How to cook Thai food

Forget about the green curry you sampled on the high street. Authentic Thai food has a bit more kick than you bargained for. And don’t mention Pad Thai. Claire Dodd finds out how it's done.

You may feel pretty confident that you know what Thai food is about. Coconut milk, jasmine rice, egg, noodles, throw in a few bay leaves and some basil and voilà? Not quite. Real Thai food is about a balance of salty, sweet and sour flavours. But not all in one go. That would be gross. Here’s a guide to the store cupboard staples you’ll need to cook up a tropical storm in the kitchen.

Culinary style

It’s good news for those of us that like buffets because of the possibilities of unlimited scoffing. In Thailand, typical meals consist of lots of different dishes that together achieve a balance of flavours through contrasting styles. Soups and curries usually accompany every meal, with heat levels and consistency varying, meaning that if full-on spice isn’t for you, you can choose something a little more tame. Most Thai dishes are stir fried or grilled and served with rice, with noodles an influence from China.

Fermented fish all the way

We have salt, Thailand has fermented fish sauce. Don't be afraid of it. It's okay. Rather than giving an overtly fishy taste, it's there more for creating a slightly salty blank canvas on which other flavours are added. Think of it as elevator music if you will. It's definitely there, but only just.

Most large supermarkets will stock it, or head to your local Thai or Chinese supermarket for an authentic version. Gordon's recipes also use fish paste or shrimp paste, for which you'll need to head to the oriental supermarket. While you’re there, pick up some good quality fish stock, oyster sauce and soy sauce too.

Chilli, especially bird's eye chillies provide the heat to many Thai dishes. They're feisty little critters. But if you want to downgrade to something a little milder try serrano or jalapeno peppers.

As with most eastern food, you'll need garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Dried chillies are common too. Kaffir lime leaves pop up in many recipes, and can be bought dried and used in much the same way as bay leaves. Galangal is related to ginger and looks like ginger but tastes nothing like it, so you're going to have to try and find some if you want to follow Gordon's recipes. Again, specialist ethnic retailers are your best bet.

And another thing…

Don't be put off by a few unusual sounding ingredients. Ong Choi is otherwise known as water spinach or water morning glory. If you can't find it, substitute with spinach or watercress.

Coriander root is commonly used and is often ground with garlic as a base for soup. As coriander leaves are used in many of the recipes too, your best bet it to buy a coriander plant – think of it as a two for one.