What would be considered Thai comfort food?

[elgenon]

Members talk about farang comfort food but what is considered Thai comfort food? Rice soup?

[Costas2008]

I presume the one that when I go to the toilet, my ass doesn't burn and also don't have to take Gaviscon as my stomach burns also.

That would be comfort Thai food for me.

[Pla shado]

There are six fairly distinct regions in Thailand; Northern, Northeastern, Western, Central, Eastern and Southern. Each region has it's food specialties and preferences. At out house, which is in the Northeast, comfort food is larb, kway teow (bpet, moo, gai and nuea), kanom jeen, som tam, rad na, khao niao, gang om, gang nor mai and khao niao ma-muang or khao tom mad for dessert.

The Northeastern Thais eat fresh-water fish but not much from the sea as may be eaten in some of the other regions. Lots of fresh (uncooked) vegetables are preferred like cucumbers, long beans, cabbage and carrots. Unripe fruit such as green mango, papaya or guava are also favored.

The foods I've listed are the ones that I see most often when people just want to eat something that could locally be called "comfort food". I'm pretty sure that a list from any other part of Thailand would be much different.

[elgenon]

Thanks Pla. Interested to hear from other areas.

[xen]

Som Tum - can be consumed 24/7 and almost anywhere

[bkkjames]

Ice coffee with tonnes of sweetened condensed a..ss enlarger

[Roota]

My #1 vote would be nam phrik plaa thuu. It's pretty much the essence of Thai food, and what Thais seem to miss the most when not in Thailand.

[gb33]

Jok moo with an egg + all the fixings!

[jparagas]

Durian

[kerrysum]

Depends on what region you are living in, and the spiciness that you want... Never had problems with it, or are you looking for a comfort food restaurant, that is maybe from your country? In Thailand, and in fact any restaurant that you may visit, even in one's country.... They ask you what number of spiciness that you want, depends on your comfort zone....

[maderaroja]

Anything with a bad smell, containing very old dried fish, with lots of peppery chili. Also may contain harmful amounts of sugar, salt and MSG.

[Gandtee]

Anything edible. Or inedible. Dead, or moving

[1FinickyOne]

It is not a day if they don't eat rice with… even hello is "did you eat rice yet?"

[Pla shado]

My #1 vote would be nam phrik plaa thuu. It's pretty much the essence of Thai food, and what Thais seem to miss the most when not in Thailand.

Yes, I forgot to include nam phrik plaa thuu in the Northeastern list. One of the few salt-water fish that is eaten on a regular basis here. We seem to always have a few plaa thuu wrapped in paper and sitting in the fridge. I don't mind eating it occasionally but not real fond of smell while the wife is cooking it. Thankfully, she nearly always cooks it in the outside kitchen.

Jok moo with an egg + all the fixings is also popular here. It's typically eaten in the mornings but can be served anytime during the day. My wife tells me that jok is a favored hang-over remedy as well.

[freebyrd]

Just about anything at any time of the day or night.

[HYENA]

Northeast, it's Papaya salad. Maybe not so much for the Thais, but the Isaan fall back on that dish for menses, breakups, a good cry and chat with friends, death, birth, etc. When my wife is feeling down, this always cheers her up. It's her only comfort food.

[slipperylobster]

7 Eleven snackaroni's

They fat.

Or...just take them out and pay. They are quite comfortable about that food.

Edited April 7, 2015 by slipperylobster

[BFerearnk]

Here in the deep South they eat pretty much fiish (pla) are scampis (goong) coocked (tom) with different sauces are backed (pat) with ginger or frech herbs.

Pat Thai, papaya pok pok, massarman gai, sweet pork (moo wan) and cocked pigleg with brown sauce are also high on the list.

But the most appresieted and expensive is the grilled pork (al parts) who is smear with a mix of honey peeper and salt. Mostly in Trang and on his best at Chinees New Year. People come from far to eat it at this time.

[Ocicat]

For me (farang) its thai red currie pet nit noy

[Daniel Ingalls]

Fried bananas, sliced mangoes with sauce, sticky rice in Bamboo, Waffles

[bangon04]

Anything edible. Or inedible. Dead, or moving

but specially if it is available free in the locality to be caught....used....

[Alwyn]

rice

[Fullstop]

KFC .. jing jing!

[northernphil]

Plingles clisps flom Lotus.

[Tocquinio]

Yes. Rice soup

[elgenon]

KFC .. jing jing!

I can't understand why. To me Thai fried chicken is actually crisper and better tasting. But I'm not Thai. At least not 100%.

[jerojero]

Singha

[Seastallion]

South here. Wifey will call up a friend and say, "Lets go out for som tum". While overseas, she hankered for fish stomach curry.

When she's moody, she'll eat fresh fruit, especially watermelon.

Yum dishes (mango or bean thread noodle, etc) seem "special" though not expensive as does kanom chin.

The neighbours will gather on someone's porch and share fruit, any fruit, and munch away while gossiping.

I guess those all comprise "comfort foods".