In Hat Yai, try fried chicken served with fried shallots. Eating the chicken and shallots together gives you crunch and a rich aroma. If you fancy a different meal, you could choose bak kut teh, a herbal pork rib soup. Take in the varied food culture of the Songkhla area, one dish at a time.
Choosing a meal in Hat Yai Have the fried chicken with sticky rice. Eat the fried shallots together with the chicken, and add the sauce little by little. On a day when you want a warm broth for your meal, choose bak kut teh, which uses pork ribs.
The food culture you will meet here
The Songkhla area, where Hat Yai is, has the food of its Chinese and Muslim communities side by side. There are meals of sticky rice and fried chicken, and meals built around bak kut teh with its Chinese herbal aroma. The meat and seasonings differ from dish to dish, so choose a menu that everyone you are with can eat.
Bak kut teh is not presented as a dish that began in Hat Yai. You cannot tell whether a dish is halal from the name alone, even if it uses chicken.
What to eat in Hat Yai
Pick a dish you fancy. Each guide explains the flavour and what to eat it with.
It is a dish where you enjoy the crunch of fried chicken together with the rich flavour of shallots. Another feature is that it is seasoned with aromatics such as garlic, coriander root and white pepper. You could also try the chicken and shallots together before adding any sauce.
The aroma of herbs and aromatics joins the broth in which the pork ribs were simmered. The colour and richness of the broth vary with the recipe. Alternate between ribs and broth and enjoy the scent.
A reference photo showing mangosteen. It is not limited to photos of the Thai growing areas or varieties described in the text. Peeled Mangosteen · Azreey · CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized for display; may be cropped · Photo used under CC BY-SA 4.0Main season April–August
The white flesh is sweet and juicy. Some varieties, such as Thailand’s rong rian, differ in texture and in how easily the flesh comes away from the stone.
Bak kut teh is not presented as a dish that began in Hat Yai. You cannot tell whether a dish is halal from the name alone, even if it uses chicken.
How should I choose something I have never tried?
Have the fried chicken with sticky rice. Eat the fried shallots together with the chicken, and add the sauce little by little. On a day when you want a warm broth for your meal, choose bak kut teh, which uses pork ribs.
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
