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Thai Scented Candle (Tian Op เทียนอบ) and How to Use It to Perfume Food

By on April 28, 2011 in She Stocks a Thai Pantry, She Thais, She Uncooks

thai candle เทียนอบ
There’s something melancholic — almost mournful — about the scent of this traditional Thai dessert candle which I can’t identify. That’s a bit ironic considering how the candle is used exclusively to perfume food, primarily sweets and dessert ingredients. Could the culprit be its main ingredient, frankincense, used in many parts of the world in burial rituals? Could it be that just one whiff of it and I’m transported to the home I grew up in — the one that was recently demolished? Or could it have something to do with the fact that this is a candle whose sole purpose in life is to be burned ever so briefly then snuffed out? I don’t really know. Continue Reading →

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Thai Garlic-Peppercorn-Cilantro Root Aromatic Paste

By on April 17, 2011 in She Bakes, She Drizzles and Smears, She Roasts, She Stocks a Thai Pantry, She Thais


On the (by no means exhaustive) list of composite ingredients commonly used in Thai cooking which I’ve mentioned in this CNN article is this basic aromatic paste comprising fresh garlic, white peppercorns, and cilantro roots that is used in various dishes, most notably as part of a marinade. This represents one of the basic things that, once incorporated into your repertoire, will make Thai cooking much easier and more intuitive to you.

Is this all the Thai people use to marinate things? No. Is this the sacred marinade without which all Thai meat dishes are declared unrighteous? Of course not. I don’t think there ever was a council of Thai culinary gurus who got together at one point in our history and came up with a “we believe” document in the manner of Nicaea. But if you look closely at the various marinades used in traditional Thai dishes, you’ll see that these three ingredients represent what most, if not all, of these marinades have in common. Continue Reading →

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Nam Prik Pao Recipe (น้ำพริกเผา) – Thai Chilli Jam

By on March 20, 2011 in She Deglutenizes, She Drizzles and Smears, She Fries, She Jams and Pickles, She Stocks a Thai Pantry


Pretty much everything that is (hopefully) useful, practical, and relevant which I can tell you about this wonderful Thai ingredient has been said in my post on how to use Nam Prik Pao in modern Thai cooking. And since I will not go into its historical background (as the purpose at hand is to create the kind of Thai chilli jam that is used in contemporary Thai cooking), the only thing left to talk about is how to make this versatile condiment at home.

The following two methods of making Nam Prik Pao are what I have been using. Both have their pros and cons. Continue Reading →

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