Mouth-watering Thai beef salad, spicy green curry, and grilled pork tenderloin, marinated Thai-style. If you’re getting hungry already, you’re not alone.
Thai cuisine, with a rich and fascinating history, is one of the most popular cuisines in the world, for good reason. We love the delicious flavors, smells, and variety from the beautiful country of Thailand.
If you’re a home chef, you might be interested in cooking Thai meals yourself. Read more to learn how to shop for fresh Thai ingredients and what foods you should be looking for. Fresh from the garden vegetables, fruits, and herbs are key to capturing the beautiful tastes of Thailand- here’s how to get started.
Think Fresh Produce
Thai food is perhaps best known for its garden-fresh produce and vegetables, which make the cuisine so popular.
If you’re a chef shopping for Thai ingredients, you will want to focus on finding the freshest food around. Look for seasonal veggies as well as locally grown produce – farmer’s markets are one of the best places to find these ingredients.
If you want to make delicious Thai curries like Panang or red curries, you’ll need to stock up on fresh veggies, such as carrots, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
Fresh chili peppers are also important for giving Thai food the flavor kick that we love.
Juicy Tropical Fruits
There’s nothing nicer than enjoying beautiful fresh Thai fruits. The country is renowned for amazing tropical fruits, and Thai chefs will be incorporating fruits into their cooking.
Thai fruits, such as papaya, go wonderfully in Thai salads. Thai fruits are also great for breakfast or for a healthy snack throughout the day- look for dragon fruit, pineapple, jackfruit, and rambutan.
Thai bananas are also popular- they are smaller than normal American bananas and can be used to create sweet desserts. Mangos are also great for desserts, such as mango sticky rice or mango ice cream.
The Power of Herbs and Spices
The diverse tastes of Thai cuisine, such as spicy soups or meats, come from traditional Thai spices and herbs.
Thai spices, such as cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, and cumin, will be found in the pantry of every Thai chef. They can be used either fresh or dried.
Herbs are also needed to give Thai food the light and refreshing taste it is known for. If you can, look for fresh herbs at the grocer or farmer’s market, as these will add more flavor to your dish.
If you’re able, you can even grow popular Thai herbs in your garden, so that you always have fresh greens for your cooking.
Thai herbs that you might like to incorporate into your cooking include basil, coriander, and lemongrass. They are great additions to almost any Thai dish, including soups, curries, and salads.
Ready to Enjoy Fresh Thai Ingredients?
If you’re getting hungry, you’re not alone! Now that you know more about cooking with and understanding fresh Thai ingredients, you might be in the mood for a Thai feast. Order online at www.thaiginger.com today for fresh, tasty, and traditional Thai cuisine near you. We look forward to serving you.