Southeast Asia is a vast tropical region comprising the nations of Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and many more. Surrounded by the sea and covered in dense jungles, the area is home to some of the world's boldest, funkiest ingredients and spices such as lemongrass, kaffir limes, and Thai chili, which are found across Thai cooking, Filipino cooking, Vietnamese cooking, Malaysian cooking, and Indonesian cooking.
On the sweet side, pandan is used to lend a sweet perfume many traditional Southeast Asian desserts, much like vanilla, while fish sauce is splashed into seemingly every other savory dish for a big boost of umami. From pad Thai to pho, here are our 40 best Southeast Asian recipes to turn up the heat in your kitchen.
Chicken and Green Mango Salad

Danny Bowien's Hanoi-Style Breakfast Pho

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Springy Pad Thai with Green Garlic, Asparagus, and Peas
Spicy Thai-Style Zucchini Carrot Salad

Cauliflower, Cabbage, and Carrot Achaar (Malaysian-Style Pickle)

Cashew Stir-Fry
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Sardine and Lemongrass Salad
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Thai Steamed Coconut-Pandan Cake
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Thai Fish Burger
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Thai Sweet Chile Sauce

Sautéed Squash and Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Chiles
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Charred Cabbage Slaw
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Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

Thai Charred Squid (Pla Muek Yang)

Green Curry with Fish and Eggplant (Kaeng Khiaw Waan)

Summer Rambutan Curry
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Ikan Balado (Padang-Style Grilled Mackerel with Sambal)

Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng)
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Vietnamese-Style Pork Collar

Grilled Shrimp Summer Rolls
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Sour Curry Soup with Shrimp
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Curried Beef Stew with Fried Shallots and Peanuts

Angel Cruz Beef Skewers
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Grilled Lamb Chops with Ginger Sauce
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Malaysian Pan-Seared Snapper with Garlic and Chiles (Chuan-Chuan)

Rice Porridge with Chicken and Ginger (Arroz Caldo)
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Pepsi Rice
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Adobo with Chicken Livers
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Filipino Roast Pork Belly with "Lechon" Sauce
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Filipino Barbecue Chicken Skewers
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Philippine Vinegar-Braised Greens (Kangkong Adobo)
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Adobo Chicken Wings
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Pork Noodle Soup with Shrimp Paste (La Paz Batchoy)
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Deep-Fried Pork Spring Rolls (Lumpia)
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Philippine Paella
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Crispy Philippine Slow-Roasted Pork Belly (Bellychon)

Philippine Noodle Stir-Fry (Pancit Bihon)
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Sesame-Topped Semolina Cake with Coconut (Shwekyi Senyinmakin)

Grilled Chicken and Toasted Coconut Salad (Ayam Jeruk)

Lao Tomato Dip
