Party In Your Mouth

This is the best Thai party in your mouth.

Wrapped up in a leaf is a wedge of lime (with the peel), salty peanuts, dried shrimp, sweet shredded and toasted coconut, a cube of purple onion, and a chunk of raw ginger.

As you put the entire package in your mouth and start to chew, fireworks of flavors start going off. First you may have a burst of spicy ginger, then a whirl of sour lime, followed by a sparkle of sweet coconut and a crackle of peanuts. You are supposed to nibble off a bit of chili pepper as you eat for the spicy side of things too.

If you come to Thailand, I definitely suggest you try to find this snack. It's more on the traditional side of snacks, so Thais will be impressed that you know what it is and are willing to try.