The banquet favorite named after a mythical forest — Thailand's most welcoming Chinese inheritance.
$16
Where it comes from
In Thai, the cashew is med mamuang himmaphan — seed of the mango of Himmaphan, mythology's enchanted forest — because the nut dangles beneath its fruit like something a storyteller invented. The stir-fry descends from Chinese banquet cooking, softened to Thai taste: buttery roasted cashews, green onion and toasted dry chilies that trade burn for aroma. Sweet-savory and crowd-uniting, it is the plate that empties first at every family table.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.
