Unusual Thai Dishes

Cuisine and culinary practices vary wildly around the world. What some may consider to be an inedible ingredient, others may perceive as a delicacy. The differences between Western and Eastern cuisine often cause some dishes and ingredients to be seen as unusual, or even controversial!

Here we take a look at some of the ‘unusual’ dishes and foods that are eaten in Thailand. Be warned that some of these dishes contain ‘controversial’ ingredients, including live animals.

Larb Leuat Neua

Larb Leuat Neua involves raw beef – not rare, completely raw – served combined with uncooked blood. Despite the health warnings that should be accompanying this dish, it is widely enjoyed in Thailand and is commonly enjoyed as a snack when drinking.

Larb Dib

Similar to Larb Leuat Neua, Larb Dib also involves raw beef and blood, but in this dish, bile from the cow’s stomach is added to the mix for good measure too! This is said to add grassy notes to the dish – as that is what was partially digested in the cow’s bile.

It is essential that this dish is eaten as fresh as possible, but the rawness of the ingredients makes this a dangerous bite, as bacteria can quickly develop in raw meat that is not killed off as the dish isn’t heated.

Goong Ten

Also known as ‘Dancing Shrimp’, the shrimp in this dish are served alive so you can feel them ‘dance’ in your mouth as you eat them. The baby shrimp are coated in a spicy sauce, and when you are ready to eat them, lime juice is squeezed over to make them wriggle and ‘dance’. The end result is a spicy, sour and crunchy bite, but perhaps one to avoid if you are a bit squeamish!

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Pak Ped Tod

This dish is made from fried duck beaks, which involves the beak and a bit of fatty duck skin. They are marinated in soy sauce, which helps to soften up the bones in the beak. The beaks are fried to give them a crispy coating and will typically be served with a spicy sauce for dipping.

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Lou

Lou is a soup made from raw pig blood and kidneys. These ingredients are accompanied by other pig innards which are fried, as well as lemongrass, herbs and noodles. The blood gives the soup a rich red colour, with the lemongrass helping to balance out the flavour.

Ab Ong Or

A dish originating from northern Thailand, Ab Ong Or is roasted pork brain. The pork brain is flavoured with shrimp paste, lemongrass and chillies before being wrapped in banana leaves and roasted or grilled.

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Kai Mot Daeng

Popular in North-eastern Thailand, red ant eggs can be eaten both raw or cooked and are included in dishes such as salad or omelette. The eggs add a crunch to dishes. Red ant eggs are quite a rare and expensive ingredient, although the amount of ant farms in Thailand are increasing.

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Teen Gai

Popular in many East Asian countries, chicken feet are typically braised in Thailand and served with rice or noodles. After marinating and braising the feet for hours, the resulting dish is succulent and flavourful.

The English name for this ingredient is ‘Stink Beans’, which should tell you all you need to know about the aroma these beans give off! They look a bit like broad beans but have a much deeper flavour. They are often added to stir fry dishes with pork or seafood and shrimp paste.

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Pla Ra

Pla ra is made by fermenting fish in salt and rice bran for a number of weeks or months. It has a very pungent aroma that some consider to be unpleasant, but pla ra is still added to a variety of dishes regardless. It can be used alone or in combination with fish sauce.

Would you try any of these unusual dishes? While these dishes may be off-putting to some, there is far more to Thai cuisine than the foods listed above. The flavours are rich, complex and spicy, with a diverse range of ingredients.

If you would like to explore more Thai cuisine, then check out the range of items we have available at our Thai supermarket so you can make your own Thai dishes at home!

Image Credit: Takeaway under Creative Commons 3.0