Ingredients of Thai Cuisine.

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Ingredients of Thai Cuisine.

Sauces, Pastes & Preserves;

Curry paste prig gang
Red curry paste is the most common of all the curry pastes. It is used widely in many dishes that you are familiar with such as tod mun and satay. Red curry paste is a mixture of dry chili pepper, shallot, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, cilantro root, peppercorn, coriander, salt, shrimp paste and kaffir lime zest. 

Curry Powder : Phong Ka-Ri

Curry powder is a prepared mixture of spices such as turmeric, coriander seed,  ginger, clovers, cinnamon, mustard, cardamon, cumin, chilli, and salt.

Five Spice Powder : Phong Pha Loh 

Phong Pha Loh is a prepared mixture of spices, among which is star anise, poi-kak(llicium verum)

Shrimp Paste : Ka Pi 

Ka Pi is shrimp with are salted, perhaps brewed for a time, allowed to dry in the sun, rhen ground into a fine-textured puce paste, which is fragrant and slightly salty. 

Roasted Chili Sauce : Nam Phrik Phao

Nam Phrik Phao is a mixture of chillies, garlic, dried shirmp, amd palm sugar which is stir fried until fragrant. It can be bought im markets and supermarkets or can be made at home. It can be spread on bread, mixed with rice.

Masaman Curry Paste : Prig Gang Masaman

Masaman is an Indian influenced curry. Masaman curry paste has several Indian spices such as cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. When sold in Thailand, you can see whole white cardamom pods in the paste.

Salted : Tao Si

TAO SI is black beans preserved by salting. The beans are soft and moist , but retain their shape and are packed dry. Fermented soybeans can be substituted.

Pickled Mud Fish Pla Ra - 16 oz x 2 jars

Pickled Fish :Pla Rah

• Pla rah is fish that has been fermented with toasted rice and salt. Pla rah is primarily made from one of two types of fresh water fish: mudfish (also known as snake head fish or pla chon) and pla gradee (pictured on the left). The mudfish is larger and has more meat. Pla gradee is much smaller and bonier.
• Pla rah has a complicated role in Thai cuisine. It is considered peasant food and unfortunately you rarely see it in Bangkok restaurants. It is one of those foods that have no pretensions and many people love. Some people, perhaps because of how pla rah is perceived or the smell, stay away. Give it a try before you decide you like it or not.
• Pla rah is relished in Northeastern Thailand and Laos, as parts of Laos once called itself Siam. A few teaspoon is often added in food like som tum, soop naw mai and other dipping sauces. It was traditionally eaten either raw or cooked. However the government has been trying to promote healthy eating by cooking food first so now most people cook it.
• Pla rah has an unpleasant smell before it is mixed with other ingredients. When preparing Northeastern food outside of the region, some people drop pla rah, from the recipe. Thai people say that durian that is overripe has gone 'pla rah'. Also, people who swear far too much have a 'pla rah' mouth.
• Outside of Thailand, you find pla rah in glass jars. Until recently, the pla rah you'd buy in markets (or make yourself) would still have bones in it so you'd have to strain or pick out the bones, but I have discovered pla rah with no bones. The label on the bottle says, 'Cream Style' and is much easier to use! It looks like a thick paste.

Palm Sugar : Nham Tan Beep

Sweet is a key taste in Thai food, and many recipes use palm sugar. It is harvested from a sugar palm tree, produced from the sweet, watery sap that drips from cut flower buds. The sap is collected each morning and boiled in huge woks on the plantations until a sticky sugar remains. This is whipped and dropped in lumps on cellophane, or filled into containers. It has a distinctive flavour and is not so sweet as cane sugar. It is often sold as a solid cake.

Vinegar : Nam Som Sai Choo 

• Thai vinegar is nearly always the clear kind, perhaps because this avoids any confusion with the brown-colored fish sauce. It is usually made from pineapple or other forms of fruit and vegetables. In the past, Thais would always shake the bottle before buying to check for impurities, but nowadays reliable brands are available. 
• Vinegar is added to many dishes to add a splash of sourness. But it's main appearance in Thai cuisine is on the table. Phrik Nam Som (Pickled Chillies in Vinegar) is one of the commonest condiments, especially popular with noodles and other dishes of Chinese origin.

Dark Sweet Soy Sauce - Si Ew Waan

This is dark si ew with molasses. It is very thick and dark.

While it is not used frequently, it does have a great taste. It is used for kow mun gai (chicken on rice with hot yellow bean sauce). Dark soy sauce is used as a training sauce for little kids until they are old enough to handle hot foods.

Waan means sweet.

Fish Sauce :: Nampla

Fish sauce is a clear, brown liquid derived from a brew of fish or shrimp mixed with salt. It is sold in bottles and plastic jugs as well as in earthenware jars. 

High quality fish sauce has a fine aroma and taste. Fish sauce is placed on the table as a condiment at nearly every meal. either as is or mixed with sliced chillies and perhaps lime juice.

Sweet Chilli Sauce: Nam Jim Wan 

A sweet and mildly spicy condiment made with handpicked, ripe whole chili peppers and Thai seasonings. Although this delicious sauce is made with chilies, it is not spicy hot. It has a pleasantly sweet flavor. It is used in place of ketchup or any chili sauce. It is ideal as a dip, sauce, or dressing for roasted chicken, deep fried meats, grilled meats, seafood, salads and fried appetizers.

Cooking Oil:  Naam Man

lard used to be the popular medium for cooking traditional Thai dishes but nowadays various light vegetable oils tend to be used instead.

Tamarind juice : Nam Som Ma-Kham

Tamarind juice is octained by mixing some of the ripe fruit with water and squeezing out the juice. The immature fruit and the young leaves and flowers and also used, all to give a sour taste. There are also sweet tamarinds which are a delight to eat and command a high price.