Isaan Food Guide: 15 Dishes to Try & How to Make Them at Home

Pound the garlic and chillies in a mortar until roughly crushed.

Add the long beans and bruise them lightly.

Add the tomatoes and Thai eggplant, if using, and gently bruise without turning them to paste.

Add lime, tamarind, cooked/pasteurised pla ra and a small amount of sugar; mix and taste.

Add the shredded papaya and toss while lightly pounding so the dressing coats the strands.

Taste again: this Isaan-style version should be sour, salty, spicy and fermented rather than distinctly sweet.

Cook the minced pork gently with the water, breaking it into small pieces, until fully cooked and at least 71°C in the centre.

Remove from the heat while the pork is still warm.

Mix in lime juice, fish sauce and roasted chilli flakes.

Add the khao khua and mix thoroughly.

Fold through shallots, spring onions, mint and coriander.

Taste and adjust lime, fish sauce or chilli; the larb should be moist but not soupy.

Season the pork lightly with salt and grill over moderate heat until well browned and at least 63°C in the centre.

Rest the pork for at least 3 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain.

While still warm, toss with lime juice, fish sauce, chilli and khao khua.

If using pla ra, add only a small amount and reduce the fish sauce if necessary.

Fold through shallots, spring onions, mint and coriander and serve immediately.

Pound or finely chop the garlic, coriander root/stems, white pepper and lemongrass.

Mix with fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar.

Coat the chicken thoroughly and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.

Grill over medium heat, turning as needed, until browned and the thickest part reaches at least 74°C.

Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, optional dark soy, white pepper and water.

Coat the pork and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Grill over medium-high heat until deeply browned and the centre reaches at least 63°C.

Rest for at least 3 minutes.

Slice thinly across the grain and serve with jaew.

Season the beef lightly with salt or fish sauce and black pepper.

Grill or sear over high heat until well browned and the centre reaches at least 63°C for the conservative safety target used in this guide.

Rest for at least 3 minutes.

Slice thinly across the grain.

Serve with nam jim jaew on the side.

Keep the sausage refrigerated and follow the producer’s storage instructions.

Grill, roast or pan-cook the sausage until browned and the centre reaches at least 71°C.

Rest briefly, then serve with fresh ginger, cabbage and chilli.

Simmer the ribs in the water until tender, skimming the surface as needed.

Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves and mushrooms and simmer until aromatic.

Season with fish sauce and roasted chilli.

If using khao khua, stir it in near the end.

Turn off the heat, then add lime juice.

Finish with spring onion and coriander; adjust the sour, salty and spicy balance before serving.

Pound or finely chop the lemongrass, shallots and chillies into a rough paste.

Cook the paste with a splash of water until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir briefly.

Add the remaining water and simmer until the chicken is nearly cooked.

Stir in khao khua, cooked/pasteurised pla ra and fish sauce.

Add makrut lime leaves and vegetables and simmer until tender and the chicken reaches at least 74°C.

Add dill, bai maeng lak and spring onion last; cook briefly, then remove from the heat.

Use only commercially pre-cooked/canned bamboo shoots. Boil them in fresh water for at least 10 minutes, then drain.

Simmer the fish with the lemongrass and cooked/pasteurised pla ra until the fish reaches at least 63°C; remove the fish and reserve a little cooking liquid.

Simmer the bamboo shoots in the yanang liquid for several minutes, then drain if very wet.

Pound the roasted shallots and garlic with chilli, then add the cooked fish and pound lightly.

Add the bamboo shoots and gently pound/mix until the texture softens and the flavours combine.

Season with fish sauce only as needed, then fold in spring onion, sawtooth coriander, mint and toasted sesame.

Stir the tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Add the shallot and roasted chilli.

Close to serving time, stir in the khao khua and fresh herbs.

Taste and adjust the sour, salty, sweet and spicy balance.

Rinse the glutinous rice several times.

Soak in plenty of water for at least 3–4 hours; overnight is also fine.

Drain thoroughly.

Steam in a traditional sticky-rice basket or a cloth-lined steamer for about 20–30 minutes, turning once if needed.

When the grains are translucent and tender, remove from the steamer and rest briefly before serving.

Mix the pork thoroughly with the seasonings and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Arrange the strips on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 4–6 hours so the surface dries.

Fry, air-fry or grill until browned and the thickest pieces reach at least 71°C.

Rest briefly before serving.

Stuff the fish cavity with the bruised lemongrass.

Coat the outside of the fish evenly with coarse salt.

Grill over moderate heat, turning carefully, until the flesh is opaque and the thickest part reaches at least 63°C.

Rest briefly, peel back the salted skin and serve the flesh with sticky rice, jaew and vegetables.

Pound the lemongrass, shallots, garlic and chillies into a coarse paste.

Mix the paste with the fish, cooked/pasteurised pla ra, salt and sugar.

Fold through the spring onions.

Divide between banana-leaf parcels and top with bai maeng lak.

Bring the steamer water to a full boil before adding the parcels.

Steam for about 25–30 minutes, or until the thickest fish pieces reach at least 63°C.

Open carefully and serve hot.