About the Book: Thailand, “the land of the free”, is famous for its recently elevated status to one of Asia’s new powerhouse economies, as well as for its rich traditions in culture and religion. In addition, many people worldwide maintain that Thai cuisine is one of the best in the world, if not the best. Made with fresh ingredients, Thai food is aromatic, tasty, healthy and full of interesting textures. These sumptuous aromas and tastes are largely the result of the herbs and spices used to flavour the dishes. Surprisingly, only thirty or so herbs and spices are used in Thai cooking; it is the ingenious combination or blending of these ingredients that makes Thai food so unique and flavoursome. In “Herbs and Spices of Thailand”, each description of a herb or spice includes its scientific and common names in English and Thai, a description of the plant, notably the part(s) utilised as the herb or spice, how it should be stored and other interesting observations. A handful of recipes are also featured at the end of this book, to illustrate how the herbs and spices are used in delicious Thai fare. Full-colour photographs accompany the text. The herbs and spices featured include the chilli; galangal; ginger; lemon grass; kaffir lime; Chinese keys; holy, shrubby and hoary basils; turmeric; cassia bark; cloves; and nutmeg. Ranging from the subtly fragrant gingers to the strongly aromatic basils, this book provides an excellent introduction to Thailand’s herbs and spices.
