Top 16 'Herb-Heavy' Isaan Recipes to cook for an authentic taste of the Northeast in Bangkok - Goh Ling Yong
Step away from the tourist traps and the sweetened-for-foreigners curries. If you want to taste the real, vibrant, and unapologetic heart of Thai cuisine, you need to head northeast—to the region of Isaan. Or, if you’re like me and living in the sprawling metropolis of Bangkok, you can bring the soul of Isaan right into your own kitchen. This is a cuisine that doesn't whisper; it sings, shouts, and dances on your palate with a fiery, funky, and sour symphony of flavors.
Isaan food is the lifeblood of Bangkok's street food scene, fueling the city with its pungent chili dips, savory grilled meats, and intensely refreshing salads. But what truly sets it apart—what makes it so addictively complex—is its fearless and generous use of fresh herbs. We're not talking about a delicate sprinkle of cilantro for garnish. We're talking about handfuls of mint, culantro, dill, and lemongrass that aren't just an ingredient, but the ingredient. They provide the cooling balance to the chili, the aromatic lift to the fermented fish sauce, and the fresh, green pulse that defines the region.
Forget the idea that Isaan food is just about being mind-numbingly spicy. The real magic lies in the herbaceous complexity. It's a culinary philosophy that celebrates the raw, the pungent, and the profoundly aromatic. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to pound, chop, and toast. Here are the top 16 herb-heavy Isaan recipes you can cook to experience an authentic taste of the Northeast, right here in Bangkok.
1. Laab Moo (Spicy Minced Pork Salad)
There is no better introduction to Isaan cuisine than Laab Moo. This iconic dish is the unofficial national dish of the Northeast and for good reason. It's a "salad" in the Thai sense, meaning a vibrant jumble of protein, fresh herbs, and a powerful dressing. Minced pork is gently cooked and then tossed with lime juice, fish sauce, chili flakes, and the all-important khao khua (toasted rice powder).
The herb profile is what makes Laab truly special. It's not a dish without massive amounts of fresh mint leaves, finely sliced shallots, and sawtooth coriander (culantro). These aren't just a garnish; they are integral components that provide a cooling, pungent counterpoint to the rich pork and spicy dressing. The mint, in particular, lifts the entire dish, preventing it from feeling heavy and leaving your palate feeling incredibly refreshed.
Pro-Tip: Make your own khao khua. Simply toast uncooked sticky rice in a dry pan until it's a deep golden brown, then grind it in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. The nutty, smoky aroma is a thousand times better than the pre-packaged stuff and will elevate your Laab to legendary status.
2. Nam Tok Moo (Grilled Pork Salad)
Think of Nam Tok Moo as Laab's smoky, sophisticated cousin. The name translates to "waterfall pork," which is said to refer to the juices dripping from the meat as it sizzles over charcoal. Instead of using minced meat, this salad features slices of grilled pork shoulder or neck, which are then tossed in the same dressing as Laab.
The addition of grilled, fatty meat adds a layer of smoky depth that pairs beautifully with the herbs. Like Laab, it's loaded with mint, culantro, and shallots, but often includes very finely sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves as well. The combination of warm, smoky pork with the cool, crisp herbs is a textural and flavorful masterpiece. It's the perfect showcase of how Isaan cooking balances rich, savory elements with bright, herbal notes.
Serving Suggestion: Serve it with a basket of fresh sticky rice and a plate of raw vegetables like long beans, cabbage, and Thai basil for scooping and crunching.
3. Soop Naw Mai (Spicy Bamboo Shoot Salad)
Now we venture into truly authentic Isaan territory. Soop Naw Mai is a pungent, complex, and utterly addictive salad made from boiled bamboo shoots. If you love funky, fermented flavors, this dish is for you. The bamboo is shredded and pounded in a mortar with a unique dressing made from bai yanang extract (a green, earthy leaf), lime juice, and the indispensable pla ra (fermented fish sauce).
This is a dish where the herbs are not just an addition but a necessity to balance the funk. A generous amount of culantro, mint, and spring onions are tossed through, providing a sharp, fresh bite that cuts through the earthiness of the bamboo and the pungent pla ra. It's a flavor combination that might challenge the uninitiated, but once you acquire the taste, there's no going back.
4. Tom Saap Gradook Moo (Hot and Sour Pork Rib Soup)
If you love Tom Yum, you must try its Isaan counterpart, Tom Saap. Translating to "spicy soup," this rustic and aromatic broth is heartier and often more herbaceous than its central Thai cousin. It's typically made with tender, slow-braised pork ribs (gradook moo) that fall off the bone.
The soul of Tom Saap is in its broth, which is infused with a trinity of classic Thai herbs: smashed galangal, bruised lemongrass, and torn kaffir lime leaves. But it doesn't stop there. The soup is finished with a huge handful of chopped culantro and sometimes holy basil. The result is a soup that is simultaneously spicy, incredibly sour, and bursting with a complex, layered herbal aroma that will clear your sinuses and warm your soul.
5. Gai Yang (Isaan-Style Grilled Chicken)
You can smell Gai Yang from a block away in Bangkok—that irresistible aroma of chicken charring over hot coals. While grilled chicken is universal, the Isaan version is distinguished by its incredible marinade. The chicken is typically butterflied and flattened before being soaked in a paste that is a masterclass in herbal flavor.
The key marinade ingredients are coriander root, garlic, and white peppercorns, pounded into a fine paste. Often, a generous amount of smashed lemongrass is added to the mix, infusing the meat with its signature citrusy fragrance. A tip I learned from an old Isaan vendor, which I, Goh Ling Yong, swear by, is to bruise the lemongrass thoroughly before adding it to the marinade to release its essential oils. The result is a chicken that's juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and fragrant through and through.
6. Laab Pla Duk (Spicy Catfish Salad)
A smokier and more intense version of the classic Laab, Laab Pla Duk uses grilled and flaked catfish. The fish is grilled until the skin is crispy and the flesh is smoky, then it's painstakingly deboned and flaked before being tossed with the classic Laab dressing and herbs.
The strong, earthy flavor of the catfish stands up wonderfully to the powerful dressing. The herb mix is crucial here; mint and culantro are standard, but very finely sliced kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass are often added to cut through the richness of the fish. This dish is a perfect example of Isaan nose-to-tail philosophy, transforming a humble river fish into something truly spectacular.
7. Gaeng Om Gai (Herbal Chicken Curry)
If there is one dish that embodies the term "herb-heavy," it's Gaeng Om. This is less of a coconut-based curry and more of a fiery, soupy, herbal stew. It’s a rustic, countryside dish packed with an astonishing variety of greens and herbs, all simmering in a broth seasoned with pla ra.
The star herb in Gaeng Om is dill (phak chee lao), which gives the dish its distinctive, almost anise-like aroma. It's used not by the sprig, but by the bunch. Alongside the dill, you'll find lemon basil, culantro, spring onions, and sometimes even a vegetable called climbing wattle (cha-om). The curry paste itself is pounded with lemongrass, galangal, and shallots. Every spoonful is a journey through a fresh herb garden.
8. Sai Krok Isaan (Fermented Isaan Sausage)
These plump, sour sausages are a beloved street food snack. Sai Krok Isaan is made from a mixture of pork and cooked rice, which is then seasoned, stuffed into casings, and left to ferment for a few days. This fermentation process is what gives the sausage its signature tangy flavor.
While you might not see the herbs, they are working their magic from the inside. The primary aromatic is a massive amount of chopped fresh garlic. Some recipes also include lemongrass or coriander root in the mixture. When grilled over charcoal, the fat renders, the rice becomes crispy, and the garlic aroma intensifies, creating an unforgettable bite. Serve with fresh chilies, raw cabbage, and slices of ginger.
9. Laab Gai (Spicy Chicken Salad)
A lighter, leaner alternative to Laab Moo, Laab Gai uses minced chicken. It follows the same principle: cooked minced protein tossed with lime, fish sauce, chili, toasted rice powder, and a mountain of fresh herbs.
Because chicken has a milder flavor than pork, the herbs have an even greater opportunity to shine. The cool burst of mint, the sharp bite of shallots, and the unique pungent flavor of culantro dominate the dish in the most delightful way. It’s a healthy, protein-packed, and incredibly flavorful salad that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
10. Jaew Pla Ra (Fermented Fish Chili Dip)
This is the soul of the Isaan dipping sauce world. Jaew Pla Ra (or Jaew Bong) is a thick, pungent, and smoky chili relish that is served with grilled meats, fresh vegetables, and sticky rice. It’s made by pounding grilled chilies, garlic, and shallots with the king of Isaan ingredients: pla ra.
While the core is fermented fish, herbs play a crucial role in rounding out the flavor. Galangal is often pounded into the paste to add a peppery, citrusy note. Some versions are finished with a sprinkle of chopped culantro. It’s a complex dip that’s simultaneously spicy, salty, funky, and aromatic.
11. Goong Ten (Dancing Shrimp Salad)
This is a dish for the adventurous eater. Goong Ten, or "dancing shrimp," is exactly what it sounds like. It's a salad made from tiny, translucent freshwater shrimp that are still alive. They are quickly tossed in a fiery and herbaceous dressing, and you eat them as they "dance" on the plate.
The dressing is a simple but potent mix of fish sauce, lime juice, and chili flakes. The crucial part is the herb blend that gets tossed with the live shrimp: a flurry of finely sliced lemongrass, mint, culantro, and shallots. The herbs provide a fragrant and fresh counterpoint to the unique texture and sweetness of the shrimp. It's a true Isaan delicacy that highlights the region's love for fresh, raw ingredients.
12. Nam Jim Jaew (Isaan Dipping Sauce)
If Jaew Pla Ra is too funky for you, Nam Jim Jaew is your perfect entry point. This is the quintessential Isaan dipping sauce for all things grilled (yang). It's smoky, sour, salty, and just a little bit sweet. The base is simple: fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, and sugar, all balanced to perfection.
The magic, however, comes from the "dry" ingredients. A generous spoonful of chili flakes provides the heat, while khao khua (toasted rice powder) gives it a wonderful nutty aroma and a slightly gritty texture. Finally, it's finished with a shower of freshly chopped culantro and spring onions, adding a final layer of fresh, herbal fragrance. This sauce can make even a simple piece of grilled meat taste extraordinary.
13. Yum Woon Sen Isaan Style (Glass Noodle Salad)
While Yum Woon Sen is popular all over Thailand, the Isaan version dials up the intensity. It features the same glass noodles, minced pork, and seafood, but the dressing is often punchier, with a more pronounced sour and spicy kick, sometimes with a touch of pla ra.
The herb component is also more robust. While central-style versions often use Chinese celery, the Isaan-style salad isn't shy about adding heaps of culantro and shallots alongside the usual tomatoes and onions. The herbs provide a necessary freshness to balance the rich pork, chewy noodles, and fiery dressing.
14. Pla Pao (Salt-Crusted Grilled Fish)
A true showstopper, Pla Pao is a whole fish (usually tilapia or snakehead fish) coated in a thick crust of salt and grilled slowly over charcoal. The salt crust seals in all the moisture, steaming the fish in its own juices and leaving it incredibly tender.
But the real secret to its amazing flavor is hidden inside. Before grilling, the cavity of the fish is stuffed with a massive bundle of herbs. A whole stalk of lemongrass is bruised and bent to fit, along with a handful of kaffir lime leaves and sometimes pandan leaves. As the fish cooks, these herbs release their aromatic oils, perfuming the flesh from the inside out. The result is a simple, clean-tasting fish with an incredible, deep herbal fragrance.
15. Gaeng Het (Mushroom Curry)
A fantastic vegetarian-friendly option (if you ask them to omit the fish sauce and pla ra), Gaeng Het is an Isaan-style mushroom curry. It's another example of a soupy, water-based curry that prioritizes herbal and vegetable flavors over creamy coconut milk.
This curry is a celebration of whatever mushrooms are in season, often a mix of straw mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and other foraged varieties. The broth is flavored with bai yanang extract and seasoned with pounded chilies and shallots. The key herbs that define this dish are dill and often cha-om (climbing wattle), which has a strong, unique flavor. It's an earthy, light, and deeply satisfying dish.
16. Mok Nor Mai (Bamboo Shoots Steamed in Banana Leaves)
Mok Nor Mai is a wonderful dish that showcases a different Isaan cooking technique: steaming in banana leaves. Shredded bamboo shoots are mixed with minced pork, bai yanang extract, and a pounded curry paste. This mixture is then wrapped in banana leaves to form a neat parcel and steamed or grilled until cooked through.
The herb profile is similar to Soop Naw Mai and Gaeng Om. Dill, cha-om, culantro, and spring onions are mixed into the bamboo filling. The banana leaf wrapper traps all the steam and aroma, infusing the ingredients with its own subtle, tea-like fragrance. Unwrapping a mok is a truly delightful sensory experience.
The soul of Isaan food isn't just fire; it's fragrance. It's the cooling sensation of mint, the citrusy perfume of lemongrass, and the pungent punch of culantro. Exploring these dishes is a journey into a world of bold, unapologetic flavor where herbs are not just an afterthought but the main event.
Living in Bangkok provides the perfect opportunity to dive into this cuisine. The fresh markets are brimming with all the dill, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves you could ever need. So, I encourage you to pick a recipe, head to your local market, and fill your kitchen with the incredible aromas of the Northeast. You’ll discover a side of Thai cooking that is rustic, complex, and profoundly delicious.
What's your go-to Isaan dish to cook at home? Did your favorite herb-heavy recipe make the list? Share your thoughts and cooking adventures in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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