Stir-fries
Phak Boong Fai Daeng (Stir-fried Morning Glory)
Morning glory flash-fried in a roaring hot wok with garlic, chillies, yellow bean sauce and oyster sauce: crunchy, savoury and done in a minute.
13 min · Easy
Author
Leonidas Georgiadis
Leonidas Georgiadis is the founder and writer of Aroy Mak Mak. He is from Greece, has been travelling in Thailand for almost twenty years and is married to a Thai wife, so Thai food is everyday family cooking in his home.
Over those years, and more recently with their young daughter, the family has eaten its way from Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai in the North, across Isaan to Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, and south to Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai. Aroy Mak Mak brings together what they have learned: recipes you can cook at home, guides to the ingredients behind them, and places worth travelling for.
Place pages are researched from current sources, including the latest Michelin Guide Thailand, official websites and maps, and give addresses, opening hours and what to order. Where a detail could not be confirmed, it is left out rather than guessed.
60 pages below
Recipes
Braises & Stews
Moo Palo (Five-Spice Pork and Egg Stew)
A sweet, aromatic Thai-Chinese stew of pork belly and boiled eggs in a soy and five-spice broth, simmered until meltingly tender.
110 min · Easy
Braises & Stews
Khao Kha Moo (Braised Pork Leg on Rice)
Pork leg slow-braised in soy, palm sugar and five spice until it falls apart, sliced over rice with kale, pickles and chilli vinegar.
210 min · Medium
Desserts
Sangkaya Fak Thong (Pumpkin Coconut Custard)
A whole kabocha pumpkin filled with palm sugar and coconut custard, steamed until set and cut into striking orange and gold wedges.
90 min · Medium
Desserts
Kluay Buat Chi (Bananas in Coconut Milk)
Ripe bananas simmered in salted, sweetened coconut milk with pandan: a warm, simple Thai dessert ready in twenty minutes.
25 min · Easy
Braises & Stews
Moo Hong (Phuket Braised Pork Belly)
Phuket’s Hokkien-style pork belly, braised in soy sauce, garlic and black pepper until dark, glossy and meltingly soft.
105 min · Easy
Grilled & Fried
Gai Tod Hat Yai (Hat Yai Fried Chicken)
Southern Thailand’s famous fried chicken, marinated in coriander seed, cumin and garlic and buried under crispy fried shallots.
50 min · Easy
Desserts
Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niao Mamuang)
Steamed glutinous rice soaked in sweet, salty coconut milk, served with ripe mango and a spoonful of coconut sauce.
45 min · Easy
Noodles & Rice
Khao Mok Gai (Thai-Muslim Chicken Biryani)
Spiced yellow rice cooked with yogurt-marinated chicken, topped with crispy shallots and served with a sweet-sour green chilli and mint sauce.
90 min · Medium
Noodles & Rice
Khao Man Gai (Thai Hainanese Chicken Rice)
Silky poached chicken, rice cooked in the chicken stock and fat, and a punchy fermented soybean, ginger and chilli sauce.
95 min · Medium
Curries
Gaeng Lueang (Southern Sour Yellow Curry with Fish)
A bright yellow, very sour and very hot fish curry from the south, with turmeric, tamarind and green papaya or pineapple. No coconut milk.
40 min · Medium
Noodles & Rice
Khao Soi Gai (Chiang Mai Curry Noodles)
Northern Thailand’s curry noodle soup: chicken legs in a rich coconut curry over soft egg noodles, topped with a nest of crispy fried noodles.
90 min · Medium
Stir-fries
Kua Kling (Southern Dry Curry)
Minced pork dry-fried in a fiery turmeric curry paste until every grain is coated, finished with shredded makrut lime leaves.
40 min · Medium
Curries
Massaman Curry with Beef
A rich, mild curry with Persian and Indian roots: braised beef, potatoes and peanuts in a cinnamon, cardamom and tamarind sauce.
180 min · Medium
Soups
Tom Saep (Isaan Hot & Sour Pork Rib Soup)
A clear, fiery, sour soup of tender pork ribs with lemongrass, galangal, roasted chilli and lots of fresh herbs.
75 min · Easy
Stir-fries
Pad Kra Pao Moo Sap (Holy Basil Pork)
Minced pork stir-fried with garlic, bird’s eye chilli and holy basil, served over rice with a crisp-edged fried egg.
20 min · Easy
Dips & Relishes
Nam Jim Jaew (Isaan Dipping Sauce)
The smoky, sour, salty dipping sauce served with grilled meats across Isaan, thickened with toasted rice.
10 min · Easy
Salads
Som Tam Thai (Green Papaya Salad)
Shredded green papaya bruised in a clay mortar with garlic, chilli, lime, palm sugar, tomatoes, green beans, dried shrimp and peanuts.
20 min · Easy
Salads
Nam Tok Neua (Isaan Grilled Beef Salad)
Charred, juicy beef sliced and tossed warm with lime, fish sauce, roasted chilli, toasted rice, shallots and herbs.
25 min · Easy
Soups
Tom Kha Gai
A mellow coconut and galangal soup with chicken and mushrooms, sharp with lime and gently hot.
35 min · Easy
Grilled & Fried
Gai Yang (Isaan Grilled Chicken)
Chicken marinated in garlic, coriander root, pepper and lemongrass, grilled slowly over charcoal and served with jaew and sticky rice.
65 min · Easy
Soups
Tom Yum Goong
Hot, sour and fragrant prawn soup with lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves, finished with lime juice and nam prik pao.
40 min · Easy
Salads
Larb Moo (Isaan Minced Pork Salad)
Warm minced pork tossed with lime, fish sauce, chilli flakes, toasted rice powder, shallots and fresh mint.
30 min · Easy
Curries
Green Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Keow Wan Gai)
A homemade green curry paste fried in cracked coconut cream, with chicken thigh, Thai aubergines and a fistful of Thai basil.
65 min · Medium
Noodles & Rice
Khanom Jeen Nam Ngiao (Northern Noodles in Pork & Tomato Broth)
Soft rice noodles in a spicy, tangy broth of pork ribs, tomatoes and dried chilli paste, topped with bean sprouts, cabbage, crispy garlic and lime.
120 min · Medium
Noodles & Rice
Pad Thai with Prawns
The street-stall classic done properly: tamarind-sour, palm-sugar sweet, fish-sauce salty, with chewy rice noodles and a bit of char from a very hot wok.
40 min · Medium
Dips & Relishes
Nam Prik Ong (Northern Pork & Tomato Chilli Dip)
A mild, meaty dip of minced pork and tomatoes cooked with a dried chilli paste, eaten with crunchy raw vegetables and sticky rice.
40 min · Easy
Curries
Gaeng Hang Lay (Northern Pork Belly Curry)
A rich, Burmese-influenced curry of slow-cooked pork belly with ginger, pickled garlic, tamarind and peanuts. No coconut milk.
150 min · Medium
Dips & Relishes
Nam Prik Noom (Roasted Green Chilli Dip)
Smoky charred green chillies, shallots and garlic, pounded into a rough dip and eaten with pork crackling, sticky rice and vegetables.
35 min · Easy
Grilled & Fried
Sai Oua (Northern Thai Herb Sausage)
Chiang Mai’s famous coiled pork sausage, packed with lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime and dried chilli, grilled slowly over charcoal.
90 min · Medium
Stories
Travel & Culture
What to Eat in Ayutthaya and the Central Plains
Grilled river prawns, roti sai mai, boat noodles and freshwater fish: a food guide to the old capital and a day trip from Bangkok.
20 October 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Thailand: Jay Food and How to Order
Yellow jay flags, the Vegetarian Festival, hidden fish sauce and the Thai phrases that help vegetarians and vegans eat well in Thailand.
18 October 2026 · 5 min read
Cooking
Mortar and Pestle: Why Thai Cooks Still Pound by Hand
Granite or clay, pounding or bruising: why the mortar and pestle is still at the heart of the Thai kitchen, and how to use one well.
16 October 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Feast Days: Food at Thai Festivals and Celebrations
The food behind Songkran, Chinese New Year, merit-making, weddings, ordinations, Ramadan and the temple fair, and what each table is about.
14 October 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
Khanom: A Guide to the World of Thai Desserts
Coconut, palm sugar, pandan and sticky rice: a guide to Thai sweets, from mango sticky rice to the golden egg desserts.
12 October 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Sticky Rice and Jasmine Rice: Thailand's Two Staples
Thailand eats two very different rices. Here is what sets sticky rice and jasmine rice apart, where each is eaten, and how to cook both well.
10 October 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Royal Thai Cuisine: Palace Cooking, Carving and Refinement
What royal Thai cuisine is, how palace kitchens shaped central Thai food, and the dishes, from khao chae to cho muang, still linked to the court.
8 October 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
How a Thai Meal Works: Sharing, Rice and Table Manners
Why a Thai meal arrives all at once, how the spoon and fork work together, and the small courtesies that make eating with Thais easy.
6 October 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
How to Eat at a Thai Street Food Stall
How to choose a stall, order without a shared language, handle a noodle menu and eat like a local at Thailand's street food stalls.
4 October 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Wok, Noodles and Soy Sauce: The Chinese Influence on Thai Food
How Teochew, Hokkien and Hainanese migrants brought the wok, rice noodles, soy sauce and pork to Thailand, and the dishes that grew from them.
2 October 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
What Thais Eat for Breakfast: Rice Soup, Fried Dough and Strong Coffee
Rice porridge, grilled pork with sticky rice, fried dough with soy milk and thick sweet coffee: a guide to the Thai morning table.
30 September 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
A Food Lover's Guide to Thailand's Four Regions
From coconut curries in the centre to fermented fish in Isaan and turmeric-yellow curries in the south: how Thai food changes from region to region.
28 September 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
How to Order Food in Thailand: Phrases, Spice and Rice Dishes
Mai phet, kai dao, khao rad gaeng and gep tang: the Thai phrases and habits that make ordering food in Thailand simple.
26 September 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
Isaan Food Beyond Som Tam: A Guide to the Northeast
Pla ra, sticky rice, grilled meats and herb-heavy salads: a guide to the food of Isaan and how it became a favourite across Thailand.
24 September 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Building a Thai Pantry: The Fifteen Things Worth Buying First
Fifteen shelf-stable ingredients that unlock most Thai cooking at home, with tips on what to look for and how to store them.
22 September 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Thai Drinks: Iced Tea, Pink Milk, Fresh Juices and Local Spirits
Thai iced tea, lime tea, pink milk, fruit shakes, butterfly pea, roselle, Thai beer and lao khao: a guide to what Thailand drinks.
20 September 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
What to Eat in Phuket and Southern Thailand
Peranakan dishes in Phuket Old Town, fiery sour curries, khao yam and roti: a guide to the food of Thailand's hottest region.
18 September 2026 · 5 min read
Cooking
The Four Flavours: How Thai Cooks Balance Sour, Salty, Sweet and Hot
Sour, salty, sweet and hot: how Thai cooks pull four tastes against each other, and how to taste and adjust a dish at home.
16 September 2026 · 5 min read
Travel & Culture
Thailand's Fruit Calendar: What Is in Season and When
Mangoes in the hot season, durian and mangosteen as the rains begin, longan in the north: a month-by-month guide to Thai fruit.
14 September 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
What to Eat in Chiang Mai and the North
Khao soi, sai ua, smoky chilli dips and slow-cooked curries: a guide to the food of Chiang Mai and the old Lanna kingdom.
12 September 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
Thai Markets: How to Shop Fresh, Floating, Night and Weekend Markets
Fresh markets at dawn, floating markets, night markets and weekend markets: how Thai markets work, what to eat and how to shop in them.
10 September 2026 · 6 min read
Travel & Culture
What to Eat in Bangkok: The Dishes and Districts Worth the Trip
Boat noodles, khao man gai, jok and crab omelettes: the dishes Bangkok does best and the neighbourhoods where the city eats.
8 September 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Cooking Thai Food Outside Thailand: Substitutes and Shopping
Which Thai ingredients can be swapped and which cannot, how to store herbs and pastes, and what equipment you really need away from Thailand.
6 September 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Nam Prik: A Regional Guide to Thailand's Chilli Dips
From nam prik noom in the North to nam prik kapi in the centre and jaew in Isaan: Thailand's chilli dips, how they are made and how they are eaten.
4 September 2026 · 5 min read
Cooking
Thai Salads: Yam, Larb, Phla and the Art of the Dressing
Yam, larb, tam and phla: how Thai salads are built, a simple dressing to start from, and how to balance herbs, protein and heat.
2 September 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
The Thai Wok: How to Stir-Fry, with Pad Kra Pao as the Example
Heat, order and small batches: how Thai cooks stir-fry in a wok, worked through pad kra pao, with practical tips for a home stove.
31 August 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Thai Soups Explained: From Tom Yum to Gaeng Jued
Hot and sour, rich with coconut, or clear and gentle: how the main Thai soups differ, how they fit into a meal, and when to season them.
29 August 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Cooking with Coconut Milk: Thick, Thin and Cracking the Cream
Thick and thin coconut milk, how to crack the cream and fry a curry paste in it, and why some of Thailand's best curries use none at all.
27 August 2026 · 5 min read
Cooking
A Guide to Thai Noodles: Which Noodle Goes with Which Dish
Sen yai, sen lek, ba mee, woon sen and khanom jeen: the Thai noodle family, the dishes each one belongs to, and how to prepare them at home.
25 August 2026 · 6 min read
Cooking
Making Thai Curry Paste from Scratch: Red, Green and Massaman
What goes into red, green, yellow and massaman curry pastes, the order to pound them in, and when a bought tub is perfectly fine.
23 August 2026 · 6 min read
