or into hot oil to make crispy noodle dishes like mee krob.
Flat wide rice noodles Wider than rice sticks, these noodles are most famously used for Thai Flat noodles (page 104) a popular stir-fry dish made with thick brown gravy, broccoli, and a protein like meat, seafood or tofu. Also known as river noodles, they hold up better in heavy gravy than thinner noodles. They’re sold fresh or dried.
Rice paper wrappers Rice paper is made by mixing white rice flour and water, then spreading the mixture out into thin sheets and steaming them or sun-drying them. Rice paper serves as the wrap for spring rolls and other rollups like summer rolls. Before using rice paper it must be moistened in warm water or by carefully holding them over steam.
Sticky rice (sweet or glutinous rice) a beloved staple in Thai cuisine, sticky, sweet or glutinous rice is a medium to long grain variety of rice that becomes sticky when cooked. Traditionally steamed, not boiled, sticky rice is used in both sweet and savory dishes, and is usually eaten by hand in Thailand.
Tamarind is the pod-like fruit of the tamarind tree. There are two varieties of tamarind: tart and sour-sweet. Fresh tart tamarind is eaten with salt and chili, or chopped into chili paste. The pulp of tart tamarind is often added to soups, curries, sauces, and stir-fries. Sour-sweet tamarind is mostly used in making desserts and candy. Its flavor can be described as a cross between a date, sour-sweet guava, and an apricot. Tamarind concentrate or paste is available in jars, bottles, and solid blocks. Tamarind concentrate is mixed with water to create tamarind water. A substitute for tamarind concentrate or paste is date purée mixed with lime juice or combine equal parts vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar.
Turmeric found in most kitchens is the powdered form made from the turmeric root, which looks a lot like fresh ginger. Turmeric powder has a deep yellow color and a lovely rose aroma. It is used in curries, marinades, rice dishes, and when pickling. Turmeric powder is a powerful natural dye so handle it with care because it can permanently stain clothing. Prized in its own right, turmeric powder also makes an inexpensive alternative to saffron when combined with ground clove, cardamom, and cinnamon. Fresh turmeric is also available, but it can be a little bitter.
Spring roll wrappers can be found at Asian markets and come in 4-inch (10 cm) or 8-inch (20 cm) squares. They fry up light and crispy and are used for the Banana Spring Roll (page 138) in this book.
Star anise is the seedpod of a small tree found throughout Asian. The star-shaped spice has a warm, rich and pungent aroma of licorice, cinnamon, and clove. The actual seeds inside the pod are tiny, black and have no flavor. Used whole to add a subtle aroma or ground for maximum flavor, star anise is a popular ingredient in soups, curries, sweets and teas. A substitute for star anise is a blend of ground cloves and cinnamon.
Straw mushrooms get their name because they are cultivated on beds of straw. They are actually shaped like little helmets and have a delicate, sweet flavor. They are the most widely used mushroom in traditional Thai cooking and are added to soups, curries, stir-fries, and more. Fresh straw mushrooms can be hard to find in the United States, but the canned variety are available at most Asian markets.
Yard-long beans or long beans Summertime brings an abundance of fresh long beans, or yard-long beans, to Asian markets. They get their name because they really can grow to be about a yard in length. Long beans look and taste a bit like regular green beans, but their taste, texture, and juiciness don’t hold up as well when boiled or steamed. They really come alive when stir-fried or deep-fried. If you can’t find yard-long beans, you can substitute with fresh green beans.
Yellow bean paste also known as soy bean paste or yellow bean paste, yellow bean paste is made from fermented sweet yellow soybeans. Yellow bean paste adds a light, malty flavor to noodle dishes and curries. You’ll only need this ingredient to make Thai Flat noodles (page 104). I like the healthy Boy brand with a drawing of an adorable little boy on the label.
The Basics
While traveling throughout Thailand you will notice that all of the restaurant tables are filled with various condiments from fish sauce to vinegar and chili sauce. You see, Thai people like to pour a “little of this here” and top with “a little of that there” until they’ve created their perfect balance of sweet, sour, hot, and salty, according to their palate and whim for the day.
This is a collection of some basic sauces and condiments that can be used to enhance flavors while cooking or as a condiment such as Roasted Red Chili Paste (page 23) or popular dipping sauces like Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (page 24) and Hoisin Peanut Sauce (page 25). I’ve also included basic recipes which are the backbone of popular Thai recipes like Basic Curry Sauce (page 26) or Basic Chicken Stock (page 26). The variety of sauces and dips in Thai cuisine is far and wide so this is by no means a comprehensive collection. I believe what I offer here will give you the flexibility to “add little bit here” and “a little bit there” to satisfy your budding Thai palate as well as letting you improvise with the recipes in this book.
Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce
This refreshing dip is a fantastic accompaniment to the Chiang Mai Chicken in Lettuce Cups (page 34). It’s the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and hot flavors. If you like a lot of heat, then skip the deseeding but watch your tongue!
MAKES 1 CUP (250 ML)
PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
½ cup (125 ml) water
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
2 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 fresh hot red or green pepper, preferably Thai, deseeded and finely sliced
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool slightly. Mix ¼ cup (65 ml) of the syrup with the ginger, lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, and chili in a small bowl. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Discard the remaining syrup.
COOK’S NOTE: If you can’t find Thai chilies, I recommend using jalapeño or Serrano chilies.
Roasted Red Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao)
Roasted Red Chili Paste, or Nam Prik Pao adds an amazing ”je ne sais quoi” to stir-fry dishes, soups and anything that can use an added rich and complex kick in the pants. Once I started experimenting with this jam-like sauce, I couldn’t seem to get enough of it and love having it on hand. It’s my secret weapon for creating mouth-watering Thai dishes and will soon be yours too. Increase the amount of ground red pepper (cayenne) if you want extra heat. Fermented shrimp paste and tamarind concentrate can be found at most Asian markets.
MAKES
