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A culinary trek around the country
With Chinese and western Europe influences, Thai dishes are typically steamed or stir-fired and embrace all 5 tastes - sweet, salty, sour, spicy and bitter. The distinctive flavour comes from indigenous ingredients like coconut, lemongrass, tamarind, ginger, black pepper, galangal, garlic, cilantro, basil, palm sugar, makrud, turmeric, shallots, green onions and most importantly, fish sauce

Northern Thailand
Separated from the rest of Thailand by rivers and mountains, the cuisine (and culture) of Northern Thailand is distinct. Here red meat is common as well as wild herbs. With cooler weather, warming curries are a staple and the hot, salty and sour foods dominate.

North-Eastern Thailand
The poorest region in Thailand, and separated from water sources, the people of North-eastern Thailand have become experts at preserving fish and are heavily influenced by the cuisine of Laos. Here sticky rice is a staple as well as papaya salad and sour chopped and minced meat salads.

Central Thailand
One of the great rice bowls of Asia, Central Thailand is blessed with an abundance of fresh produce like rice, fruit, vegetables and flowers. Enjoy the hot, salty, sweet and sour taste of the region in its best known dish: Pad Thai!

Try the quintessential dish, Pad Thai recipe

Southern Thailand
Known for being strongly flavoured, the cuisine here uses turmeric extensively - often giving its dishes a yellowish hue. The abundance of coastline brings with it a bounty of seafood including rock lobsters, fish, crabs, prawns, squid, clams and mussels. The seafood is often added to the spicy curries which are eaten here daily.

Get a taste of the south with the Yellow Thai Chicken recipe

Bangkok
Although a part of central Thailand, the cuisine here reflects all 4 regions made in the "palace food" style. It's more refined than the family style with intricately carved vegetables as part of the presentation.

Ingredients to know
The keys to Thai cooking, these ingredients can be tricky to track down but well worth it for the flavours they add!

Galangal (Kha)
A root, this may look like ginger but its taste is unique. Citrus, slightly sweet and perfumed, galangal is said to be an aphrodisiac! Try adding it to soups and curries for an authentic Thai taste - plus, it’s known for eliminating fishy smells in dishes.

Tamarind (Makham)
This is the sticky pulp from the pods of the tamarind tree. Although it’s available in different types, the Thai variety has been cultivated to remove tartness so it can be eaten as a fruit. You might recognize this as a key ingredient in pad Thai.

Fish Sauce (Nam pla)
A staple ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine, fish sauce is made from fish (often anchovies) that has been allowed to ferment with salt for 1 year to 18 months. Add this to your dishes in moderation since it’s intensely flavoured.

Makrud (aka Kaffir Lime)
A green fruity that looks like a regular lime with big wrinkles, although the juice is too sour to cook with, both the fruit’s zest and leaves are common ingredients in Thai cuisine. Look for the leaves fresh, dried and frozen.