In northern Thailand, meals is greater than only a meal; it’s a cultural ritual, a household custom, and an expertise that reaches past style. Via a partnership with Fan Membership Thailand and TruTravels, I had the prospect to expertise all of this in a journey that was curated to discover the genuine flavours, sights, and sounds of this stunning area.
For 9 days, I tasted my method by means of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pai, discovering simply how a lot northern Thailand has to supply travellers like me who’re gluten-free and hungry for journey.
The Flavourful Coronary heart of Chiang Mai
Arriving in Chiang Mai, we stepped right into a metropolis that mixes the heart beat of contemporary life with deeply rooted traditions. Our base for exploring town was White Boutique Resort and Spa, which supplied quick access to standard sights, markets, and eating places.
And since I discussed meals, Chiang Mai is thought for its distinctive northern Thai dishes, and is an absolute haven for meals lovers. As a gluten-free and lactose free traveller, I haven’t all the time been in a position to take pleasure in Thai meals around the globe. If the dish makes use of wheat noodles, milk merchandise, or common soy sauce, then I usually should forego attempting it.
Nonetheless, as a primary time customer to Thailand, I used to be relieved to search out that the area’s dishes lean closely on rice, recent greens, and coconut-based curries, making it straightforward to take pleasure in native flavours with none compromise.
Our first dinner was at Huen Muan Jai, a comfortable spot recognized for northern Thai staples. I liked how the meals right here was daring, with each dish presenting a singular interaction of herbs and spices that showcase the area’s depth of flavour.
One of many standouts was Tam Kha-Midday, a spicy pounded uncooked jackfruit salad. It had a satisfying texture and a balanced, fiery kick that set the stage for the times forward.
One other favorite was the Or Derp Muang appetiser plate, which supplied a vibrant array of dips, meats, and herbs—a feast for the senses and naturally gluten-free.
However nothing may put together me for the flavour expertise of Khao Soi, a creamy, coconut-based curry noodle soup historically made with egg noodles however simply swapped for rice noodles. This dish was a revelation, with layers of creamy coconut, zesty lime, and a delicate spice that introduced the whole lot collectively.
Cooking Class with Chef Permpoon: A Style of Custom
Just a few days into our time in Chiang Mai, I had the prospect to dive even deeper into Thai delicacies with a half-day cooking class at The Greatest Thai Cooking Course.
Led by the gifted Chef Permpoon and his extremely expert crew, this expertise went past the standard vacationer cooking class—it was an journey from market to desk, with the right stability of studying and laughter alongside the way in which.
Chef Permpoon started the day by choosing us up and taking us to a neighborhood market. Chef walked us by means of the necessities of Thai cooking, explaining the flavours of recent kaffir lime leaves, the fiery depth of Thai chicken chilies, and the fragile perfume of lemongrass. As somebody who’s gluten-free, this perception was invaluable, exhibiting me precisely what to search for in every ingredient and which sauces to make use of or keep away from.
Wandering the stalls, I noticed greens, herbs, and spices that begged me to do greater than take pleasure in their vibrant colors and aromas. I thought-about how a lot I may take house with me, in my already full suitcase, and purchased an array of spices to make soups and curries, along with unfastened leaf tea substances.
From the market, Chef Permpoon drove us to his natural farm, the place we handpick the substances for our dishes. There, we gathered recent lemongrass, inexperienced onions, Thai chillies, holy basil, and quite a lot of different herbs that will characteristic within the seven dishes we’d make.
The air was thick with the scent of those recent crops, and it felt unbelievable to expertise a Thai farm-to-table course of firsthand.
With substances overflowing our baskets, we headed to the outside kitchen, the place every of us started making ready the primary of our seven dishes, a spicy Tom Yum soup. Chef’s pleasant steering made the cooking course of as pleasurable because it was academic. We additionally discovered the way to make Pad Thai (utilizing gluten-free rice noodles, after all) with tamarind, garlic, and fish sauce, creating an ideal stability of candy, bitter, and salty flavours.
One of the vibrant dishes we made was a trio of mango sticky rice flavoured and colored with dragon fruit and pea blossom flowers. It’s a comparatively easy dish to make, however having nice high quality substances like those we sourced on the market, and within the backyard are key.
One of many dishes I liked making through the class was Panang curry. I took psychological notes of Chef Permpoon’s ideas to make use of creamy coconut milk, fragrant pink chilies, and freshly pounded spices. The method was an journey in itself—grinding the curry paste, layering flavours, and watching because the substances reworked right into a aromatic, deeply satisfying dish.
The stability of candy, spicy, and savoury was pure magic. This wasn’t simply cooking; it was a lesson in how a lot love and intention go into crafting an iconic Thai dish. There was dancing, laughter, and real camaraderie as we cooked and tasted our method by means of these dishes.
On the finish of the night time, we sat down collectively to share the unbelievable meal we’d created. As we virtually inhaled the desk filled with dishes we made, I paused at factors, grateful that this expertise was greater than a cooking class—it was a cultural change that highlighted the enjoyment, vitality, and artistry that goes into making Thai delicacies.
Past the Meals: Scenic Pai and Its Culinary Gems
After our flavorful time in Chiang Mai, we headed to the tranquil city of Pai. Nestled within the mountains, Pai’s allure is simple, with scenic views, vibrant markets, and the laid-back ambiance that makes it a traveller’s paradise.
We checked in to The Quarter Pai; a property that mixes minimalist, trendy structure with conventional Thai design parts.
The Quarter is centrally situated, making it handy for exploring Pai’s major sights, together with the Pai Strolling Road, native markets, and the close by countryside with its waterfalls, sizzling springs, and scenic viewpoints.
On our first day, we visited the Massive White Buddha at Wat Phra That Mae Yen, a website famend for its iconic views over the inexperienced hills of Pai. We later explored Nam Lod Cave, a community of interconnected caverns accessible by bamboo raft—a really surreal expertise.
I received the prospect to tick visiting Sai Ngam Pure Mineral Spring, the place we soaked in mineral-rich swimming pools surrounded by the peaceable sounds of nature. It’s necessary to notice that when visiting throughout wet season, the location could also be inaccessible as a result of landslides shutting down the doorway.
We ended our busy day of exploration by watching the sundown at Pai Canyon. It was right here that I realised how particular Pai is, and the way it has a method of creating you are feeling as if time has slowed, and because the ultimate rays of sunshine descended into the horizon, the sight grew to become a mild reminder of the sweetness and tranquillity that northern Thailand presents.
Meals-wise, Pai didn’t disappoint. Lunch on our first day was at Nong Beer Restaurant on Pai Strolling Road, a neighborhood favorite recognized for its beneficiant parts and recent substances. The Pad See Ew was naturally gluten-free, made with extensive rice noodles and flavoured with a wealthy mix of soy and oyster sauces (which may be made gluten-free upon request).
One night, earlier than exploring the road meals scene of Pai, we had tea at Malamong Artwork Café, the place a spread of teas are brewed in giant, conventional clay pots over wooden fires. I attempted the pea blossom and ginger tea, which struck me with its nice aroma, and full physique notes of ginger.
We additionally visited the Blue Ox restaurant for one in every of our dinners. Though Blue Ox presents a relaxed ambiance, and barely extra upscale open-air eating setting for the world, my coronary heart and tastebuds have been drawn to Pai’s vibrant road meals scene—which is unimaginable to disregard. Every chew of the Pad Thai I ordered, made me extra excited to complete up, and start a culinary journey extra suited to my degree of pleasure and danger.
Road Meals in Pai is an Journey for the Tastebuds
Pai’s Strolling Road is a vibrant scene each night time, remodeling right into a energetic market full of road distributors providing an irresistible array of meals. With every stall, there’s a brand new odor, flavour, and sight to soak up, making it an unmissable expertise for meals lovers and an excellent spot for gluten-free travellers seeking to pattern genuine Thai flavours in snack type.
Our first cease got here at the beginning of Pai Strolling Road, the place we tried an oyster omelette, or hoi tod; a crispy and savoury road meals dish made with recent oysters, rice-flour batter, and eggs. Served with crunchy bean sprouts, recent herbs, and a tangy chili sauce, my tastebuds discovered it arduous to not yell out for a second serving to, however we had many stops to go.
One other spotlight was the tea leaf salad, a singular dish I’d by no means tried earlier than. It’s made with fermented tea leaves, which lend a barely tangy, earthy flavour, mixed with crispy peanuts, sesame seeds, and garlic.
The salad was a improbable mixture of textures and tastes, completely balanced between recent, nutty, and savoury. The seller ready it recent, and the gluten-free substances made it a simple and scrumptious selection that felt actually consultant of Thai road meals’s capacity to show the only substances into one thing extraordinary.
Apart from tea leaf salad, the road presents a various mixture of gluten-free treats, from sticky rice with mango to grilled meats and recent fruit smoothies.
I sampled grilled skewers of rooster and pork, every seasoned with Thai spices and smoky from the charcoal, and loved the famed Thai coconut pancake made with coconut and tapioca flour, a secure twist on the traditional model for these of us avoiding gluten.
Every dish felt like a brand new culinary discovery, and Pai’s road meals scene made it straightforward to search out gluten-free choices that have been scrumptious, recent, and authentically Thai. Regardless of its small dimension, Pai is filled with memorable sights and distinctive meals experiences that really feel tailored for gluten-free travellers.
Pai’s Strolling Road was an unforgettable culinary journey that exposed the creativity, selection, and neighborhood spirit of Thailand’s road meals tradition.
Gluten-Free Suggestions for Thailand Journey
As a gluten-free traveller, exploring Thailand’s culinary scene was surprisingly straightforward. With only a few changes and ideas, I discovered it attainable to dive into native flavours with out fear. Listed here are some ideas that made my journey a lot simpler:
- Study Key Thai Phrases: Understanding “mai mi glueten” (no gluten) was important. Whether or not in bustling Bangkok or a small Pai eatery, this phrase made it straightforward to speak my dietary wants.
- Select Rice-Based mostly Dishes: Thai delicacies has rice as a staple, which made gluten-free choices way more accessible. From rice noodles in Pad Thai to sticky rice with mango, rice-based dishes abound and are naturally secure.
- Be Aware of Sauces: Some might include gluten within the type of soy sauce. I didn’t discover Tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce) to be quite common. Asking for gluten-free alternate options or choosing tamarind- or fish-based sauces stored my meals each flavorful and worry-free.
- Embrace Road Meals Fastidiously: Road meals is a core a part of the Thai expertise, and Pai’s Strolling Road and Chiang Mai’s night time markets supplied loads of choices. Dishes like grilled meats, sticky rice, and recent fruit have been each scrumptious and secure.
Reflections on the Journey
This culinary journey by means of northern Thailand gave me extra than simply recollections of scrumptious meals. It was a deep, sensory journey into the center of Thai tradition, made unforgettable by the considerate planning and native data supplied by Fan Membership Thailand and TruTravels. Via cooking lessons, native markets, and vibrant road meals scenes, I noticed firsthand how Thai delicacies connects folks—bridging cultures by means of the language of meals.
Should you’re a gluten-free traveller, northern Thailand is a perfect vacation spot that caters to all. My journey by means of Chiang Mai and Pai is proof that with a little bit of preparation and openness, you may totally embrace and benefit from the genuine flavours of Thailand. Carry an adventurous spirit and an open thoughts, and northern Thailand will meet you with flavours that stick with you lengthy after the journey ends.
