A variety of culinary tools and kitchen gadgets are used to create classic Thai food. Check the ethnic food sections of local grocery stores to see if they keep any items in stock which can be used in Thai style cooking. Online specialty stores, such as Import Food and Temple of Thai, offer a complete line of Asian culinary utensils, along with with canned, bottled and other prepackaged Thai food ingredients.
Bamboo Steamer
Bamboo steamer sets are used along with a wok, to steam a variety of items such as Thai sticky rice, dim sum, vegetables or even fish. A plate or a cloth, such as a bundle of dampened cheesecloth, is usually added to the bottom of the bamboo steamer, to prevent the food from falling through the slats and into the water used for steaming.
Ceramic Mortar and Pestle Set
Large ceramic mortars with a wooden pestle are used to make salads, sauces and other Thai culinary dishes using softer ingredients. The interior of the ceramic mortar is unglazed, a wooden pestle must be used, as other items would cause the ceramic to break.
Sum tum, a green papaya salad, is a classic Thai dish made in a ceramic mortar and pestle set. Stone mortar and pestle sets are used to pound and crush harder ingredients, such as dried spices.
Cheesecloth
To make sticky rice, a staple part of almost every Thai meal, damp cheesecloth is wrapped around a portion of glutinous rice, which has been soaked in water. The rice is then steamed, using either a bamboo steamer placed over a wok, or in a sticky rice cooker. A clean, damp dish towel can be used in place of the cheesecloth.
Clay Pot
Oven safe clay cookers, with matching lids are used to make a variety of soups and curries. The clay pot comes with a clay base, in which a can of Sterno or a tea candle can be placed, in order to keep the soup or curry warm. In the western kitchen the clay pot can also be used to make casseroles, such as baked macaroni with cheese, or even French onion soup.
Coconut Grater
Used to grate fresh coconut meat and to prepare fresh coconut milk. Processing whole coconuts can be a bit time consuming, cans of unsweetened coconut milk and coconut cream are available from online Thai specialty stores. Canned coconut milk can often be found in the Latin American food section of most grocery stores.
Fish Grill
A fish shaped serving container, made from aluminum. A tea light, or can of Sterno can be placed in the base of the fish grill, in order to keep the food warm. Traditionally used to serve whole fish, with the head and tail still attached, the western chef may prefer to use fish fillets.
Kanom Krok Pan
Specialty Thai cooking tool used to make a classic Thai dessert. Kanom krok are small pancake-like desserts made from rice flour and coconut milk and cooked in a heavy cast iron pan. Large pans can make up to 28 individual kanom kroks at a time.
Skewers
Usually made from bamboo. Skewers are used to hold chunks of vegetables and pieces of meat, such as beef or chicken, which are then grilled. One end of the skewer is pointed, to allow the meat to easily be placed on the skewer. Bamboo skewers must be soaked in water, before grilling with them. Chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce is a traditional Thai dish cooked on skewers.
Sticky Rice Cookware Set
Sticky rice steamer basket and stainless steel base. The stainless steel base is filled with water and placed over a heat source, such as a gas or electric stove. The steamer basket is filled with glutinous rice, which has been soaked in water. A bundle of damp cheesecloth is placed over the rice, then a lid is placed over the cloth covered bundle of rice. The steamer basket is then placed over the stainless steel base and steamed for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and translucent.
A portion of sticky rice is served with almost every Thai meal. A bamboo steamer set, placed over a wok filled with water, may also be used to steam sticky rice.
Stone Mortar and Pestle Set
Large and heavy mortar and pestle sets are usually made out of granite. The heavy stone mortar and pestle are used to pound and grind hard items such as dried spices. The spices are often dry toasted in a frying pan, before being added to the mortar. Softer items, such as those used to make salads, are pounded in a ceramic mortar and wood pestle.
The western chef can also use stone mortar and pestle sets to make fresh pesto sauce or guacamole. Small stone mortar and pestle sets can weigh 8 pounds, with large sets weighing up to 25 pounds.
Thai Hot Pot
A large aluminum pot used to serve family sized portions of soup such as Tom Kha or Tom Yum. The hot pot comes with a lid and a base. The base can be filled with a tea light, or a can of Sterno, in order to keep the soup warm.
Wok
Woks, made out of steel, carbon steel or even brass, are a staple utensil of the Thai kitchen. Woks can be used to steam, stir fry and fry many Thai style dishes. The round shape of the wok creates a more even heat distribution than a conventional frying pan.
Additional Thai Cooking Items
Fresh Thai culinary ingredients contains a description of the fresh herbs and vegetables that are commonly used in Thai recipes. Dry Thai culinary ingredients discusses which premade dry packaged goods which are used in Asian style cooking. Specialty Food Items Used in Thai Cuisine describes various canned and bottled ingredients which are used in Thai style recipes.
Resources
- Importfood.com
- www.templeofthai.com
Lynn Smythe - ABOUT THE WRITER Born and raised in Rochester, New York, freelance writer Lynn Smythe obtained her bachelor's degree in Geology from ...
