The first time I tried tom yum goong, I wasn’t ready. I was in Bangkok, jet-lagged, hungry. A friend ordered it for me. The bowl arrived — red-orange broth, steam rising, chunks of shrimp and mushrooms floating on top. It smelled like lemongrass and something spicy. I took a sip. My mouth was on fire. …
The first time I saw mango sticky rice on a menu, I wasn’t excited. Sticky rice. Mango. Coconut milk. That’s it? Seemed too simple. I ordered it anyway. The plate arrived. Glittering white rice on one side, bright orange mango slices on the other, coconut milk pooling around everything.I took a bite. The rice was …
The first time someone offered me durian, I said no. I’d heard the stories. It smells like rotten onions. It tastes like… nothing good. I was in Thailand, and my friend insisted. “Just try it,” she said. “One bite.” She handed me a piece of Golden Phoenix durian. Pale yellow. Soft. Creamy looking. I held …
I ordered Thai pineapple fried rice for the Instagram photo. The pineapple bowl looked amazing. When it arrived, I took fourteen pictures. Then I actually tasted it. And I realized I’d been missing out on this dish my whole life. What is Khao Pad Sapparot? It’s fried rice. With pineapple. But before you judge — …