Cooking Techniques
While it appears Thai cooking techniques are very time consuming than in any other cuisine it is, in fact, the cutting techniques (from slicing and dicing, to mincing and chopping), that give Thai cuisine its exciting aesthetic appeal.
Pad (Stir fried) – Stir-frying uses less oils than traditional frying methods and combines all the ingredients in one pan, bringing together a few complementary flavors. The juices yielded in stir-frying are usually sufficient to form a sauce.
Toad (Deep fried) – Deep fried makes food crispy and crunchy, there are a lot of Thai dishes which are deep fried such as Thai spring rolls, shrimps in a blanket, fried tofu and dessert like fried banana.
Nung (Steamed) – Steaming is a gentle method that produces wonderfully moist results and is perfectly suited for vegetables and fish. Check food frequently during steaming, as some foods cook surprisingly quick. A popular “Nung (Steamed)” dish is: Pla nung manow - Steamed red snapper with lime, garlic and chili.
Thai salad (Yum) – “Yum” or Thai salad dishes have the same main ingredients which are lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chili but with different spices and herbs. A popular “Yum” dish is: Yum Nue (Spicy beef salad) - grilled slice beef with lime juice, fish sauce, chili, lettuces and shallots.
Gang jeud – Clear broth soup made from grounded pork, grounded chicken or pork rib with all kind of vegetable, fresh tofu, or clear glass noodle. It is very refreshing.
Yang (Grilled) – Grilling meat on a metal grate over hot coals or other heat source. Thai satay and marinated grilled chicken must be one of the favorite dishes for Thai people.
Tom (Broil) – Cooking food in a boiling broth with vegetables and meat. The favorite boiled method is “Tom Yum soup”.
Equipment
 |
| Strainer – Several types of strainer are available, but the two most useful are the perforated metal scoop or slotted spoon, and the coarse-mesh, wire skimmer, preferably with a long bamboo handle. Wire skimmers can retain strong flavors; do not use them with liquids based on fish or fish sauce. |
 |
| Steamer – The traditional Thai steamer is made from bamboo and has a tight-fitting lid. Several sizes are available, and you can stack as many tires as you like over a wok of boiling water. The modern steamer is free standing and made of aluminium, but the food cooked in a metal steamer lacks the subtle fragrance that a bamboo steamer imparts. |
 |
| Rice Cooker – Electric rice cookers work extremely well and are worth investing in if you cook a lot of rice. However, a good-sized, deep, heavy-based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid is just as suitable for this purpose. |
 | |
| Fire Pot – This is not unlike a fondue pot, in that it allows food to be cooked at the table. The design is different from that of a fondue, however, as it consists of a central funnel, which is filled with burning charcoal, surrounded by a moat in which hot stock is placed. |
 |
| Wok – It is not surprising that the wok has become a universal favorite, for it is a remarkably versatile utensil. It conducts and retains heat evenly and, because of its shape, the food always returns to the center where the heat is most intense. This makes it ideally suited for stir-frying, braising, steaming, boiling and even for deep-frying. |
 |
| Clever – To Western cooks, a cleaver can seem rather intimidating. In reality, cleavers are among the most useful pieces of equipment ever invented. The blade of a heavy cleaver is powerful enough to cut through bone. The flat of the broad blade is ideal for crushing garlic or ginger; it is not as dangerous as it looks, provided you handle it with care. Learn to regard it as just another kitchen knife, and you will be rewarded with a lot of fun and very satisfactory results. |
 |
| Clay Pot – This earthenware cooking utensil must have preceded the cast iron pot by thousands of years. The pots are mostly glazed on the inside only, and they can be used on top of the stove. |
 |
| Mortar and Pestle – Thai cooks prefer clay mortar and pestle, which is good for making spice pastes that contain large amounts of fresh spices, onion, herbs and garlic; also Thai favorite dish “Somtam” (papaya salad) will never happen without the mortar. |
 |
| Wok Tools – Some wok sets come with a spatula and ladle made from cast iron or stainless steel. These are very useful, particularly the ladle. |
