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Glossary
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Ingredients
Shallots
(Hom Lek or Hom Daeng)
Appearance
: Thai shallots are small cloved bulb-shaped onions pinkish-purple
in color. Shallots are fondly called “small onions or Thai
red onions” among Thai people. Peel them off, rinse and coarsely
chop them for chili salad dishes. They can also be sliced,
deep fried and used as a garnish. Large red or brown onions
can be used as a substitute.
Flavour
: Sweet, oniony flavour.
Benefit
for health : Cures flatulence.
Spring
Onion or Scallions (Ton Hom)
Appearance
: Mild long stemmed, slim onions. Both the green and
the white portions are used. These are much used as a garmish
and are frequently served on the side of a meal, such as fried
rice or placed on the salad plate.
Flavour
: Strong.
Benefit
for health : Aids colds and fevers by clearing
the respiratory system.
Sweet
Basil (Bai Horapha)
Appearance
: It is used liberally as seasoning and sprigs of it are
often added to platters of fresh raw vegetables. They have
small deep green leaves with reddish-purple stems, and are
used in red and green curries.
Flavour
: Stronger than westem sweet basil with a distinctive
lemony fragrance.
Benefit
for health : Seasons the food. Deodorizes the meat’s
scent. Cures flatulence and aids digestion. Reduces phlegm.
Tamarind
( Makham )
Appearance
: Comes from the tamarind tree, which has fine fern leaves.
The fruit is eaten green but the brown pulp is used for cooking.
Making tamarind juice is easy. It’s called “ tamarind paste
“ and is preserved from shelled tamarind. These should be
rinsed before being soaked with a small amount of boiling
water for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze the paste and use the liquid.
It is used in spicy and some chili salad dishes.
Flavour
: Sour flavour.
Benefit
for health : Cures stomach problems and constipation.
Contains vitamin C and calcium so it is good for bones and
teeth.
Limes
(Manao)
Appearance
: Not to be confused with kaffir lime, Thais use these
small spherical fruits, which are green or yellow, for juice
and to garnish salads. If you don’t have limes on hand, substitute
lemons for juice and lemon wedges for garnishes.
Flavour
: Sour flavour.
Benefit
for health : Drink lime juice to eradicate phlegm. Solves
the problem of bleeding gums.
Mint
(Sa-Ra-Naei)
Appearance
: Thai mint leaves are deep green and round, thin, hairless,
and slightly wavy. The stem is dark red and is served fresh
as an ingredient in spicy chopped meat salads, spicy salads
and in sour and spicy fish soups.
Flavour
: Hot and fragrant (especially after being washed and
chopped).
Benefit
for health : Reduces perspiration and cures flatulence.
Contains vitamin C that helps protect against colds and fevers.
Its fragrance is invigorating.
Turmeric
Root (Kha-Min)
Appearance
: Small ginger with brown rhizomes. Both old (A) and
young (B) ones are used. The old one is a bright, carrot orange
color and is used in pounded form for coloring food and deodorizing
the meat’s scent. The color of young turmeric root is pale
and mostly eaten fresh with ‘nam phrik’ a sauce of shrimp
paste and chili.
Flavour
: Bitter spice.
Benefit
for health : After eating, stomach problems are
relieved e.g. gastric or peptic ulcers.
Onion
(Hom Hua Yai)
Appearance
: Light colored bulbs that are larger and milder than
the shallot. Slightly brown coloured. Peel the cloves off,
rinse and thinly slice for salad dishes and as a garnish.
Flavour
: Slightly hot.
Benefit
for health : Eating half a fresh bulb each day will help
to decrease heart and blood diseases heart and blood diseases
as it protects the arterial walls from fat. Reduces phlegm.
Pepper
(Phrik Thai)
Appearance
: Berries, when ripe, are dried and ground with the skins
on to make black pepper, or with the skin off to make white
pepper. The most widely available form in Thailand is white
pepper used to flavour many dishes.
Flavour
: Hot and aromatic.
Benefit
for health : Cures flatulence and reduces phlegm.
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