5 Thai dishes among 100 ‘best dishes in the world’
Underlining the sheer deliciousness of Thailand’s food, five Thai favourites have been ranked among the 100 “best dishes in the world” by users of the online food guide TasteAtlas.
Three of them made it into the top 10 – Phat Kaphrao (also spelt “Pad Kaprao”) came in third, Khao Soi (also “Khao Soy”) ranked sixth, and Phanaeng Curry (also spelt “Panang”) grabbed the 10th spot.
Chicken coconut soup Tom Kha Gai (also spelt “Tom Kha Kai”) landed 15th place in the 100 best dishes while Massaman Curry ranked 73rd.
Brazilian beef cut Picanha tops the list of best dishes, followed by Roti Canai from Malaysia, Phat Kaphrao, Pizza Napoletana (Italy), Guotie (China), Khao Soi, Butter Garlic Naan (India), Tangbao (China), Shashlik (Russia), and Phanaeng Curry.
The ranking was based on 395,205 user ratings on the TasteAtlas website. The 100 “best dishes” received the highest ratings out of 10,927 catalogued dishes, according to TasteAtlas, which is headquartered in Croatia.
TasteAtlas is an experiential travel online guide for traditional food that collates authentic recipes, food critic reviews, and research articles about popular ingredients and dishes.
Traditional Thai stir-fry Phat Kaphrao combines minced meat or seafood with holy basil and various other ingredients such as shallots, garlic, and chili peppers. The dish is flavored with soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce, and typically comes served with rice, fried eggs, and fish sauce on the side. Phat Kaphrao is the fourth most common dish ordered by foreigners in Thailand, according to TasteAtlas.
Curried noodles Khao Soi, a signature dish of northern Thailand, is a coconut soup that combines numerous regional influences. The base of the soup is a slightly spicy broth combining coconut milk and red curry paste.
The broth is served with flat egg noodles and a choice of meat, which usually includes chicken, beef, and pork. It is topped with a handful of crisp fried noodles and chopped cilantro. The dish is commonly served alongside a variety of condiments such as fresh lime, pickled cabbage, shallots, and chilis.
Phanaeng Curry is characterized by its thick texture and salty-sweet peanut flavour. It’s made with beef, chicken, duck or pork stewed in coconut milk, Phanaeng curry paste, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and palm sugar. Traditionally the dish does not include any vegetables.
Tom Kha Gai, which translates as “boiled galangal chicken soup”, consists of coconut milk, chicken chunks or shreds, galangal, lemongrass, garlic, bird's eye chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and mushrooms.
Massaman Curry is a combination of creamy coconut milk, meat, potatoes, and a curry paste made with roasted spices. Coconut milk is the authentic Thai element of the dish, providing a rich base for the rest of the ingredients. Since it is cooked for a long time, Massaman Curry usually employs thicker cuts of beef or bone-in chicken, and occasionally lamb or mutton.
It is unclear if the dish originated in South or Central Thailand, but it is certain that it owes its name and origin to Muslim traders from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.
