Top 7 Weirdest Dishes in Thailand
Thai cuisine is definitely one of the top reasons to visit Thailand. The country is rich in exotic fruits, vegetables, and seafood — everything is delicious and affordable. However, among the many popular dishes, there are some that might shock you with their appearance or ingredients. So, here’s a list of the top 7 weird (and even disgusting) dishes of Thailand.
Disclaimer: Not recommended for the squeamish or overly sensitive!
1.Salad with live shrimp
“Live shrimp” is not just a figure of speech. This salad really is made with live (well, up until a certain point) shrimp. In Thai, the dish is called “kung ten”, which translates to “dancing shrimp.” Tiny shrimp are scooped straight from the aquarium, mixed with herbs, and doused in lime juice. That’s it! In your mouth, the shrimp will jump around as if they’re dancing. Some people say these little guys pop in your mouth in a fun way.
2.Tadpoles
Frog legs may no longer surprise anyone, but tadpoles… that’s another story. They have a distinct taste and a swampy smell, which is why they’re wrapped in banana leaves and grilled with fish sauce and spices to mask the odor. This dish is a true delicacy: tadpoles are only available during the rainy season.
3.Pork Blood Soup
At first glance, this soup looks like borscht, but in reality… it’s something else entirely. Instead of beets, the red color of the broth comes from fresh pig’s blood. In Thai, it’s called “lua muu.” It’s made with meat and noodles, with a splash of lime added — but the broth includes raw blood. This dish isn’t just unusual, it’s also potentially dangerous: raw blood can carry a lot of bacteria that may lead to serious health issues.
4.Stir-Fried Cow Placenta
There are women who believe that their own placenta will grant them eternal youth, so they consume it after giving birth. Yes, really — sometimes in the form of a smoothie. Apparently, the Thai also believe that placenta can help them live forever. However, they don’t eat human placenta, but cow placenta instead. And they even serve it at the table! The placenta is thoroughly washed, cut into pieces, and stir-fried with vegetables in a wok. Its taste is said to resemble liver.
5.Century Eggs
In any store, you’ll spot eggs in an eye-catching bright pink color. But these aren’t Easter eggs — they’re century eggs. They’re marinated in a special alkaline mixture for several weeks, or sometimes even months. As a result, the egg white turns dark brown, and the yolk becomes greenish-black. These eggs have a distinct ammonia-like smell. And while they’re not actually spoiled, eating them can be quite a challenge — they taste as if they’ve long since gone bad.
6.Egg with embryo
If you thought nothing could be more off-putting than a “rotten” egg, think again. Here’s another “delicacy” — balut — a fertilized duck egg with a developing embryo inside. Yes, it’s that kind of “kinder surprise.” The key is that the beak and bones of the future duckling should already be formed, but still soft enough not to make eating it too difficult.
7.Duck beaks
A strange dish, but some gourmets find it very tasty. You might wonder — how is it even possible to chew that? But in fact, the beak turns out surprisingly tender and juicy. However, there’s very little meat on it, so to actually feel full from duck beaks, you’d need around ten servings.
Not sure if this selection made you hungry, but if you’re a fan of all things unusual and authentic — you’re more than welcome to try! You can find equally strange dishes at night markets, and we’ve gathered the best ones in our Telegram bot https://telegram.me/phuket_insider_bot
