The food culture of South-east Asia varies widely across the region with each country following its own traditions for spice blends , flavorings and cooking styles. However, there are so many similarities largely because of the trade of ingredients and the influences of climate, geography and region.

As well as having many ingredients in common, South-east Asian countries share a similar approach to food. All prepare, cook and serve their daily meals according to the long established principle called “fan cai”.

Most ingredients used in Thai cooking will be familiar to people so this section is a selection of the traditional and the lesser known ingredients particular to Thai food. We would like to point out that MSG (monosodiumglutamate) is not used in Aek’s cooking. All ingredients are as a fresh as possible and most products are from Thailand.

Chilli – “prik”
Thai food would not be Thai food without the Thai chilli! Red ones, yellow ones, green ones, big and small, they will be in just about every dish and if you are a true lover of them then you will know the distinction between real Thai food and the fake stuff because the spicy flavouring of Thai chillies is unmistakable! There are 10 different kinds, the spiciest being the smallest and nicknamed “mouseshit chilli” because it’s small and deadly!! When ordering your food it is a good idea to let us know how spicy you would like it. If you say mild Aek will assume you would like a Western version of the dish and put very little chilli in it. Go on, be brave and have the real thing, it really is an experience!

Galangal – “kaa”
This is a type of ginger that is harder than common ginger and has a unique flavour. You cannot substitute ginger for galangal. Used in soups and curries it is usually shredded and while it can be eaten it is not recommended until you are used to the strong flavour. In soups it is often sliced and can be chewed on although again you may prefer to simply benefit from the aroma and flavouring. However, along with garlic it is extremely beneficial to your health in keeping off coughs and colds.

Lemongrass – “ta krai”
Another unmistakable component of Thai cuisine. These yellowish – green stalks are used in soups and curries and have a very strong lemony flavour that adds a wonderful aroma and taste to these dishes. Again it is not advisable to actually eat them!

Kaffir Lime – “magrut”
A small green lime with warts is how some people describe this essential ingredient! The skin is used in chilli pastes, the juice can be used to preserve food, and the leaf is used to flavour soups. The leaf comes in “Siamese twins” as 2 leaves grow together! If you see something dark green, glossy and leaf like in your curry you will have discovered a kaffir lime leaf; don’t eat it but do smell it!

Coconut milk – “krati”
This is pressed from the grated flesh of coconut. Milk from the first pressing is thick and is called the “head”. The milk from the second or third pressing is called the “tail”. Coconut milk is widely used in Thai curries especially the ever popular Thai Green Curry.

Coriander – “pak chi”
This herb is used extensively as a flavouring and as a garnish. The leaf is lovely eaten raw with other vegetables in a salad. The roots can be pounded with garlic and used as a marinade and in soups and curries. Unfortuantely in Western countries it can be difficult to find coriander with the roots intact . The seeds are used in curry pastes.

Shrimp Paste – “pla laa”
This is made from fermented fish and has a very strong taste. It is therefore used in very small quantities and lasts a very long time. It is more widely used in Northern Thai dishes.

Tamarind – “makam piak”
Tamarind is a fruit that when ripe will turn sticky. It’s paste is used to give a sour flavour to dishes.

Fish sauce – “nam pla”
This is a sauce made from fermented fish and is used in a similar way to our salt and pepper. It is very salty and should be used in small amounts. It is another marker of Thai cuisine and cannot be substituted.

Oyster sauce – “nam man hoi”
A thick dark sauce made from oysters used as a flavouring to most stir- fried dishes.

Aubergine – “
Another word commonly used for this vegetable is eggplant. In Thailand all stages of the plant are used, starting with the pea which is used whole in soups and is similar to a western pea except much harder and with a stronger taste. The adult aubergine is green and not as big as Western varieties. It adds a distinctive appearance to dishes and is delicious!

Rice – “kao”
The staple food of the Thai people is grown in every corner of the country. Rice is eaten with nearly every dish in Thailand and is highly respected because of the huge agricultural population – to leave even the smallest amount of rice on your plate is seen as insulting to the farmer. There are two main ways to cook rice – steamed or sticky. There are countless varieties of grain used for different purposes, but we will use the most commonly known which is Thai jasmine or fragrant rice. Steamed rice is eaten with a spoon and is used to accompany all dishes except noodles. Sticky rice (local to Northern and Northeastern Thais) is eaten by hand and is usually eaten with very spicy meats, vegetables and chilli pastes!