The Philosophy of Thai Food

Cook with your tongue

Thai cooking is very different than modern western cooking. Where in western cooking (particularly baking) ingredients are measured exactly, Thai cooking is much more lenient. While this flexibility makes recipes more forgiving, internalizing "the system" can be challenging. This site provides measurements, but you should look at these recipes as the starting point for your exploration.

4 Flavors + Heat - In Thai cooking there are four flavors: sour, sweet, creamy and salty. Heat sits on top of the four flavors. The secret of a good dish is the right balance of the flavors -- you will find that there are "sweet spots" where the flavor just tastes right.

No Measuring - I remember that I had such a hard time learning to make a cake. Following the Thai tradition, I refused to kneel to Betty Crocker's specifications. Nobody uses measuring cups in Thailand. You learn to cook by watching and helping in the kitchen. After throwing away 8 cakes, I broke down and used measuring cups. It worked.

Personal Taste - You don't need add exactly what the recipe calls for. Rather, the recipe is a guideline - once you develop your personal taste, do not be afraid to deviate. Because the intensity of an ingredient's flavor can vary from one time to the next and everyone prefers a different point along the flavor spectrums, only your tongue can tell you how much more of something you need to add. Also, if you don't like something, omit it. Simple as that!