A classic Thai dish called thot man kung typically consists of shrimp or prawn mixture, shaped into small, round flat cakes or balls, which are then rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden and crispy. Other variations of this dish call for different types of seafood, fish, or meat instead of shrimp.

With a crunchy texture and a tender bite, these delicious shrimp cakes are usually served as appetizers, paired with a spicy, sweet-and-sour dipping sauce and fresh cucumber and tomato slices on the side.

This traditional Thai and Lao appetizer consists of various ingredients that are served separately and are then wrapped in wild piper leaves, which are also known as chaphlu. Standard elements include ginger, bird’s eye chili peppers, limes, roasted peanuts, shallots, toasted coconut, and tiny dried shrimps.

They are all finely sliced and served on a large plate, allowing the guests to assemble their leaf-wrapped bites. The dish is traditionally served with a sweet and sour sauce that typically combines shrimp paste, sugar, tamarind, roasted coconuts, and peanuts. 

Pla muek yang is a Thai-style chargrilled squid dish typically coated in a spicy, sweet-and-sour sauce consisting of lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, chilis, coriander roots, and sugar. The dish is often served with peanuts and coriander leaves on top and is commonly sold at roadside eateries and street stalls across Thailand.

It can be consumed on its own as an appetizer or a main course, or it can be mixed with salads.

Kluai thot, or deep-fried bananas, is a sweet street food item commonly found throughout Thailand. This Thai treat is traditionally prepared with peeled and sliced burro bananas, known locally as kluay nam wa, which are entirely immersed in a thin rice flour mixture, and then fried in hot oil until they form a crispy crust.

The batter mixture usually consists of rice flour, all-purpose flour, sesame seeds, baking powder or traditionally slaked lime, baking soda, sugar, salt, ripe coconut shreds, and water. Sweet and crunchy, fried bananas are typically sold in bags and enjoyed while they are still warm, usually as a snack, a dessert, or an appetizer. 

Hailing from Thailand, kai ho bai toei is a chicken delicacy made with marinated pieces of chicken - usually chicken thighs or chicken breasts - that are enclosed within aromatic pandan leaves and deep-fried. A variety of ingredients can be used in the marinade - coriander, fish sauce, oyster sauce or soy sauce, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, white peppercorns, curry powder, turmeric, lemongrass, coconut cream, palm sugar, sesame oil, flour, vinegar, shallots, and dried chilis.

The chicken is usually steamed before it is deep-fried in order to seal its juices. A dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce or sesame sauce traditionally accompanies this pandan-leaf chicken. In Thailand, kai ho bai toei is usually consumed as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main dish, and it can be found on the menus of numerous Thai restaurants.

Yam kun chiang is a Thai salad made with crispy fried slices of dried pork sausage. The sausage slices are combined with ingredients such as bird’s eye chilis, shallots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro leaves, celery, and onions. Sweet, salty, and fatty, the sausage used in this dish is known as kun chiang in Thai, and it originates from China, where it is called lap cheong or lap chong.

The salad is typically laced with fish sauce and lime juice or rice vinegar, and it is often consumed as a light lunch or an appetizer with a cold beer on the side. Yam kun chiang also pairs well with steamed rice or plain rice porridge, and it can even be used as a sandwich filling.

Hailing from Thailand, thot man khao phot is a deep-fried corn fritter that is made with a mixture based on sweet corn kernels, ground pork or shrimp, rice flour, and eggs. The corn fritters are typically enhanced with Thai red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, and light soy sauce, and they often contain sliced yard-long beans.

There are also vegetarian versions of this dish that omit the addition of meat and use tofu instead. Crispy on the outside and with a chewy bite, these corn fritters are usually served as appetizers or snacks, paired with fresh tomato and cucumber slices and a dipping sauce on the side, such as sweet chili sauce or sweet-and-sour sauce with cucumber slices and crushed roasted peanuts.

Yam nuea yang is a Thai salad made with thin slices of grilled beef, fresh vegetables, and herbs that are laced with a spicy, sweet, sour, and savory dressing. Typical vegetables and herbs used in the salad include shallots, tomatoes, cucumbers, coriander leaves, mint leaves, Thai basil, bird’s eye chilis, and scallions.

This beef salad is usually seasoned with a blend of fish sauce, lime juice, bird’s eye chilis, and palm sugar, while ingredients such as garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and coriander roots can also be included in the dressing. Yam nuea yang can be eaten on its own or served with rice noodles, sticky rice, or jasmine rice on the side. 

Krathong thong is a traditional appetizer consisting of pastry cups that are filled with various ingredients. In Thailand, to make the pastry shells, cooks use a special mold that looks like a cupcake pan at the end of a long handle. The pastry cups are usually made with a combination of plain and rice flour, salt, sugar, egg yolks, water, mineral water, and oil.

The ingredients for the filling vary, and some of the popular ones include pork or chicken, onions, carrots, potatoes, curry powder, and garlic. These golden cups are available in numerous eateries and at street food stands in Thailand.