GLOSSARY

Thai food relies on quality ingredients, many of them unusual, which form the basis of our cooking.  Many of these ingredients are now readily available across the globe and help maintain Thai culture internationally. Though Long Chim prefers to utilise products produced in Thailand, creating authentic Thai flavours. 

A

Agar-Agar  wun

Agar-agar is a gelatin-like substance obtained from seaweed. It is sold in sheets and strands, but more commonly in powdered form. Unlike gelatin, agar-agar can set at temperatures as high as 32ºC (90ºF), which makes it viable in hot and humid kitchen without refrigeration. 

B

Bananas  gluay

Banana plants accompany the Thai from the cradle to the grave: the first solid meal a baby has is often stewed bananas, and at a funeral the deceased is laid upon a bed of banana leaves. 

As many as 28 varieties of bananas are used in Thai cooking, each with it own characteristics and taste. Not all varieties are interchangeable. For instance the small sugar or Ducasse bananas, of which the Thai are so enamoured, are best for deep-frying or grilling, but turn to stone when poached in sugar, for which long Cavendish bananas are better. 

Banana Blossoms  hua blii

The flower buds of the banana tree, large sheaths are cleaned of immature bananas within, persevered in water, lime juice and vinegar to prevent discolouration and served as fresh as possible. 

Banana Leaves  bai dtong

Best young, fresh, and green, occasionally blanched to soften, you will find them laid under a number of Long Chim dishes.

Basil;

There are three main kinds of basil used in Thai cooking - Thai, holy and lemon basil, always preferred freshly picked and fragrant. 

·  Thai Basil  bai horapha - Has the look of Italian basil but with deep purple stalks and buds, with white flowers. When fresh it has an aniseed-like taste and aroma. 

·  Holy Basil  bai grapao - Much sharper in taste than Thai basil, with clove-like pepperiness to it. 

·  Lemon Basil  bai manglaek - The soft green leaves and stalks have a sweet taste of lemon zest but dissipates quickly. 

Bean Curd  dtor huu 

This is the pressed curd or solid protein made from soybeans purred with boiling water then coagulated using a salt such as gypsum. 

·  Silken bean curd dtao huu orn - This is the softened curd, tender to eat and occasionally tricky to work with. 

·  Yellow bean curd dtao huu leuang - This is an affirmer curd, pressed and then dipped into yellow dye.  

·  Fermented bean curd dtao huu yii - This product is made by curing blocks of firm bean curd in Chinese white wine, spices and sometimes rice mould. Made in two varieties: white is creamy and rich. While red has a stronger flavour. 

Betel leaves  bai champluu

These large tender green leaves are often known outside Thailand as ‘betel’ or sometimes piper leaves. They are indispensable when making miang, one of our favorites at Long Chim and a perennially popular snack . Torn leaves are also added to some curries, like our yellow curry with mashed prawns. 

C

Cardamom  luk grawan

Several types of cardamom are used in Thai cooking. 

·  Thai cardamom  luk grawarn - This is a small, round, off-white, ridged shell containing black seeds. Typically roasted and husked to use aromatic seeds within. 

·  Chinese black or brown cardamom  luk chakoo - Sometimes known as amomum, this type is a musty, dark, ridged seed that adds a smoky, slightly tart taste. 

·  Cardamom leaves  bai grawarn - Often used in Muslim curries and are typically used in Southern Thailand. 

Cassia Bark  op choey

A richer, sweeter, and cheaper alternative to regular cinnamon. The quill is usually larger and thicker, with a fuller aroma and an opulent taste. 

Celery, Asian  keun chai

Asian celery is stronger and more aromatic than regular celery. It is a leafy plant with thin, long stalks - a bunch could be mistake for flat-leaf parsley. Washed and sliced, it makes a flavoursome and crisp addition to stir-fries and soups. It combines especially well with seafood and beef, and cleans and reduces pungent oiliness in dishes.  

Cha-om

A fern like green sometimes found in Thai and Chinese shops. It is bitter and nutty to the taste and has a strong almost unpleasant smell. There is no substitute. 

Chiang Mai Cured Pork  naem 

This cured pork, made by fermenting pork and sticky rice with garlic, is perhaps the most famous preserved meat from northern Thailand. 

Chilli Jam  nahm prik pao

A versatile, smoky preparation made from deep-fried shallots, garlic, chillies, and dried prawns, the taste is well-seasoned and mild.  

Chillies  prik

Several varieties of chilli are readily used in Thai cooking, colourful when fresh though when dried made from ripe red fruits, smokier and richer in taste than the fresh.  

·  Long chillies  prik chii faa - A common variety, they come in red or green and are used interchangeably. Colour indicated ripeness, where the green unripened is slightly tart, and the red riper often a shar pointed heat when whole. 

·  Yellow chillies  prik leuang - An uncommon variety, they are stubbier, hotter, and tarter than their longer cousins. 

·  Banana chillies prik yuak - These large, thin yet fleshy chillies have a lime-green skin and not too spicy. Like a small bell pepper or capsicum.  

·  Bird’s eye chillies  prik kii nuu suan - These are small, green, intensely hot, and often referred to as ‘scuds’.  You will find these often in our food, and will need to warn guests eating our som tum that a scud chilli can look a lot like a snake bean, but feels very different to eat!

·  Dried chillies prik haeng - There are two varieties of dried chillies: long and bird’s eye. Dried long red chillies for the basis of red curries, while dried bird’s eye chillies are used mainly in southern dishes and for roasted chilli powder.  

Coconut   mapraow

Best used fresh and valued for its weight relative to size. The weightier the older with more mature meat which is best for making rich cream. Used in cooking or as garnish. 

Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk   hua gati, hang gati 

These preparations are labour intensive but worth it to produce a quality product. Coconut cream is luscious, rich, with a depth of flavour. Both cream and milk are best used within a few hours and used in a variety of forms for different dishes depending on course or even desired textured of dish.  

Coriander  pak chii

All parts of this herb are used in Thai cooking. The best cooks will use each element separately, with even the roots used in pastes and soups. 

D

Dried fish  pla haeng

Drying is the most ancient method of preservation, and dried fish are used extensively in Thai cooking. Throughout the country, especially near water - the seaside, rivers and canals - fish are left in the sun to dry. 

Leaving it out to dry longer will result in a drier, harder fish that can be used as the base for a fried nahm prik, in a krua curry paste, or toasted and pounded in a salad.  

Dried Prawns  gung haeng

Fresh dried prawns are delicious and savoury. Commercially they are produced by steaming peeled small prawns over salted water and ten leaving to dry. Best refrigerated and should look pink in colour and sweet smelling.  

Durian  turian

Perhaps the most notorious fruit in Thailand, if not the world. It is a fruit that provokes passion - either devotion or disgust and nothing in between.  

Dried Tangerine or Orange Peel  piw som haeng

Freshly made by drying strips of tangerine, mandarin, or orange peel - with white pith removed. 

E

Egg Noodles  ba mii

Made by kneading strong wheat flour and eggs into a stiff dough that is then rolled and cut into either flat or rounded strands, depending on the origin of the dish and requisite noodle.  

Eggplant  makreua

Many types of eggplant are used in Thai cooking, but the most common are the apple and pea varieties. 

·  Apple eggplant makreua prao - green, yellow, orange or purple in colour and round in shape. It is of the utmost importance that they are fresh, because then they taste crisp and clean, nutty and almost sweet; the flest is virtually white. If they are old and wizened, they will be musty and quite bitter. They are normally used in salads and curries, or as a vegetable accompaniment to a relish. They are eaten raw or just cooked.

·  Long eggplant  makreua yaew - this eggplant looks very similar to a long baby (Japanese) eggplant, except that it is green in colour. Long eggplant is normally served grilled or in green curries, we use it in our Nong’s Eggplant. Nong worked for us at the original Long Chim in Singapore and cooked this dish for David once, it has been on our menus ever since

·  Pea eggplant  makreua puang - These small olive-green eggplants look like large peas, grown in clusters and picked only from their stems. Fresh they are sweet but starchy, but older they become solely bitter. Used mainly in curries, especially coconut based. They can be added just before serving to retain their bitter crunch or simmered till cooked, drawing out a tea-like flavour. 

F

Fish Sauce  nahm pla

This condiment is the lifeblood of Thai cooking. It is made by fermenting small fish with salt. The liquid is matured for several months before being strained and left in the sun, effectively pasteurising it.  This classic condiment is also served to accompany a number of dishes with the addition of garlic, lime and chilli, the addition of chilli makes it ‘prik’ nahm pla

Five-Spice Powder  pong parlow

Five-spice powder helps to balance the richness of fatty meats, especially pork and duck. It is a blend of spicy, sour, bitter, sweet and salty components; some cooks suggest adding spices such as pepper, liquorice, coriander seeds and brown cardamom pods.  

G

Galangal  khaa

Galangal looks like ginger but has a peppery, musty taste and a sharp aroma. When it is young the skin is thin and white, tinged with pink, and the flesh is bone coloured  - at this stage it is best in soups. As it ages it becomes stronger in taste, the skin turns golden or even red and the flesh becomes harder - its at this stage that it is best for curries. 

Garlic  gratiam

Thai garlic is much smaller and sweeter than Western garlic and is used widely in its natural state or through various preparations. 

Deep-fried garlic  gratiam jiaw

Freshly made deep-fried garlic is preferred and is prepared simply by slicing the garlic thinly and frying at high heat. 

Garlic deep-fried in oil or with pork scratchings  gratiam jiaw gart muu 

This is used with noodles of all kinds - a dab meaningfully enriches a dish. Traditionally pork fat provides a velvety textured condiment, though modern cooks often use oil.  

Ginger  king

Mature ginger is used in soups and a few curry pastes, mostly with fish or strongly flavoured meats, to counteract their pungency. Young ginger, with its white, translucent skin and pink sprouts, is generally preferred in Thai cooking and is used in salads, curries and soups.  Old ginger can become pungent, but rinsing in water before use can help remove the sharpness 

Glass Noodle  wun sen 

These are made from mung bean flour and look like stringy fishing lines. In dried form they are tough but soften when soaked in warm water. 

Grachai (Wild Ginger) 

With finger-like roots that sprout from a small russet cross-root. Its earthy, peppery, camphor-like flavour is favoured in jungle curries and fish dishes. 

Ground Roasted Rice  kao krua 

Most commonly, ground roasted rice is used as a textural binder in salads, especially mince spicy salads (larp) and grilled meat salads (nahm dtok). Occasionally it is used as a thickener in rustic curries. 

H

Hoisin sauce  sauce prung rot hoisin 

This sauce is made from fermented soy beans, sesame seeds, brown sugar, garlic, and vinegar.  

J

Jackfruit  kanun 

This large fruit is used in both savoury and dessert cooking. The smaller, hard unripe fruit is added to curries, while the larger, pungently perfumed ripe fruit is used mainly in deserts. 

K

Kaffir Limes luk makrut

These dark green, knobbly-skinned fruit are strongly perfumed, with the zest used in curry pastes. The sour and soapy juice may be used in salads and curries.  

Kaffir Lime Leaves  bai mukrut 

Widely available, these are an important ingredient in Thai cooking, seasoning salads, soups, curries, and stir-fries with a haunting perfume. 

L

Lemongrass  dtakrai 

Widely available and used in curry pastes and soups, the outer leaves and stem are removed and although mostly tasteless, can be made into tea. 

Lime Paste bun daeng

This paste, which is made from cockle shells, is also known as quicklime. Used when making pickles and for adding crispness to flavour-based batters and desserts. When used for culinary purposes, it must be dissolved in water then left to precipitate, separating liquid from paste. 

M

Mace  dork jan

This is the counter sheath that covers a nutmeg. When fresh it is a flaming-red colour, but it mellows with age to a honey brown. Mace has a lighter, sweeter, more floral aroma than nutmeg, but once ground deteriorates rapidly. 

Maltose  bae sa  

This viscous syrup with a sweet and toasty flavour is the product of germinating or malting rice bran. 

Mung Bean Flour  blaeng tua kiaw  

This is simply dried green mung beans ground into flour. It makes pastries lighter and cooks to a translucent paste. 

p

Palm Sugar  nahm dtarn bip

Pure, freshly made palm sugar is a rich, fudge-like confection with a supple texture and alone is considered an original Thai dessert. 

Palm sugar is concentrated from the sap of the palmyra and sugar palm trees. Young agile boys climb up the trunks and beat the trees over a few days to stimulate the flow of sap. Incisions are then made into the trunk and a bamboo pipe is inserted to channel the flow; the tree is bled overnight. The sap is boiled to evaporate the water and sold as a thick syrup, or poured into a coconut husk and further dried in the sun. 

Unfortunately, most palm sugar outside Thailand is mixed with white cane sugar and in solid form which is typically shaved or grated. Despite this its mellowness is a welcome enrichment to the savoury and sweet dishes it seasons. We believe ours is as good as it gets. 

Pandanus Leaves  bai dtoei horm

These verdant blade-like leaves are used to perform a host of Thai dessert and can be used to dispel disagreeable odours - in boiled dishes and some stocks, as well as curries that will be left to stand for some time. These have little aroma when raw but heated exude a nutty perfume.  

Peppercorns  prik thai 

The Thai use only two types of peppercorns; white, which are used as a seasoning; and fresh green, which are used as a garnish, as well as in jungle curries, dry red curries and stir-fries. Black peppercorns are very rarely used. 

Pickled Mustard Greens  pak gart dong

These are made by pickling fresh mustard greens in brine. Sweet versions are preferred over salty. 

Pickled plum  buai dong

Chinese pickled plum is suitable for many Asian dishes like steamed fish and soups. Some recipes also recommend to use pickled plum for making dipping sauces for appetizers like spring rolls and crispy shrimp cakes. Pickled plum adds a delicious sweet and sour taste.

Preserved radish hua chai po

This chopped cabbage is preserved in salt, brown sugar, pepper, and galangal. Overly salty or coarse-tasting versions can be improved when rinsed and then worked again with the aforementioned spices. 

Preserved cabbage dtang chai 

​​Also known as Tianjin preserved vegetable, this is called dtang chai in Thai, and is usually made from dried cabbage and it can be found in small, brown glazed jars in most Asian shops. It can be very salty.

R

Red Shallots  horm dtaeng 

One of the most important vegetables in Thai cooking, shallots are used in curry pastes, in salads and to perfume soups. Red shallots are very similar in taste to normal brown or grey shallots, but their skins are light purple in colour. 

Deep-fried shallots horm jiaw

These are an important garnish in Thai cooking. Like deep-fried garlic, freshly made deep-fried shallots are prepared simply by slicing the shallot thinly and frying at high heat. 

Rice  kao 

The cultivation of rice created Thai society, culture, and cuisine. When Thais use rice, it must be Thai rice - no exceptions. It has a different fragrance and properties that make it distinct.  

·  Jasmine rice  kao horm mali - Long, slender, and versatile, this is the main rice used in Thailand. Typically harvested, sold, and consumed in the year of harvesting, old rice from the previous year's harvest is preferred for a few dishes, most notably chicken and rice. We serve jasmine rice to accompany our meals. 

·  White sticky rice   kao niaw - Also known as glutinous rice, this variety has shorter and plumper grains, and becomes sticky when cooked. White sticky rice is the staple grain of the north and north-east of Thailand and is used in many desserts.  

·  Black sticky rice kao niaw dam - This variety retains its bran layer, which gives the grain a dark auburn colour. It also prevents the cooked rice from becoming as sticky as white sticky rice.  

·  Rice flour blaeng kao jao and sticky rice flour blaeng kao niaw - Rice flour is a fine, pure white flour used mainly in desserts to add crispness. Sticky rice flour is ground from white sticky rice, and is mostly used to give desserts a rich, gluey texture.  

·  Rice Noodles sen guay tio - These are made from rice flour and water: the batter is spread onto muslin to form sheets and then steamed before being smeared with a little oil to prevent the sheets- and later the noodles- from sticking together.  

Roasted Chilli Powder  prik bon

This powder made from dried chillies is used to season sauces, curies, noodles, and stir-fries. Made with roasted dried chillies, then ground to a coarse or fine powder.  

S

Salted Duck Eggs  kai kem 

Originally, eggs were immersed in brine for several weeks to preserve them, and eventually their resulting, altered taste became desired. To the uninitiated, salted duck eggs taste astoundingly and unnaturally salty, but those accustomed dote upon them. Their saline pungency makes them ideal in Thai dishes, especially relishes, and as an accompaniment.  

Salted White Radish  hua chai poa

This is made from daikon cured in salt and brown sugar. It is readily available whole, sliced, shredded or minced. 

Shitake Mushrooms  het horm 

These are used fresh and dried in Thai cooking. The tough stems should be removed from both fresh and dried shiitake, though they can be used to flavour stocks. 

Shrimp Paste  gapi

Gapi is the soul of Thai food. It is made from planktonic shrimp that have been salted, fermented and then dried in the sun for up to a year. Shrimp paste can be used either raw or slightly roasted to enhance its flavour. 

Siamese watercress  pak bung 

A leafy green with hollow stems and heart-shaped leaves. It is used extensively in Thai cooking as a vegetable accompaniment to relishes, and as an ingredient in soups, curries and stir fries.  

Siracha/Sriracha  sauce prik Siracha 

Si Racha is a small coastal town and subdistrict in Chonburi, south east of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. It is also the very place where this now world famous chilli condiment originates. It is made by simmering dried chillies with garlic, salt, sugar, and vinegar for several hours. It is a sweet, spicy, garlicky and vinegary sauce that goes brilliantly with our omelette, seafood and grilled meats, well, with most things actually. Our sauce is from Koh Loy, a tiny island just off the coast, and one of the oldest known producers of this iconic sauce

Snake Beans  tua fak yao 

Also known as yard-long beans, these crunchy green beans are used to add crunch to salads and the occasional curry. They are best eaten young and very fresh.  

Soy Sauce  nahm siu uu

This is an ancient condiment that has been made in Thailand for hundreds of years. Soybeans are steamed and dried before being fermented with water in vats for several months. As it ages, the water evaporates, producing various densities of sauce. Lighter sauces are typically salty and slightly sweet. The darker sauces are thicker, smokier, and more intense; their use is limited to sauces and the occasional noodle dish. 

T

Tamarind Pulp  makaam bliak  

Most of the tamarind crop in Thailand is cured in the sun until its flesh is a dark-brown pulp and the skin is brittle. The skin is removed, and the pulp is dissolved to make tamarind water, which is used in sauces and soups. 

Tapioca Flour  blaeng man

Extracted from the cassava root, tapioca flour gives a malleable, silken and dense texture to pastries. It is rarely used alone, but rather to lend elasticity to rice flour pastry. Tapioca flour is also used to thicken some soups and stir-fries, and a small amount may be added to dumplings to give them a more toothsome texture.  

Taro  peuak

This rough, brown-skinned, starchy root vegetable is of ancient provenance - and was probably farmed even before rice was cultivated. It is now mainly used in deserts, where its slight bitterness imparts a desirable complexity. 

Turmeric  kamin 

This rhizome, related to ginger, grows throughout South East Asia. A huge variety of turmeric is available in Thailand, ranging in colour from the familiar deep, bloody orange to an unsettling blue. In the north, old women collect these roots for a multitude of reasons - culinary, medicinal and even for casting the odd spell. Turmeric has a role in many Brahmin and Buddhist ceremonies throughout Asia; in Thailand, it is used to ritually cleanse novices and prepare them for their ordination as monks. 

For cooking purposes, however, only a few varieties are used. Fresh and powdered turmeric have quite different tastes; they are not interchangeable. Here at Long Chim we import fresh dried turmeric, and powder it only when needed, to retain the necessary freshness.

V

Vinegar  nahm som  

Thais generally use white vinegar made from rice, and in some cases from fermented coconut water. 

Y

Yellow Bean Sauce  dtow jiaw

This is a sauce based on yellow soy beans, which are salted and then fermented with a rice mould. Yellow bean sauce is used in sauces and soups, and normally indicates a dish with Chinese influences. There are two types; the first, and more traditional, is creamy white; the more common one is honey-brown.