We’ve had plenty of good Thai food here, and ofcourse I never learbt to cook anything Thia (or Chinese for that matter). But as I was perusing the Carrefour Isles, I realized if I take some of those dried spices home, I could stir up a Thai meal. EXCEPT, I don’t know what’s on those packets, and how easy they are to use. Can anyone enlighten me??
You won’t need any of those packets, but this is one of my favorite Thai recipes: thaifood.about.com/od/thairecipe … ensate.htm
These are pretty good, too. thaifood.about.com/od/anauthenti … dinner.htm
If your packets aren’t labeled, may be quite hard to know that’s in 'em. 
Start first with the Blue Elephant brand. They have English on the packages and are available in Taipei. They also have recipes on their website I linked.
And they taste fantastic! Really authentic. Fantastic standby to have on hand when you can’t be bothered doing “proper” cooking. I like the green curry paste in particular.
And they taste fantastic! Really authentic. Fantastic standby to have on hand when you can’t be bothered doing “proper” cooking. I like the green curry paste in particular.[/quote]
I concur. They’re great! Quite high-end, though.
Mae Ploy brand pastes are not bad, but expect to add extra galangal and lime leaf.
And they taste fantastic! Really authentic. Fantastic standby to have on hand when you can’t be bothered doing “proper” cooking. I like the green curry paste in particular.[/quote]
I concur. They’re great! Quite high-end, though.[/quote]
I don’t recall them being particularly expensive. I get 'em at the Wellcome supermarket, so they can’t be THAT pricey. I do remember that they sold them at the airport in Thailand and that I used up my last pocket-change bhat on a couple of packs (each pack contains two sachets of paste, good for two meals) and even at airport prices they were still only like 49 bhat each.
Don’t be so goddamn STINGY, jimipresley! 
Marc, you know the stuff you see dried leaves and sticks in a packet, all those curry paste packets etc.
Elektronisk has hit the right spot, and those simple put oil, empty sachet add meat recipes are perfect. I’m on it and will buy some while at Jasons 
Wish I had asked earlier, I was always embarrassed too, atleast I could’ve tried it a couple of times but well…whatever.
Thanks guys, do let me know any ‘tips’ to keep in mind while cooking Thai.
Edit. Ah Wellcomes, cool that’s good.
Not all Wellcomes, I don’t think. I usually get it at the one on Anhe Rd jsut up the road from Carnegies.
Tips? There’s not really much in the way of tips needed for Blue Elephant. Very simple. However, I tend to fry onions first, then fry the paste , which I don’t think is the way they suggest but I like it better that way.
One tip is to get some of those little tomatoes and shrimps and mushrooms and try their Tom Yum soup. Its so easy and so divine.
And one more tip is to forget about using dried lemon grass. You can usually get fresh at Breeze or Jasons and its great. The dried stuff is a waste of time and you’d be better off just using lemon juice if you can’t get fresh. Not the same, but still a lot better than dried lemon grass.
I wonder if we get lemon grass in Delhi, maybe at those elity places.hmmmmm
Agree on the dried lemongrass and the recommendations for blue elephant.
But definitely get some kaffir lime leaves. They really make a differences in curries.
Making it is dead easy. Just fry up the curry paste in some olive oil then add coconut milk, a bit of water and some fish sauce and the kaffir lime leaves, then add whatever vegetables you feel like. I usually add halved cherry tomatoes, bamboo on thin slices, broccoli, runner beans and some potato. If I add meat, it’ll usually be chicken. It freezes well too, so I make a huge pot on Sundays and get 2~3 lunchboxes afterwards as well.
Dried lemongrass is actually fine if you leave it to soak overnight. But yeah, of course fresh is better. 
Add the fish sauce near the end of cooking, and cut any excess saltiness with additional lime juice, if necessary (maybe so it loses less of the flavour? Not sure why, but it has been recommended by many good Thai chefs). Squid sauce (made like fish sauce) is more pungent still.
and second the lime leaves recommendation. Dried or fresh (if you find them fresh, buy lots and freeze them, they keep for ages and are just as good that way. Fresh herbs are always better than dried if you can get them, lemongrass especially, but dried is better than nothing, of course.
I think the addition of lime juice is more for a balance of flavors; it isn’t really cutting saltiness IMO. As for waiting until near the end of cooking to add the fish sauce, that may partly be so that you don’t cook away the aromatic elements in it (just as you always add basil and some other fresh herbs near the end), and partly because it functions largely as a final adjustment for saltiness.
Hmmm interesting stuff, these are the tips I need I’ll have a week after my stuff is packed so I’ll be doing one pot dinners, maybe I’ll try a Thai thingy and let you know.
[quote=“urodacus”]
and second the lime leaves recommendation. Dried or fresh (if you find them fresh, buy lots and freeze them, they keep for ages and are just as good that way. [/quote]
You can get them frozen too, way better than dried.
[quote=“Tempo Gain”][quote=“urodacus”]
and second the lime leaves recommendation. Dried or fresh (if you find them fresh, buy lots and freeze them, they keep for ages and are just as good that way. [/quote]
You can get them frozen too, way better than dried.[/quote]
Nah I want to take them home with me, frozen stuff won’t do good in a shipping container.
Oh, no doubt.
Definitely. The small cannister 3.5 by 2 inches can of dried from BE will last you a long time. If anything buy the curries and this.