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. Both have a
very mild taste, similar to cucumber, which can be used
in its place in most cooked dishes. The gourds are eaten
young, while they are still sweet. They become
unpleasantly bitter as they mature. Loofah is used in stirfries and soups, and is often boiled and eaten with nam
phrik.

Apple Aubergines: Thai name is Makheua

These small round aubergines are pale green, yellow or
white. They are eaten raw with the ubiquitous chilli
sauce, nam phrik, or cooked in curries. They have little
flavour, but when raw have an interesting texture. They
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. The straight, firm
stalks, which range from pencil thin to as thick as your
thumb, are prized for their delicate flavor; the tender tips
have a particularly delicate flavor and texture. The most
common variety is green and sometimes tinged with
purple at the bud. White and all-purple stalks are also
available in farmers markets and well-stocked grocery

stores. Look for asparagus with crisp, straight stalks and

tight buds. Wrap in damp paper towels and refrigerate in
a plastic bag for up to 4 days. Trim the stalks before
using. Cut or snap off the tough ends and discard. If
desired, peel the bottom third or half of each stalk with
a vegetable peeler for a more tender texture.
Baby Corn: Thai name is Khao Phod On
Baby corn refers to whole, entirely edible cobs of
immature corn, no more than 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm)
long. Corn is a popular vegetable in Thailand. For stirfries and soups, Thais prefer baby corn cobs, which have
a musty sweet flavour, as well as a crunchy texture.
They are available fresh and canned. Fresh baby corn
cobs are best eaten soon after purchase but can be stored
for up to 1 week in the salad drawer of the refrigerator.

Bamboo Shoot: Thai name is Nor Mai

Bamboo shoots are the crisp, mild-flavored, white to
ivory shoots of the bamboo plant. The shoots of the
bamboo are cut when they have grown about 15 cm.
above the ground. Before using, peel the skin and boiled
the inner white part for 30 minutes. The canned variety
needs to be boiled for only 10 minutes. This is a
popular ingredient in Thai cooking and can be purchased
from general stores and markets.
Banana Blossom: Thai name is Hua Plee
Also called banana flowers and banana blossoms, these
are in fact the tender hearts of unopened banana flowers,
which have been stripped of their purple petals. They are
available fresh in some Asian markets and also canned
or dried. Fresh banana buds discolour rapidly once they
are sliced or shredded, so should be brushed with lemon

juice to prevent this. Banana buds are used in northern

Thailand to make a tasty, squash soup. They are also a
popular salad ingredient, tasting rather like artichokes.
Bean Sprout: Thai name is Thua Ngok
Most often used of bean sprouts in Thai cooking are the
small green sprouts from mung beans and the larger
yellow sprouts from soya beans. Soya beansprouts
have a stronger flavour than mung beansprouts, but both
are relatively delicate, with a pleasant and unique
crunchy texture. Fresh 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 flaccid and
tasteless.
Bell Chilli: Thai name is Phrik Youkg
Bell Chilli, phrik youkg, is light green in color and mild
in taste. They are used in spicy salads and chilli Pilstes

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

flavor and aroma.
Bitter Melon: Thai name is Ma Ra
Tropical, annual vine has bitter taste Culinary use: Soup,
curry, and salad. (If you dont like the bitter taste,
parboil with salt and rinse 2-3 times before cooking.)
The Thais belive that it is very good for the kidneys and
blood. Look for small and firm specimens that are still
green when buying. Medicinal use: Mild laxative,
antipyretic gargle the fruit juice to relieve an aphthous
ulcer.
Broccoli: Thai name is also Broccoli
Broccoli, a member of the cabbage family, is green to
purple-green in color and has tightly clustered flowers, or
florets, borne on sturdy stalks. The florets are the most
tender part. The stems, if peeled, can also be used.

Choose firm stalks and closed heads with deep color and
no yellow areas. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 4
days.
Carrot: Thai name is also Carrot
Carrots are root vegetables that are bright orange in
color, with a sweet flavor and a crisp texture. They
range in size from small, baby carrots to short, almost
round varieties to long, slender roots. Fresh carrots are
sold year-round. Avoid droopy carrots with cracks or dry
spots. Remove the feathery green tops and store in a
plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Peel or
scrub carrots before using.
Cassava Root: Thai name is Man Sam Pa Lang
Usually used to make desserts.

Cauliflower: Thai name is Dok Kha Lam

Cauliflower, a member of the cabbage family, is a solid

head, white in color, with tightly clustered flowers, or

florets. The florets are the most tender part, but the
entire head is edible. Cauliflower is available year-round.
Avoid heads with brown patches or speckles or yellowed
leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to
1 week.
In Thai cooking, Cauliflower florets often wind up in
soups and stir fried, or as a side dish dipping with spicy
shrimp paste sauce.
Chinese Broccoli /Kale : Thai name is Phak Ka Na
A dark green vegetable with strong, thin, long round
trunks, soft, deep green delicate leaves, and sometimes
tiny white flowers. It does not look like or taste like the
common broccoli. It has a slightly sweet and bitter taste.
Delicious stir-fried, steamed, or boiled but never eaten
raw. Most popular dish is Ka na nam mun hoy which is

stir fired with oyster sauce. Unlike regular broccoli, the

stems are usually tender and do not need to be peeled.
However, more mature or larger stalks should be peeled
before cooking. It is always smart to separate the leaves
and trunks. The trunks require more cooking time, then
add the leaves near the end, so that they cook evenly.
When buying Chinese broccoli, choose brightly colored
ones with slender thin trunks.
Chinese Cabbage: Thai name is Phak Kaet Khaao
Also known as celery cabbage, this vegetable has soft
green and white leaves with a mild, sweet flavour and
crisp texture. It is widely available in supermarkets and
is easily recognized by its fat, cylindrical shape and
tightly packed leaves. When buying, choose specimens
that are heavy and firm. Before use, discard any
damaged outer leaves and trim the root. Do not worry if

the leaves have small black spots on them; they are

harmless. This type of cabbage keeps well and can be
stored in the salad compartment of the refrigerator for
several weeks. It is used in stir-fries, salads and soups.
Chinese Chives: Thai name is Kui chai
These pungent herbs look more like long, flat spring
onions than their Western equivalent. The leaves are
peppery, crunchy and chewy. They are eaten raw and
cooked and are prized for both their texture and flavour.
Spring onions can be used as a substitute but they will
not have the distinctive garlic taste of Chinese chives.
Chinese Mustard Green: Thai name is Phak Kwang
Tung Jeen
The Chinese name for this type of cabbage is choi sum.
It is widely grown in the West and is often available
from farmers markets, as well as Asian food stores. The

stalks, leaves and yellow flowers of this plant are all

edible and have a delicate flavour. The cabbage is
usually cut into short lengths and used in soups and
noodle dishes, but it may also be stir-fried.
Chinese Radish: Thai name is Hua Chai Tau or Hua
Phak Kat
Thais 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. It can be up to 40cm/l6in long,
although the Thai variety is often considerably smaller.
Large specimens tend to be fibrous and should be
avoided. When raw, the flavour of mooli is cool, sharp
and peppery, and the texture is crisp. Thais dont often
eat it this way, but the grated flesh is sometimes used to

tenderize seafood. When the vegetable is cooked, the

characteristic texture is retained, but the flavour becomes
quite sweet.
Coconut: Thai name is Ma Phrao
Coconut, ma phrao, is found nearly everywhere people
have settled in all parts of the country and its production
is important to the economy. The use to coconut milk in
curries is a hallmark of Thai cooking. The meat of ripe
nuts is scraped either by hand or by machine. The grated
coconut is placed in a basin and mixed with a certain
amount of warm water. The coconut is then picked up in
the hand, held over a second container, and squeezed to
press out the coconut milk, ka-thi. A fine meshed
strainer should be positioned below the hand during
squeezing to catch any meat that falls. Many cooks add
a little salt to the water or the milk.

Cucumber: Thai name is Taeng Kwa

Cucumber, taeng kwa, Cucumis sativus, has short fruits
about 8 em long which are crispiest while still green and
white, before yellowing. A larger type, taeng ran, are
also eaten.
Eggplants: Thai name is Makheua Moung
Eggplants are tender, mildly earthy, sweet vegetablefruits covered with tough, shiny skin, which may be
peeled or left unpeeled in grilled or long-cooked dishes.
They vary in color from the familiar purple to red and
from yellow to white. The 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. When cooked, all
eggplants have a mild flavor and tender, creamy flesh.
Look for plump, glossy, heavy eggplants with taut skin

and no bruises or scratches. Refrigerate in a plastic bag

for up to 2 days. Eggplants are also known as aubergine
and in Italy as melanzana.
Long Eggplant: Thai name is Makhua Yaew
This elongated variety is similar in appearance and
flavour to Japanese long baby aubergines. However, the
Thai ones are usually pale green, but can also be purple
or white. These aubergines are usually served grilled
(broiled) or in green curries.
Lotus root: Thai name is Raug Bua
Lotus root is an underwater root that grows to be as
long as four feet. The root is dark reddish brown and
needs to be peeled prior to using. The flesh is a creamy
white and tastes similar to coconut. Lotus root is
available canned, dried or candied and can be used as a
vegetable or in dessert dishes.

Pak Choi: Thai name is Phak Kwang Tung Taiwan

This is the most popular variety of cabbage eaten in
Thailand. Despite its other name Chinese white
cabbage pak choi is not uniformly white. The ribbed
stems are a beautiful greenish white, which stands out
starkly against the lush dark green leaves. In Thailand,
cabbage is often eaten raw with a chilli dipping sauce
and is also cooked in stir-fries and soups. Pak choi is
usually either thinly sliced or cut into squares and is best
cooked briefly.
Papaya: Thai name is Ma La Kor
Papaya is a tropical fruit with a smooth, yellow skin and
soft, sweet orange flesh that is milder tasting than a
mango. Other shapes and colors of papaya are also
grown. Halve a papaya lengthwise and scoop out shiny
black seeds before peeling.

In Thai cooking, young green papaya is used to make

salad or Som Tam, a popular salad dish among
foreigners in Thailand. You may be in difficulty in
finding fresh green papaya outside Thailand. The fresh
carrots or cabbages or green apples can be used as a
substitute.
Pea Aubergines: Thai name is Makreu Puang
These pea-size berries, which grow in small clusters,
have a bitter flavour that is a good foil to the rich ness
of the spicy curries in which they are most often found.
They are also used as a flavouring for nam phrik.

Pumpkins: Thai name is Fug Tong

Pumpkins are large, round winter squashes with orange
skins and flesh. The variety known as the sugar pumpkin
has sweet flesh. In Thai cooking, it is commonly used in

dessert but is also used in savory dishes. Canned pumkin

pur?e is widely available and can easily be made from
fresh pumpkin.
Shiitake Dried Mushroom: Thai name is Het Hom
Hang
It is also known as Shiitake mushroom. It has no flavor
but is used for its texture. It is available in dried form,
and looks like dried, black, wrinkled paper. When
soaked in water for about 10-20 minutes, it swells and
resembles wavy seaweed or jelly. Stored in its dried
form, it will keep indefinitely.
Shiitake Mushroom: Thai name is Het Hom
Fresh shiitake mushrooms are available, but Thai cooks
prefer to use them dried as they have a stronger flavour
and more texture. Both types are available in
supermarkets and Asian stores. Dried shiitake mushrooms

must be reconstituted in water before beingused. The

stems are usually discarded and the caps sliced or
chopped for adding to soups or stews. The soaking water
can be strained and used in a soup or stock as it takes
on the flavour of the shiitake. The dried mushrooms will
keep well if stored in a sealed plastic tub or bag in a
cool, dry place.
Spring Onions: Thai name is Ton-Hom
Soring onions are a variety of onion harvested immature
before the bulb has formed. Both the green leaves and
white bulbs are used raw or cooked for their mild but
still pronounced onion flavor. Spring onions are also
known as scallions or spring onions. Spring onions are
used in Thai cooking for stir-fries and in soups. They
are also popular for garnishes, either sliced or cut into

tassels, then curled in iced water.

Straw Mushroom: Thai name is Hed Fang

These delicate, sweet flavoured mushrooms have
acquired their English name because of the method of
cultivation on beds of straw. They look like miniature
helmets and are the most popular variety of mushroom
in Thai cooking. Straw mushrooms are used extensively
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. They have neither the exquisite
flavour nor the texture of the fresh mushrooms, but can
be an acceptable substitute. Fresh straw mushrooms are
highly perishable and so are not often available in the

West. If you do locate them, use them as soon as

possible after purchase.
Suger Pea: Thai name is Tua Lan Tao
You eat these whole, pod and all. Theyre often stir-fried
very briefly (no more than a minute), but theyre also
good raw. Theyre easy to prepare, just wash and trim
the ends. Some people string them as well, but thats not
necessary. Select crisp, flat snow peas that snap when
you break them.
Swamp Cabbage: Thai name is Phak Boong
This popular leafy plant, also known as water
convolvulus or water spinach, is actually a herb. It grows
in marshy areas, near rivers and canals, and is related to
the morning glory that riots over walls and fences in
many European gardens. It has slender, hollow green
stems and thin ovate green leaves which are pointed at

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

but in Thailand, only the leaves and tender shoots are
eaten. The flavour is similar to that of spinach. In
Thailand, the tender tips are often eaten raw, on their
own or with other raw vegetables, and served with a
selection of hot sauces. When cooked, the stem tips stay
firm, but the leaves rapidly become limp.
Swamp Cabbage is highly perishable and must be used
promptly.
Sweet Chilli: Thai name is Pkrik Waan
Sweet chillis are sweet-fleshed, bell-shaped members of
the chilli family, enjoyed raw or cooked. Unripe green
and ripened red or yellow varieties are the most
common. Pale yellow, orange, and purple-black types are
also available. Italian chillis are slightly sweeter and
more slender than regular chillis. Before use, bell

peppers must have their indigestible seeds removed.

Often the chillis are roasted, which loosens their skins
for peeling and enhances their natural sweetness.
Taro: Thai name is Puak
This root grows wild on the banks of streams in
Thailand and is particularly popular in the north of the
country.The swollen tuber is full of starch and is eaten
in the same manner as potatoes. The young leaves can
also be eaten. Wear gloves when peeling taros.
Tomato: Thai name is Ma kheua Thet
Tomatoes, Ma-Kheua thet of three types are used in Thai
cooking. The first is small, round fruits, not much bigger
than a pea, which grow in clusters and have a sweet and
sour taste. These are used in Northern and Northeastern
dishes. Large-sized tomatoes are sweet and are used in
sour and spicy soups and in spicy salads. The third type

is cherry tomatoes. These have a sweet and sour taste

and are used in Northeasternstyle papaya salad as well as
in curries and sour and spicy soups.
Twisted Cluster Bean: Thai name is Sa Taw
The seeds of a huge tree that grows in southern
Thailand, these beans are about the size of broad (fava)
beans. The bright green pods that house them are flat
and wavy. The beans themselves have a peculiar smell
and nutty taste that give a distinctive flavour to regional
dishes. The beans are usually eaten as a vegetable, and
they taste good in a sweet-and-sour stir-fry. They are
also sometimes roasted and eaten with nam phrik, and
are made into pickles.
Wax gourd: Thai name is Fak Khiao
Wax gourd, fak khiao, Benincasa hispida, also called
white gourd or Chinese preserving melon, is oblong and

light green to white. The ends are rounded and the flesh
is solid and white.
Winged Bean: Thai name is Thua Phu
It bears a pod which in cross section looks like a
rectangle that has a fringe-like extension at each corner,
the wings of the bean.
Yard Long Beans: Thai name is Tua Fugk Yaew
These are long, deep green ,stringless beans which grow
up to 30-60 cm. Cut in short lenghts, they are used in
stir-fries, curries and sometimes soups, They have less
flavour than other types of green beans but are easier to
prepare.