No cuisine comes close to Thai’s ability to offer a satisfying mix of flavors that combine sweet, salty, and fiery in one bite. Renowned for healthy, vibrant ingredients and aromatic spices, many Thai dishes to consider and are must-haves in contemporary venues everywhere. Join us as we explore a few mouth-watering recipes your customers will love and learn how to elevate these dishes to five-star status.
Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
Diners often choose this soup as an appetizer, but quickly realize its potential as a main course dish due to the wide array of meats you can easily substitute. The broth is invigorating, especially on sub-zero days, due to the unique blend of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, chili, fish sauce, and galangal.
These ingredients give you a zesty combo that packs a spicy yet manageable punch, warming up your appetite and body temperature. Add ocean-fresh, premium shrimp from Chicago’s leading wholesaler, Northwest Meat Company, to satisfy your seafood-loving customers and elevate this hearty soup to upscale cuisine.
Use homemade broth made from scratch and serve in elegant soup or hot pot bowls, garnished with finely sliced red chili and cilantro. For added richness and visual spark, drizzle with coconut cream and finish with a hint of truffle oil.
Offer the soup with thinly sliced, boneless chicken breasts or pork tenderloins, allowing the herbs and spices to shine, creating nourishing, protein-laden variations.
Pad Thai (Stir-Fry Noodles)
One of the most famous Thai dishes begins with flat, thin pasta and includes mixed organic vegetables like sliced green onions, bean sprouts, garlic chives, gau choy, and banana blossoms. Tofu, eggs, crushed peanuts, palm sugar, and fish sauce complete the ingredients list, mixed in a tangy yet sweet tamarind sauce.
Your presentation should include a wide, shallow bowl alongside garnishes, including microgreens, edible flowers, chopped chives, fresh coriander, and red chili slices. Similar to Tom Yum, you can also utilize lemongrass, basil, kaffir lime leaves, and drizzled sesame or truffle oils for a fresh flavor boost.
Stir-fry’s versatility allows you to include a variety of protein sources, from Northwest Meat Company’s free-range wholesale chicken lineup to jumbo shrimp or, for a luxurious touch, Chicago’s freshest Canadian cold-water lobster tail.
Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Green Curry Chicken)
Derived from the Tamil word “Kari,” meaning sauce or gravy, Thailand’s version of Curry balances creamy coconut milk, fragrant herbs, and a healthy dose of heat. This Thai dish’s color stems from the paste created with green chilies, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, cilantro roots, and galangal.
Add tender chicken breast chunks, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and basil, then simmer the broth for 30 minutes on low after bringing to a boil. This will allow the flavors to infuse deep within the meat and the veggies to cook fully. Be sure the eggplant and bamboo retain their shape while tenderizing.
Use Northwest Meat Company’s premium free-range chicken thighs or breasts from Joyce Farms, sliced into bite-size pieces for better texture and flavor. Create a radiant presentation by experimenting with additional vegetables, including bell peppers, snow peas, and Thai eggplants.
Let diners soak up the lively curry sauce by including jasmine or sticky rice alongside garnishes, including cilantro, red chili sliced, and basil leaves.
Som Tum (Green Papaya)
Salad lovers will enjoy the crispy textures and assertive flavors Som Tum offers. The main contents are sliced or halved fresh cherry tomatoes, blanched or raw green beans, crushed or whole peanuts, sliced Thai chili peppers, minced garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar.
Adjust the chili pepper amounts according to diners’ preferences to go easy on their palettes. Fine-tune the lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar amounts to find the optimum sweet, sour, and heat blend.
Add protein to your salad with various cuts from Chicago’s leading meat wholesaler. Grilled chicken or shrimp with a touch of garlic and lime match perfectly, as do stir-fried pork tenderloins and shoulder, thinly-sliced beef flanks, or a pan-seared sirloin, marinated and cooked to medium-rare.
Serve chilled, and garnish creatively with toasted sesame seeds, additional crushed peanuts, and cilantro. Substitute crushed almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds instead of peanuts to accommodate those with allergies.
Pad Kra Pao Moo (Thai Basil Pork Stir-Fry)
Our final Thai dish features Northwest Meat Company’s premium ground, or thin-sliced pork loin, sautéed with soy sauce, minced garlic, Thai holy basil, sliced chili peppers, fish sauce, and sugar.
Use a large skillet or wok over high heat and stir-fry the meat until the edges are slightly crispy and the slices are caramelized. Add the basil leaves towards the final cooking moments to preserve freshness. Monitor the spiciness by using chili peppers according to customer preference.
Serve hot over steamed rice, and optionally include a fried egg for a protein-rich, satisfying meal.
Consider These Thai Dishes and Elevate Your Menu With Premium Meat
Chicago’s leading, family-owned wholesale distributor is ready to spice up any menu with the finest cuts available, locally and nationwide. We’ll deliver fresh, humanely-raised products directly to your venue’s kitchen with guaranteed quality.
Northwest Meat Company is a cut above the rest! Visit our website to browse our products, order directly through our app, or get personalized assistance by calling our sales team at (312) 733-1418.
