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Royal Thai Cuisine, complete restaurants guide
in Thailand and USA |
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Angled Loofah (Buap Lium):
Also know as Silk Gourd, Silk Squash or Chinese Okra. This dark green vegetable looks like a long, thin courgette (zucchini) or a very large okra pod, and has angular ridges down its length. A close relative, the smooth loofah is paler in colour, larger and more cylindrical, with a slightly thicker base. Both have a very mild taste, similar to cucumber, which can be used in its place in most cooked dishes. The gourds are eaten young, while they are still sweet. They become unpleasantly bitter as they mature. Loofah is used in stir-fries and soups, and is often boiled and eaten with Nam Prik, It goes well with foods that will not overwhelm its delicate flavour, such as chicken, fish and shellfish. I is also a popular ingredient in a large number of vegetable dishes. When a loofah is young, all you need to do is wash and slice it. They seldom need peeling, but sometimes the ridges toughen as the vegetables ripen. If this is the case remove the ridges, but leave the skin in between, so that the loofah is striped green and white. If the skin is very tough, it is best to peel it completely. Loofah is always eaten cooked, but be careful not to overcook it. |
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 Baby Corn Cobs (Khao Pod On):
Corn is popular vegetable in Thailand and roasted cobs are often on sale from street vendors. For stir-fries and soups, Thais prefer baby corn cobs, which have a musty sweet flavour, as well as a crunchy texture. They are available fresh and canned. Fresh baby corn cobs are best eaten soon after purchase but can be stored for up to 1 week in salad drawer of the refrigerator. |
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These creamy white shoots of some species of the bamboo plant are sold diced, chopped, shredded or whole in cans. Some markets sell the same processed shoots in bulk, usually from large plastic buckets filled with water. Fresh bamboo shoots are rarely seen outside Asia. They can be toxic if not properly pre-boiled, which is a long process. Before using the canned shoots, drain and rinse them well. |
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There are three varieties of basil that are used in Thai cuisine.
Bai Horapha tastes rather like anise, looks like sweet basil, and is used in red and green curries.
Bai Manglak has a lemony flavour, tiny leaves and is usually sprinkled over salads or used in soups.
Bai Graprao has a clove-like taste and purple-reddish tinged leaves. It doesn't store well, so buy just before you intend to use it. European basil can be used as a substitute for all varieties if you can't find the Thai varieties. Basil has a strong flavour, so don't use more than the recipe states. Some nurseries sell Thai basil, so try growing your own. |
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Tofu is made from Soya beans and is an excellent source of protein. A creamy-white, firm tofu is sold in blocks, wrapped in plastic, and is used in soups, stir-fries and salads. Fried tofu is golden brown on the outside, a little rubbery in texture and is added to salads and used as a garnish for soups. Fresh tofu doesn't have much taste when uncooked but absorbs other flavours. It should be refrigerated in water that is changed daily and used within a few days of purchase. |
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Used mainly in salads and as a stir-fry vegetable, Soya bean sprouts are crunchy, white, short sprouts. Discard any that are limp or brown. They are highly perishable so use within three days of purchase. Traditionally, the scraggy ends are removed.
These are long, deep green, stringless beans which grow up to 30 cm. Cut in short lengths, they are used in stir-fries, curries and sometimes soups. They have less flavour than other types of green beans but are easier to prepare.
The "wings" that give this pretty vegetable its English name - they are also known as wing beans - are frilled edges that extend along four sides of the long, flat pod. Young pods are crisp and green, becoming tougher and changing to a yellowish-green as the mature. Usually only the young pods are eaten. They can be blanched and served with coconut milk, cooked in oil and eaten with Nam Prik, or sliced finely and used as an ingredient in 'Tod Man' and many kind of spicy salads. The young shoots and flowers are fried, or may be added to sour spicy soup. The tubers are also edible. Preserved in sugar, they are made into sweetmeats. If the beans are not available, substitute regular green beans or asparagus.
These seeds of a huge tree that grows in southern Thailand, these beans are about the size of broad (fava) beans. The bright green pods that house them are flat and wavy. The beans themselves have a peculiar small and nutty taste that give a distinctive flavour to regional dishes. The beans are usually eaten as vegetable, and they taste good in a sweet-and-sour stir-fry. They are also sometimes roasted and eaten with Nam Prik, and are made into pickles. |
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Aloso known as Chinese bitter gourd, this resembles a knobbly cucumber, with about 10 ridges running along its length. Before it ripens, the melon is pale green in coulur, and it is at this stage that its flesh is particularly prized. The Thais believe that it is very good for the kidneys and blood. When buying bitter melons, look for small, firm specimens that are still green. Do not peel them, simply scrub gently, but thoroughly, cut in half lengthways and scoop out the pulp and seed. The flesh can be cut into slices or chunks. If the flesh is excessively bitter, layer with salt in a colander and then set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with kitchen paper and add to soups or curries. Alternatively, blanch the slices or chunks in lightly salted, boiling water for about 2 minutes before use. |
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This is a Chinese ingredient used in some Thai dishes. It has no flavour but is used for its texture. It is a member of the mushroom family, available in dried form, and looks like dried, black, wrinkled paper. When soaked in water for about 10 minutes, it swells and resembles wavy seaweed or jelly. Stored in its dried form, it will keep indefinitely. |
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An aromatic spice of Indian origin, available as whole seeds, whole pods, or ground. It has a strong, fresh flavour and is an important ingredient of Musaman curry, a Thai dish with a Persian influence. |
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Chillies are a common ingredient in Thai cuisine, although not all dishes are hot. Chillies come in a great variety of sizes, shapes and colours, can are available fresh and dried, as flakes and powder. The most commonly used fresh chillies are bird's-eyes chillies - small, thin, green, or sometimes red, chillies. Generally, the larger the chilli the milder the flavour - the very tiny red chillies can be very hot. If you like a hot curry, leave the seeds in, but if you prefer a milder flavour, the seeds can be removed to lessen the heat. Whole chillies freeze well in plastic bags and can be chopped frozed. Some chillies are available dried and are usually soaked in water, to soften, before use.
 Bird's Eye Chillies (Prik Kee Noo): Small and very hot, these popular chillies are used in curries as well as pickles, soups and sauces.
- Long Chillies (Prik Chee Fa): Also known as Cayenne Chillies and used for the eponymous spice powder, these may be red, yellow or green. In Thailand long chillies are often used as a garnish for curries and salads. The dried form are used in red curries. Long chillies are not quite as hot as bird's eye chillies.
- Dried Red Chillies (Prik Hang): A huge range of dried chillies are used in Thai cooking and they are available from Asian stores either in packages or strung together. Dry-roasting the chillies in a heavy pan heightens their flavour. They can also be crushed in a mortar with a pestle before adding to dishes. Whole or crushed dried chillies will keep for several months f stored in a sealed container.
- Chilli Powder (Prik Pon): This is made from ground dried red chillies, sometimes with additional spices. The strength varies but Thai chilli powder is invariably very hot.
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These impart a very distinct flavour to the dish and are used in Thai dishes that have a Chinese influence. They need to be soaked before use and are a available from Asian food stores. Store in a sealed container in a cool place. |
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The vegetable has soft green and white leaves with a mild, sweet flavour and crisp texture. It is widely available in supermarkets and is easily recognized by its fat, cylindrical shape and tightly packed leaves. When buying, choose specimens that are heavy and firm. Before use, discard any damaged outer leaves and trim the root. Do not worry if the leaves have small black spots on them; they are harmless. This type of cabbage keeps well and can be stored in the salad compartment of the refrigerator for several weeks. It is used in stir-fries, salads and soups. |
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Coconut milk is extracted from the flesh of fresh coconuts - it is not clear, watery liquid found in the center of fresh coconuts.
Coconut cream (Hua Kathi): is quite thick, almost of a spreadable consistency. It is the product of the first extraction from the flesh. It is very rich and is usually added at the end of cooking time to enrich the curry or sauce or dessert.
Coconut milk (Hang Kathi): is a thinner consistency than the cream as it is extracted from the flesh after the cream has already been produced. It is used in Thai curries and desserts. Good quality, canned coconut milk and cream are available from Asian food stores and supermarkets. Some brands call the thinner consistency coconut cream, so try different ones until you find the right consistency. Sometimes coconut milk separates and the fat solidifies on the top - if this happens, just stir it well. Once the can is opened the milk or cream doesn't keep, so freeze any leftovers in small amounts for future use.
Dry coconut milk is available in packets and can be made the desired consistency and richness by following the directions on the packet; it also has a good storage life. If you can't buy any coconut cream or milk, you can make it using desiccated coconut. Pour 3 cups of hot water over 550 g. desiccated coconut; allow to stand for 15 minutes and strain through a fine sieve or muslin, squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the coconut. The product from this first extraction is used wherever coconut cream is called for. Repeat the process, using the same coconut to make the thinner coconut milk. |
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It is widely grown in the West and is often available from farmer's markets, as well as Asian food stores. The stalk, leaves and yellow flowers of this plant are all edible and have a delicate flavour. The cabbage is usually cut into short lengths and used in soups and noodle dishes, but it may also be stir-fried. |
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This is similar to Western celery, but the stems are thinner and much more loosely packed, and their flavour is more pronounced. When choosing Chinese celery, select a head with fat, wide stalks as these will be the most tender. Chop them more finely than you would Western celery, as they tend to be stringy, and use them sparingly or the pungent flavour will dominate. The leaves are often used in soups. |
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These pungent herbs look more like long, flat spring onions than their Western equivalent. The leaves are peppery, crunchy and chewy. They are eaten raw and cooked and are prized for both their texture and flavour. Spring onions can be used as a substitute but they will not have the distinctive garlic taste of Chinese chives. |
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Also known as cilantro, coriander is the most common herb used in Thai cooking. The whole plant is used - the root, stem and leaves. The seeds are roasted and then ground in a spice mill and used in curry pastes. Fresh coriander is available from Asian food stores, greengrocers, or in pots from plant nurseries. The leaves are used for their fresh, peppery flavour, and as a garnish. For storage, wash and dry the fresh herbs before placing them in plastic bag in the refrigerator - they will keep for 5-6 days. Dried coriander is not a suitable substitute.
The whole seeds of this aromatic spice are not used in Thai cooking, but ground cumin is an important ingredient in curry. |
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Many different sizes, shapes and colours are used in Thai cooking. Tiny pea-sized eggplants that are now available in some Asian food stores are often used - they can be bitter in flavour. Small , long lady-finger eggplants are also used European eggplants may substituted if Thai eggplants are not available.
This elongated variety is similar in appearance and flavour to Japanese long baby aubergines. However, the Thai ones are usually pale green, but can also be purple or white. These aubergines are usually served grilled (broiled) or in green curries.
These small round auberinges are pale green, yellow or white. They are eaten raw with the ubiquitous chilli sauce, Nam Prik, or cooked in curries. They have little flavour, but when raw have an interesting texture. They discolour rapidly once cut, so drop them into salted water if you are preparing them in advance.
These pea-size berries, which grow in small custers, have a bitter flavour that is a good foil to the richness of the spicy curries in which they are most often found. They are also used as a flavouring for Nam Prik. |
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These come in small clusters, like garlic, and are brown in colour. Shallots are an important ingredient in Thai cooking and it is even better, of course, if you can find Asian shallots which are a similar shape and size but are purple or red in colour. Large red or brown onions ca be used as substitute.
Related to ginger and looks quite similar, but is pinkish and has a distinct peppery flavour. Used in curry pastes, stir-fries and soups. Available fresh and dried from Asian food stores and fresh from some greengrocers. Use fresh galangal if possible and be careful when handling that you don't get the juice on your clothes of hands as it stains. Dried galangal must be soaked in hot water before use.
An indispensable ingredient in Thai cookery, it is available in different varieties, some with very white papery skin, some with pink and white skin and some creamy in colour. Choose cloves that are about 1 cm wide, otherwise adjust the quantity as you will find that some cloves are up to 2.5 cm wide.
Garlic-scented, flat-sided thick chives that have an edible flower. They need very little cooking and are usually added to soups, noodle dishes, stir-fries or salads just before serving. If unavailable, use normal chives.
A delicious, aromatic ingredient, important in Thai cooking. Fresh ginger is readily available - buy firm, unwrinkled rhizomes and store them in a plastic bag so they don't dry out. |
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An aromatic herb that is used in curry pastes, stir-fries and soups. Trim the base, remove the tough, outer layers, and finely slice, shop or pound the white interior. For pastes and salads, use the tender, white portion just above the root. The whole stem, trimmed and washed thoroughly, can be added to simmering soups and curries and removed before serving. Dried lemon grass needs to soak in water for half and hour before use, but the flavour of fresh is superior.
This flavour is a cross between ginger and black pepper and the fresh spice is most often used in jungle curries and with fish. Lesser galangal is available both dried and pickled, but neither of these options make a good substitute for the fresh rhizome. It is seldom available outside Asia, but if you do obtain it, peel and prepare it in the same way as ginger. |
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Fresh lotus roots grow in sausage-like links, once the mud that coats them has been washed off, a pale beige-pink shin is revealed. When buying fresh lotus roots, choose ones that feel heavy for their size, as this is and indication that they are full of liquid. The crisp flesh has very little aroma, but tastes sweet and has an attractive, crunchy texture. Lotus root is also available canned and frozen, although neither is quite so crunchy as the fresh root.
Before cooking, the thin skin must be peeled, and the root cut into thin discs. Each of these will have a pretty, lacy pattern, resulting from channeds in the flesh, and will be sticky with sap. Immediately add them to water that has been acidulated with lemon juice to prevent them from discolouring. For salads and stir-fries, lotus root must first be blanched in boiling water, although it can added directly to soups or stews. As it cooks, it will sweeten the liquid and turn it a pale pink. Thin slices of lotus root can also be deep-fried to make crisps (US chips). Dry the rounds very thoroughly before adding them to the hot oil. |
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Mint is a popular herb in Thailand. The leaves are often used fresh in salad. |
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Thai value this vegetable, believing that it aids digestion, cools the body and improves blood circulation. Also called giant white radish or winter radish, it is a long white root that resembles a slender, smooth-skinned parsnip in appearance. It can be up to 40cm/16in long, although the Thai variety is often considerably smaller. Large specimens tend to be fibrous and should be avoided. When raw, the flavour of mooli is cool, sharp and peppery, and the texture is crisp. Thais don't often eat it this way, but the grated flesh is sometimes used to tenderize seafood. When the vegetable is cooked, the characteristic texture is retained, but the flavour becomes quite sweet. It resembles turnip, which can be used as a substitute.
To prepare mooli for soups or stews, peel off the outer layer and slice thinly or cut into thin batons. Alternatively, grate the peeled mooli into a bowl, add a few pinches of salt and toss gently, then leave for 2-3 minutes. Tip into a colander, rinse under cold water and squeeze dry before combining with other ingredients in your chosen recipe. |
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It is actually a herb. It grows in marshy areas, near rivers and canals, and is ralated to the morning glory that riots over walls and fences in many European gardens. It has slender, hollow green stems and thin ovate green leaves which are pointed at the ends. In some parts of Asia, the stems are pickled, but in Thailand, only the leaves and tender shoots are eaten. The flavour is similar to that of spinach. In Thailand, the tender tips are often eaten raw, on their own or with other raw vegetables, and served with a selection of hot sauces. When cooked, the stem tips stay firm, but the leaves rapidly become limp. Morning glory is highly perishable and must be used promptly. |
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Many fifferent varieties of both fresh and dried mushrooms are often used in Thai cooking. As well as cultivated mushrooms, wild mushrooms are gathered during the rainy season, especially in the north of Thailand. These include ceps, chanterelles and russulas, which are used for salads soups and sauces.
- Straw Mushrooms (Hed Fang): These delicate, sweet-flavoured mushrooms have acquired their English name because of the nethod of cultivation on beds of straw. They look linke miniature helmets and are the most popular variety of mushroom in Thai cooking. Straw mushrooms are used extensively in soups, salads and curries, and taste particularly good with prawns (shrimp) and crab meat. Canned straw mushrooms are widely available from Asian stores and many supermarkets. They have neither the exquisite flavour nor the texture of the fresh mushrooms, but can be an acceptable substitute. Fresh straw mushrooms are highly perishable and so are not often available in the West. If you do locate them, use them as soon as possible after purchase.
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms are available, but Thai cooks prefer to use them dried as they have a stronger flavour and more texture. Both types are available in supermarkets and Asian stores. Dried shiitake mushrooms must be reconstituted in water before being used. The stems are usually discarded and the caps sliced or chopped for adding to soups or stews. The soaking water can be strained and used in s soup or stock as it takes on the flavour of the shiitake. The dried mushrooms will keep well if stored in a sealed plastic tub or bag in a cool, dry place.
- Although often described as dried mushrooms, thee should more accurately be called fungi. They look like dried leaves. When soaked in boiling water, they revive puff up and stretch into shiny black, rubbery caps. When soaked, the fungus expands to six or eight times its volume, so be sure to use plenty of water. After soaking leave the mushrooms to cool then pinch off and discard the hard stems. Drain, rinse well, then drain again, discarding any hard roots and bits of grit. The mushrooms can be cooked whole or thinly sliced for soups and stir-fires. They have a crunchy, chewy texture and distinctive woody aroma, but will also readily absort other strong flavours. All these mushrooms are available in Asian supermarkets and some organic stores.
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Onions are not so popular as shallots in Thai cooking and those that are on sale end to be fairly small. Yellow in colour, they are quite pungent, with a sweet, peppery flavour. Many Thai dishes are garnished with crisp-fried onion flakes. You can buy these ready-fried onions in tubs from Thai grocery stores. |
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Leaves are long and slender, and look a bit like a whisk broom. They are used as a wrapping for seasoned pieces of chicken or pork and also as a flavouring for cakes and desserts. Pandan leaves have a slightly woody, nutty taste. They are available fresh from Asian food stores. Frozen leaves are also available, and although they are not so fragrant as the fresh ones, they impart a better flavour than the essence sold in bottles. |
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Thai cooks use only two types of peppercorns: white for seasoning and green as a garnish for jungle curries and stir-fries. A widely used traditional Thai seaoning consists of a mixture of pounded white pepper, coriander root and garlic.
Thai shallots are smaller and much more pungent than those used in the West. Pinkish purple in colour, they are used extensively in Thai cooking to flavour relishes, soups, stews and curries and are also slice into rings and deep-fried as a garnish. Shallots are sweeter, much milder and not so juicy as onions, and they are often used with other aromatic ingredients, such as fresh chillies, garlic and dried shrimp, to make the spice pastes for which Thailand is so famous. |
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Also known as the sawtooth herb, this takes its name from the appearance of the leaves, which are long, slender and serrated. The herb has a similar but rather more pungent flavour than the coriander leaf. Saw leaf herb is used as a flavouring for meat dishes. |
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Spring onions are used in Thai cooking for stir-fries and in soups. They are also popular for garnishes, either sliced or cut into tassels, then curled in iced water. |
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A tart-flavoured pulp that comes from the tamarind tree. It is an important ingredient in Thai cooking, and is available as a bottled puree, crystal or a pulpy solid that has to be soaked, kneaded and seeded. |
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This root grows wild on the banks of streams in Thailand and is particularly popular in the north of country. The swollen tuber is full of starch and is eaten in the same manner as patatoes. The young leaves can also be eaten. Wear gloves when peeling taros. |
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A bitter spice used for its intense, bright yellow-orange colour. If you use the fresh root, peel away the skin and finely grate the flesh. It is readily available in powdered form.
Nothing beats the crisp texture and nutty, sweet flavour of a fresh water chestnut. The corn of grass-like plant, water chestnuts are encased in dark brown skin which must be peeled before the familiar white vegetable is revealed. In Thai cooking, water chestmuts, are used in salads, stir-fries and even in desserts. Their greatest attribute, aside from the delicious flavour, is the fact that they stay crunchy when cooked.
When buying fresh water chestnuts, squeeze them gently and select only those that feel firm. Canned whole water chestnuts are widely available from Asian stores and Supermarkets. |
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These gourd come in several shapes, from a short stubby variety to one that looks like a long, fuzzy cucumber. In fact, an alternative name is hairy cucumber. The most common variety is roughly cylindrical in shape. Under the green skin, which has a characteristic white coating, the flesh is firm, white and succulent. Like a cucumber, the gourd has white seeds that turn brown as it matures. To prepare a wax gourd, peel off the outer skin and cut the flesh into 2.5cm/1in squares. These can be boiled and eaten with Nam Prik, or added to a soup, such as Kaeng Liang, which is flavoured with pork bones. When cooked, wax gourd keeps its shape, but the texture softens so that it has the consistency of soaked bread. It is fairly bland in flavour. |
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The vegetable looks like a large brown turnip. The flesh is sweet and crunchy and the flavour is a cross between apple and patato. Yam bean is best eaten raw with a spicy dip, although it is also used in stir-fries and in desserts. It may be eaten as a fruit.
When buying yam beans, choose heavy specimens with unblemished smooth skins. To prepare, peel off the outer skins, then slice off the fibrous matter until you reach the translucent white flesh beneath. At this stage, the prepared yam bean can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to a week. Slice into thin batons for salads or stir-fries. |
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greengrocers and Asian food stores, and they freeze well in airtight bags. Dried leaves are available from Asian food stores, but can only be added to foods which are simmered to allow the flavour to be released. If kaffir limes are not available, standard limes may be used for rind and juice, bearing in mind that the flavour is not quite the same. The leaves are not suitable as a substitute for kaffir lime leaves.
Shiitake Mushrooms (Hed Horm):
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