Thai food - Ingredients and spices used

Revised Monday, 03 May 2004 .

Main ingredients used in the preparation/cooking of Thai food and dishes.

Most of the ingredients used in the preparation of Thai food and dishes are spices of herbal value. Below are some of the basic ingredients and its medicinal value.

	Chilli: "Phrik" in Thai Chilli is an erect, branched, shrub-like herb with fruits used as garnishing and flavoring in Thai dishes. There are many different species. All contain capsaicin, a biologically active ingredient beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. Other therapeutic uses include being a stomachic, carminative and anti flatulence agent, and digestant. fix laptop screen
	Cumin: "Yi-ra" in Thai Cumin is a small shrubbery herb, the fruit of which contains a 2-4% volatile oil with a pungent odour, and which is used as a flavoring and condiment. Cumin's therapeutic properties manifest as a stomachic, bitter tonic, carminative, stimulant and astringent
	Garlic: "Kra-thiam" in Thai Garlic is an annual herbaceous plant with underground bulbs comprising several cloves. Dried mature bulbs are used as a flavoring and condiment in Thai cuisine. The bulbs contain a 0.1-0.36% garlic oil and organic sulfur compounds. Therapeutic uses are as an anti microbial, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, anti flatulence and cholesterol lowering agents Гинекология эндометриоз Люблино.
	Ginger: "Khing" in Thai Ginger is an erect plant with thickened, fleshy and aromatic rhizomes. Used in different forms as a food, flavoring and spice. Ginger's rhizomes contain a 1-2% volatile oil. Ginger's therapeutic uses are as a carminative, anti nauseant and anti flatulence agent.
	Galanga: "Kha" in Thai Greater Galanga is an erect annual plant with aromatic, ginger-like rhizomes, and commonly used in Thai cooking as a flavoring. The approximately 0.04 volatile oil content has therapeutic uses as carminative, stomachic, anti rheumatic and anti microbial agents.
	Sacred Basil: "Ka-phrao" in Thai Sacred Basil is an annual herbaceous plant that resembles Sweet Basil but has narrower and often times reddish-purple leaves. The fresh leaves, which are used as a flavoring, contain approximately 0.5% volatile oil, which exhibits anti microbial activity, specifically as a carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant and stomachic.
	Hoary Basil: "Maeng-lak" in Thai Hoary Basil is an annual herbaceous plant with slightly hairy and pale green leaves, eaten either raw or used as a flavoring, and containing approximately 0.7% volatile oil. Therapeutic benefits include the alleviation of cough symptoms, and as diaphoretic and carminative agents.
	Kafffir: "Ma-krut" in Thai The leaves, peel and juice of the Kaffir Lime are used as a flavoring in Thai cuisine. The leaves and peel contain a volatile oil. The major therapeutic benefit of the juice is as an appetizer.
	(No Common English Name): Krachai in Thai This erect annual plant with aromatic rhizomes and yellow-brown roots, is used as a flavoring. The rhizomes contain approximately 0.8% volatile oil. The plant has stomachache relieving and anti microbial properties, and therapeutic benefits as an anti tussive and anti flatulence agent.
	Lemon Grass: "Ta-khrai" in Thai This erect annual plant resembles a coarse grey-green grass. Fresh leaves and grass are used as flavoring. Lemongrass contains a 0.2-0.4 volatile oil. Therapeutic properties are as a diuretics, emmanagogue, anti flatulence, anti flu and anti microbial agent
	Lime: "Ma-nao" in Thai Lime is used principally as a garnish for fish and meat dishes. The fruit contains Hesperidin and Naringin , scientifically proven anti inflammatory flavonoids. Lime juice is used as an appetizer, and has anti tussive, anti flu, stomachic and anti scorbutic properties
	Marsh Mint: "Sa-ra-nae" in Thai The fresh leaves of this herbaceous plant are used as a flavoring and eaten raw in Thai cuisine. Volatile oil contents give the plant several therapeutic uses, including carminative, mild antiseptic, local anesthetic, diaphoretic and digestant properties.
	Pepper: "Phrik-Thai" in Thai Pepper is a branching, perennial climbing plant from whose fruiting spikes both white and black pepper are obtained. Used as a spice and condiment, pepper contains a 2-4% volatile oil. Therapeutic uses are as carminative, antipyretic, diaphoretic and diuretic agents.
	Shallot: "Hom, Hom-lek, Hom-daeng"in Thai Shallots, or small red onions, are annual herbaceous plants. Underground bulbs comprise garlic-like cloves. Shallot bulbs contain a volatile oil, and are used as flavoring or seasoning agents. Therapeutic properties include the alleviation of stomach discomfort, and as an anti helmintic, anti diarrhoeal, expectorant, anti tussive, diuretic and anti flu agents
	Sweet Basil: "Ho-ra-pha" in Thai Sweet Basil is an annual herbaceous plant, the fresh leaves of which are either eaten raw or used as a flavoring in Thai cooking. Volatile oil content varies according to different varieties. Therapeutic properties are as carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, digestant and stomachic agents.
	Turmeric: "Kha-min" in Thai Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, and provides yellow coloring for Thai food. The rhizomes contain a 3-4% volatile oil with unique aromatic characteristics. Turmeric's therapeutic properties manifest as a carminative, anti flatulence and stomachic