Thai Ingredients

Thai cuisine is a blend of sweet, sour and hot flavours. Small amounts of individual components blend to create the distinctive flavours. Asian food stores as well as some supermarkets stock most of the ingredients used in Thai cooking.

BARBECUED PORK These are spitroasted cuts of pork, available from speciality Chinese barbecue shops. Honey-smoked ham can be substituted if you wish.

BASIL There is 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 Manglaek has lemony flavour tiny leaves and is usually sprinkled over salads or used in soups. Bai Grapao 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.

BEAN CURD (Tofu) 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, stirfries 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.

BEAN SPROUTS 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 refridgerate and use within five days of purchase.

BITTER MELON This unusual vegetable requires an acquired taste. It has a bumpy dark to pale green skin, and has a slightly bitter quinine flavour that has a cooling effect in one's mouth. The fibrous seed core is usually cut away, leaving a thin ring of flesh. It is used in soups, stir fries and may be steamed, as well as braised.

Tip From The Chef: The greener the melon the more bitter it's taste, look for the milder yellow-green ones. To lessen the bitterness, blanch them or lightly cover them with salt and allow it to stand for a short time.

BLACK FUNGUS 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. Stored in its dried form, it will keep indefinitely.

Bok Choy. Also called Chinese white cabbage, bok choy is a nutritious and versatile vegetable. Although there are many varieties, the most common and popular is the one with a long smooth, milky white stem and large, crinkly dark green leaves.

Bok choy has a light, fresh, slightly mustardy taste and requires little cooking. In Thailand, it is used in soups or stir fried with meats or simply blanched. When cooked, the leaves have a robust, almost spinach-like flavour while the stalks are sweet and mild with a refreshing taste.

Look for firm crisp stalks and unblemished leaves. The size of the plant indicates how tender it is. The smaller the better, especially in summer, when hot weather toughens the stalks. Look at the bottom of the stalk; if it has a whole, it means that the bok choy it is old, fibrous, and best avoided.

CHILLIES (see the section on chillies for an explanation of the varieties) These are a common ingredient in Thai cuisine, although not all dishes are hot. Chillies come in a great variety of sizes, shapes and colours, and are available fresh and dried, as flakes and powder. The most commonly used fresh chillies are bird's-eye 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. To avoid skin irritation, take great care when seeding or chopping chillies-wear rubber gloves. After handling chillies don't touch your face, eyes or any tender part of the body and always wash your hands thoroughly. 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 beat. Whole chillies freeze well in plastic bags and can be chopped frozen. Some chillies are available dried and are usually soaked in water, to soften, before use.

CHILLI JAM OR PASTE This is a sweet and sourish tangy jam that is sold in jars at Asian food stores. It is used in sauces, stir-fries and some soups. After opening, store it in the refrigerator.

CHINESE DRIED MUSHROOMS 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 available from Asian food stores. Store in a sealed container in a cool place.

CHINESE CABBAGE Elongated in shape, this has pale green leaves and a slight mustard flavour. If it is unavailable, use another curly-leaf cabbage.

COCONUT MILK, COCONUT CREAM Coconut milk is extracted from the flesh of fresh coconuts - it is not the clear, watery liquid found in the centre of fresh coconuts. Coconut cream 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 to enrich curry or sauce or dessert. Coconut milk 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.

Dried 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 550gms 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.

CORIANDER 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, supermarkets, 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 bags in the refrigerator they will keep for 5-6 days. Dried coriander is not a suitable substitute.

CRISP FRIED ONION AND GARLIC These are finely sliced garlic cloves or onions that have been deep-fried until crisp. They are added to soups, noodle dishes or salads just before serving. They are available in jars from Asian food stores or you can prepare them by finely slicing peeled onion and garlic and cooking over low heat in oil, stirring regularly until crisp and olden brown. Drain well and allow to cool before seasoning with salt. This should be done just before serving.

CUMIN This is an aromatic spice with a distinctive flavour and aroma used in curry pastes. You can buy whole seeds or ground powder. The cumin seed is roasted and then ground in a spice mill before using in curry pastes.

DRIED SHIMP Tiny salted shrimp have been dried in sun. They are used for flavour, especially in sauces.

EGGPLANTS 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 ladyfinger eggplants are also used. European eggplants may substituted if Thai eggplants are not available.

FISH SAUCE (Nam Pla) This brown, salty sauce with a characteristic 'fishy' smell is an important ingredient in Thai cookery. It is made from prawns (shrimp) or small fish, which have been fermented in the sun for a long time. It is readily available and there really is no substitute. Store in the refrigerator after opening.

FRENCH SHALLOTS (Eschallots) 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 size but are purple or red in colour. Large red or brown onions can be used as a substitute.

GALANGAL (Laos) 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 or hands as it stains. Dried galangal must be soaked in hot water before use.

GARLIC 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 CHIVES 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.

GINGER A delicious, aromatic ingredient, important in Thai cooking. Fresh ginger is readily available; buy firm, unwrinkled pieces and store them in a plastic bag so they don't dry out.

GOLDEN MOUNTAIN SAUCE This is a thin, salty, spicy sauce that is made from soya beans. It looks like soy sauce or fish sauce but has a completely different flavour. It is available from Asian speciality shops. Maggi Seasoning is readily available and can be used as a substitute if necessary.

GREEN MANGO AND GREEN PAWPAW These are commonly used in Thai salads and some soups, or as a snack with sugar and chilli - they are not a different variety but are underripe. Green mango is used for the tartness and textures which is very different to the ripe fruit - ripe mangoes are not a suitable substitute so, if necessary, use very tart green apples.

GREEN OR PINK PEPPERCORNS Peppercorns that are bottled or canned in a brine. The peppercorns should be drained and rinsed before use. Thai and European varieties are readily available.

KAFFIR LIMES and LEAVES A knobbly, dark-skinned lime with a very strong lime fragrance and flavour. The leaves are finely shredded for use in curry pastes and salads, or added whole to curries. The rind is also very pungent and is grated over salads, soups and curries. Fresh leaves are available from speciality 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 use for rind and juice, bearing in mind that the flavour is not quite the same. Also the leaves are not suitable as a substitute for Kaffir lime leaves.

LEMON GRASS An aromatic herb that is used in curry pastes, stir-fries and soups. Trim the base, remove the tough, outer layers, and finely slice, chop 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 an hour before use.

NOODLES Noodles used in Asian cooking may seem confusing at first because there are so many different shapes, thickness and lengths. They are also made from different ingredients and come dried or fresh. Fresh egg noodles, used frequently in Thai cooking, come in various thicknesses. They require a very brief cooking time. All fresh noodles can be found in the refrigerated section of most Asian food stores and some supermarkets. Rice vermicelli is white and folded into a block. Their thickness and widths vary. They are used in stir-fries and soups, and need to be soaked in hot water or boiled until soft and then drained well before use. If they are to be used as a garnish or for the noodle dish, Mee Grob, the dried vermicelli is deep-fried until it puffs up. Rice vermicelli separates and puffs up when deep-fried and a little goes a long way so always deep-fry in small quantities. Bean vermicelli (cellophane noodles) is fine, string-like, dried transparent noodles made from mung beans. They have a firmer texture than the rice noodles once softened. In most recipes they are soaked in warm water, to soften, but sometimes they are plunged into boiling water and cooked until tender. They are used in salads, spring rolls and soups. A little goes a long way and will keep indefinitely, stored in an airtight container. Rice stick noodles are flat. They are sold in bundles and used in noodle stir-fries and soups.

OYSTER SAUCE A Cantonese staple found only in Thai dishes that have a Chinese influence; it is made from dried oysters. This rich, salty sauce is used for both flavour and colour, mostly in omelettes, stir-fries, soups or noodle dishes. It is readily available and should be kept refrigerated, after opening, to prevent mould forming. (Tip from the Chef: use a great marrinade for steak, with a little soy sauce and cracked black pepper.)

PALM SUGAR Obtained from either the palmyra palm or sugar palm, it is available in block form or in jars. The colour ranges from pale golden to very dark brown. Palm sugar is thick and crumbly and can be gently melted before adding to sauces or dressings. Soft brown sugar, demerara, or coconut sugar can be substituted, if necessary. Palm sugar is available from Asian food stores.

RICE FLOUR Rice flour is used to thicken sauces and curries or binds meat mixtures. It is also used in desserts. Cornflour can be substituted, but doesn't impart the same texture.

SESAME OIL Very aromatic oil, made from roasted sesame seeds, used in Thai recipes that have a Chinese influence. Use it sparingly as a little goes a long way and it has quite a strong, rich flavour. Don't fry with it or use it as the only oil in a salad dressing.

SHRIMP PASTE (Blachan) An important ingredient in Thai cooking, shrimp paste is made from dried, salted prawns/shrimps and has a very pungent smell. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer (the refrigerator reduces the aroma, but the actual paste does not need refrigeration).

SNAKEBEANS (Long Beans)These are long, deep green, stringless beans which grow up to 30 cm. Cut in short lengths, they are used in stirfries, curries and sometimes soups. They have less flavour than other types of green beans but are easier to prepare.

SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS These are paper-thin wrappers, available fresh or frozen, used to make many wrapped snacks as well as spring rolls. Defrost frozen wrappers before use and keep them covered with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out.

SOY SAUCE Soy sauce was first used in China more than three thousand years ago, when it was a thin, salty liquid in which fragments of fermented soybean floated. Its use has been documented throughout Chinese history, and the process by which it is made has changed many times over the years. Today, the type of soy sauce we use has been strained to remove all traces of the bean solids. Soy sauce is all essential ingredient in all types of Asian cooking. It is made from a mixture of soybeans, flour, and water, which is then naturally fermented and aged for some months. The distilled liquid is soy sauce. There are two main types (light and dark), as well as several infused varieties.

Light Soy Sauce As the name implies, this is light in colour, but it is full flavour and is the best one to use for cooking. It is known Asian food stores as Superior Soy and is saltier than dark soy sauce.

Dark Soy Sauce This sauce is aged for much longer than light soy sauce, hence its darker, almost black colour. It is slightly thicker and stronger than light soy sauce and is more suitable for stews. It is known as Soy Superior Sauce, and although it is used less than light soy sauce, it is important to have some at hand.

Mushroom Soy Sauce This is a delicious type of black soy sauce that is infused with dried straw mushrooms.

Shrimp-flavoured Soy Sauce This is primarily an eastern Chinese favourite that is infused with briny dried shrimp (Prawns) for an interesting accent.

Soy sauce will last for quite a long time without refrigeration. However, it is best to keep it tightly sealed and away from light. Because it is already fermented, you don't have worry about wastage.

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