Lemongrass
Takrai: the lemony, floral stalk behind curries, soups and salads.
9 recipes
Vegetables
The fresh herbs, vegetables and aromatics of the Thai kitchen: how to prepare them, buy them and what to use instead.
Fresh herbs and aromatics give Thai food its fragrance. Lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime perfume soups and curries; Thai basil, holy basil, mint and coriander finish stir-fries and salads; and chillies, garlic and shallots go into almost everything.
Alongside them are the vegetables that give Thai dishes their crunch and bite, from crisp yard-long beans and green papaya to bitter pea eggplants and fast-cooking morning glory. Each guide explains how to prepare, buy and store the ingredient and what to use instead when you are cooking outside Thailand.
Galangal
Kha: ginger’s piney, peppery cousin, essential in tom yum and curry pastes.
7 recipes
Makrut Lime
Bai makrut: the glossy double leaves and bumpy zest that perfume curries and soups.
6 recipes
Thai Basil
Horapha: sweet basil with an anise edge, for green curry and stir-fries.
1 recipe
Holy Basil
Kra pao: peppery, clove-scented basil that gives pad kra pao its name.
1 recipe
Bird’s Eye Chilli
Prik kee noo: small, fierce chillies that bring the heat to almost everything.
16 recipes
Coriander Root
Rak phak chi: the earthy, intense root that goes into pastes and marinades.
5 recipes
Thai Eggplant
Makheua pro: small, round and crunchy, for curries and nam prik.
1 recipe
Pea Eggplant
Makheua puang: tiny, bitter berries that pop in green curry and jungle curry.
1 recipe
Yard-long Beans
Tua fak yao: long, crisp green beans for som tam, stir-fries and red curry.
3 recipes
Morning Glory
Phak boong: water spinach with hollow stems, flash-fried with garlic and chilli.
1 recipe
Green Papaya
Malakor dip: unripe papaya, shredded for som tam and cooked in sour curries.
2 recipes
Thai Shallots
Hom daeng: small red shallots for pastes, soups, salads and crispy toppings.
19 recipes
Pandan Leaf
Bai toey: long green leaves with a sweet, grassy, vanilla-like scent, for rice and desserts.
4 recipes
Garlic
Kratiam: small, papery Thai garlic, pounded into pastes, fried golden and pickled whole.
20 recipes
Fresh Turmeric
Khamin: bright orange root that colours and flavours the curries of the south.
6 recipes
Ginger
Khing: warm, juicy root for stir-fries, Chinese-Thai dishes and northern curries.
5 recipes
Dried Red Chillies
Prik haeng: the colour and smoky depth behind red curry pastes and chilli flakes.
12 recipes
Mint
Saranae: cool spearmint that finishes larb, nam tok and other Isaan salads.
4 recipes
Sawtooth Coriander
Phak chi farang: long, serrated leaves with a stronger coriander flavour, essential in Isaan cooking.
3 recipes
Coriander Leaves
Phak chi: the fresh green finish on soups, salads, noodles and rice dishes.
11 recipes
Bean Sprouts
Tua ngok: crunchy mung bean sprouts for pad Thai, noodle soups and stir-fries.
2 recipes
Garlic Chives
Kui chai: flat, garlicky chives for pad Thai and dumplings.
1 recipe
Pickled Mustard Greens
Phak kad dong: sour, crunchy pickled greens that cut through rich curries and noodles.
4 recipes
Fingerroot
Krachai: finger-shaped rhizomes with an earthy, peppery flavour, made for fish curries.
Lemon Basil
Maenglak: the third Thai basil, lemony and peppery, for soups and khanom jeen.
Chinese Kale
Kana: thick-stemmed greens for stir-fries with crispy pork and in pad see ew.
1 recipe
Bamboo Shoots
Nor mai: crunchy shoots used fresh in curries and fermented in sour dishes.
1 recipe
Banana Blossom
Hua plee: the purple flower of the banana plant, sliced raw into salads and served with noodles.
Cha-om
Feathery acacia shoots with a pungent smell, cooked into omelettes and sour curries.
Stink Bean
Sator: bright green beans from the south, bitter and pungent, stir-fried with shrimp paste.
Winged Bean
Tua phu: frilly four-winged beans, crunchy in salads and with chilli dips.
Water Mimosa
Phak krachet: a floating water plant with crunchy stems, stir-fried and added to sour curries.
Pumpkin
Fak thong: sweet, dense Thai pumpkin for curries, stir-fries, custard and coconut desserts.
2 recipes