Local Cuisine

This dish made from egg noodles with a curry broth is arguably one of the main poster dishes for northern Thai cuisine. It comprises a comforting coconut-based curry broth, egg noodles, chicken thighs (or beef) and is topped with a tangle of nest-like crunchy fried noodles.

Every nation and region has its own version of sausages and the type from the north of Thailand, sai oua, is one that packs a spicy punch. Literally translated from Thai as intestines (sai) and the local dialect for “to stuff” (oua), the minced pork sausage is seasoned with garlic, herbs, red curry paste and chilli.

Getting its red colour from the main base of tomatoes, the watery broth in this noodle dish is a sweet and sour mix which also includes cubes of pork blood alongside pork meat. The freshness you’ll get from these rice noodles with pork and tomato also comes with the bean sprouts, pickled mustard greens, fried garlic and chilli and a touch of lime and crispy pork rinds to top it all off.

A menu usually found on holiday feasts, be it weddings, housewarming parties or traditional celebrations, legend has it that the Gaeng Hung Lay curry dish made its way to the north of Thailand after years of war with Myanmar (formerly Burma). This explains its Indian influence, and why masala curry powder can be used as a substitute for the hung lay curry powder.

This is the go-to and sure-to-please souvenir for visitors of Thailand’s north. Crispy pork cracklings (kab moo) and green chilli dip (nam prik noom) are a match made in heaven that could have you snacking on them all day long. The thick dip made with roasted green chilli peppers, garlic, shallots and cloves offers a mildly spicy palate that complements the addictive saltiness from the cracklings.

“Ho” in the northern Thai dialect means ‘put together’, so this stir-fry dish is made by putting all kinds of dishes together to make sure leftovers don’t go to waste. Leftover curry (usually hung lay) is stir-fried with glass noodles, kaffir lime leaves, bamboo shoots, lemongrass and pork. Dry yet strong in taste, today’s gaeng ho uses fresh ingredients for heightened nutritional benefits.

Another legendary northern Thai nám prík, or chilli dip, this dish revolves around tomatoes and minced pork. Like other northern Thai-style dips, it’s eaten with sticky rice, vegetables and herbs, and, of course, deep-fried pork crackling.