Thai Coriander Seed Powder

Pork Leg on Rice, 'Khao Kha Moo'

Khao Kha Moo is not only a favorite of Thailand's Prime Minister (a celebrity chef), it's also one of those ubiquitous dishes served by street vendors throughout Thailand. If you think it's hard to make at home--it's not! The recipe below makes a wonderful khao kha moo but be sure you get the right piece of meat. Ask a butcher for a pork shank, fresh. You must get it "fresh" which means it has not been cured or smoked. Even if it's frozen that's fine just state "fresh" to denote that you don't want it already smoked or cured. Hock (cut from the shoulder) is also a cut that works fine. Try to get a front leg, as the back legs contain more fat and less meat.

Thai Barbecue Chicken, 'Gai Yang'

Gai yang translates to "barbecued (or grilled) chicken", and can be prepared in many different ways, we demonstrate here three unique versions.

There are pictures below shared by visitors to this website, links to street vendor videos, and detailed instructions on how to prepare three of our own versions. Perhaps the most famous gai yang is sold by vendors in the seaside community of Bang Saen, where the bird is cut open along the belly, flattened with a few blows from the back of a cleaver, and pegged with a stick to hold it, then marinaded and grilled over charcoal.

Thai Esan-Style Sausage, 'Sai Grok'

Bring this unique, fragrant, Thai-style sausage to your next barbeque party, and rest assured nobody will have the same thing. We used high quality ground pork from a local butcher who used pork shoulder, and we recommend that but it's not necessary.

This is a rich, tasty meal in itself because of the mix of meat and rice, and one you can find all over Thailand especially in the Northeast (Isaan) area.

See pictures of a Bangkok street vendor offering the same sausage.

We also have a recipe for Chiang Mai (northern) style Thai sausage, Sai Oua.

Sun-Dried Beef, 'Neua Dad Deo'

Here is a healthy, natural Thai-style beef jerky that will last for months. It tastes so good on picnics or road trips, when eaten with sticky rice and sriracha sauce. We were recently reading a Thai magazine about someone from Thailand who went to Switzerland with her kids. She decided to pack neua dad deo and sriracha, and they ate it throughout the trip.

This recipe calls for sun, and in Thailand that means a nice hot sun. Perhaps you can make it wherever you are, on a hot sunny day. We had great success making neua dad deo by setting it in direct sunlight inside our kitchen bay window for a few hours. It's also possible to cook this until dry in a regular oven at very low heat. You might also like our Recipe for Beef Rendang.

Thai Sticky Rice Steeped in Coconut Milk, 'Khao Neeo Moon'

Khao neeo moon is a truly authentic Thai recipe. Mixing sweet dessert rice with a sugary seafood topping might seem like a bizarre combination that Food Network might sensationalize on one of their celebrity shows. Yet this is a favorite of Thailand found throughout the country, made interesting by a variety of toppings. Here we demonstrate how to make the rice, and two of the more common toppings.

We prepared the rice in three colors. White, black (using black rice), and yellow (white rice colored with turmeric). In Thai tradition, the shrimp topping should go on the yellow rice.