Baan Rim Pa

The international popularity of Thai cuisine has made it much easier to find most of the essential ingredients outside of tropical Thailand. The following list describes the ingredients that give Thai food its special taste and offers suggestions about where to obtain them. It also suggests possible alternatives when they can't be found.

The Thais enjoy spicy foods and make extensive use of both fresh and dried chili pepper. A small chili, called prik kee noo, is the hottest and most popular. Fresh and dried chilies are readily availablein the West, particularly in markets specializing in Latin American food. Serrano and jalapeno chilies make good substitutes for Thai chilies.

Thai's obtain salt and protein and minerals from nam pla, a fish sauce made from fermented anchovies. It is also a popular ingredient in Vietnamese cooking and can be found in stores selling Vietnamese products where it is called nuoc mum.

Thailand's version of catsup is made with chilies, sugar, vinegar and water. The most popular is called Siracha Sauce which is exported and can often be found in regular supermarkets. Another bottled chili sauce also available, sweeter and with whole chili pieces is usually labeled, "chili sauce for chicken".

Three members of the ginger family are used in Thai cooking. Galanga, sometimes called galangal, is known as kah in Thailand and is used even more widely than fresh ginger. It can sometimes be found fresh outside of Thailand, but Western cooks must often resort to using it dried. Use whole pieces and reconstitute them by soaking them in water. Powdered kah has very little flavor. Fresh ginger can be used asa substitute for kah.Krachi, or lesser ginger, is also used in Thai cooking.It can he found dried in the West and is invariably described as Rhizome or Rhizome Powder. The dried powder is an adequate substitute for fresh krachai.

	Two kinds of mushrooms are used in the recipes in this book. Hed boo noo, variously called cloud ear, wood fungus or mouse ear, is used in Chinese cooking and is widely available in dried form. Dark strongly flavored dried mushrooms, known as het hom, and often labeled as shitake or Chinese mushrooms in the West, are also used.They need to he soaked and the tough stems discarded.

Lime leaves and shin of the kaffir lime, a wild lime that grows throughout southeast Asia, are used extensively in Thai cooking. The dried leaves are often available in Asian markets For the skin, or zest, substitute the skin of a regular lime. If you can't find dried leaves, substitute fresh lemon or lime leaves.

The Thais use the seeds, leaves and roofs of this plant. The seeds, a popular ingredient in many cuisines are available everywhere. The leaves are known as cilantro in Spanish and are readily available in Latin American markets. They are also sometimes referred to as Chinese parsley. The roots, however, are difficult to find outside of Thailand. The stems near the root end of the fresh plant can he used as a substitute.

Cream/Milk
Cans of coconut milk and cartons of coconut milk or cream are now available everywhere. Just remember that the water inside a fresh coconut is not coconut milk. The process for obtaining coconut milk and cream from fresh coconuts is explained in most general cookbooks.

Reminiscent of a tough scallion, this lemony flavored grass is popular in Thailand. Only the lower, light green, portion of the stalk is used. When finely sliced or chopped, it is eaten. Bigger pieces are only used for flavoring. Happily it is now available in many supermarkets in the West

Three types of fresh basil are used extensively in Thai cooking. Italian basil (bai horapa) and lemon basil (tai mangluk) are available fresh outside of Thailand. Bai grapao, the basil used most extensively in Thailand, is difficult to find outside of Southeast Asia, but can sometimes be found in Asian markets in large cities. When it can't be found, substitute Italian basil or fresh mint.

	Like other Orientals, the Thais eat prodigious quantities of both rice and wheat flour noodles. Both are widely available dried. If you are lucky enough to live near an oriental community, you might find them fresh. Fresh rice noodles are called kwaytiao in Thai.

This import from China is popular in Thailand and is widely available everywhere.

Tofu has become a health food in the West and is available everywhere. The Thais use both the firm and soft variety. The firm variety is often sliced and fried.

Three types of soy sauce are used in Thailand. Dark and light soy sauce are readily available in the West and the labels will often indicate the type. The Thais also use a heavy, sweetened soy sauce. It is noticeably thicker in consistency and the label will list sugar or molasses as one of the ingredients.

Kapi is an essential ingredient in Thai cooking. Everyone agrees it smells horrible, but tastes good when cooked. Available in little cakes or small cans, it is best kept in a container that is opened as seldom as possible. It can be found in stores selling Southeast Asian ingredients.

Small dried shrimp are used for flavor and texture in Thai cooking. They can often be found in cellophane packets in Western markets.

The liquid obtained by soaking the pulp of the tamarind pod is used to provide a wonderful tart flavor to many Thai dishes. After soaking, the pulp is squeezed and strained to obtain a syrupy liquid. Outside of Thailand, tamarind concentrate is often available in Indian food shops. It doesn't need to be strained, but must be thinned with water. If unavailable, use diluted amounts of lemon or lime juice.

That food can be prepared in any kitchen, but having a relatively small number of special utensils makes the process much easier. The most important item is a mortar and pestle with which curry pastes are made. A spice mill and blender or food processor can he used as a substitute, but they cut rather than mash and bruise so the result is never quite the same.

Another item that makes life easier is a food wok, the roundbottomed pan. Don't use an electric wok, they simply don't get hot enough. When you buy a wok, be sure to get the little rack that allows it to be used on a regular stove. Without this important item, the wok will be unstable.

The Thais also steam a lot of foods so a large steamer is very useful. A large aluminum model with stackable sections is the most convenient. These can sometimes be found in stores selling Chinese utensils.

If you cook Asian foods often, invest in an electric rice cooker which will allow you to concentrate on preparing other ingredients and free room on your stove.