Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keepongoing]

If any of you are married to a Thai or gave a Thai GF, perhaps you can help. I will be taking a Thai cooking course in Thailand, where I will be learning 20 dishes. Do you think it will be a problem finding ingredients for these dishes here? Are there any Thai grocers here?

[Capo]

Yes there will be a problem finding ingredients here. I have taken a thai cookery course before coming here and was disappointed with the lack of ingredients. Use ur imagination, most things r substitutable others u will have to go without.

[The Gipkik]

I lived in Thailand for a few years, took a pile of cooking courses. Let's see about some ingredients:

Vegetable, Herb

* Holy Basil � Bai Gkaprow
* Thai Basil � Bai Horapa
Probably have to grow the stuff, but you should find some in health food stores or markets even. Don't even think about substituting, this is a key flavor.

* Bitter Melon � Mara
I've seen this in markets.

* Cilantro � Pak Chee
Probably, or grow your own.

* Cumin � Mellet Yira
Sure.

* Galanga � Kah
I doubt it, use ginger instead. But try and look for it all the same.

* Garlic � Gkratiem
* Green Papaya � Malagaw
Oh, yeah!

* Kaffir Limes � Magrood
Use lime zest instead.

* Lemongrass � Dtakrai
Lime zest mixed with lemon zest.

* Lesser Ginger or 'Rhizome' � Gkrachai
Ginger

* Pandanus Leaf � Bai Dtoey
No way--and this stuff is critical for some deserts. Try frozen or dried.

* Peppercorns � Prik Thai
Sure.

* Sataw Beans � Sadtaw
Substitute for fava beans.

* Shallots � Hawm Daeng
* Thai Chillies � Prik Kee Noo
Sure or kissin cousins.

* Taro � Bpeuak
Maybe in a can.

* Turmeric � Kamin
* Winged Beans � Tua Poo
Sure.

Thai Staples

* Black Sticky Rice � Kao Niow Dahm
Or white sticky rice--glutinous rice--will do.

* Coconuts � Maprao
* Coconut Milk � Gkati
In a can.

* Jasmine Rice � Kao Hawm Mali
Yes.

* Limes � Manao
Yes.

* Palm/Coconut Sugar � Nahm Dtan bpeep/Maprao
Maybe, you can always substitute.

* Tamarind � Makahm
In a can.

* Rice Flour (Bpaeng Kao Jao)
* White Sticky Rice � Kao Niow
Glutinous rice.

Sauces and Condiments

* Fish Sauce � Nahm Bplah
* (Thai) Oyster Sauce � Nahm Man Hoi
* Roasted Chilli Paste � Nahm Prik Pow
* Black Soy Sauce � Siew Dam
* Shrimp Paste � Gkabi
Yes for all, except the roasted chilli paste here will taste different.

[makemischief]

Galanga: available at the foreign food mart by what the book and absolutely makes a difference in tom ka kai

[frankly speaking]

pretty comprehensive list. I think that your phonetic spellings are a little off and we don't use bai, when talking about horapha or grapao. We just don't say it.

I have found almost everything that I need in Itaewon at the Halal market. They have fresh cilantro, lemongrass, even bai magroot. Ocassionally they have fresh kah, but mostly they have dry. It isn't that good but it is better than nothing for making soups.

I forget where it was but there is a thai market in Suwon and also in another area that has a lot of factory workers. I just don't remember the name of the town. It is only about an 1hr from seoul.

Since you will be going to Thailand, you might want to bring back a few things, like tamarind, and you could get a few jars of nam priks from the market. You could also make a few batches of your own while you are there and just seal them tight.

I have never had a problem bringing those things with me through customs.

I would suggest bringing a few bags of dried chillis with you form Thailand. We have so many different varieties that you cannot get in Korea. It is better to grind them yourself fresh.

I have had no problem cooking the more common Thai foods. Of course my favorites are a little more difficult. It is much harder to find unripe jackfruit, for Gaeng Kanoon, and all of the traditional leaves that we use in our cooking are next to impossible to find commercially.

Bring your own fish sauce. The ones that you get in Korea suck. I doubt that you would use the gahpee (shrimp paste), but the best ones aren't found in Korea. Most westerners cannot handle this one, but we love it.

Good luck. Enjoy your course.

[Keepongoing]

great feedback so far. I wont be able to bring anything that is liquid based back because I only take carry-on. I wonder if some Thai restuarants sell any of the pastes or sauces???

[Snowflake]

I haven't shopped here yet so not sure if they accept foreign ID's however they have a good range of foreign foods including lemongrass, lime leaves, galanga, banana leaves and shallots:

http://yoricome.com/shop/shopbrand.html?xcode=007&mcode=&scode=&sort=order2&type=X&page=2

Hopefully that link will take you straight to the right page but if not look under 냉장/냉동 식품 section.

[Fishead soup]

Boil a crab in curry powder and Coconut milk.

[frankly speaking]

fish head is that suppose to be a Thai recipe? First of all what is curry powder? Thais don't use it. Only westerners trying to take a short cut making Indian food use such things. Take set spices and grind them fresh and make your own curries. But typically we use wet curry pastes not dried. It isn't really common for Thais to buy dried powdered spices. We use fresh. I think without some garlic, lemon grass, kah, lime leaves and perhaps a little lime juice or at least some base of a broth (not cubes or canned) your recipe would lack some flavor or appeal.

[Gaber]

I'm kind of amazed we're still allowed to say kaffir lime in polite conversation. Of course, no one would understand you if you tried to refer to them another way, but imagine an a food called an equivilant slur...

Anyway, you can get namblah, coconut cream, curry pastes, but I haven't seen a lot of the more specialised things. Maybe in Itaewon?