| Garlic Garlic is the main ingredient in all Thai foods. It is used in curry pastes and in stir fries. Pickled garlic is eaten with spicy dishes. |
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Shallots A member of the onion family, shallots are used in most Thai dishes, as an ingredient in curry pastes, dips and salads. |
| Galangal (Siamese
ginger) and ginger Galangal is always used in curry pastes and sour and hot soups. Ginger is used in stir fried dishes or pickled and eaten with spicy food. |
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Lemongrass
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| Kaffir lime The fruit and the leaves are used. The fruit is wrinkly and doesn't look like ordinary limes. The juice is not used much, but the zest (the thin top layer of skin) of the limes is used in red curry paste. The leaf is a double leaf, and is sliced very thin when used in recipes. |
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Basil There are 3 kinds of basil used in Thai food and each is used with different kinds of food. |
| Chilli There are many kinds of chilli grown in Thailand. The small red chillies are the hottest and are used in curries and sauces. |
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Coriander The leaves and stalk, the roots, and the seeds are each used in different kinds of food because each part of the plant has its own unique flavour. |
| Fish sauce The main seasoning in Thai foods. It is called naam pla and is made from fermented anchovies. |
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Palm Sugar This is made from the flowers of the coconut tree. Many Thai dishes have a little sugar added to enhance the flavour. |
| Coconut Coconut milk is an ingredient in both curries and desserts. |
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| Curry paste Curry paste is a combination of spices and herbs needed for flavouring a curry dish. There are different combinations according to the kind of curry being made. |
There are four different Thai curries: Kaeng Ped, hot red curry; Kaeng Keo Wan, green curry; Kaeng Karee, yellow curry; and Kaeng Masaman, a Thai-Indian curry. |