If you’ve ever visited Thailand, you’ve seen the fried scorpions, toasted bugs, and fruit that looks like it comes from outer space. A lot of items may look rather strange to you, but there are just some dishes that are experiences you can’t pass up just because you’re judging a book by its cover! Here are some weird looking dishes that are actually worth a try:
Raw Prawns in Fish Sauce
It may feel a little bit intimidating to be eating raw shrimp, and this dish will look intimidating, but if you love a burst of flavors and spice, you will love this! You’ll get spicy, sour, sweet, and salty flavors in this dish. All of these tastes at once will come together in this amazing selection. This is often served with cabbage and cucumbers. There is tons of garlic, chili, lime, and fish sauce involved, so you’re in for a treat if you are a fan of that combination. Even if you aren’t a fan, give it a try because you really don’t want to miss out! If you can get over the fact that the prawns are raw, you will not regret tasting this meal!
Papaya Salad With Crab Paste
This dish may put off some people because of the color of the sauce or the smell of the final product. But if you’re ok with some tang and a bit of fishiness, this is the dish for you. This spicy papaya salad will often come with a full crab in it, possibly cut into pieces. It also features fish sauce, palm sugar, and a lot of chili and lime. The “Pla Ra,” or crab paste, is made with crab that has been fermented for six months. The extreme saltiness and tang is from the lactic acid that builds up with fermented fish. This is a great alternative to the usual papaya salad. Give yourself a little variety, get out of your comfort zone, and try this wild dish. It’s a must-have and whether or not you really like it, trying it will be an experience you can’t miss out on.
Century Eggs
If you come across a black egg, this is what Thais call a century egg. They will smell quite odd and look very intimidating, but they are worth a try. Thai people call this egg Kai Yeow Ma, which means horse pee egg. This sounds pretty terrible if we’re being honest. Now, you might be wondering why anyone would eat it if they refer to its smell as the stench of horse pee, but in a salad, you will hardly notice the smell. With some cilantro, lime, and fish sauce, the egg has a really great flavor. The egg has a very creamy consistency, and most people have a harder time with how it looks rather than the smell. The creamy egg will usually be eaten with a sweet sauce or in a salad. It’s quite an interesting taste with a chewy texture. You will need to try it for yourself to see what we’re talking about.
Fried Bugs
This is something that you’ll definitely see these in all the tourist hotspots. Thais know that everyone thinks it’s weird, so why not profit from it? They will usually have silkworms, scorpions, crickets, beetles, and other weird creatures fried for you to taste. They might be a little battered or salted. The little fried white worms will taste like Lays potato chips. But most of the time, taking a bite of these bugs will bring an unsettling feeling and when the guts hit your tongue, it can be a little weird. They will taste absolutely fine, much like salted nuts or chips, but it can be a little bit hard to get past the look of them!
Want to visit the best restaurant in Bangkok? Come to Indulge Bar & Restaurant today! We’ll show you the food of Thailand.