Thai cuisine is a combination of a variety of styles of cuisine from different regions of the Thailand. It is generally known for its strong spicy flavors, but actually Thai dishes should be the perfect balance of the four basic flavors: hot, sour, salty and sweet.There is a degree of complexity of the Thai cuisine, which can often be confused with a mixture of flavours for the untrained Cook. However, using correct amounts of each ingredient, a harmony of flavours is possible, so that each of the four tastes can be distinguished and compliment each other perfectly.
Thai dishes tend to include a variety of herbs and spices that are now readily available in your supermarket East and some are even in Western supermarkets. Leaves Kaffir lime, known as my gruud, make a sour, but the aromatic flavour to Thai cooking and are usually bruised and added together to many Thai soups. They are known to be used in soup dish popular s Thailand; Tom Yum Goong.
Like Bay leaves, kaffir lime leaves are not consumed but used to provide an aromatic note. They are often mixed with other herbs, roots and spices to add fragrance to the thai curry paste. They can be bought fresh or frozen and dried forms.
Lemongrass (ta krai) also provides a sour element to Thai cooking. They are often bought fresh, but can also be frozen for convenience. Lemongrass is used to inject a sour scent in a wide variety of Thai cuisine, including thai curry paste.
Bird s eye chili (prik kee no) is another ingredient that is widely used in Asian cuisine. Indigenous peoples of Central America and the South, bird s eye pepper makes his way in Southeast Asia by the Spanish settlers and Portuguese traders. It is characterized by its heat burning and is often consumed raw in dishes such as khao kha mu (foot of cooked pork served with rice).
Roots such as garlic (krathiam) and Ginger (King) offer a deep flavor base for many Thai dishes, although still Thai chefs prefer to use a root more citrus called galangal (kha). The root of galanga is a basic ingredient of many Thai curries and soups and because of its deep flavor, it blends well with spicy dishes.
Dried herbs are often used to provide an element of spice Thai cuisine. White pepper ground (pedantic thai Blaxter) has traditionally been used as preferred supplier of front heat fresh pepper was brought to the Thailand, but it continues to be used in a wide variety of dishes.
Peppers ground, (pedantic kee nu bonn) are simply a dried version of the bird s eye pepper. The drying process allows it to be stored for a longer period and often delivers a heat severe to food.
Generally cumin (ye raa) is used to provide a bitter element to Thai cooking. It is often sold in the form of seed, but can also be sold in the form of powder on the ground.
Fish sauce (nam pla) is commonly used in many Thai dishes and is made from fermented fish. It offers a pungent and salty flavour and is typically used as a seasoning. It can be added to food during cooking, but can also be enjoyed as a raw seasoning that can be added to prepared foods.
Shrimp (kapi) is an another staple in Thai cuisine and is made by fermenting the ground shrimp and salt. Like fish sauce, it has a pungent aroma but is only used as an ingredient in cooking and can not be consumed raw. Shrimp paste gives a strong taste that exudes bitterness and salty taste and is used in the famous chili paste called nam phrik kapi.
Thai curry paste (kaeng khrueang) which translates to "curry ingredients", that can be made fresh or purchased in most supermarkets. Most khrueang kaeng will be a mixture of Earth of fresh or dried spices, peppers and various herbs and other ingredients such as shrimp paste.
To provide the sweetness in food, two ingredients are mainly used; Palm sugar (nam taan peep) and coconut milk (maphrao).
Palm sugar is a solid formed sweetener derived from the SAP of Palm. Rich and sweet to the taste, it has a sweetness that is more subtle than cane sugar and is more suitable for the kitchen with spicy dishes. It is often used to sweeten the Thai desserts, but is also regularly used in tasty Thai dishes.
Coconut milk is creamy and soft and is particularly popular in dishes that are created in the South of the Thailand. Most famous is used in thai curry, coconut milk is added, after spices and herbs to give a deep creamy flavor and allows to mix complex aromas.
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