Thai in

Your Thai pantry

With culinary influences such as Portuguese, Dutch, French, Chinese and Japanese, Thai cuisine is famously fragrant. Lemongrass, coriander, makrut lime leaves, mint, lime, ginger and galangal (Thai ginger) all add a lightness and delicacy that makes Thai food a standout. Sweet, sour, bitter, salty and hot elements are blended in a variety of cooking methods including stewing, grilling, stir-frying and deep-frying. Fish sauce is used in Thai cuisine as a flavour enhancer; while it does have a strong fishy flavour, used judiciously it adds intensity rather than fishiness. Along with shrimp paste and tamarind, you’ll find it’s readily available in supermarkets. Sesame oil is another staple of Thai cooking, adding a nutty flavour, and coconut cream replaces ghee in Thai-style curries. You can freeze makrut lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal for future use.

Thai Pumpkin, Pea & Pak Choy Soup

PREP + COOK TIME 20 MINUTES SERVES 2

• 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
• 200g pumpkin, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• ⅓ cup frozen peas
• 160g bok choy, trimmed
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce