subject: Southern Cooking Five Exceptional Phuket Dishes [print this page] Theres something special about southern cooking. Whether its the southern US, southern Italy, or southern Thailand, southern cuisines are mouth-wateringly rich, savory, frequently spicy, and always memorable. Phukets food scene is a perfect case in point.
Phuket island is a paradise for food lovers of all stripes, and it is readily available throughout the day. You can enjoy a quick and easy breakfast at a local street side food stall, lunch on the beach, and dinner in a fine, cool restaurant with a bottle of your favorite wine.
For the best food, the trick is to ask around and follow the locals. Crowded restaurants are usually crowded for a reason: the food is great. So do your homework, decide what type of food you want, and head to the place that is renowned for the dish you are seeking.
Here are a handful of local Phuket specialties you might want to start with, and then build your own personal culinary palette as you enjoy the best Phuket has to offer your taste buds.
Homok
Ho Mok is steamed curried fish (or crab or other seafood) with vegetables contained in a banana leaf or sometimes a foil container. This is a delicious and visually appealing spicy curry fish mousse dish steamed in bai cha-ploo leaves. It is sometimes fairly spicy and most enjoyable for those who love fish. It is normally eaten with steamed rice and is a welcome addition to any table.
Yum Pak Good or Pak Good Tom Kati
This local favorite is basically a fern salad in a creamy, coconut soup, often served with fresh prawns. It is sour, spicy, and salty all at once, the perfect blend of taste sensations that classic Thai food is famous for. As usual, those little green chilies may appear harmless, but youll only believe this if youve never actually bitten into a live one. This dish is well worth going out of your way to enjoy on your culinary adventures.
Pak Miang Tom Kati Koong Sot
After sampling some of Phukets spicier fares, you may want to tuck into some pak miang tom kati koong sot. Pak miang is a local leaf, that is cooked in rich, creamy coconut milk (tom kati), with fresh prawns (koong sot) added as the perfect touch to this scrumptious dish. A number of well-known Phuket restaurants offer this dish in stunning seaside locations.
Geng Som
Geng som, or sour soup, is a real, authentic, local island dish, which means it may be something youll want to slowly work up to. It is a sour, spicy, pungent fish soup made with chilies and turmeric, giving it its strong orange color. This is truly a dish for those who want something hot, spicy, and fishy not recommended for amateurs or those unaccustomed to spicy Thai food.
Pla Tom Taochiew
This is a milder dish than geng som, so it could be viewed as a gateway dish, a stepping stone to the really hot, spicy, and fishy dishes. It is, nonetheless, a lovely, piquant, sour and spicy fish soup that is made with fermented soybeans. Locals suggest eating it the morning after a big night out, to nourish the body and ease the effects of ones nocturnal indulgences.
These are just a few highlights to get you started. Ask the waiters what their specialties are, and if youre feeling adventurous, choose a random item from the menu theres a good chance youll be pleasantly surprised. Bon apptit!
