a quick list of thai ingredients & easy substitutes

One of the most daunting things about getting into Thai cooking is the new ingredients.

The good news is, many Thai ingredients are available in larger supermarkets these days. But in case you have problems finding new ingredients, here’s a brief description of the most commonly used Thai ingredients and ideas for quick & easy substitutes.

chillies

The most common chillies in Thailand are tiny red bird’s eye chillies. These are super hot and deserve respect in the kitchen. Longer, less intense chillies like the ones pictured above are also used. The heat is mainly in the seeds and membranes around the seeds so if you prefer a milder dish, remove the seeds. Chillies vary greatly in their intensity and people also vary greatly in their sensitivity to chilli, so it can be difficult to get the heat level right. The safest bet is to err on the side of caution and then serve a small bowl of chopped chillies or chilli powder at the table for everyone to adjust the intensity to their own taste buds.
easy substitute: whatever chillies you have on hand, just adjust the quantity according to their strength.

chinese broccoli

Has long stems and leaves which look more like spinach than broccoli. It’s also sometimes called Chinese kale.
easy substitute: regular broccoli, broccolini or kale.

coconut milk

Made by combining the flesh of fresh coconuts with water. Make sure you’re using unsweetened coconut milk or cream. The main difference between the two is just the amount of water added (coconut milk has more water) so if you’re keen to save money, buy coconut cream and dilute it yourself. Thai cookbooks will tell you that fresh coconut milk has a much better flavour than canned or coconut milk powder. But trust me, it’s not worth the hassle of wrestling with a coconut. Canned is fine. Coconut milk powder is OK but tends to go lumpy so I prefer cans.
easy substitute: There really isn’t a good substitute for the real thing. You can use regular cream instead but you’ll be missing out on loads of lovely flavour.

coriander [cilantro]

People tend to either love or hate this strongly fragrant herb. The Thais are definitely in the former camp and use the whole plant, leaves, stems and roots. The roots tend to be used in curry pastes while the leaves and stems are added at the end for freshness and greenery.
easy substitute:just omit the roots. replace the leaves with mint or basil.

curry pastes

A brilliant device of Thai cooks to save time. Make a big batch and freeze in recipe-sized portions. Or just do what I do and make the most of the many excellent quality commercial curry pastes out there these days. Can be green, red or yellow. Red curry pastes tend to be a little sweeter and more earthy where are green curry pastes tend to be more delicate and aromatic. Yellow or massaman curry pastes are fairley close to red with slight flavour differences. Mostly the differnt curry pastes can be used interchangeably in recipes. It’s worth the trip to an asian grocery store or large supermarket to stock up. Or try making your own.
easy substitute: I’m afraid this is one ingredient where you either need to find the real thing or have a go at making your own – it’s not difficult and the curry paste recipes in the class don’t require any really crazy ingredients.

fish sauce

On it’s own, you wouldn’t want to go anywhere near it. But fish sauce is the go to seasoning when Thai cooks are looking to add saltiness to a dish. The flavour is salty and deeply savoury and luckily, no where near as ‘fishy’ as the aroma. The ingredients are usually just fermented fish juice and salt. It keeps for ages in the pantry, so if you’re interested in getting into Thai cooking, it’s really worth buying a bottle. Actually of all the ingredients in this list, fish sauce would be the number 1. new ingredient to try.
easy substitute:season with a little salt instead or try soy sauce.

galangal

A member of the ginger family, it looks like ginger with a more reddy colour. The flavour is more peppery and vibrant than ginger. I haven’t bothered using it in years as I find I like the flavour of regular ginger better.
easy substitute:fresh ginger, preferably younger pieces.

ginger

Thai cooks prefer the milder flavour of young ginger which looks more plump and juicy than older ginger. So where possible avoid wrinkled, old dry ginger.
easy substitute:use a sparing amount of ground ginger powder or just omit it.

green onions

One of the most confusing vegetables ever. Known as shallots, spring onions, scallions and various other guises. I prefer the term green onion. Fairly widely found. The whole stem can be eaten. I usually remove the roots and use the whites and about 3/4s of the green, leaving the coarser tops for the compost.
easy substitute: chives or garlic chives.

kaffir lime leaves

A member of the citrus family, kaffir lime trees have the most beautiful double shaped leaves. The smell is like a mixture of lime zest and sweet perfume. So lovely. The easiest way to ensure a good supply of kaffir lime leaves is to grow your own. Trees do well in pots but prefer a temperate to warm climate. I had a tree for years but when I moved to the mountains, I gave it to my sister for safe keeping in Sydney. Now I keep a stash of leaves in the freezer and top them up whenever I visit my sister.
easy substitute: lime zest.

lemongrass

Another source of gorgeous fragrance in thai cooking. Lemongrass tastes uniquely lemony and wonderful. Just be careful to either chop it super finely or remove it before serving your dish as the stalks can be tough going to chew on. It’s easy to grow so if you can’t find it in your supermarket, try ordering a plant online.
easy substitute: lemon zest.

oyster sauce

A thick dark coloured sauce that has a slightly sweet, savoury flavour. Not fishy at all. Generally doesn’t contain very much real oysters. Works in a similar way to soy sauce to season dishes. Vegetarian ‘oyster’ sauces are available for those that aren’t into eating creatures from the sea. It’s often used in conjunction with fish sauce.
easy substitute: Either hoisin sauce or soy sauce and a touch of honey.

palm sugar

Made from the sap of palm trees. The flavour is somewhere between treacle and brown sugar and it tends to come pressed into blocks or little circles. I haven’t bothered buying it in years as I find brown sugar works just as well and is much easier to handle.
easy substitute:regular brown sugar.

shrimp paste

Would beat fish sauce in a contest of which ingredient had the most disgusting aroma. Commonly used in curry pastes so unless you’re planning to make your own curry pastes from scratch, you probably won’t need it. Often used in commercial curry pastes, but not all, so vegetarians are advised to read the labels.
easy substitute:use a little fish sauce instead or try mashed up anchovies or just skip it and add more salt.

thai basil

Has a similar smell to basil with a slightly more minty aroma. Usually has purple stems and small leaves. I have grown Thai basil in the past, but these days I just use regular basil.
easy substitute: regular basil.

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