^ Malamang, white sugar ang ginamit pampa-sweeten sa US at Chariya. Ewan ko lang sa Jatujak - baka naman nasobrahan sa tamarind paste. Mahal ang palm sugar, half kilo is Php350 na sa supplier ko. Pero if you are after an authentic Thai taste, palm sugar ang dapat gamitin. This is one of the ingredients na binilin ko sa friend ko based in Bangkok na iuwi for me next time she comes home.
Cooking pad thai is basically stir-frying lang but you have to soak the rice noodles properly para hindi maging soggy at hindi rin naman matigas. And siempre, you have to have the correct proportions of ingredients. If you do not like maasim-asim, reduce the tamarind paste. But sweet pad Thai is not really common sa Thailand. The basic principle in Thai cooking is that there should be a balance of flavors: sweet, sour, salty, spicy. Wala dapat mag-stand out diyan, like say, mas nangingibabaw ang tamis kaysa maasim, or vice versa.
Sa Salcedo Village market ko pinabili ang kaffir lime leaves. Essential ingredient ito sa green curry chicken.
Other Thai essential ingredients: galangal (langkawas in Tagalos) for tom yum, cilantro, Thai fish sauce, curry, chili paste, lime, lemongrass, etc.
When buying Thai tamarind paste, green/red/yellow curry, etc. look for the Pantai or Mama something brand or yung may Thai characters. I used to buy Thai Heritage na brand, but suited na daw yun for the taste buds of non-Thai people, so Pantai ang binili ko kasi sabi ng teacher sa cooking class, that is one of the brands you will find in a Thai home, just like Knorr or Lorins or Datu Puti here. Sa Landmark ang daming Thai ingredients.
If you want to learn more about Thai cooking, check out the blog She Simmers. The blogger is based in the US so she also mentions which Thai ingredients can be substituted by ingredients readily available in the US.
