Nam Prik
Hot sauce
Pad Thai
Stir-fried rice noodles
Palm Sugar
A dark brown sugar made from coconut trees. Palm sugar, which resembles a mixture of brown sugar, coconut, and maple syrup in taste, adds a hint of sweetness to desserts and savory dishes.
Phanaeng
A thick, stir-fried, coconut-milk, orange-red-colored curry. This sharp blend of herbs and spices is usually cooked with shrimp, chicken, or pork.
Phat Phak Ruam Mit
A mixed vegetable stir-fried dish.
Phat Thai
An elegant, mild, popular, stir fried noodle dish. Sometimes served with fresh shrimp.
Phrik Haeng
Fully ripened, dried, red chilies
Phrik Pon
Ground dried chili. Traditionally tops chopped salads and soups.
Phrik Thai
Fresh chili pepper
Pla
Fish
Po Pia Thot
A fried titbit stuffed with savory fillings and wrapped with spring roll sheets.
Prik Ki Noo
Intense, biting, tiny, red or green chilies.
Red Curry
A traditional general-purpose curry powder used in a variety of dishes.
Saranae
Marsh mint; the fresh leaves of this herb plant are used to flavor and garnish dishes.
Satay
Barbeque-flavored, skewered, kebabs of pork, chicken, or beef. This titbit, enriched with curry powder, fresh herbs, and peanut sauce, becomes the main dish when served with bread and rice.
Shallot
Zesty, small red onions
Shrimp Paste
Salted and dried shrimp grounded into fragrant, fine-textured puce paste.
Som Tam
A piquant country salad. This popular sweet and sour dish may contain meat, dried shrimp, and/or vegetables.
Som Tam Esan
A green papaya salad
Sour Curry
A thin, non-coconut-milk, red-colored Thai curry.
Takaw
A coconut-cream dessert
Takrai
A tough plant stalk resembling grey-green grass. Its fresh aromatic leaves impart a delicate citrus and ginger fragrance.
Tam Taeng
A refreshing salad of cucumbers
Thai Basil
Distinct, sweet, anise-flavored basil.
Thai Bird Chiles
Intense, biting, tiny, red or green chilies.
Thai Curry
Unlike non-Thai curries, which normally consist of ground dried spices, Thai curry is a blend of fresh herbs, dried chilies, shallots, and shrimp paste. More complex curries include garlic, galangal, coriander, lemon grass, kaffir lime peel, and pepper. The popular Thai coconut soups are Tom Kha Kai, Tom Yam Kung, and Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai.
Thot Man Pla
Deep-fried fish cakes imbued with a strong, fresh, herbal flavor. Thot Man Plan is one of the most popular Thai dishes and one of the most frequent orders by non-Thai diners.
Titbit
A general Thai term that refers to hors d'oeuvres, an accompaniment, side dishes, or snacks. Representing the creative nature of the Thai cuisine, Thai titbits commonly include Po Pia Thot, Sa-te, Khao Tang Na Tang.
Tom Kha Kai
A thick chicken coconut soup. Fresh herbs make this dish tantalizing but mild enough for non-Thai diners.
Tom Yam Gai
Hot-and-sour chicken soup
Tom Yam Kung
Hot-and-sour shrimp soup made with fresh Thai herbs.
Yam Nuea
An herbal hot-and-sour beef salad. Yira = Cumin