Thai Vegetables

7/21/2019 Thai Vegetables

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Thai Vegetables

Angled Loofah: Thai name is Buap Liam

Also known as silk gourd, silk squash or Chinese okra,

this dark green vegetable looks like a long, thin

courgette (zucchini) or a very large okra pod, and has

angular ridges down its length. A close relative, the

smooth loofah is paler in colour, larger and more

cylindrical, with a slightly thicker base. oth have a

very mild taste, similar to cucumber, which can be used

in its place in most cooked dishes. !he gourds are eaten

young, while they are still sweet. !hey become

unpleasantly bitter as they mature. "oofah is used in stir#

fries and soups, and is often boiled and eaten with nam

phrik.



Apple Aubergines: Thai name is Makheua

!hese small round aubergines are pale green, yellow or

white. !hey are eaten raw with the ubiquitous chilli

sauce, nam phrik, or cooked in curries. !hey have little

$avour, but when raw have an interesting te%ture. !hey

discolour rapidly once cut, so drop& them into salted

water if you are preparing them in advance.

Asparagus: Thai name is Nor Mai Faruang

Asparagus are long, slender vegetables that grow as

shoots in spring and early summer. !he straight, 'rm

stalks, which range from pencil thin to as thick as your

thumb, are prized for their delicate $avor the tender tips

have a particularly delicate $avor and te%ture. !he most

common variety is green and sometimes tinged with

purple at the bud. hite and all#purple stalks are also

available in farmers& markets and well#stocked grocery



stores. "ook for asparagus with crisp, straight stalks and

tight buds. rap in damp paper towels and refrigerate in

a plastic bag for up to * days. !rim the stalks before

using. Cut or snap o+ the tough ends and discard. f

desired, peel the bottom third or half of each stalk with

a vegetable peeler for a more tender te%ture.

Baby Corn: Thai name is Khao hod !n

aby corn refers to whole, entirely edible cobs of

immature corn, no more than -# inches (/#0./ cm)

long. Corn is a popular vegetable in !hailand. 1or stir#

fries and soups, !hais prefer baby corn cobs, which have

a musty sweet $avour, as well as a crunchy te%ture.

!hey are available fresh and canned. 1resh baby corn

cobs are best eaten soon after purchase but can be stored

for up to 2 week in the salad drawer of the refrigerator.



Bamboo "hoot: Thai name is Nor Mai

amboo shoots are the crisp, mild#$avored, white to

ivory shoots of the bamboo plant. !he shoots of the

bamboo are cut when they have grown about 2/ cm.

above the ground. efore using, peel the skin and boiled

the inner white part for 3 minutes. !he canned variety

needs to be boiled for only 23 minutes. !his is a

popular ingredient in !hai cooking and can be purchased

from general stores and markets.

Banana Blossom: Thai name is #ua lee

Also called banana $owers and banana blossoms, these

are in fact the tender hearts of unopened banana $owers,

which have been stripped of their purple petals. !hey are

available fresh in some Asian markets and also canned

or dried. 1resh banana buds discolour rapidly once they

are sliced or shredded, so should be brushed with lemon



4uice to prevent this. anana buds are used in northern

!hailand to make a tasty, squash soup. !hey are also a

popular salad ingredient, tasting rather like artichokes.

Bean "prout: Thai name is Thua Ngok

5ost often used of bean sprouts in !hai cooking are the

small 6green7 sprouts from mung beans and the larger

6yellow7 sprouts from soya beans. 8oya beansprouts

have a stronger $avour than mung beansprouts, but both

are relatively delicate, with a pleasant and unique

crunchy te%ture. 1resh beansprouts are widely available

in supermarkets, health#food stores and Asian food

stores, or you can easily sprout your own beans at home.

Avoid canned beansprouts as they are $accid and

tasteless.

Bell Chilli: Thai name is hrik $oukg

ell Chilli, phrik youkg, is light green in color and mild

in taste. !hey are used in spicy salads and chilli 9ilstes



for their fragrance, and in stir#fried meat dishes for both

$avor and aroma.

Bitter Melon: Thai name is Ma %a

!ropical, annual vine has bitter taste Culinary use: 8oup,

curry, and salad. (f you don&t like the bitter taste,

parboil with salt and rinse -# times before cooking.)

!he !hais belive that it is very good for the kidneys and

blood. "ook for small and 'rm specimens that are still

green when buying. 5edicinal use: 5ild la%ative,

antipyretic gargle the fruit 4uice to relieve an aphthous

ulcer.

Bro&&oli: Thai name is also Bro&&oli

roccoli, a member of the cabbage family, is green to

purple#green in color and has tightly clustered $owers, or

$orets, borne on sturdy stalks. !he $orets are the most

tender part. !he stems, if peeled, can also be used.



Choose 'rm stalks and closed heads with deep color and

no yellow areas. ;efrigerate in a plastic bag for up to *

days.

Carrot: Thai name is also Carrot

Carrots are root vegetables that are bright orange in

color, with a sweet $avor and a crisp te%ture. !hey

range in size from small, baby carrots to short, almost

round varieties to long, slender roots. 1resh carrots are

sold year#round. Avoid droopy carrots with cracks or dry

spots. ;emove the feathery green tops and store in a

plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to - weeks. 9eel or

scrub carrots before using.

Cassa'a %oot: Thai name is Man "am a Lang

<sually used to make desserts.

Cauli(o)er: Thai name is *ok Kha Lam

Cauli$ower, a member of the cabbage family, is a solid



head, white in color, with tightly clustered $owers, or

$orets. !he $orets are the most tender part, but the

entire head is edible. Cauli$ower is available year#round.

Avoid heads with brown patches or speckles or yellowed

leaves. 8tore in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to

2 week.

n !hai cooking, Cauli$ower $orets often wind up in

soups and stir fried, or as a side dish dipping with spicy

shrimp paste sauce.

Chinese Bro&&oli +Kale : Thai name is hak Ka Na

A dark green vegetable with strong, thin, long round

trunks, soft, deep green delicate leaves, and sometimes

tiny white $owers. t does not look like or taste like the

common broccoli. t has a slightly sweet and bitter taste.

=elicious stir#fried, steamed, or boiled but never eaten

raw. 5ost popular dish is >a na nam mun hoy which is



stir 'red with oyster sauce. <nlike regular broccoli, the

stems are usually tender and do not need to be peeled.

?owever, more mature or larger stalks should be peeled

before cooking. t is always smart to separate the leaves

and trunks. !he trunks require more cooking time, then

add the leaves near the end, so that they cook evenly.

hen buying Chinese broccoli, choose brightly colored

ones with slender thin trunks.

Chinese Cabbage: Thai name is hak Kaet Khaao

Also known as celery cabbage, this vegetable has soft

green and white leaves with a mild, sweet $avour and

crisp te%ture. t is widely available in supermarkets and

is easily recognized by its fat, cylindrical shape and

tightly packed leaves. hen buying, choose specimens

that are heavy and 'rm. efore use, discard any

damaged outer leaves and trim the root. =o not worry if



the leaves have small black spots on them they are

harmless. !his type of cabbage keeps well and can be

stored in the salad compartment of the refrigerator for

several weeks. t is used in stir#fries, salads and soups.

Chinese Chi'es: Thai name is Kui &hai

!hese pungent herbs look more like long, $at spring

onions than their estern equivalent. !he leaves are

peppery, crunchy and chewy. !hey are eaten raw and

cooked and are prized for both their te%ture and $avour.

8pring onions can be used as a substitute but they will

not have the distinctive garlic taste of Chinese chives.

Chinese Mustard ,reen: Thai name is hak K)ang

Tung -een

!he Chinese name for this type of cabbage is choi sum.

t is widely grown in the est and is often available

from farmers& markets, as well as Asian food stores. !he



stalks, leaves and yellow $owers of this plant are all

edible and have a delicate $avour. !he cabbage is

usually cut into short lengths and used in soups and

noodle dishes, but it may also be stir#fried.

Chinese %adish: Thai name is #ua Chai Tau or #ua

hak Kat

!hais value this vegetable, believing that it aids

digestion, cools the body and improves blood circulation.

Also called giant white radish or winter radish, it is a

long white root that resembles a slender, smooth#skinned

parsnip in appearance. t can be up to *3cm@lin long,

although the !hai variety is often considerably smaller.

"arge specimens tend to be 'brous and should be

avoided. hen raw, the $avour of mooli is cool, sharp

and peppery, and the te%ture is crisp. !hais don&t often

eat it this way, but the grated $esh is sometimes used to



tenderize seafood. hen the vegetable is cooked, the

characteristic te%ture is retained, but the $avour becomes

quite sweet.

Co&onut: Thai name is Ma hrao

Coconut, ma phrao, is found nearly everywhere people

have settled in all parts of the country and its production

is important to the economy. !he use to coconut milk in

curries is a hallmark of !hai cooking. !he meat of ripe

nuts is scraped either by hand or by machine. !he grated

coconut is placed in a basin and mi%ed with a certain

amount of warm water. !he coconut is then picked up in

the hand, held over a second container, and squeezed to

press out the coconut milk, ka#thi. A 'ne meshed

strainer should be positioned below the hand during

squeezing to catch any meat that falls. 5any cooks add

a little salt to the water or the milk.



Cu&umber: Thai name is Taeng K)a

Cucumber, taeng kwa, Cucumis sativus, has short fruits

about B em long which are crispiest while still green and

white, before yellowing. A larger type, taeng ran, are

also eaten.

.ggplants: Thai name is Makheua Moung

ggplants are tender, mildly earthy, sweet vegetable#

fruits covered with tough, shiny skin, which may be

peeled or left unpeeled in grilled or long#cooked dishes.

!hey vary in color from the familiar purple to red and

from yellow to white. !he most common variety is the

large, purple globe eggplant, but many markets also

carry the slender, purple Asian eggplant, which is more

tender and has fewer, smaller seeds. hen cooked, all

eggplants have a mild $avor and tender, creamy $esh.

"ook for plump, glossy, heavy eggplants with taut skin



and no bruises or scratches. ;efrigerate in a plastic bag

for up to - days. ggplants are also known as aubergine

and in taly as melanzana.

Long .ggplant: Thai name is Makhua $ae)

!his elongated variety is similar in appearance and

$avour to Dapanese long baby aubergines. ?owever, the

!hai ones are usually pale green, but can also be purple

or white. !hese aubergines are usually served grilled

(broiled) or in green curries.

Lotus root: Thai name is %aug Bua

"otus root is an underwater root that grows to be as

long as four feet. !he root is dark reddish brown and

needs to be peeled prior to using. !he $esh is a creamy

white and tastes similar to coconut. "otus root is

available canned, dried or candied and can be used as a

vegetable or in dessert dishes.



ak Choi: Thai name is hak K)ang Tung Tai)an

!his is the most popular variety of cabbage eaten in

!hailand. =espite its other name E Chinese white

cabbage pak choi is not uniformly white. !he ribbed

stems are a beautiful greenish white, which stands out

starkly against the lush dark green leaves. n !hailand,

cabbage is often eaten raw with a chilli dipping sauce

and is also cooked in stir#fries and soups. 9ak choi is

usually either thinly sliced or cut into squares and is best

cooked brie$y.

apaya: Thai name is Ma La Kor

9apaya is a tropical fruit with a smooth, yellow skin and

soft, sweet orange $esh that is milder tasting than a

mango. Fther shapes and colors of papaya are also

grown. ?alve a papaya lengthwise and scoop out shiny

black seeds before peeling.



n !hai cooking, young green papaya is used to make

salad or 8om !am, a popular salad dish among

foreigners in !hailand. Gou may be in diHculty in

'nding fresh green papaya outside !hailand. !he fresh

carrots or cabbages or green apples can be used as a

substitute.

ea Aubergines: Thai name is Makreu uang

!hese pea#size berries, which grow in small clusters,

have a bitter $avour that is a good foil to the rich ness

of the spicy curries in which they are most often found.

!hey are also used as a $avouring for nam phrik.

umpkins: Thai name is Fug Tong

9umpkins are large, round winter squashes with orange

skins and $esh. !he variety known as the sugar pumpkin

has sweet $esh. n !hai cooking, it is commonly used in



dessert but is also used in savory dishes. Canned pumkin

purIe is widely available and can easily be made from

fresh pumpkin.

"hiitake *ried Mushroom: Thai name is #et #om

#ang

t is also known as 8hiitake mushroom. t has no $avor

but is used for its te%ture. t is available in dried form,

and looks like dried, black, wrinkled paper. hen

soaked in water for about 23#-3 minutes, it swells and

resembles wavy seaweed or 4elly. 8tored in its dried

form, it will keep inde'nitely.

"hiitake Mushroom: Thai name is #et #om

1resh shiitake mushrooms are available, but !hai cooks

prefer to use them dried as they have a stronger $avour

and more te%ture. oth types are available in

supermarkets and Asian stores. =ried shiitake mushrooms



must be reconstituted in water before beingused. !he

stems are usually discarded and the caps sliced or

chopped for adding to soups or stews. !he soaking water

can be strained and used in a soup or stock as it takes

on the $avour of the shiitake. !he dried mushrooms will

keep well if stored in a sealed plastic tub or bag in a

cool, dry place.

"pring !nions: Thai name is Ton/#om

8oring onions are a variety of onion harvested immature

before the bulb has formed. oth the green leaves and

white bulbs are used raw or cooked for their mild but

still pronounced onion $avor. 8pring onions are also

known as scallions or spring onions. 8pring onions are

used in !hai cooking for stir#fries and in soups. !hey

are also popular for garnishes, either sliced or cut into



tassels, then curled in iced water.

"tra) Mushroom: Thai name is #ed Fang

!hese delicate, sweet $avoured mushrooms have

acquired their nglish name because of the method of

cultivation on beds of straw. !hey look like miniature

helmets and are the most popular variety of mushroom

in !hai cooking. 8traw mushrooms are used e%tensively

in soups, salads and curries, and taste particularly good

with prawns (shrimp) and crab meat. Canned straw

mushrooms are widely available from Asian stores and

many supermarkets. !hey have neither the e%quisite

$avour nor the te%ture of the fresh mushrooms, but can

be an acceptable substitute. 1resh straw mushrooms are

highly perishable and so are not often available in the



est. f you do locate them, use them as soon as

possible after purchase.

"uger ea: Thai name is Tua Lan Tao

Gou eat these whole, pod and all. !hey&re often stir#fried

very brie$y (no more than a minute), but they&re also

good raw. !hey&re easy to prepare, 4ust wash and trim

the ends. 8ome people string them as well, but that&s not

necessary. 8elect crisp, $at snow peas that snap when

you break them.

")amp Cabbage: Thai name is hak Boong

!his popular leafy plant, also known as water

convolvulus or water spinach, is actually a herb. t grows

in marshy areas, near rivers and canals, and is related to

the morning glory that riots over walls and fences in

many uropean gardens. t has slender, hollow green

stems and thin ovate green leaves which are pointed at



the ends. n some parts of Asia, the stems are pickled,

but in !hailand, only the leaves and tender shoots are

eaten. !he $avour is similar to that of spinach. n

!hailand, the tender tips are often eaten raw, on their

own or with other raw vegetables, and served with a

selection of hot sauces. hen cooked, the stem tips stay

'rm, but the leaves rapidly become limp.

8wamp Cabbage is highly perishable and must be used

promptly.

")eet Chilli: Thai name is krik 0aan

8weet chillis are sweet#$eshed, bell#shaped members of

the chilli family, en4oyed raw or cooked. <nripe green

and ripened red or yellow varieties are the most

common. 9ale yellow, orange, and purple#black types are

also available. talian chillis are slightly sweeter and

more slender than regular chillis. efore use, bell



peppers must have their indigestible seeds removed.

Fften the chillis are roasted, which loosens their skins

for peeling and enhances their natural sweetness.

Taro: Thai name is uak

!his root grows wild on the banks of streams in

!hailand and is particularly popular in the north of the

country.!he swollen tuber is full of starch and is eaten

in the same manner as potatoes. !he young leaves can

also be eaten. ear gloves when peeling taros.

Tomato: Thai name is Ma kheua Thet

!omatoes, 5a#>heua thet of three types are used in !hai

cooking. !he 'rst is small, round fruits, not much bigger

than a pea, which grow in clusters and have a sweet and

sour taste. !hese are used in Jorthern and Jortheastern

dishes. "arge#sized tomatoes are sweet and are used in

sour and spicy soups and in spicy salads. !he third type



is cherry tomatoes. !hese have a sweet and sour taste

and are used in Jortheasternstyle papaya salad as well as

in curries and sour and spicy soups.

T)isted Cluster Bean: Thai name is "a Ta)

!he seeds of a huge tree that grows in southern

!hailand, these beans are about the size of broad (fava)

beans. !he bright green pods that house them are $at

and wavy. !he beans themselves have a peculiar smell

and nutty taste that give a distinctive $avour to regional

dishes. !he beans are usually eaten as a vegetable, and

they taste good in a sweet#and#sour stir#fry. !hey are

also sometimes roasted and eaten with nam phrik, and

are made into pickles.

0a1 gourd: Thai name is Fak Khiao

a% gourd, fak khiao, enincasa hispida, also called

white gourd or Chinese preserving melon, is oblong and



light green to white. !he ends are rounded and the $esh

is solid and white.

0inged Bean: Thai name is Thua hu

t bears a pod which in cross section looks like a

rectangle that has a fringe#like e%tension at each corner,

the 6wings7 of the bean.

$ard Long Beans: Thai name is Tua Fugk $ae)

!hese are long, deep green ,stringless beans which grow

up to 3#3 cm. Cut in short lenghts, they are used in

stir#fries, curries and sometimes soups, !hey have less

$avour than other types of green beans but are easier to

prepare.

Thai Vegetables

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