Som Tum Taeng — Thai Cucumber Salad

RECIPES, Issaan, Salads, Vegetarian

Som Tum Taeng — Thai Cucumber Salad
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Som Tum Taeng — Thai Cucumber Salad

Course: Issaan, RECIPES, Salads, Vegetarian
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

Som tum taeng is the cucumber cousin of Thailand's most iconic salad — lighter and more delicate than the classic green papaya version, but built on exactly the same principles and just as addictive. Cool, crisp cucumber takes the place of shredded papaya, absorbing the sharp, spicy dressing in a way that feels particularly welcome in warm weather. All the hallmarks are here — the pound of chilli and garlic, the cherry tomatoes bruised into the dressing, the roasted peanuts, the balance of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy that makes som tum one of the most satisfying salads in the world. Ready in ten minutes and impossible to stop eating.

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and cut into thin matchsticks

  • 1-2 bird's eye chillies, adjust to taste

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 6 green beans, cut into 3cm lengths

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce for a vegan version)

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices Thai Rice Vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Directions

  • Follow the same method as our Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad, substituting the shredded green papaya with cucumber matchsticks. Full method at Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad.
  • The one adjustment worth noting: cucumber releases more water than green papaya, so pound and dress the cucumber more briefly — just enough to bruise the edges and open them up to the dressing without breaking the pieces down completely. Serve immediately after dressing for the best texture.

Notes

  • Deseeding the cucumber before cutting is an important step — the seeds hold most of the water in the cucumber and removing them prevents the dressing from becoming diluted. To deseed, halve the cucumber lengthways and run a teaspoon along the centre to scoop out the seeds before cutting into matchsticks. Young corn, sliced lengthways into thin strips, is another excellent substitute for green papaya and works with exactly the same method and dressing.

Guay Tiew Reua — Thai Boat Noodles

RECIPES, Soups

Guay Tiew Reua — Thai Boat Noodles
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Guay Tiew Reua — Thai Boat Noodles

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main
Servings

2

servings
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

Guay tiew reua — boat noodles — are one of the most intensely flavoured noodle soups in all of Thai cooking. The name comes from the small wooden boats that once navigated the canals of central Thailand, with vendors ladling these dark, rich, deeply savoury broths from pots balanced at the bow. The bowls were tiny by design — small enough to eat in a few mouthfuls before the boat moved on — and so boldly flavoured that a single mouthful was enough to know you were eating something extraordinary. The broth is dark with soy, deep with spice, and built for people who want their soup to mean something. This version stays true to the spirit of the original — rich, complex, and unapologetically bold — using ONOFF's Thai Rice Noodles and No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce as its backbone.

Ingredients

Directions

  • The broth:
  • Place the stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, coriander roots, cinnamon, star anise, and white peppercorns and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes to allow the spices to fully infuse the broth, then strain out the aromatics and return the broth to the pan.
  • Season the broth with ONOFF No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, ONOFF No Oyster Vegan Seasoning Sauce, Thai Rice Vinegar, palm sugar, and Sriracha. The broth should be dark, deeply savoury, and slightly sharp — bold enough to stand up to the noodles and toppings. Taste and adjust, keeping it at a gentle simmer while you prepare the noodles.
  • The noodles and assembly:
  • Prepare the ONOFF Thai Rice Noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and divide between two deep bowls.
  • Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Place the thinly sliced beef or pork into a fine sieve or noodle basket and briefly submerge it in the boiling broth for 20–30 seconds until just cooked through. Lay the meat over the noodles in each bowl.
  • Blanch the bean sprouts in the same broth for 15 seconds, then divide between the bowls.
  • Ladle the hot broth generously over the noodles and meat.
  • Top with spring onion, fresh coriander, fried garlic or shallots, and crushed peanuts.
  • Serve immediately with small individual bowls of ONOFF No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, Thai Rice Vinegar, Sriracha, dried chilli flakes, and palm sugar on the side — the traditional Thai condiment set that allows each person to season their own bowl to taste.

Notes

  • The condiment set served alongside is not optional decoration — it is an essential part of how boat noodles are eaten. In Thailand, the first thing you do when a bowl of noodles arrives is adjust the seasoning to your own preference: a splash more vinegar for sourness, a pinch of sugar to round it, a spoonful of chilli for heat, a few drops of seasoning sauce for depth.

    The broth is intentionally bold as a base, designed to be personalised at the table. Traditional boat noodles also include a small amount of pork blood stirred into the broth, which gives the soup its characteristic dark colour and body. This is not easy to source outside Thailand and is omitted here — the dark soy and spiced broth achieves a similar depth of colour and flavour.

Khao Niao — How to Cook Sticky Rice

RECIPES, Other

Khao Niao — How to Cook Sticky Rice
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Khao Niao — How to Cook Sticky Rice

Course: Other, RECIPES
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Sticky rice — ข้าวเหนียว (khao niao) — is the foundation of northern and northeastern Thai cooking, eaten at every meal by hand, pinched into small balls and used to scoop up whatever is on the table alongside it. It is a completely different grain from jasmine rice and requires a completely different cooking method. It is never boiled. It is soaked overnight and steamed — always. Once you have learned how to cook it properly, it is one of the simplest and most satisfying things you can make. And once you have eaten a meal with properly cooked sticky rice, you will understand immediately why the people of Isan and the north consider it not a side dish but the centre of the meal.

Ingredients

  • 400 grams glutinous sticky rice

  • Water for soaking

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and cover generously with cold water. Leave to soak overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours. The rice will absorb water and swell noticeably — this is correct. The soaking step cannot be skipped or significantly shortened, as it is what allows the rice to cook evenly throughout during steaming.
  • When ready to cook, drain the soaked rice thoroughly through a fine sieve and rinse briefly under cold running water.
  • Fill a steamer pot or large saucepan with water to a depth of about 5cm and bring to a vigorous boil. The water level should sit well below the base of the steamer basket — the rice must steam, not touch the water below.
  • Line a bamboo steamer basket or metal steamer with a piece of muslin cloth or a clean, thin cotton cloth. Add the drained rice and spread it out into an even layer. Fold the edges of the cloth loosely over the rice.
  • Place the steamer over the boiling water, cover with a lid, and steam for 20–25 minutes until the rice is tender, translucent, and slightly glossy. After 15 minutes, lift the lid and use a spoon or spatula to turn the rice over — this ensures even cooking throughout.
  • To check if it is done, take a few grains and press them between your fingers — they should be fully tender with no chalky centre remaining.
  • Transfer the cooked sticky rice to a bowl, season with salt, and toss gently. Cover with a clean cloth or lid to keep warm until serving.
  • Serve directly from a small bowl or traditional woven kratip basket, allowing each person to take portions by hand throughout the meal.

Notes

  • If you do not have a traditional bamboo steamer, a metal colander set over a pot of boiling water and covered tightly with a lid or foil works very well. A Dutch poffertjes pan or any steamer insert with small holes also works — the key is that the steam circulates freely around the rice.

    Avoid using a rice cooker for glutinous sticky rice unless it has a specific sticky rice setting, as standard rice cooker programmes are calibrated for jasmine rice and will produce an uneven, partially undercooked result. Leftover sticky rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

    To reheat, wrap in a damp cloth and steam for 5 minutes, or microwave briefly with a splash of water to restore its soft, chewy texture.
  • You can serve the Sticky Rice with Gai Yang, Som Tum Green Papaya Salad and Thai Cucumber Salad. Great dipping sauces to sticky rice are ONOFF Thai Sweet Chili Sauce or ONOFF Sri Racha Sauce.

  • Gai Yang — Isan Grilled Chicken

    Cooks in 10 minutes

    Gai yang is the dish that defines Isan street food. Whole chicken pieces marinated in lemongrass, garlic, coriander root, and fish sauce, then grilled until the skin is golden, slightly charred, and impossibly fragrant. It is the kind of food that stops you in your tracks — the smell alone is enough. Traditionally served with sticky rice and som tum green papaya salad, this is the complete Isan meal that millions of Thais eat every week. Simple ingredients, patient cooking, and a result that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

  • Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad

    Cooks in 15 minutes

    Som tum is one of Thailand's most iconic dishes — born in the northeast and now loved across the entire country and far beyond. Shredded green papaya is pounded in a mortar and pestle with chilli, garlic, cherry tomatoes, green beans, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar, each ingredient bruised just enough to release its flavour without losing all of its texture. The result is simultaneously crunchy, juicy, sour, spicy, and sweet — a dish that encapsulates everything Thai cuisine does best in a single bowl. Simple to make, impossible to forget, and endlessly adaptable to whatever is fresh and available.

  • Som Tum Taeng — Thai Cucumber Salad

    Cooks in 20 minutes

    Som tum taeng is the cucumber cousin of Thailand's most iconic salad — lighter and more delicate than the classic green papaya version, but built on exactly the same principles and just as addictive. Cool, crisp cucumber takes the place of shredded papaya, absorbing the sharp, spicy dressing in a way that feels particularly welcome in warm weather. All the hallmarks are here — the pound of chilli and garlic, the cherry tomatoes bruised into the dressing, the roasted peanuts, the balance of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy that makes som tum one of the most satisfying salads in the world. Ready in ten minutes and impossible to stop eating.

  • Thai Cucumber Salad

    Cooks in 10 minutes

    Fresh, cool, and zingy — this simple Thai cucumber salad is the perfect companion to any curry. Crisp cucumber is dressed in a light, tangy sauce with just the right amount of heat, balanced by a touch of sweetness. It takes minutes to prepare and brings a refreshing contrast to rich, coconut-based dishes. A staple of Thai home cooking, and once you've tried it alongside a bowl of red curry, you'll never want to eat one without the other.

Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad

RECIPES, Salads

Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad
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Som Tum — Green Papaya Salad

Servings

2

servings
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Som tum is one of Thailand's most iconic dishes — born in the northeast and now loved across the entire country and far beyond. Shredded green papaya is pounded in a mortar and pestle with chilli, garlic, cherry tomatoes, green beans, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar, each ingredient bruised just enough to release its flavour without losing all of its texture. The result is simultaneously crunchy, juicy, sour, spicy, and sweet — a dish that encapsulates everything Thai cuisine does best in a single bowl. Simple to make, impossible to forget, and endlessly adaptable to whatever is fresh and available.

Ingredients

  • 300 grams green papaya, peeled and shredded into thin matchsticks

  • 2-3 bird's eye chillies (adjust to taste)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 6 green beans, cut into 3cm lengths

  • 2 tablespoons ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon ONOFF Spices Thai Rice Vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

  • dried shrimp, optional — traditional but can be omitted

Directions

  • Using a mortar and pestle, pound the chillies and garlic together into a rough paste — you want texture here, not a smooth purée. The chilli seeds and garlic should be broken down but still visible.
  • Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, Thai rice vinegar, and lime juice and stir to combine with the pestle until the sugar fully dissolves.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes and green beans and lightly bruise them with the pestle — just enough to release their juices into the dressing without breaking them apart completely.
  • Add the shredded green papaya and dried shrimp if using. Using both the pestle and a large spoon, toss and lightly pound the papaya so it bruises slightly and absorbs the dressing. This step is what gives som tum its characteristic texture — the papaya should be softened at the edges but still have crunch at the centre.
  • Taste and adjust the balance — it should be sour first, salty second, with a lingering heat from the chilli and just enough sweetness to round everything out.
  • Transfer to a serving plate and scatter the roasted peanuts over the top just before serving.
  • Serve immediately alongside sticky rice and grilled meats, or as a light meal on its own.

Notes

  • Green papaya can be found in most Asian supermarkets, where it is sold firm and unripe — this is correct. Ripe, sweet papaya is a different fruit entirely and will not work in this dish. If green papaya is unavailable, two excellent substitutes work beautifully in this recipe.
    Cucumber — peeled, deseeded, and cut into thin matchsticks — gives a fresher, more delicate result that is particularly good in hot weather.
    Young corn — sliced lengthways into thin strips — gives a sweeter, crunchier result that is especially popular in central Thailand. Both substitutes work with exactly the same dressing and method. If you do not have a mortar and pestle large enough, finely mince the chilli and garlic, whisk the dressing in a bowl, and toss with the remaining ingredients — the texture will differ slightly but the flavour will be just as good.

Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream

RECIPES, Desserts

Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream
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Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream

Course: Dessert
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

55

minutes

Khao niao dam is one of Thailand's most beautiful desserts — and one of its most ancient. Black sticky rice, slow-cooked until tender and deeply purple, served warm in its own lightly sweetened broth and finished with a drizzle of salted coconut cream. It is simple in the way that only the best food is simple — a handful of ingredients, patient cooking, and a result that is quietly extraordinary. The colour alone is stunning: the natural anthocyanins in the black rice turn the cooking liquid a rich, jewel-like purple that deepens as it simmers. Found at temple fairs, market stalls, and family tables across Thailand, this is comfort food in its most honest and nourishing form.

Ingredients

  • For the pudding:

  • 200 grams black glutinous sticky rice

  • 50 grams white glutinous sticky rice (optional — lightens the texture slightly)

  • 1.2 litres water

  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot (optional but traditional — adds a subtle floral fragrance)

  • For the salted coconut cream topping:

  • 1 can ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • The pudding:
  • Soak the black sticky rice (and white sticky rice if using) in cold water overnight, or for a minimum of 6 hours. Drain well before cooking.
  • Place the soaked, drained rice in a medium saucepan with the 1.2 litres of water and the pandan leaves if using. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35–40 minutes, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, leaving a thick, porridge-like consistency. The cooking liquid will turn a deep, rich purple — this is exactly as it should be.
  • Add the palm sugar and salt and stir well until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust — the pudding should be gently sweet with a clean finish. Remove the pandan leaves.
  • The salted coconut cream topping:
  • While the pudding finishes cooking, warm the ONOFF Coconut Cream gently in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not boil.
  • Add the palm sugar and salt and stir until fully dissolved. The topping should taste creamy, lightly sweet, and distinctly salty — the contrast with the sweet pudding below is the point. Set aside.
  • To serve:
  • Spoon the warm black sticky rice pudding into bowls. Drizzle the salted coconut cream generously over the top — do not stir it in. The two layers sitting separately, the dark purple beneath the white cream, is part of what makes this dessert so visually beautiful.
  • Serve warm. The pudding can also be served at room temperature, though the contrast between warm pudding and cool coconut topping is particularly good.

Notes

  • Black sticky rice is available in most Asian supermarkets. It is sometimes labelled black glutinous rice or forbidden rice — they are the same grain. The overnight soak is essential and cannot be shortened significantly — unlike white sticky rice, the black variety has a tougher outer layer that needs extended soaking to cook through evenly. Leftover pudding keeps well in the fridge for up to three days and reheats beautifully with a splash of water stirred through to loosen it. The coconut topping is best made fresh each time.

Pad Pak Boong — Stir Fried Morning Glory

Food culture, RECIPES, Stirfry, Vegetarian

Pad Pak Boong — Stir Fried Morning Glory
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Pad Pak Boong — Stir Fried Morning Glory

Servings

2

servings
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Pad pak boong is one of the great Thai street food dishes — and one of the most underrated. Morning glory, known in Thai as ผักบุ้ง (pak boong), is a semi-aquatic leafy vegetable with hollow stems and tender leaves that wilts beautifully in a screaming hot wok, absorbing the salty, garlicky sauce in seconds. At street food stalls across Thailand, it is tossed in the wok at extraordinary heat — sometimes theatrically flipped high into the air, earning the dish its nickname "flying vegetables" — and arrives at the table blistered, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. It is the kind of dish that reminds you how much a handful of simple ingredients can achieve when the heat is right and the timing is perfect.

Ingredients

Directions

  • Prepare all ingredients before heating the wok — this dish cooks in under three minutes and there is no time to prepare anything once the heat is on.
  • Heat a wok over the highest heat your stove can produce until it is visibly smoking. This is not optional — the high heat is what gives pad pak boong its characteristic blistered texture and wok fragrance.
  • Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the wok. Immediately add the garlic and crushed chillies and stir fry for no more than 15–20 seconds until fragrant and just beginning to colour.
  • Add the morning glory all at once and toss vigorously in the wok, keeping everything moving constantly.
  • Add the ONOFF No Oyster Vegan Seasoning Sauce, ONOFF No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, Sriracha Sauce, and palm sugar. Toss everything together well for 1–2 minutes until the stems are just tender and the leaves are wilted but still vivid green.
  • Taste and adjust — it should be savoury, garlicky, and have a gentle background heat from the chilli and sriracha.
  • Transfer immediately to a plate and serve alongside steamed jasmine rice. Eat straight away — pad pak boong waits for no one.

Notes

  • Morning glory is available in most Asian supermarkets, where it is sometimes labelled water spinach or kangkong. If you cannot find it, Chinese broccoli (gai lan) or regular spinach work as substitutes — reduce the cooking time slightly for spinach as it wilts faster. The dish is fully vegan as written using ONOFF's No Oyster and No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauces, making it one of the easiest and most satisfying plant-based Thai dishes in the entire repertoire.