Essential Thai Condiments You Have to Own



If you are anything like me, prior to moving to Thailand, the condiments in your kitchen were salt, pepper, ketchup, and cheese. At the time, living off of bread and poorly-cooked omelettes, I never felt the need to up my kitchen game or to buy ingredients in a foreign language that I can't pronounce. Not to mention the pungent odour that comes along with it certainly makes for an overwhelming experience. But of course, arriving in Thailand and being immersed in the culture and culinary experience, I began to fall in love with the very same pungent odour, the spices, the colour, and the complexity that Thai dishes never fail to deliver. The foreign and unfamiliar taste and character makes Thai dishes seem deceptively difficult to replicate. In reality, however, it is seldom more complicated than being able to properly gauge and season using the basic Thai ingredients that every Thai household should own. Therefore, the following list of items includes some things that will skyrocket your Thai home-cooking potential.

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Fish sauce

Fish sauce is made from fermented fish, mostly salted anchovies. The sauce itself is usually fermented for a period of 1 to 2 years. It can be easily recognised by its incredible fishiness and accompanying smell. Out of all that will be listed in the article, fish sauce is by far the most important and most used condiment in Thai cooking in general, being used in almost every Thai dish imaginable. If you're having Thai, you can bet it's cooked with fish sauce.

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Oyster sauce

Oyster sauce is a combination of oyster extract, salt, and sugar that has been thickened with cornstarch into a brownish/blackish sauce. It has a strong umami flavour with hints of sweetness and is the perfect companion to dishes utilising lean meats or vegetables. Oyster sauce is a necessity in stir-frying and it is often said that if you do not own oyster sauce, your wok is just a round pan. Adding oyster sauce to an otherwise bland and basic dish will add a great deal of character to any dish.

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Black soy sauce (Dark soy sauce/Thai soy sauce)

Black soy sauce is similar to the oyster sauce in many ways. In certain situations they can be used interchangeably and they ultimately serve the same purpose: to sweeten and add a umami flavor to a dish. The condiment has heavy Chinese roots and most dishes that utilise the sauce will likely be a Thai-Chinese dish. Therefore, you are likely to see this condiment used with many stir-fry dishes that have a sweet aftertaste. It is wondrous how much Black soy sauce can do to even the blandest of meals.

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White soy sauce (or just Soy sauce)

White soy sauce, made from a paste of fermented soybeans, brine, and mold, is not necessarily a Thai condiment. Heavily utilised in Japanese cuisine, it brings a salty and earthy flavour and can be used with almost anything. In Thai cooking, however, soy sauce is used in dishes such as Pad Kee Mao, Laad Na, Fried Rice, and Goong Ob Woonsen.

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Bird’s eye chili

This chili is notorious for its heat, boasting a scoville rating of ​​50,000-100,000 SHU. There is much more to the chili than its heat, however. Often sun-dried to give it a smoky character, it can be used as seasoning or as a key component to a large majority of Thai curries. Even if you yourself find the chili too hot to bear, it still deserves a spot in your kitchen if used sparingly or with the seed removed to give any dish that distinctive Thai spice and smell.

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Coconut Milk

If you are looking to delve into Thai curries, this condiment is a must have in your kitchen. Coconut milk, while not as prevalent as other condiments in Thailand, is synonymous with Thai cuisine thanks to dishes such as Tom Ka Gai or Tom Yum Goong. What makes coconut milk different from cream or milk when used in cooking is that it carries with it the fruity smell and taste of coconut while also bringing a hint of sweetness that is so significant in Thai curries.

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That is about it for the most basic of Thai kitchens. Of course, it is expected that most would own a few more additions such as Galangal, fried garlic, or basil to truly have a complete Thai condiment collection. However, the aforementioned condiments are the most important and widely used in Thai cuisine and that most chefs will generally have a spare stock of. There is no better time to engage yourself in Thai cooking than right now, and with this list of ingredients, you are already half-way through your culinary journey.

In the meantime, why not put your Thai cooking skills to the test with these recipes?

 

By : Sun Property Consultant

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