Can you eat raw food in Bangkok? Absolutely! You just have to be a bit inventive and know where to look…and know of at least one amazing address to treat yourself!
And if you’re not planning a trip to Bangkok, I’ve got ideas here for you to make some great Thai food for yourself, no matter where you are!
A great restaurant for raw food in Bangkok
Rasayana Retreat
Rasayana is a peaceful cafe/restaurant tucked away down Sukhumvit 39 (that’s the street name), just minutes away from one of the busiest main roads and the BTS train (the main transit system).
You can check out their mouthwatering menu here.
‘Not salmon sushi’ – and how you can make it yourself
The picture at the very top of this article is what I ate there: the ‘not salmon sushi’, which was gorgeous!
As far as I can tell, it was made with a walnut paste (soak walnuts overnight and then blend with a sweet pepper, a dash of oil and lemon juice, and spices) wrapped in nori with vegetables and topped with a creamy, thousand island type sauce (blended cashews with red pepper and spices would be my guess).
Raw pizza – and how you can make it yourself
One of my friends had this raw ‘pizza’:
This can be made with a crispy base by blending a few handfuls of corn kernels, half a zucchini (courgette) and a pinch of salt. Stir in a small handful of ground flax, make some round ‘pizza bases’ and dehydrate or bake in the oven at the lowest temperature until crisp (they won’t be raw, but the topping will!)
You then make a quick tomato sauce by blending or mincing some tomatoes with basil, olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt. Top that with a mango-style salsa (the full recipe for that is in 5-Minute Raw, otherwise just mince up some mango).
Drizzle your pizza with a quick cashew sauce (soak a handful of cashews overnight, blend with water to get the desired consistency and add a hint of lemon juice. Sorted!).
Sprinkle some chopped basil on top, and serve!
Quick Thai Salad – and how you can make it yourself
My other friend had this beautiful Thai salad:
You can make this at home by shredding some kale, cabbage and other greens.
Grate some carrots, sweet peppers and beetroot.
Make a quick sauce by mixing some apple cider vinegar with some flax or almond oil, grated ginger (or dried), and soy sauce (fermented rather than cooked – try Nama Shoyu, Tamari, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos).
Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top, and you’re done!
What you can buy on the street
Fresh fruit and veg
Although you can’t always find a wide variety, you will definitely find road stands that sell fresh fruit and veg.
On my first day I came across some delicious papaya which they serve all cut up in a bag with what I call a ‘spork’ (for the uninitiated, this is a cross between a spoon and a fork). You just grab a bag and eat, and it’s super delicious because the papaya has been picked when ripe, unlike in the US or the UK, where the fruit is often transported green and left to ripen on the shelves.
Of course you can just buy a whole papaya and blend it for a quick pudding, which I’ve written about here.
You can also get my very favorite breakfast ever: a young Thai coconut! Yes, the ever-elusive and gorgeous young Thai coconut, about which I have written before…mostly to say that my recipes do NOT include it (as many others do) as it’s hard to find outside of Thailand.
However when you’re in Thailand, make the most of it! I buy mine daily from a street vendor around the corner from my hotel for the princely sum of 20 Thai baht (about 61 cents, or 30p).
Here’s what it looks like:
You drink the beautiful, delicious water first. Then you scrape out the soft flesh with a spoon, eat, and sigh with relief. Honestly, it’s so good for you. Very hydrating if you’re doing sport, great for detox…and as I had just had my mercury fillings removed (more about that later), it was a perfect start to my day.
Gorgeous salads
A very popular salad here is papaya salad, which is made with shredded green papaya.
Here’s a picture of one that I had the other night. It was amazingly delicious!
Traditionally it’s made with bits of tiny shrimp or crab and peanuts, but you can use chopped marinated mushrooms with chopped almonds, cashews or other nuts instead.
For the fish sauce, just use extra lime juice, and substitute another sweetener for the sugar.
You can find a recipe for the authentic Thai version here.
Check out the markets too
One of the biggest produce markets in Asia is in Bangkok! It’s the Or Tor Kor Market, and it’s been around a long time.
There’s just about everything there – including lots of delicious fruit and veg, including durian, which is one of the most famously ‘stinky’ fruits around. I bought what I thought was a durian in London and it turned out to be a jackfruit. Still, I managed to make a great custard with it – so if you do get yourself a durian, or a jackfruit (they are very similar), you can try my recipe here.
Been to Bangkok? Do share!
Have you been to Bangkok? Got any raw food tips I’ve missed? Do let me know in the comments!
