1. Many readers of the first edition have been interested in Thai food and most at some time or other have had to deal with Thai cooks and although there are several books in English on Thai cooking, a vocabulary of cooking terms and the names of the various ingredients is usually fairly difficult to come by.

   In response to a number of requests we have decided to bring together in one place some of the more common terms in relation to cooking, the names of a few typical Thai dishes and a list of the spices, vegetables and fruits commonly met with in Thailand which are generally unfamiliar to Europeans and for which the English names, if any, are usually unknown to Thai people.

2. Cooking terms.

   เชื่อม	CHEU-AM	d	To stew in sweet syrup.
   ต้ม	DTOM	d	To boil.
   ตุ๋น	DTOON	r	To steam.
   ทอด	TORT	d	To deep fry.
   นึ่ง	NEUNG	d	To steam.
   ปิ้ง	PING	d	To toast, grill, broil.
   ผัด	PUT	l	To fry a mixture together.
   ยัดไส้	YUT SY	h-d	To stuff. As in stuffed pimento.
   ย่าง	YAHNG	d	To bake with smoke, barbecue, roast.
   สอดไส้	SORT SY	l-d	To fold over on enclose in. As in stuffed cabbage.
   หลน	LON	r	To stew, simmer, boil to a jelly.
   อบ	ORP	l	To bake in an oven.

   Some of the above words are used both as verbs and as adjectives and in each case the word order is normal.

   As verbs.

   	ต้มไข่	DTOM KY	d-l	To boil eggs.
   	ย่างไก่	YAHNG GY	d-l	To roast chicken.

   As adjectives.

   	ไก่ย่าง	GY YAHNG	l-d	Roasted chicken.
   	มันทอด	MUN TORT	c-d	Fried potatoes.

   Sometimes however these words form part of the name of a specific Thai dish and in these cases the usage is rather idiomatic and they cannot be considered as separate words.

   	ต้มยำ (ปลา)	DTOM YUM (PLAH)	A thick rice soup or stew with fish and spices.
   	ต้มเค็ม (เนื้อ)	DTOM KEM (NEU-A)	Meat boiled with salt and then sweetened.
   	ต้มกะปิ	DTOM GAPI	A curry made with onions, shrimp paste (GAPI) and pepper.
   	ทอดมัน (กุ้ง)	TORT MUN (GOONG)	(Prawns) minced and fried in batter.

3. Common foods.

   ก๋วยเตี๋ยว	GOO-AY DTEE-O	r-r	Noodles.
   กล้วยเชื่อม	GLOO-AY CHEU-AM	d-d	Bananas stewed in syrup.
   กะปิ	GAPI	l-l	A paste made from small shrimps and finely ground rice. Used in many Thai dishes and available in markets everywhere.
   แกง	GAANG	c	A Thai stew or wet curry of which there are many varieties.
   แกงกะหรี่	GAANG GAREE	c-l-l	An Indian type curry.
   แกงเขียวหวาน	GAANG KEE-O WAHN	c-r-r	A curry made with green chillies.
   แกงเผ็ด	GAANG PET	c-l	A hot curry made with red chillies.
   แกงพะแนง	GAANG PANAANG	c-h-c	A thick dark brown curry.
   แกงมัสมั่น	GAANG MUTSAMUN	c-h-l-l	A Muslim type curry with cinnamon, cardomans, peanuts etc.
   แกงจืด	GAANG JEUT	c-l	A vegetable soup eaten with curries.
   ไก่ผัดใบ กระเพรา	GY PUT BY GAPROW	l-l-c- l-c	Minced chicken fried with chillies and GAPROW leaves.
   ขนมจาก	KANOM JAHK	l-r-l	Glutinous rice flour and coconut baked in the leaf of the Nipa Palm. Speciality of Packnam.
   ขนมจีน	KANOM JEEN	l-r-c	Thai vermicelli.
   ขนมเบื้อง	KANOM BEU-ANG	l-r-d	A thin pancake folded over with a filling of prawns, shallots, bean sprouts, spices etc. A Vietnamese dish very popular in Thailand.
   ข้าวเกรียบ	KAOU GREE-AP	d-l	Thin round flat cakes of glutinous rice flour, sesame sees, coconut and palm sugar which becomes brittle and curl up when roasted. Very delicious when eaten with butter.
   ข้าวแช่	KAOU CHAA	d-d	Immersed Rice. Rice in a plate of iced water with GAPI, dried fish, chillies stuffed with prawns, onions in batter, mangoes and cucumber. Served only at Songran time the 15th of April.
   ข้าวแคบ	KAOU KAAP	d-d	Flat crisp salty rice cakes.
   ข้าวต้ม	KAOU DTOM	d-d	Rice soup.
   ข้าวตัง	KAOU DTUNG	d-c	Crisp burned rice sticking to the bottom of the pot. Left to dry and eaten like toast.
   ข้าวตอก	KAOU DTORK	d-l	Popped rice.
   ข้าวผัด	KAOU PUT	d-l	Rice fried together with meat or prawns, onions, egg etc. Obtainable at all wayside restaurants.
   ข้าวหลาม	KAOU LAHM	d-r	Glutinous rice and cocoanut roasted in a joint of bamboo.
   ข้าวห่อ	KAOU HOR	d-l	Boiled rice and spices wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.
   ข้าวเหนียว	KAOU NEE-O	d-r	Glutinous rice. Always eaten with mangoes. This is the only rice that Thai will eat sweet.
   ไข่คน	KY KON	l-c	Scrambled egg. (Mixed up egg)
   ไข่เจียว	KY JEE-O	l-c	Omelette.
   ไข่ดาว	KY DAOU	l-c	Fried egg. (Star egg)
   ไข่ทอดน้ำ	KY TORT NUM	l-d-h	Poached egg.
   ไข่ทอด	KY TORT	l-d	Fried egg.
   ไข่ลวก	KY LOO-AK	l-d	Soft boiled egg.
   ไข่สอดไส้	KY SORT SY	l-l-d	Stuffed omelette.
   ไข่หิน	KY HIN	l-c	Hard boiled egg. (Stone egg)
   ต้มยำ	DTOM YUM	d-c	A Thai soup or stew of rice, fish and spices. Various types.
   ทอดมัน (กุ้ง)	TORT MUN (GOONG)	d-c (d)	(Prawns) finely minced and fried in batter with spices.
   น้ำพริกเผา	NUM PRIK POW	h-h-r	A spicy paste made from chillies, garlic and shallots roasted and then ground to a powder and mixed with NUM PLAH. Various recipes.
   น้ำปลา	NUM PLAH	h-c	A very salty clear brown fish sauce.
   เนื้อเค็มผัด	NEU-A KEM PUT	h-c-l	Meat cut into fine shreds and fried with sugar.
   เนื้อผัดพริก	NEU-A PUT PRIK	h-l-h	Meat minced and fried with chilli and spices.
   บะหมี่	BAMEE	l-l	Yellow Chinese noodles.
   ผัดเปรี้ยวหวาน	... PUT PREE-O WAHN	l-d-r	A fried sweet and sour mixture of ... and vegetables.
   ฝอยทอง	FOY TORNG	r-c	Golden shreds. A sweet made from egg yolk poured in a fine stream into hot syrup.
   ลูกตาล	LOOK DTAHN	d-c	Transparent jelly-like seeds of the sugar palm stewed in syrup.
   ส้มตำ	SOM DTUM	d-c	A salad of green papaya, shrimp, chilli, sugar etc.
   สะหริ่ม	SARIM (SALIM)	d-l	A jelly-like sweet made from pea flour, sugar and flavouring served with a syrup of sweet cocoanut milk.
   สังขยา	SUNG KAYAH	r-l-r	A custard made with eggs, cocoanut milk and eggs. Often served in a young cocoanut.
   หมี่กรอบ	MEE GRORP	l-l	Crisp fried noodles.
   หมูแหนม	MOO NAAM	r-r	Minced pork and ground rice wrapped in a small banana leaf bundle about 4 inches by 1½ inches. Eaten with lettuce, peanuts, onions, chillies, ginger, corianda and lime.
   หมูหยอง	MOO YONG	r-r	Sweet salty shredded pork.

4. Spices, Vegetables and Fruits.

   A full list of the vegetable products which Thai use in their cooking would make a book in itself, but the selected list below covers most of the spices and vegetables used in the more common dishes and are those which anyone interested in Thai cooking and flavouring will want to know about. We have also included some fruits which are mostly new to Europeans.

   To assist in identification where the common names are not generally known, we have given the scientific names and a description but it must be appreciated that the local name may be applied to more than one botanical species or variety even in the same district and coversely one botanical variety may have different local names in different localities.

   We have not included the more ubiquitous and widely known vegetables and fruits as the Thai names for these can all be found in the Extended Vocabulary under their generally accepted English names.

   กระวาน	GRAWAHN. l-c. (Amomum xanthoides.) Cardamon. Small brown angular seeds with strong aromatic flavor.
   กระชาย	GRACHAI. l-c. (Kaempferia pandurata.) Yellow root similar to ginger in appearance and taste.
   กระดังงา	GRADUNG NGAH. l-c-c. (Canangium odorata.) The Ilang tree. The greenish yellow flowers used for their scent.
   กระถิน	GRATIN. l-r. (Acacia farnisiana.) Small tree with feathery leaves. Young shoots and flowers used as a vegetable.
   กระเฉด	GRACHAYT. l-l. (Neptunia oleracea.) A type of water-cress used in salads.
   กระเจี๊ยบ	GRAJEE-AP. l-h. (Hibiscus subdariffa.) Rozelle plant. Small red fruit are pickled and the leaves used as a vegetable and spice in curries.
   กระเจี๊ยบมอญ	GRAJEE-AP MORN. l-h-c. (Hibiscus esculentus.) Okra. Annual shrub with large leaves and green horn like pods which are used as a vegetable.
   กระเจียว	GRAJEE-O. l-c. See Kamin.
   กระเพรา	GRAPROW. l-c. (Ocimum sanctum.) Similar to HORAPAH. Used as a spice in curries.
   กระท้อน	GRATORN. l-h. (Sandoricum indicum.) Santol. Light yellow rather furry looking fruit the size of small orange containing seeds enclosed in a sweetish acid pulp which some people like.
   กระจับ	GRAJUP. l-l. (Tropa Bicornis.) Water chestnut. Hard brown shell with two projections like the horns of a bull.
   กานพลู	GAHN PLOO. c-c. (Engenia caryophyllata.) Clove.
   กุยช่าย	GOO-Y CHAI. c-d. (Allium tuberosum.) Similar to chives.
   ขจร	KAJORN. l-c. (Telosma minor.) Small vine with yellow flowers. Flowers and seed pod edible.
   ขนุน	KANOON. l-r. (Artocarous integrifolia.) Jack fruit. Large tree with very rough skinned green fruit the size of a football growing out of the trunk and old branches. The fruit inside is sweet and leathery with a very strong smell but quite pleasant.
   ขมิ้น	KAMIN. l-d. (Curcumba domestica.) Turmeric. A perennial with broad Canna like leaves, tuberous roots and a flower similar to Hyacinth. The roots have a hot and spicy flavour.
   ข่า	KAH. l. (Alpina galanga.) Similar to ginger.
   ขิง	KING. r. (Zingiber offcinale.) Ginger.
   งา	NGAH. c. (Sesamum indicum.) Sesame. Small black or white seeds used in sweets and cakes.
   ชมพู่	CHOM POO. c-d. (Fuginia jambos.) Pink Rose Apple or Malay Apple.
   ชมพู่มะเหมี่ยว	CHOM POO MA MEE-O. c-d-h-l. (Eugenia malaccensis.) Dark red malay apple. Rather woolly flesh.
   ตะไคร้	DTAKRY. l-h. (Cymbolpogon citratus.) Lemon grass. Used as a flavouring.
   ตะลิงปลิง	DTALING PLING. l-c-c. (Averrboa bilimbi.) Cucumber tree. Small tree with cucumber like fruit about 8 inches long growing from the trunk and old branches. Used in curries.
   ตำลึง	DTUMLEUNG. c-c. (Coccinia indica.) Creeper with small gourd and ivy shaped leaves found growing in most hedges. Leaves used in curries.
   เตย	DTER-Y. c. (Pandanus odoratissimus.) Leaves of Pandanus palm used as a flavouring.
   แตงกวา	DTAANG GWAH. c-c. (Cucumis sativus.) Cucumber. Many varieties.
   แตงไทย	DTAANG THAI. c-c. (Cucumis melo.) Musk melon, Rock melon, Honeydew melon, etc. Many Varieties.
   เงาะ	NGOW. h. (Nephelium lappaceum.) Rambutan. Small red or yellow friut covered by soft prickles. Delicious flesh surrounding a small stone.
   ถั่วเขียว	TOO-A KEE-O. l-r. (Phaseolus radiatus.) Moong Bean. Small round green beans resembling a dried pea.
   ถั่วงอก	TOO-A NGORK. l-d. Bean sprouts made by germinating the above.
   ถั่วฝักยาว	TOO-A FUK YAOU. l-l-c. (Vigna unguiculata.) Long cow pea or string bean.
   ถั่วพู	TOO-A POO. l-c. (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus.) Winged bean.
   ถั่วลันเตา	TOO-A LUN DTOW. l-c-c. (Canavalia ensiformis.) Sweet peas usually eaten pods and all.
   ถั่วเหลือง	TOO-A LEU-ANG. l-r. (Glycine hispida.) Soya bean.
   น้อยหน่า	NOY NAH. h-l. (Annona squamosa.) Custard apple. Fruit with a soft very rough light green skin. Rich custardy white flesh surrounding black seeds.
   บวบเหลี่ยม	BOO-AP LEE-AM. l-r. (Luffa acutangula.) Gourd with sharp longitudinal ridges.
   บวบหอม	BOO-AP HORM. l-r. (Laffa cylindricular.) Loofa gourd.
   บวบงู	BOO-AP NGOO. l-c. (Trichosanthes anguina.) Snake gourd. 8 to 10 feet long.
   ผักชี	PUK CHEE. l-c. (Apium graveolens.) Corianda. Parsley like herb of which the leaves, seeds and roots are used for flavouring curries etc. Very strong flavour.
   ผักบุ้ง	PUK BOONG. l-d. (Ipomea aquatica. I reptans.) Trailing vine with arrow-shaped leaves found growing in most klongs. A favourite vegetable with the Thai.
   ผักขม	PUK KOM. l-r. (Amaranthus spinosus.) Similar to spinach.
   ผักกระสัง	PUK GRASUNG. l-l-r. (Peperomia pellucida.) Pale green succulent found in shady places and used as a vegetable. Few people like it.
   เผือก	PEU-AK. l. (Colocasia esculentum.) Taro. A lily-like plant with large leaves and brown, mauve or yellow tuberous roots like large potato. Very common in the market. Very starchy but pleasant baked and eaten with butter.
   พุทรา	POOTSAH. h-c. (Ziziphus jujvha.) Chinese date. A smooth skinned greenish yellow fruit similar to a very small apple. Sweetish white flesh surrounding a large stone.
   ฝรั่ง	FARUNG. l-l. (Psidium guyava.) Guava.
   พริกขี้หนู	PRIK KEE NOO. h-d-r. (Capsicum minimum.) Very small and very hot chilli.
   พริกชี้ฟ้า	PRIK CHEE FAH. h-h-h. (Capsicum frutescens.) Medium sized chillies.
   พริกหยวก	PRIK YOO-AK. h-l. (Capsicum grossum.) Paprika.
   พริกไทย	PRIK THAI. h-c. (Piper.) Pepper.
   ฟักเขียว	FUK KEE-O. h-r. (Benicasa hispida. B. cerifera.) Ash gourd. A large light green or white ovoid gourd covered with a waxy bloom. One variety has a smooth skin and the other is covered with soft prickles.
   ฟักทอง	FUK TORNG. h-c. (Cucurbita moschata.) Large ovoid gourd similar to a pumpkin.
   มะกรูด	MAGROOT. h-l. (Citrus hystrix.) Kaffir lime. Dark green rough skinned lime used in curries.
   มะกอก	MAGORK. h-l. (Spondias pinnata. S. Magnifera.) Hog plum. Brownish ovoid fruit with a large stone and sour flesh used in making NUM PRIK POW or Chilli Paste.
   มะเขือขาว	MAKEU-A KAOU. h-r-r. (Solanum melongena.) Large egg plant.
   มะเขือขื่น	MAKEU-A KEUN. h-r-l. (Solanum xanthocarpum.) Yellow egg plant.
   มะเขือพวง	MAKEU-A POO-ANG. h-r-c. (Solanum torvum.) Brinjal. Very small green berries in cluster used in curries.
   มะขาม	MAKAHM. h-r. (Tamarindus indica.) Tamarind. Brown semi circular pods from a large fine leafed tree. Pods, pulp and seeds are all eaten.
   มะดัน	MADUN. h-c. (Garcinia schomberciana.) Ovoid or kidney shaped yellow fruit with a very sour taste. Used in curries and other dishes.
   มะปราง	MAPRAHNG. h-c. (Bouea burmanica.) Smooth skinned yellow fruit similar to a plum.
   มะพูด	MAPOOT. h-d. (Gareinia velersiana. G. xanthocymus.) Smooth skinned yellow fruit with stigmatic projection at one end. Acid yellow pulp is relished by some.
   มะเฟือง	MAFEU-ANG. h-c. (Averhoa carambola.) Carambola or Star Fruit. Semi transparent yellowish green ovoid and angular fruit with a pleasant sweetish acid pulp. Good for making drinks.
   มะไฟ	MAFY. h-c. (Baccaurea sapida.) Rambeh. Smooth yellow acid berries in cluster. Much relished in Malaya.
   มะลิ	MALI. h-h. (Jasminium sambac.) Jasmine. Single or double small white flowers with an exotic perfume.
   มะยม	MA YOM. h-c. (Phyllauthns disticns.) Small rather acid yellow ribbed berries the size of a cherry growing on a medium sized tree. Pleasant but uninteresting.
   มะอึก	MAEUK. h-l. (Solanum ferox.) Hairy egg plant.
   มังคุด	MUNKOOT. c-h. (Garcinia mangostana.) Mangosteen. Purple globular fruit the size of a mandarin with a thick rind. The white aril surrounding the seeds inside is most delicious.
   มันสัมปะหลัง	MUN SUMPALUNG. c-r-l-r. (Manibot utillisina.) Tapioca. Cassava. Large perennial shrubs with leaves like spread fingers on the end of thin canes. Leaves may be green or variegated green and yellow. Tuberous root rich in starch.
   แมงลัก	MAANG LUK. c-h. Similar to HORAPAH.
   ยี่หร่า	YEERAH. d-l. (Foeniculum vulgare.) Fennel. Perennial herb with tall finely divides leaves used in flavouring.
   ระกำ	RAHGUM. h-c. (Zalacca wallichiana.) A feathery palm with spiny stem. The reddish brown ovoid fruit the size of a plum have a rough prickly skin and contain a large stone surrounded with a rather inferior flesh which some people like.
   ละมุด	LAMOOT. h-h. (Achras sapota.) Sapodilla. A russet brown fruit resembling a small pear with a similar taste.
   ลางสาด	LANGSAHT. c-l. (Lansium domesticum.) Langsat. A small tree with clusters of pale yellow fruit resembling a small plum. Rather sour flesh but liked by Thai people.
   ลำไย	LUM YY. c-c. (Nepbelium longana.) Lumyai. Small dark greenish fruit similar to a Lychee but with a slightly musty smell.
   ลูกกระ	LOOK GRA. d-l. (Elaterios tatos.) A kidney shaped nut with a thin dark brown shell. When roasted tastes similar to an almond.
   ลูกจันทน์	LOOK JUN. d-c. (Myristica fragrans.) Nutmeg.
   ลูกตาล	LOOK DTAHN. d-c. (Borassus flabelifia.) Palmya Palm. A tall palm with a crown of short rigid fan shaped leaves. The young seeds when cooked are rather like hard transparent jelly and make a pleasant sweet.
   สะเตา	SADOW. l-c. (Melia indica.) Neem tree. Flowers and young leaves eaten as vegetable.
   สาเก	SAHGAY. r-c. (Artocarpus incisa. A. nobilis.) Breadfruit. A tree with deeply incised leaves and large rough skinned fruit containing seeds which when cooked somewhat resemble a potato.
   หญ้าฝรั่น	YAH FARUN. d-l-l. (Crocus sativus.) Saffron. A small bulb with orange coloured stigmata on the flowers. Used for flavouring sweets.
   หน่อไม้	NOR MY. l-h. (Bambusa vulgaris.) Bamboo shoots. Large white conical shoots with a base about 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
   โหระพา	HORAPAH. r-h-c. (Ocimum basilicum.) Sweet basil. A bush similar to mint. Much used in curries. Several varieties.
   อบเชย	OP CHER-Y. l-c. (Cinnamonum zeylanicum.) Cinnamon.

Generated by Lyndon Hill on Thu Jul 20 18:40:27 BST 2006.

Copyright remains with the original authors.