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  • Know Your Mango and Sticky Rice…and the fuss about it

  •   A Thai delicacy that crosses everyone’s mind as a national dessert, mango and sticky rice makes an addict out of you. It is bites of sweet, slightly salty glutenous sticky rice drenched in slurry coconut cream sauce and fragrant slices of tender yellow-ripe mango that bring you to heaven. Its burst of refreshing taste is a Thai heat remedy. Common in March and April thanks to the fruit’s season, the dessert can be found pretty much all year round in Thailand’s tourist districts now because of its popularity.   The Magic of Mango and Sticky Rice It’s pretty obvious what mango and sticky rice offers…well, mango and sticky rice, duh! Still, what appears easy peasy takes a lot more to prepare and to care for. Here are its secret and not-so secret ingredients: Sticky rice: The first step to the divine bites is to make the stick rice. The white glutenous rice, usually a particular kind – full and long grains, is steamed with pandanus leaves to cook. When done, it’s dumped into undiluted coconut milk with lots of sugar added (of course). The mixture is stirred until the liquid dries out and the result is the sweet creamy and yummy sticky rice! Mango: If you think mangoes are just mangoes, you’re wrong. There are various kinds of mangoes in Thailand, two of which are favorite matches with the rice. ‘Nam Dok Mai’ are more common and now becoming more popular thanks to its big round appeal. The fruit gives more volume and boldly sweet. Old schoolers would prefer ‘Aok Rong.’ Smaller and fatter, the later are a bit sour when ripe and people think they match well with the sticky rice which is already super sweet. Coconut milk sauce: As sweet as the sticky rice and the mango already are, the dish is not ready to be served until more coconut milk sauce, rich and creamy, is poured over. The sauce can be the same coconut milk mixture used to prepare the sticky rice, but any chef who care know to prepare it separately with slightly diferent ingredients and ratos. Usually, the sauce tastes a bit salty and less sweet since that matches better with the other really sweet elements. Golden Beans: The delicious garnish to sprinkle over the dish is mung beans, stir-fried until they turn golden brown and crispy.   Should You Worry about Eating Too Much Mango and Sticky Rice? Are you watching that mango and sticky rice, drooling but trying to calculate the calories you’ll have to burn afterwards in the same time? Seriously, drop it! You shouldn’t care. You’re in Thailand and honestly, eating the city’s best mango and sticky rice should be your important mission. But if you really need to know, it’s 300 minimum. The only concern you should have, which applies to any sweets, is avoid it if you have a cholesterol problem and diabetes. Otherwise, be blessed by this invention and enjoy life.   Where can you find the best Mango and Sticky Rice in Bangkok? Walking into any wet markets, you’re like to find at least one stall that sells mango and sticky rice. But what if we want the best? Here are our top pick 5 places to grab the favorite Thai treat. Mae Varee: Conveniently located in Thonglor, Bangkok’s downtown, Mae Varee has been here and done it for 20 years. Price starts from 130 THB Opening hours: 6AM – 11PM Getting there: a few doors down the corner of Thonglor Rd. (Sukhumvit 55), Thonglor BTS Station, Exit 3 Auntie Lek – Aunte Yai: Opens only from February to June, the shop serves the best selected fruits of the year. Price is less than 100 THB Opening hours: 9AM- 6PM Getting there: Wongwian (Roundabout) 22 Karakadakom , 650 meters north of Hua Lamphong MRT Station K. Panich: Located in bustling Bangkok’s Old Town, the shop is a bit challenging to find but its 80-year establishment guarantees it’s worth a venture! Price starts from 140 THB Opening hours: 7AM – 7PM Getting there: Hua Lamphong MRT Station then take a taxi Mango Tango: A branched modern and hip restaurant serving any desserts made of mangoes, conveniently located in Siam Price: 120 – 145 THB Opening hours: 11.30AM – 10PM Getting there: Hua Lamphong MRT Staton then take a taxi Auntie Juabjit: A modest stall in the busy district of Pratunam only opens at night Price: 120 THB Opening hours: 5PM until late night Getting there: Pratunam Junction, an easy walk from Central World Shopping Mall accessed Siam and Chidlom BTS stations Anyway, Thailand is not all all mango and sticky rice. Several exotic tropical fruits await you on streets of Bangkok. Need more food ideas and fun and meaningful activities to do in Bangkok? See our available tours or simply drop us a message at info@bangkokfoodtours.com.    …

  • 8 Local Food to Try in Phuket

  • 8 Local Food to Try in Phuket Get to know more about Phuket local food Not only wonderful seascape that you can find at Phuket but in this little island is also more popular for its culinary background so it can be called “Heaven for foodies”. You can enjoy southern Thai food, Malay food, Chinese food, and even Peranakan food which are readily available in restaurants and on the street. Here the newest infographic from Bangkok Food Tours team that we are proud to present and let you to know more about top 8 famous local foods in Phuket before visiting there. – Phuket Local Foods – www.phuketfoodtours.com…

  • 10 Things To Do in Bangkok

  • 10 cultural things to do in Bangkok If you’re looking for things to do in Bangkok, keep in mind the city is not all about places you can visit. Try to mix tourist attractions, shopping, culture and local activities into your plan. Here, we have a list of 10 cultural things to do in Bangkok that will make you know and enjoy the city better. Also read: Do-It-Yourself Chao Phraya River Sightseeing Trip  Places to Shop for Thai Souvenirs in Bangkok 1. Eat street food Bangkok ranges among the best street food cities in the world. You can enjoy delicious and cheap meals all day all night. You can learn a lot about culture and ethnic cultures in Bangkok via street food. You will find Chinese, Muslim, regional Thai dishes, and street snacks. But mainly you will find Issan food. Issan is a local tongue for Northeastern Thailand. Issan food is hot & spicy, sour, sweet, and salty, simply flavorful. The most popular Issan food in Thailand and probably in the world is som tam (spicy green papaya salad). It might be difficult to catch a street food cart as they roam Bangkok all day, unless you know their regular spots. One place you will surely find street food is a wet market. In fact, wet markets are known as the best places by Thai foodies to find cheap, delicious, and generation-old eateries. Read about the best neighborhoods you can eat street food in Bangkok here. Vietnamese crepe sold by a street vendor in Talad Phlu Market Most street vendors specialize in cooking one thing, either a snack or a meal. But you will also find cook-to-order vendors, and khao gaeng vendors. Cook-to-order vendors serve simple and common hot meals, something that doesn’t require an elaborate cooking process. Khao gaeng vendors, translated to rice and curry, serve pre-cooked assortments. Whichever assortments you buy, they are food in plastic bags for you. There are the most common Thai street food you will find: Pad thai (ผัดไทย) – stir-fried rice noodle with eggs and chopped firm tofu, flavored with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili pepper and palm sugar Som tam (ส้มตำ) – chili hot green papaya salad. The same vendor will serve sticky rice and grilled meat. A variety of noodle soups (ก๋วยเตี๋ยว) Pad see eiw (ผัดซีอิ๊ว) – wide rice noodles stir-fried in dark soy sauce with chicken, pork, or beef as well as either Chinese broccoli or cabbage Moo yang (หมูย่าง) – grilled pork skewer, usually served with sticky rice and taken as a light meal   2. Ride a bicycle in Bangkok Old City Octo Cycling Tours Bangkok Old City (Rattanakosin) is teemed with historical and cultural sites. Though you can explore these sites on a Tuk Tuk, another fun way to visit them is on a bicycle. Bangkok’s road traffic and tropical heat might be intimidating, but exploring the city’s small streets and alleys is possible only either on two wheels or on foot. You will experience everyday streets of Bangkok, where ordinary folks live, plus sightseeing, eating street food. Octo Cycling and Co van Kessel Bangkok are among the best bicycle tour operators in Bangkok. Do check their tours out. 3. Food tours by Tuk Tuk Food tours by Tuk Tuk combine two of the best things Bangkok can offer: food and Tuk Tuk. Zipping through the traffic of Bangkok on a Tuk Tuk is fun. Most Tuk Tuk food tours in Bangkok will take you to eat Thai food at local restaurants – the places where local diners go to, like street food and whole-in-the-wall restaurants. But don’t underestimate these establishments, it’s them that have Michelin stars! Sightseeing is a part of the tours. Visiting historical sites, you learn about local culture and give yourself breaks from the food. Pad thai on Best Eats Midnight Food Tour by Tuk Tuk The original food tour by Tuk Tuk which remains the most popular until today is Best Eats Midnight Food Tour by Tuk Tuk. The tour takes you around Bangkok Old City, stopping at three restaurants, Northeastern Thai food, Pad Thai, and chicken fried noodle. At the chicken fried noodle place, you get to sneak into the kitchen and see woks on fire. On the sightseeing side, there are a colorful night flower market and a famous temple, crowd-free. Both are best seen at night. Another food tour by Tuk Tuk, less popular yet unique is Offbeat Thonburi & Bangkok’s Riverside Evening Food Tour by Tuk Tuk. This one explores street food scenes at night markets and an indoor floating market in the Thonburi area and along the Cha Phraya river. The same tour operator offers a vegetarian food tour by Tuk Tuk for those who want to try Asian vegetarian dishes in Bangkok Old City.   4. Hang out at Bangkok’s exotic bars Sing Sing Theater Bangkok has more than 10,000 bars and pubs. A few attract crowd with exotic themes and eye-catching interiors. In Bangkok’s hipster and upscale neighborhoods, you get everything from live theatre, to Shanghai’s Forbidden Era, gothic fairytale characters, and a boxing ring in a bar. These bars have got a mixed crowd of expats, Thai hipsters, and curious tourists. Havana Social Sing Sing Theatre, designed by Ashley Sutton, one of Bangkok’s most sought-after industrial designer, is a bar-cum-club with Chinese umbrellas, lanterns, ornamented screens and wooden balconies. Next to the DJ booth on the main stage, there are cages where mythical characters hang out. The dance floor gives way to dance shows at least once a night. Crafted by the same designer, The Iron Fairies is a jazz bar with quite a theme – a dark fairytale gold mine. Industrial machinery and metal fairy miniatures scatter around the place. Havana Social, dimly lit and serving classic rum cocktails, is inspired by prohibition bars commonly found in pre-revolution Cuba. If you want a Thai-style Moonshine, medicinal liquor illegal on Thai streets, and DJs spinning Thai Issan tracks, head…