November 24, 2021
IN Thai Cuisine
Wondering what makes Thai food taste so delicious? Well, then you’ve come to the right place.
There’s a wide variety of amazing Thai dishes from pad thai to Panang curry to try. But while there are some differences in the cuisine, there are also many commonalities. Hint: there’s sugar, spice, and everything nice!
Keep reading to learn 6 Thai food ingredients that are a staple in every Thai kitchen.
1. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce has that umami flavor you crave in Asian cuisine. And if you’ve ever tried to cook Thai food, you may have noticed that there are different types of soy sauces. There’s light, sweet, and dark soy sauce.
Light is the most common kind and is used in cooking or as a salty dipping sauce. Sweet is dark, thick, and perfect for noodle dishes or stir-frys. Dark is rich and a bit less salty, great for imparting color and flavor.
2. Chilies
Chilies add spice to Thai dishes and come in a few different forms.
Fresh bird’s eye chilies are flavorful and pack a super hot punch! They come in both red and green varieties and are used in spicy sauces and stir-frys. You can also find dried red chilies, which are great for making curry pastes.
3. Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice is a type of rice that is long-grain and aromatic. It’s commonly used in Southeastern Asian cuisine and is the perfect vehicle for many Thai dishes since it’s soft, sweet, and sticky.
You’ll often see it paired with stir-fried vegetables and on the side of curries.
4. Coconut Milk
Coconut “milk” is made by grating the coconut flesh and soaking it in hot water.
When it comes to Thai cuisine, it’s a common ingredient when making curries and soups. And although it’s not real dairy, it provides a creamy texture and balances out the heat from spices or peppers.
5. Curry Paste
Thai curry pastes are the foundation of all Thai curry dishes. They provide the dish with spice and a tremendous amount of flavor.
The 5 different types of curry pastes are red, green, yellow, Massaman, and Panang. Each one has a unique flavor profile, but they are all made from some type of herbs, spices, and aromatics.
6. Palm Sugar
Palm sugar is a type of sugar made from the sap of a coconut palm tree.
It’s the most common kind of sugar used in Thai cooking and is used instead of brown or cane sugar. And while it’s similar to these sugars, it has a slight caramel flavor and more mild sweetness.
Are You Hungry for Thai Food Yet?
Thanks to these ingredients, Thai cuisine is one of the best in the world. They bring the salt, heat, and sweetness that you come back to time and time again. And if you’re up for the challenge, get some Thai food and see if you can taste any of these components!
Are you craving the best Thai food in Seattle? View our menu and order yourself some dinner or request a quote for our Thai catering.
