What do I get if I order "phiset"?

A bigger portion, usually more meat or rice, at a higher price. How much more varies by place, so ask what phiset adds.

Why is it called khao man gai, "oily rice chicken"?

The rice is cooked with a little oil, garlic and ginger, so it is richer and more fragrant than plain steamed rice. The chicken is normally boiled; some places offer fried chicken too.

Is a runny fried egg safe?

Many healthy people eat them all the time, but undercooked eggs carry a Salmonella risk. Children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immunity should order the egg cooked through (khai dao suk).

Thai one-plate meals: khao man gai, kra pao, khao kha moo, fried rice, rad na

A one-plate meal, ahan jan diao (อาหารจานเดียว), puts rice or noodles and the topping together on a single plate. It comes fast and feeds one person. Many stalls sell one main dish only, such as a khao man gai stall or a khao kha moo stall, while pad kra pao and fried rice come from made-to-order stalls. Know what each dish lets you choose, and you can order in one sentence.

This article covers five of the most common: what each is, what comes with it, and what to say to get the plate you want.

Five dishes in one table

Dish	What it is	Usually comes with	You choose
Khao man gai (ข้าวมันไก่)	Sliced boiled chicken on rice cooked with garlic, ginger and oil	Soybean-paste sauce, broth, cucumber, coriander	Boiled or fried, which cut
Pad kra pao (ผัดกะเพรา)	Meat stir-fried with holy basil, garlic, chili	Rice, fried egg (ask for it)	Meat, heat, egg
Khao kha moo (ข้าวขาหมู)	Stewed pork leg, sliced thin, over rice	Egg, pickled mustard greens, blanched Chinese kale, sour chili sauce	Egg, greens
Khao pad (ข้าวผัด)	Rice fried with egg, onion, garlic and meat	Cucumber, lime, spring onion, prik nam pla	Meat, e.g. prawn, crab, chicken
Rad na (ราดหน้า)	Pan-fried noodles under a thick gravy with Chinese kale and meat	The four table condiments	Sen yai, sen mee, mee krob

Khao man gai

Khao man gai arrived with Hainanese Chinese immigrants. The rice is cooked with ginger, garlic and a little oil, which makes it richer and more fragrant than plain rice. The chicken is normally boiled, sliced and laid on the rice, with coriander on top and cucumber on the side. You get a bowl of chicken broth with winter melon, and a sauce made from fermented soybean paste (เต้าเจี้ยว, tao jiao), dark soy sauce, ginger, chili and garlic.

You can choose boiled (gai tom) or fried (gai thot) where a stall has both, and some let you pick the cut, such as thigh, drumstick, breast or giblets.

Pad kra pao

Often called a national dish. Meat is stir-fried with holy basil (กะเพรา, kra pao), garlic and bird’s eye chilies, seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar; some cooks add oyster sauce. It is served over rice and topped with a fried egg if you ask.

You choose the meat: minced pork, sliced pork, chicken, beef, prawn or mixed seafood. The full ordering pattern is in how to order at a made-to-order stall.

Khao kha moo

A dish shaped by Teochew Chinese cooking. Pork leg is stewed in a thick broth until tender, sliced thin, laid on rice and spooned with the stewing liquid. It usually comes with an egg, pickled mustard greens and blanched Chinese kale, with fresh bird’s eye chilies and garlic on the side to nibble, and a sour sauce of chilies, garlic, salt, lime and vinegar. Some recipes add boiled peanuts to the stew, so ask if you are allergic.

Khao pad (fried rice)

Jasmine rice fried with egg, onion and garlic, sometimes tomato, seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, salt and fish sauce. It comes with cucumber, tomato, lime and spring onion, and you add prik nam pla as you like. Order it with pork, chicken, prawn (khao pad goong) or crab (khao pad poo); some places do pineapple fried rice (khao pad sapparot).

Rad na

A Thai-Chinese dish. Noodles are fried in the wok, then covered with a gravy thickened with tapioca or corn starch, with Chinese kale, garlic and meat or tofu, seasoned with fermented soybeans, dark soy sauce, fish sauce and white pepper. You choose the noodle: sen yai (เส้นใหญ่, wide rice noodles), sen mee (เส้นหมี่, thin rice vermicelli) or mee krob (หมี่กรอบ, crispy fried egg noodles). Then finish it with sugar, fish sauce, chili vinegar and chili flakes from the table; see the four Thai table condiments.

Words you will use

Thai	Meaning
phiset (พิเศษ)	bigger portion, costs more
thammada (ธรรมดา)	regular size
khai dao / khai jiao (ไข่ดาว / ไข่เจียว)	fried egg with the yolk showing / Thai omelette
khai dao mai suk / khai dao suk	runny yolk / yolk cooked firm
mai phet / phet noi	no chili / less chili
mai sai phak chi / mai ao khrueang nai	no coriander / no giblets
sai glong / glap baan	in a box / take away

Say it in one sentence: dish, meat, heat, egg, size. For example, “kra pao gai, phet noi, khai dao suk, phiset”.

Six things in one sentence to get the plate you want

Worked example: lunch for two at a made-to-order stall

Two people. The first is very hungry and loves a runny yolk. The second is pregnant and allergic to shellfish, including molluscs (oyster sauce is made from oysters).

First person wants kra pao, a big plate, runny egg: “Kra pao moo sap, phet glang, khai dao mai suk, phiset” (holy basil minced pork, medium heat, runny fried egg, large).
Second person is pregnant, so the egg is cooked through, and allergic to shellfish, so oyster sauce must be mentioned: “Khao pad gai, khai dao suk. Phae hoi (allergic to shellfish such as oysters and clams), mai sai nam man hoi (no oyster sauce).”
Count what was said. The first sentence covers five things: dish, meat, heat, egg, size. The second covers four: dish, meat, egg, allergy. Everything in two sentences.
At the table, the first adds prik nam pla for more heat; the second tastes before seasoning.

Two plates, two sentences, no questions back from the cook, and the health-critical points said up front.

Take care

Undercooked eggs. Raw or runny eggs carry a Salmonella risk. The US FDA advises cooking eggs until both yolk and white are firm, and notes that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill.
Hidden sauces. Some kra pao has oyster sauce; khao man gai and rad na use fermented soybean paste; some soy sauces contain wheat; some khao kha moo has peanuts. See eating Thai food with a food allergy.
Severe allergies. Talk to your doctor before eating out, and always use the word phae (allergic).

Common mistakes

Expecting a fried egg with kra pao. It is an extra, not automatic everywhere. Ask for it.
Ordering rad na without naming the noodle. The cook has to ask. Say sen yai, sen mee or mee krob up front.
Biting a whole fresh chili from the khao kha moo plate. The fresh chilies and garlic are for nibbling a little at a time. Bird’s eye chilies are very hot.
Saying “mai sai” (leave out) instead of “phae” (allergic). Kitchens take the two very differently.
Adding fish sauce before tasting. Every plate is already seasoned.

Summary

These five one-plate meals, khao man gai, kra pao, khao kha moo, fried rice and rad na, each come with their own choices: boiled or fried chicken, the meat and the egg, or the kind of noodle. Say it all in one sentence, use phiset when you are hungry, order the egg cooked through if you are in a higher-risk group, and tell the kitchen about any allergy, every time.

Sources

Ingredients and heat vary by kitchen and recipe. If you have a food allergy, ask before you order, every time.