Thai Food Ingredients

Bean Curd (Tao Hou)

A soya bean extract to which a setting agent is added. The most frequently used bean curd is soft and white.

Cashew Nut (Med Mamuang)

The cashew nut plant was probably introduced to Southeast Asia by the Portuguese. The large, reddish cashew apple virtually hides the nut growing underneath.

Coconut Milk (Nam Kathi) &
Coconut Cream (Nam Kathi)

These are two of the most important ingredients in Thai cooking and are used in both curries and desserts as well as beverages. Coconut milk is the liquid squeezed from the grated flesh of mature coconut after the flesh has been soaked in lukewarm water. Coconut cream is a richer version. Coconut milk uses 3 cups of grated coconut to 5 cups of water, whereas coconut cream uses 2 cups of water. Both require soaking for 15 minutes, mixing and then to be poured through a muslin lined strainer, with all of the liquid being squeezed out of the muslin.

Glass Noodles (Woonsen)

Made from green soya beans, starch and water, glass noodles come dried and look like thin, brittle opaque threads. As well as being used in soups they add bulk to fillings, such as for spring rolls.

Oyster Sauce (Nam Man Hoi)

This sauce is made from oysters blended with soya sauce and salt, and is traditionally served with saute'ed vegetables.

Palm Sugar (Nam Tarn Puk)

Extracted from the sap of palm trees this is a tasty brown sugar.

Rice Noodles (Guay Tiaw)

Rice noodles are thicker and whiter than glass noodles and are the only type to noodle that is packaged wet. They are commonly used in soups and stir fried dishes.

Rice (Kao)

Thais use two main varieties of rice - long grained polished rice and sticky or glutinous rice. Long grain rice is served with all meals, steamed or cooked in rice cookers, to keep it light and fluffy.

Dried Shrimps (Gung Haeng)

These are small salted shrimp, dried in the sun, and are generally available in a powdered form. They are widely used in soups, sauces, seafood and vegetable dishes.

Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)

This is a thin, salty, pale brown sauce, made by filtering off the liquid from fermenting salted fish. As well as being used in cooking it is used as sauce, either alone or mixed with lime and chilli.

Fermented Soya Beans (Tao Jiaw)

These are available whole and fermented from either yellow or black beans, in English they are most commonly known as black bean and yellow bean sauce. They are nutritious, strongly flavoured and salty, replacing salt completely in some Thai dishes.

Egg Noodles (Ba Mee)

These are yellow and are made from wheat, flour and egg. Some varieties are available fresh, whereas others are only available dried.

Sesame Oil (Nam Man Nga)

This concentrated oil is used mainly for flavouring, it is made from grilled sesame seeds, and used in small quantities.

Shrimp Paste (Kapi)

Shrimp Paste varies from being very soft and mushy through to hard and dry with colours ranging from bright pink to dark brown. It has a very strong smell and can be mixed with other ingredients or used on its own. It should always be fried or grilled before eating.

Soya Sauce (See Lew)

Well known around the world and made from soya beans, there are three types used in Thai cooking - light, dark and sweet. The light soya sauce is most frequently used, and is thinner and lighter than the others. Dark soya sauce is thicker with a stronger savoury flavour and is mostly used in stews. As its name suggests sweet soya sauce is thick, black and sweet.

Sticky Rice (Kao Niaw)

Sticky, or glutinous rice has a rather cloudy appearance and when cooked forms a sticky mass. It takes the place of ordinary rice in the north and north eastern regions of Thailand. In central Thailand, sticky rice is used mainly in sweets.