Thursday, March 10, 2011

What are the Different Types of Thai Spices?

Spices need a distinct climate and soil conditions to grow. Due to this, the availability and its production are restricted to only few regions in the world. Most of the spices such as cumin, fennel, dill, cinnamon, pepper, etc. are very commonly used across the world in spite of their distribution. Some of the spices are very exotic and are confined only to their place of production. These are known as native or traditional spices of that area. One such category of spices is Thai spices. Thai cuisine is the most sought over cuisine all across the world. It is very famous for its usage of distinct spices, which give a very spicy nature to their dishes. Some spices are available only in the regions of Thailand. Let us know about some of those Thai originated spices.

Lemon grass:
Lemon grass is also known as Citronella grass. These are dried flakes of the grass which give sour, lemony flavor when added to the food. These are used in rice, beef, curries, salads, chicken, etc.

Ginger:
Ginger, though is available all across Asia, it is mostly used in Thai cuisine for its distinct earthy, pleasant and warm flavor. It is dried and used as a whole or in powdered form. It is used in rice, curries, baking, sauces, cookies etc.

Green peppercorns:
These peppercorns are of Thai origin and have mild and smooth flavor, when compared to black pepper. These are mild substitutes to black pepper.

Thai Chile Pepper:
This Thai native pepper is also known as Bird's Eye Chile Pepper. These peppers are found to have a very hot and intense flavor. These are used in Thai curries, stews, sauces, etc.

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