This in Thai is called Som Tam (pronounced sum tum) and called Green Papaya Salad in English. This is one of my all time favorites, you can buy it anywhere on the streets for only 30 baht ($0.99)! Because I am picky I order mine "Jay" which in Thai means vegetarian. I ask for no sugar as well so its healthier, Thai culture likes to add sugar to EVERYTHING, and I mean everything, you really have to be careful. The ingredients are green papaya slices, tomatoes, sometimes carrot slices, green peas, fresh squeezed lime, chile, peanuts, fish oil, and garlic. They mush it all up in this canister above and scoop it into a bag, tie it up with a rubber band and off you go!
This is Tom Yum Soup (Tum Yum) which is also sold on the streets, but more of a sit down style food sold for 60 baht($1.98). Also one of my favorites although it isn't as convenient. You can choose between over 5 different type of noodles, and add either pork balls, chicken, beef, shrimp, fish balls. Personally I always get the skinnier noodles with shrimp and add lots of chili afterwards to add some spice! The ingredients in this soup are chicken broth, lemon grass, fresh squeezed lime, ginger, sliced chiles, fish oil, cilantro, and green onions. Be careful, they even put sugar in this as well!!!
This right here is my absolute favorite, they should have these fruit guys in America standing on the streets selling freshly cut fruits for only 15baht($0.50) per serving. They typically carry pineapple (my favorite), papaya, mango, green mango, guava, watermelon, and occasionally you can find other melons. They sit on a cart in a case full of ice that they either push around from corner to corner or attach it to their bike to drag to the next location. Such a refreshing little healthy snack especially in the heat.
Above are fried & grilled bananas. These also are very common on the streets, and sold with a side of sweet sauce to dip them in. The grilled bananas are typically caramelized and sugar coated, the fried bananas are fried in a pancake batter. They both are very good, but extremely heavy and they give you a huge serving for 20baht($0.66). I used to eat the grilled bananas quite often, but they are just too heavy I can only eat 2-3 of them or I feel sick.
Mango Sticky Rice - My mouth is already watering. This is my all time favorite Thai desert that is sold on the streets. Its only half of a mango with sugar coated sticky rice, then coconut milk syrup poured over the top. They sell it for 80 baht($2.64) which is well worth it as mango's are not the cheapest of fruits to buy. Some places flavor the rice and change its colors, its pretty often you will see purple or green sticky rice as well, seems strange but they all taste AMAZING!
Grilled chicken kabobs with a side of peanut sauce to dip them in! You just walk up tell them how many you want and they place them in a little baggy with sauce at the bottom so all you have to do it dip them around in the bag and take a bite. Perfect snack for walking around, not too time consuming. I don't eat meat so I don't eat these, but my boyfriend enjoys them. I believe they sell them at about 10 baht per kabob, which is $0.33. Aren't you loving how cheap the food is? I am!
You will often find little stations like this with all these different dishes that they pour on a plate over steamed rice. These things are often eaten even for breakfast! I recommend staying away from these sorts of things because you do not know how long they have been sitting out or how many insects have landed on them while they have been sitting there. I don't trust that they have timers set on these dishes. You have been warned! :(
These little marshmallow treats are delish! Its a little crepe with marshmallow and tiny sliced fruits (typically mango) on top. You purchase a baggy full of them and they are the perfect bite size treat! They are sold on almost every corner especially in the evenings. They sell a bag for only 20baht($0.66)!
These crepes are quite popular with the children and tourists and are VERY, VERY naughty! They take a ball of dough and throw it around like pizza dough and slap it on a grill, then pour butter and liquid sugar to make the crepe crispy somewhat like the outside of a buttered croissant.. then they slice up a banana and place them in a cup with liquid half&half and mix it together and pour it on the dough. Then they add peanut butter, nutella or honey to it.. after its cooked a bit they wrap it all up into a square shape and add some more butter and sugar. Then they place it on a plate for you, cute it up and add coconut milk drizzle on the top! YUMMMMM! only for 20baht($0.66)!
If you ever make it to Thailand be sure to try out some of these foods! Safe travels! XXOO
