Nakhon Si Thammarat

Southern Thai yellow curry is a distinctive sour and spicy curry without coconut milk, featuring lavish amounts of fresh turmeric that gives it a rich golden-yellow color and earthy, pleasantly bitter taste. This water-based curry is lighter and brothier than its coconut milk counterparts, with intense sour, spicy, and salty flavors. Traditionally made with saltwater fish and vegetables like bamboo shoots or green papaya, gaeng luang represents the resourceful cooking of southern fishing communities who created a refreshing curry suited to the hot, humid climate. Known as gaeng som in the south but called gaeng luang elsewhere in Thailand to distinguish it from central Thai sour curry, this dish is a beloved comfort food that showcases the bold, unapologetic flavors of Southern Thai cuisine.

An intensely flavored and extremely spicy curry from Southern Thailand, featuring tai pla (fermented fish innards sauce) as its defining ingredient. This legendary dish originated in fishing communities who developed methods to preserve and utilize all parts of their catch, including fish entrails. The curry showcases the complex balance of Southern Thai cuisine with its powerful umami depth, fiery chilies, and aromatic herbs, combined with vegetables like bamboo shoots and eggplant. Known for its strong aroma and bold taste, this curry represents the heart of Southern Thai cooking traditions that date back over 200 years.

Traditional Thai coconut rice pancakes that are crispy on the bottom, creamy in the middle, and slightly sweet throughout. These bite-sized treats are cooked in a special cast iron pan with small round indentations, creating perfectly spherical pockets with a golden, crispy shell and a soft, custardy coconut center. A beloved street food snack found throughout Thailand, khanom krok showcases the Thai mastery of balancing textures and flavors. Often topped with green onions, corn, or taro, these delicate pancakes are best enjoyed fresh and hot from the pan.

Khao Yam is a vibrant Southern Thai rice salad that embodies the essence of Thai culinary philosophy - a harmonious balance of flavors, colors, and textures. This rainbow-colored dish features jasmine rice (often dyed blue with butterfly pea flowers) topped with an array of finely julienned fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits, bound together with nam budu, a pungent fermented fish sauce dressing. Each bite delivers a complex interplay of sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavors, with aromatic herbs and crunchy textures creating a refreshing and nutritious meal. Popular as a breakfast or light lunch in Southern Thailand, this dish reflects the cultural fusion of Thai and Malay culinary traditions and showcases the region's abundant fresh ingredients.

Khua Kling is an iconic Southern Thai dry curry celebrated for its aromatic paste and intense heat. This fiery dish features minced meat dry-fried with a robust Southern Thai curry paste rich in turmeric, galangal, and chilies. Unlike most Thai curries, it contains no coconut milk and is cooked without oil, resulting in a concentrated, intensely flavored dish where the curry paste thoroughly permeates the meat. The name 'khua' refers to the dry-roasting technique used to prepare this dish, which is considered one of the pillars of Southern Thai cuisine.

Phat Sator is a beloved Southern Thai stir-fry featuring stink beans (sator or parkia speciosa) combined with shrimp and pork in an aromatic curry paste. This regional specialty showcases the unique ingredient that defines the dish - flat, dense stink beans with a pungent aroma and distinctive flavor reminiscent of asparagus but much more intense. The beans are stir-fried with Southern Thai curry paste rich in turmeric, chilies, and aromatic herbs, along with shrimp paste that adds essential umami depth. Quick-cooked at high heat, the dish is finished with kaffir lime leaves and fresh chilies. The result is a fragrant, spicy stir-fry where the bold curry paste perfectly complements the strong, nutty flavor of the stink beans. Popular throughout Southern Thailand, this dish represents the region's fearless approach to bold flavors and unique ingredients.