An Insight into the Popular Ingredients of Thai Food
There is much curiosity about the secret behind the health benefits of Thai Food. Many vital ingredients and herbs contribute to this, besides the flavors and tastes. The medley of ingredients in the Thai Food is discussed here:
Garlic: Most Thai recipes start off with sliced garlic fried in oil. All Thai meals contain garlic.
Bean Noodles: These are known as glass noodles and a major ingredient of Thai food. There are many kinds of noodles available in Thai foods. Moong bean noodles are the most prominent. These are transparent noodles or thread noodles. Glass noodles are plunged into hot water and then taken out. In Thai spring rolls you can see bean noodles which are cut into tiny pieces and cooked well in boiling water.
Thai Curry Paste: The curry paste is unique and adds a spicy flavor to the dishes. Its quantity can be moderated depending on the dish. Thai curry paste is great as it can be preserved in a refrigerator for about 2-3 months.
Coconut Milk: A common ingredient in Thai food is coconut milk. It is used in a range of dishes; sweet Thai desserts, Spicy dishes, and hot meals. Diluted coconut milk will affect the overall flavour of the Thai food being cooked.
Thai Chili Peppers: Thai food without chilies is hard to imagine. Chilies come in different types and sizes. In Thailand Phrik Khee Noo is the smallest yet the hottest chili type. Thai locals chop them up them into fish sauce and add to any dish.
Palm sugar: Sweet is a common taste in Thai food; palm sugar is used widely to sweeten dishes.
Jasmine rice: This fragrant rice is exclusive and of a high quality.
Lemongrass: Lemongrass or ‘takraai’ is used mainly in soups, stews and stir fried dishes. Its intense lemon aroma is fascinating. The substitutes for fresh lemongrass include dried lemongrass, powdered lemongrass and lemongrass paste.
Galangal: Galangal may be mistaken for ginger. They are lighter in color and possess a great taste. In almost all Thai cuisines galangal is used as a key ingredient.
Eggplant: Eggplants known as aubergine come in many sizes. The color varies from green to white and purple to black. Thais eat raw eggplants with spicy dips and sauces.
Kaffir lime leaves: Kaffir lime leaves lend a strong citrus fragrance to Thai cuisine especially soups.
Fish sauce: In cooking Thai cuisine fish sauce is indispensable. The salty dimension to Thai food is derived from the fish sauce. High in protein, minerals and vitamins it is made of small fish and fermented in salt for a long time from which the juice is extracted and boiled.
The best opportunity to enjoy Thai Food is to have it in a nice restaurant. You can eat healthy Thai Food at the best Thai restaurants in your city and observe the dynamics of the ingredients discussed above.
See Also: PadThai – All about this famous and delicious Thai cuisine!
