Southeast Asian Cuisine Guides

Curious about the cuisines of Southeast Asia? Read our guides and essays to deepen your knowledge of Southeast Asian food history, cooking techniques, ingredients, and more.
Laos Travels: A Guide To Laotian Noodle Soups
20191023-chicken-adobo-vicky-wasik-19
I Grew Up Abroad. Do I Have a Cuisine?
20191030-filipino-pancit-palabok-vicky-wasik-14
Authenticity? These Filipino Chefs Aren’t Concerned
The essential elements of a Filipino pantry arranged in front of a blue backdrop
How to Stock a Filipino Pantry
pastillas de leche on a plate surrounded by candy in intricately cut wrappers, an art form known as pabalat
Mayela's Gift: Unwrapping Pastillas de Leche
Photo Illustration of 5 Filipino dishes, overlapping and encircled by a colored ring with the dishes name on it
Filipino Food 101: Recipes to Get You Started
20080407aligue.jpg
Grocery Ninja: Fatty, Preserved Crab Roe: Not PETA-Safe
20140918-filipino-desserts-halo-halo-flickr-joey-parsons.jpg
Purple Yam and Halo-Halo: The Delicious, Contradictory World of Filipino Desserts
20190604-nasi-goreng-fried-rice-vicky-wasik-5
All About Kecap Manis, Indonesia’s Sweet and Syrupy Soy Sauce
a spread of ingredients commonly used in Indonesian cooking shot from above on a dark blue background
Essential Indonesian Ingredients and How to Use Them
sumatra-coffee.jpg
What You Taste When You Taste Sumatran Coffee
Martabak (Indonesian Street Food)
Sweet or Savory, Martabak is the King of Indonesian Street Food
A bowl of sambal, one of many styles of Indonesian chile pastes.
Sambal Oelek and Beyond: Exploring the Wide World of Indonesian Chile Pastes
A collage of nine Malaysian dishes you should know.
25 Malaysian Dishes You Should Know
A plate of Malaysian rice with sambal.
An Intro to Malaysian Food: The Ingredients
20100409-friedplantain-primary.jpg
Seriously Malaysian: Starters and Desserts
20110805-malaysia-intro.jpg
Snapshots from Malaysia: What Is Malaysian Cuisine?
20110901-charkuay-primary2.jpg
Snapshots from Malaysia: Char Kuey Teow in Penang
Overhead view of finished sambal tumis
Sambal Tumis (Malaysian Chile Paste)
Overhead view of Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak (Malaysian Coconut Rice)
A white dish of wonton mee.
An Introduction to Singaporean Food
Singapore Stories: Ice Kachang, Malaysian Shaved Ice with Beans, Jelly, and More
Hawker stand selling Hainanese curry rice in Singapore.
A Beginner's Guide to the Singapore Hawker Center
Kaya Toast
Snapshots from Singapore: 10 Must-Eat Singaporean Breakfasts
20120810-singapore-wet-market-tekka-crab.jpg
A Tour of a Singaporean Wet Market
20150413-spice-junction-malabar-biryani-pooja-makhijani3.jpg
Why You Should Visit Singapore's Little India Now
20150420-naomi-tomky-singapore-hawker-nick-stall-lead.jpg
A Day in the Life of a Singapore Hawker
20130605-254973-steamboat-with-stuff-edit.jpg
Singapore Stories: All-You-Can-Eat Steamboat Buffet (Chinese Hot Pot)
Opening a durian
Singapore Stories: How I Learned to Like Durian
Chinese Egg Tarts
Singapore Stories: Chinese Egg Tarts
Chili Crab
Snapshots from Singapore: 25 Singaporean Dishes You Should Know
20120808-singapore-kaya-toast.jpg
Snapshots from Singapore: A Must-Try Pork Jerky-Kaya Toast Sandwich Hack
Gula Melaka
Snapshots from Singapore: 13 Singaporean Sweets You Should Know
Snapshots from Asia: Grading Singapore's Food Hawkers
Fruit and Vegetables
A Tour of a Singaporean Supermarket
Overhead view of three thai soups with rice and dipping sauce
A Guide to Thai Soups
Collage of three stir fry dishes and eggplant being tossed in a wok
A Guide to Thai Stir-Fries
Side view of som tum thai (green papaya salad) in a serving bowl
A Guide to Thai-Style Salads
a close up of Gaeng Om Gai (Isan-Style Herbal Curry with Chicken and Dill) in a bowl
A Guide to Thai Curries
a side angle view of Prik Gaeng Garee (Thai Yellow Curry Paste)
A Guide to Thai Curry Pastes
20160616-thai-pantry-vicky-wasik-primary.jpg
How to Stock a Thai Pantry: Essential Ingredients for Your Shopping List
Phat Thai Shrimp Tofu on a banana leaf.
Ask a Sommelier: The Best Wine for Thai Food
20160616-fish-sauce-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
How to Use a Bottle of Fish Sauce
thai-snack-collage.jpg
An Introduction to the Spicy, Fishy World of Thai Snacks
Assorted bottles of different brands of sriracha.
The Best Sriracha | Taste Test
20201030-thai-table-full spread-derek-lucci-2
How to Order (or Cook) Thai Food for a Balanced Meal
20140729-bangkok-street-market-food-09.jpg
For the Best Food in Bangkok, Hit the Streets
20131004-andy-neongrill2.jpg
Debunking Thai Food Myths With Pok Pok's Andy Ricker
Stir-Fried Clams with Thai Chili Jam and Basil Recipe
20140706-chiang-mai-food-08.jpg
Headed to Chiang Mai? Don't Miss the Stellar Khao Soi at Lamduon Fahrm
20100406thaithumb.jpg
Where to Buy Thai Ingredients in New York City
20130311-thai-beef-jerky.jpg
My Thai: Thai Beef Jerky
20110614-bangkok-thai-street-food-primary.jpg
Snapshots from Thailand: Street Food in Bangkok
Larb Pla Dook ($11)
How I Learned to Stop Ordering 'Thai Spicy'
nem lui platter with a bowl of warm water alongside
Beyond Phở: A Rice Paper Roll Platter Is Vietnam on a Tray
20130121-vietnamese-dishes-pho2-primary.jpg
A Basic Introduction to Vietnamese Food
20140805-vietnam-drinks-tra-atiso-barbara-adam.jpg
9 Must-Try Vietnamese Drinks
Overhead view of Vietnamese Broken Rice
Cơm Tấm (Vietnamese Broken Rice)