Popular Thai Herbs

The overall character of Thai food, just the same as any regional food, is governed by the most common herbs and spices used in its preparation. What makes Thai food so tasty is the fact the there is such a wide range of inexpensive, and easily obtained herbs and spices to be found in Thailand. Below we will take a look at the three most commonly used of them, which definitely help to form that great Thai taste.

Lemongrass – A very hard grass stalk, with a strong taste of lemon. Thai people add Lemongrass to a dish either smashed down to a paste form in a mortar and pestle, finely chopped, or in 3-6 centimetre lengths. Note that the third form is not eaten, it is simply there to add flavour, leave it in the dish when cooking, similar to a bay leaf, and can be served with the dish for added decoration.

Basil – An immensely popular herb across the whole of Thailand. Thai basil is a little different to the basil we find in the Western world. The leaves are much larger, and the plants have more leaves on them. Also, the taste is not quite so strong. Thai folks will use handfuls of basil when cooking, whereas we would only use a few leaves of Western basil.

Kaffir Lime Leaves – A whole range of soups, curries, fried dishes, and sauces all feature Kaffir Lime Leaves. Leaves are tossed into the dish, and are used to add a lime flavour. The leaves are never eaten, and are simply left in the serving dish.

So there we have it, 3 of Thailand’s most popular herbs, every chef keen to try their hand at Thai food will need to keep these stocked. You can order all of these herbs and many more on our site today. Simply click here to see our selection.