the succulent meat soaks up the sauces for a heady combination of sweet, salty and sour flavors.
This article originally appeared on the MICHELIN Guide Singapore website.
Another specialty that is not a curry, the ingredients needed to cook this are easily found in most households—palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste—so this is a popular dish that often appears on local dining tables. The fried prawns give the dish some crunch, while the succulent meat soaks up the sauces for a heady combination of sweet, salty and sour flavors.
This article originally appeared on the MICHELIN Guide Singapore website.
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