Lampang

Gaeng Om is a traditional Northern and Northeastern Thai herbal curry soup that stands apart from typical Thai curries by featuring a light, clear broth rather than coconut milk. This medicinal soup showcases the distinctive flavors of fresh dill (pakchi Lao), lemongrass, and an array of seasonal vegetables. Known for its health benefits and aromatic herbal properties, Gaeng Om has a clean, earthy taste that is neither overly spicy nor heavy. The signature ingredient is fresh dill, which gives the soup its characteristic flavor profile. Each region of Thailand has its own variation, but all versions share the common thread of being a water-based curry packed with fresh herbs and vegetables, making it a refreshing and nourishing meal.

Khaep Moo is a beloved Northern Thai snack featuring crispy, golden fried pork skin. This traditional delicacy involves a careful process of boiling, drying, and double-frying pork skin until it achieves its signature puffed and crunchy texture. Popular in Chiang Mai and throughout Northern Thailand, these crispy pork rinds are enjoyed as a snack, paired with sticky rice and chili paste, or used as a textural contrast in dishes like som tam. The rendering process preserves the pork skin while creating an irresistible crispy treat that transcends all socioeconomic boundaries in Thai cuisine.

Northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup topped with crispy egg noodles. A signature dish of Chiang Mai featuring a rich, creamy coconut curry broth with both soft boiled noodles and crispy fried noodles on top. The dish is characterized by its complex flavor profile balancing savory, salty, sour, and sweet elements, with traditional accompaniments of pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime.

Sai Oua is an iconic Northern Thai sausage from Chiang Mai, renowned for its intensely aromatic and herbaceous flavor profile. This coarsely ground pork sausage is infused with a fragrant curry paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh herbs. Traditionally grilled over charcoal and served as a coil, the sausage delivers strong, balanced flavors of citrus, peppery galangal, and moderate heat from dried chilies. The word 'oua' means to fill or stuff, and 'sai' means intestine, literally translating to 'stuffed intestines.' This beloved street food is a standard of Northern Thailand's culinary tradition, typically enjoyed with sticky rice and fresh vegetables.