Typical Thai Ingredients

By: Eva Bunker

Herbs and Spices

By: Eva Bunker

Bai Makrut (Kaffir lime leaves): Widely used in Thai

soups and curries. They are either cooked whole, together with the dish, and/or finely shredded before added.

By: Eva Bunker

Kha min (Turmeric): This is a yellow

coloured root that is often used in dishes of Muslim/Southern Thai origin and in Northern Thailand for Northern style curries.

By: Eva Bunker

Krachai (Fingerroot): This particular root has a

highly medicinal flavour and is often used in fish dishes and curries.

By: Eva Bunker

Phrik khi nu (Bird’s eye chilli): Phrik khi nu is a

small chilli that is one of the spiciest chillies. It is used commonly in Thai cooking.

By: Eva Bunker

Dried Herbs and Spices

By: Eva Bunker

Dipli (Long pepper): This dried spice is

used in many northern Thai dishes for its heat and flavour. Its most famously used in the Thai lap.

By: Eva Bunker

Opcheoi (Cassia cinnamon): In Thailand, this

cinnamon is commonly used in meat dishes.

By: Eva Bunker

Thian khao plueak (Fennel seeds): It is commonly

used in Northern Thai dishes.

By: Eva Bunker

Pastes, sauces and condiments:

By: Eva Bunker

Kapi (Thai shrimp paste): This paste is made

by fermenting ground shrimp and salt, causing it to have a pungent aroma. It is often used in red curry paste.

By: Eva Bunker

Khrueang kaeng (Thai curry paste): It is often a

mixture of ground dried chillies, various spices and herbs and other ingredients such as shrimp paste.

By: Eva Bunker

Nam pla (Fish sauce): This fish sauce is

very aromatic and has a very strong tasting of fish. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in Thai cuisine, and it impacts a unique character for Thai food.

By: Eva Bunker

Vegetables:

By: Eva Bunker

Bai po (Corchorus olitorius): These leaves are

eaten blanched as a dish with plain rice congee.

By: Eva Bunker

Chaphlu (Piper sarmentosum): This particular leaf

is used raw as wrapper for the Thai dish Miang kham, but it also has other uses.

By: Eva Bunker

Khilek (Senna siamea): This vegetable

has to be boiled in water (and the water to be discarded after use) before only the leaves, tender pods and seeds are edible.

By: Eva Bunker

Roots:

By: Eva Bunker

Man kaeo (Jicama): This tuberous root

is mostly eaten raw with sugar.

By: Eva Bunker

Pheuak (Taro): This root is usually

cut and boiled in pieces, to be added to a dessert of some kind. It is also popular to eat slices of deep fried taro as a snack.

By: Eva Bunker