Thai ingredients: rice, noodles, herbs, spices and produce
A concise reference to the main Thai ingredients: jasmine and sticky rice, rice and glass noodles, aromatic herbs, chilies, seasonings and common fruits and vegetables.
Contents
The short answer: what goes into Thai cooking
Most Thai cooking starts with rice or noodles. Fresh aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, Thai basils, cilantro, garlic, shallots and chilies build the flavor. Fish sauce, shrimp paste, palm sugar, lime and tamarind season the dish. Fresh vegetables and fruit fill out the table. Learn these groups and you can identify most of what appears in a typical Thai dish.
Rice, noodles and other starches
Rice is the foundation of the Thai meal. Two kinds matter most to a home cook, and the choice between them is partly regional.
- Jasmine rice (khao hom mali): a fragrant long-grain rice, the everyday choice in much of the country.
- Sticky or glutinous rice (khao niao): a short-grain rice that is steamed, not boiled. It is the staple in the north and northeast (Isan) and is often eaten by hand with dishes like grilled meats and salads.
- Rice noodles (kuai tiao): sold in widths from thin to wide flat sheets. They are used in soups and stir-fried dishes.
- Khanom chin: soft, thin rice noodles traditionally served with curries.
- Egg noodles (ba mi): wheat noodles, often found in noodle soups.
- Glass noodles (wun sen): translucent noodles made from mung bean starch, common in salads and stir-fries.
Herbs and aromatics
Fresh aromatics give Thai food its signature smell, and they are used more often than dried ground spices. Many are pounded together into pastes or bruised and simmered in soups.
| Thai name | English name | How it is commonly used |
| Takhrai | Lemongrass | Bruised for soups, sliced into salads, pounded into curry pastes |
| Kha | Galangal | A firm ginger relative used in soups and pastes; not interchangeable with ginger in flavor |
| Bai makrut | Makrut lime leaves (sometimes sold as kaffir lime leaves) | Torn into soups and curries, or finely shredded |
| Horapha | Thai sweet basil | Added to curries and stir-fries near the end of cooking |
| Kaphrao | Holy basil | The defining herb of pad kaphrao stir-fries |
| Phak chi | Cilantro (coriander) | Leaves as garnish; roots pounded into pastes and marinades |
| Phrik | Chilies | Fresh, dried or ground, depending on the dish |
Garlic and shallots are also basic building blocks. They are used raw in salads, fried as a crisp topping, or pounded into pastes.
Seasonings, pastes and dressings
Thai cooks balance salty, sour, sweet and spicy flavors. A small set of pantry items does most of that work.
- Fish sauce (nam pla): the main source of saltiness and savory depth.
- Shrimp paste (kapi): a fermented paste used in curry pastes and chili dips.
- Palm sugar: a rounded sweetness used to balance salt and sour.
- Lime juice and tamarind: the main souring agents.
- Coconut milk: the base of many curries and desserts, especially in central and southern cooking.
Curry pastes combine these elements: chilies, aromatics such as lemongrass, galangal, garlic and shallots, plus shrimp paste are traditionally pounded in a mortar. Exact recipes vary by curry and by cook. Salad dressings for dishes called yam usually build on lime juice, fish sauce, a little sugar and chilies, in proportions adjusted to taste.
Vegetables and fruits
Fresh produce appears both cooked and raw. Vegetables often come as accompaniments to dips and salads. Common choices include long beans, Thai eggplants, cucumbers, cabbage and morning glory (water spinach). Green, unripe papaya is shredded for som tam, the pounded papaya salad associated with Isan.
Tropical fruit is eaten fresh, made into desserts, and sometimes used in savory dishes. Familiar examples include mango (famously paired with sticky rice), papaya, pineapple, pomelo, durian, mangosteen, rambutan, longan and lychee.
A note on sourcing and gaps
This guide covers widely recognized ingredient groups, not a complete inventory. Usage differs between regions, households and restaurants, and no single list is authoritative. For US cooks, availability matters too: items like fresh galangal, makrut lime leaves and holy basil are easier to find at Asian grocery stores than at general supermarkets.
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