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Chinese White Cabbage (Bok Choy) |
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Napa Cabbage (Pak
Khad Kow) |
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Chinese
White Cabbage also known as Chinese chard and Chinese white cabbage, has
fleshy white stems and leaf ribs and green flat leaves. It has a slightly
mustardy taste. Separate the leaves, wash well and drain. The white stems
can be sliced thinly and eaten raw. A smaller type is called baby bok choy
or Shanghai bok choy. |
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Napa
Cabbage also known as celery cabbage and Chinese cabbage, has a long shape
and closely packed broad, pale green leaves with wide white stems. It has a
delicate mustard-like flavor. This vegetable always used in Thai stir-fried
vegetable, and Kim Chi. |
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Chinese Flowering Cabbage (Pak Khwang Tung) |
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Chinese Broccoli (Pak
Kha Nar) |
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Chinese
flowering cabbage is slimmer than bok choy and has a smooth green leaves and
pale green stems with clusters of tiny yellow flowers on the tips of the
inner shoots. The leaves and flowers cook quickly and have light, sweet
mustard flower; the stems are crunchy and juicy. |
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Chinese
Broccoli has smooth round stems sprouting large dark green leaves and small,
white flowers. The juicy stems trimmed of most of their leaves, is the piece
of plant which is most commonly eaten. GAI LARN has the similar flavor to
western broccoli, but without the characteristic large flower heads. |
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Bamboo Shoot (Nor Mai) |
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Black Fungus (Hed Hoo
Noo) |
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Crunchy
in texture and with a subtle, refreshing taste, these are the edible young
shoots of certain type of bamboo. Fresh bamboo shoots are hard to get and,
if not already prepared, must be peeled then parboiled to remove toxic
hydrocyanic acid boil whole or in chunks for 5 minutes or until they no
longer taste bitter, Canned and bottled are the one most often used. |
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This
tree fungus has a little flavor of its own, but is valued for is crunchy
texture. It is most commonly available in its dried form, which looks like
wrinkled black paper. Before use, soak in warm water for 15-30 minutes,
until the fungus swells to about five times its size. They should then be
rinsed several times to remove any sand. |
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Beansprout ( Thua Ngok) |
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Daikon (Hua Chai Tau) |
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The
sprouts of the soya or mung bean are crunchy and tender. They can be grown
at home, they are easy to find in most supermarket though. Beansprouts can
be replaced by other fresh vegetables, finely sliced, if necessary. |
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Much
used in Japanese and Chinese cooking. It has a similar taste and texture to
ordinary radish and is grated and added to stewed dishes or mixed with
finely chopped chilies as a relish. |
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Garlic (Kra Tiem) |
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Water Chestnut (Haeo) |
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Garlic
flavor is strongest when the cloves are squeezed and their juice extracted,
slightly less strong when the cloves are grated or finely chopped, even less
strong when the clove are merely sliced, and mildest when whole unbroken
cloves are used. In addition, the longer garlic is cooked, the milder it
becomes.
Garlic contains significant amount of vitamin
C, calcium and protein. It is also rich in potassium, phosphorus, iron and
zinc. |
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These white-fleshed roots of a variety of water grass are prized for their
semi-sweet taste and crisp texture, which is retained when cooked. They are
used throughout China and Southeast Asia in both savory and sweet dishes.
Available canned and sometimes fresh; cut off the woody base, peel away
papery skin, and cover in water to stop discoloring. |
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Cherry Eggplant (Ma Kheua Phuang) |
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Yard-long Beans (Thua
Fuk Yao) |
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It
grows in clusters and, when yet unripe, look like large peas. |
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They have pod up to 60 cm long. These are eaten both fresh and cooked and
are at their best when young and slender. Mostly used in Thai Papaya Salad
or Som Tum. |
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Winged Bean (Thua Phu) |
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Thai Eggplant (Ma
Kheua) |
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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. |
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Thai Eggplant is eaten with Nam Prik or Chili Paste. There are a number of
types ranging in size from that of Ping-Pong ball down to that of a marble.
There are yellow, white, purple, green, pea & long
eggplants. |
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Chinese Dried Mushrooms (Hed Hom) |
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Straw Mushrooms (Hed
Fang) |
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They
are also called Chinese dried black mushrooms. Their distinctive woody,
smoky tastes are intensified by the drying process and they are rarely eaten
fresh. |
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Straw
Mushrooms are named for their growing environment –straw- and are cultivated
throughout Asia. They have globe-shaped caps, are stemless and have a musty
flavor. They are available in cans but need to be drained and rinse before
use. |
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Angle Loofah (Bouabliam) |
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Bitter Melon or
Cucumber (Mara Ki Nok) |
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Boil or stew the young fruit and eat
as a vegetable. |
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Cook |
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Chive Flower (Dok Gui
Chai) |
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Taro (Puerk) |
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Chive Flowers (Dok Gui
Chai) are the flowering tips of chives and are used
in stir-fries |
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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". |
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Chinese Bitter Melon
(Ma Ra Jean) |
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Wax Gourd (Fak Keaw) |
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This tropical, annual vine has bitter
taste and is used in, Soup, curry, and salad. (If
you don't like the bitter taste, parboil with salt
and rinse 2-3 times before cooking.) The Thais
believe that it is very good for the kidneys and
blood. Look for small, firm specimens that are still
green when buying. |
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Wax gourd, Fak Keaw, 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. |
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Betel (Bai Cha Ploo) |
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Banana Flower (Hua
Plee) |
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Bitter Leaf is eaten raw or
used in soup or salads. The leaves used to make
miang kham, a delicious Thai recipe. Somewhat
bitter, the taste is perfectly suited for miang kham.
Or you can wrap just about any Thai food in the
leaves, such as fried rice with a peanut or two, and
pop them into your mouth. The leaves are sold in
bunches. Leaves are 3-4" wide. These leaves are
commonly used in Thailand as a stimulant, if mixed
together with lime paste |
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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. |
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Thai Sugar Pea (Tua
Landaow) |
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Water Spinach (Pak
Boong Thai) |
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You eat these whole, pod and all.
They're often stir-fried very briefly (no more than
a minute), but they're also good raw.
They're easy to prepare, just wash and trim the
ends.
Some people string them as well, but that's not
necessary.
Select crisp, flat sugar peas that snap when you
break them. |
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This popular leafy plant 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. |
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Praew Leaf (Pak Peow) |
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Water Mimosa (Pak Kra
Ched) |
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Pak Peow (Bai Prik Ma) is eaten raw
with salads or noodles. Pak Peow can be found in
many Southeast Asian markets |
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