Pad Thai is a well-known dish that incorporates many spices and flavors.
Thai food is known for having a mix of flavors that explode across the taste buds. The list of ingredients in many Thai dishes can seem intimidating to many home chefs, but once the basic flavors and spice components are understood, the dishes are much less complicated. Experiment with the spices and seasonings that you like best to create authentic Thai recipes from the standard taste combinations of salty, sour, spicy and sweet.
Salty
In most cuisines, salt is an important spice that is used to add zing to other flavors. Thai food is no exception; salt is used frequently to season the food. Standard table salt is used in addition to fish sauce, which takes much of its salty flavor from the natural saltiness of the fish used for processing.
Sour
Sour spices used in Thai cooking include Kaffir limes and their leaves, mandarin oranges, lemongrass and citrons. Some of these items are available in the U.S. at international grocery stores while others, such as the citron, are rarely available outside of Thailand. The spicing of Thai food is rounded out by these flavors as they mix with other components to create flavorful dishes not typically found in other types of cuisine.
Spicy
Chili is the main spicy ingredient utilized in Thai cooking, with more than 10 varieties used. These range from somewhat mild to extremely hot, depending on the nature of the chili pepper and the quantity being used. Cumin, garlic, onion, shallots, cinnamon and ginger can also be considered spicy seasonings used to create some of the famous Thai flavors. Black, white and green peppercorns are commonly used to provide a certain amount of kick in Thai cuisine.
Sweet
Sweet spices play the final role in balancing the flavors of Thai cuisine. Manglug, also known as lemon basil, is a sweet tasting herb with a slightly peppery taste. Jasmine is used in drinks and to flavor many dishes. Mandarin oranges provide a slight sourness along with a sweet flavor, and are often found in Thai desserts. Sugar is added to many dishes to offset the spicy or sour flavors that are predominant in the dish. Cardamom, clove and basil can also be considered sweet flavors in many curries and other dishes.
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