Thai Cookery           

Thai Cookery makes use of unique Asian spices, vegetables, and fruits which are unfamiliar to many Americans.   In addition, rice is utilized in place of potatoes because of its regional abundance.  Rice is also used as a base in the making of noodles and wrappers for meats and vegetables.  For example, ravioli or pierroghi fillings are wrapped in a heavier wheat dough while Thais wrap various meats and vegetables in a much lighter rice dough.  When uncooked, rice noodles and wrappers for wontons and spring rolls are nearly translucent.  They can be cooked crisp or tender and are lower-calorie than wheat products.

A popular misconception about Thai food is that "spicy" foods are equivalent to "hot."  Unlike other Oriental cooking styles, Thai cooking makes greater use of Asian spices and relies less on hot peppers to flavor foods.  Another misconception is that spring roll appetizers are all alike.  The difference between Thai and other Oriental methods of making spring rolls is in the fillings for them.    No cabbage is used as a filler in Thai spring rolls.  Instead, they are stuffed with pork, shrimp, very fine bean thread noodles, and spices.

Oriental restaurants in the United States have been criticized for adding monosodium glutamate to their foods to enhance tenderness and adding sugars to enhance flavor.  These practices are not employed in better Oriental restaurants since the practice is blamed for raising blood pressure in susceptible patrons.  This practice is usually a tell-tale sign of attempts to tenderize inferior cuts of meat and to substitute taste enhancers for more expensive Thai spices. 

The Siam Orchid Restaurant uses the best quality ingredients available and imports or grows their own spices.  No exceptions.

THAI SPICES

   1. Ground pan-roasted rice
   2. Nutmeg
   3. Bay leaves

   4. Cardamon
   5. Star anise
   6. Cinnamon



   7. Cumin
   8. Pepper
   9. Green peppers



  10. Shallot
   11. Garlic
   12. Coriander seed

   
        13. Tumeric
               14. Galangal




                15. Ginger root
                16. Krachai



   
                 17. Tamarind
                 18. Lemon grass



                 19. Lime
                 20. Bell chilies  

           21. Small dried chilies
                   Large dried chilies
                   Ground dried chilies
            22. Hot chilies
            23. Red & yellow spur chilies

           24. Kaffir-lime leaves
           25. Onion
           26. Spring onion

           27. Chinese chives
                   28. Celery

                   29. Sweet basil variety
                   30. Sweet basil variety




                   31. Mint
                   32. Basil

                   33. Garlic plant
                   34. Coriander green

         35. Yard-long bean
                   36. Kale
                   37. Baby corn


 

                   38. Bean sprout
                   39. Wing bean
                   40. Coconut

 

                   41. Cucumber
                   42. Lettuce
                   43. Swamp cabbage

               44. Ma-Kheua phuang
                                    Ma-Kheua pro

                               45. Sponge gourd
                               46. Wax gourd

                               47. Cabbage
                               48. Banana blossom

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