Thai Healthy herbs and spices

Dried herbs and spices

Thai name	Thai script	English name	Description and use
Kanphlu	กานพลู	Cloves	Used in certain meat dishes, most notably in Matsaman curry.
Luk chanthet	ลูกจันทน์เทศ	Nutmeg nut	Used in certain Indian style curries, most notably in Matsaman curry.
Nga	งา	Sesame seed	The oil from the sesame seed is not really used in Thai cuisine (unlike in Chinese cuisine). The seeds (black and white sesame) are mainly used whole in certain deep fried desserts such as thong muan (Thai:ทองม้วน).
Opchoei	อบเชย	Cassia cinnamon	Used in certain meat dishes, most notably in Matsaman curry.
Phong kari	ผงกะหรี่	Curry powder	Thai curries are nearly always made with fresh pastes. Curry powder is only used when making certain Indian style curries.
Phong phalo	ผงพะโล้	Five-spice powder	The Chinese five-spice powder is used mainly in Thai-Chinese dishes such as mu phalo (pork stewed in soy sauce, Thai: หมูพะโล้)
Phrik Thai	พริกไทย	Black pepper
Phrik Thai khao	พริกไทยขาว	White pepper

Fresh herbs and spices

Thai name	Thai script	English name	Description and use
Bai makrut	ใบมะกรูด	Kaffir lime leaves	Kaffir lime leaves are widely used in spicy Thai soups and curries, either cooked whole, together with the dish, and/or finely shredded and added before serving.
Bai toei	ใบเดย	Pandan orscrewpine leaves	This sweet smelling leaf is used in different sweet snacks. It is also used in the well known dish Kai ho bai toei, deep fried chicken wrapped in pandanus leaves, as well as to stuff the belly of barbecued fish
Bai yanang	ใบย่านาง	Tiliacora triandra	Leaves used in the preparation of keng noh mai som (แกงหน่อไม้ส้ม), sometimes called keng Lao (แกงลาว))
Horapha	โหระพา	Thai sweet basil	A variety of the sweet basil with a taste of anise. It is used in different curries such as red and green curryand often also served separately.
Kha	ข่า	Galangal	The perfume-like scent and flavour of the galangal root is characteristic for many Thai curries and spicy soups.
Kha min	ขมิ้น	Turmeric	This yellow coloured root is often used in dishes of Muslim/Southern Thai origin and in Northern Thailand for Northern style curries.
Khing	ขิง	Ginger	Either served raw (shredded or diced) with dishes such as Miang kham and Khanom chin sao nam, in certain chilli dips, or in stir fried dishes of Chinese origin.
Krachai	กระชาย	Fingerroot	This root has a slightly medicinal flavour and is used in certain fish dishes and curries.
Kraphao	กะเพรา	Holy basil	Holy basil has a distinctive scent of clove and reddish tipped leaves. It is used, for instance, in the well-known Kraphao mu (minced pork fried with basil).
Krathiam	กระเทียม	Garlic	Besides being used cooked or fried, garlic is used raw in many dips and salad dressings. It is also served raw on the side with several Thai dishes such as Khao kha mu (stewed pork served on rice) or as one of the ingredients for dishes such as Miang kham.
Maenglak	แมงลัก	Lemon basil	The leaves are used in certain curries. It is also indispensable with Khanom chin nam ya. The seeds resemble frog's eggs when soaked in water and are used in sweet desserts.
Phak chi	ผักชี	Coriander/cilantro leaves	The leaves are seen often as a garnish with many Thai dishes. It is indispensable for Tom yam soup.
Phak chi farang	ผักชีฝรั่ง	Culantro	A herb often seen in spicy soups and Northern curries. It literally means "European coriander", perhaps because it was brought from the Caribbean to Thailand by Europeans.
Phak chi Lao	ผักชีลาว	Dill	Fresh dill is used mainly in certain soups and in curries from north-eastern Thailand which do not contain coconut milk. It literally means "coriander from Laos" in Thai.
Phrik chi fa	พริกชี้ฟ้า	Jalapeño pepper	A medium sized chilli and less spicy than the phrik khi nu, it is often added to stir fried dishes and curries as a kind of 'vegetable'. Either red, yellow or green in colour.
Phrik khi nu	พริกขี่หนู	Bird's eye chilli	This small chilli is one of the spiciest and used extensively in Thai cooking. The Thai name literally translates to "mouse-dropping chilli"
Phrik khi nu suan	พริกขี่หนูสวน		This variety of the phrik khi nu is even smaller and even more spicy. The name literally translates to "garden mouse-dropping chilli".
Phrik Thai on	พริกไทยอ่อน	Fresh peppercorns	Thai cuisine often uses fresh (green) peppercorns in stir fried dishes and in certain curries such as Kaeng pa (so-called Jungle Curry).
Phrik yuak	พริกหยวก	Wax pepper	Very large, mild tasting pale-green chillies which can be found in certain stir fried dishes or deep fried stuffed with, for instance, pork.
Rak phak chi	รากผักชี	coriander/cilantro root	The roots of the coriandrum sativum are often used in curry pastes and certain soups such as Tom yam kung.
Saranae	สะระแหน่	Spearmint	Used in many Thai salads and sometimes as a way to suppress the 'muddy' taste of certain fish when steamed.
Takhrai	ตะไคร้	Lemon grass	Used extensively in many Thai dishes such as curries, spicy soups and salads.