| If you love spicy food you really owe it to | | | | you will be using with it. Different meats use |
| yourself to try Thai food. Thai people eat more | | | | different curry to get the correct flavor. If you |
| chili per person than any other country in the | | | | are a vegetarian you also will want to use the |
| world! In Thailand we love our spicy foods. Many | | | | right curry for tofu. |
| of the herbs that we use are to make the food | | | | For herbs, if you have never used lemon basil in |
| spicy also. These herbs include lemon basil, ginger, | | | | your spicy foods you are missing out! Sweet basil |
| and of course chili. | | | | is what most are serving when you get basil. You |
| In Thailand we use many different types of chili. It | | | | already know how much flavor basil will add to |
| depends on the dish that we are cooking and also | | | | you dinner. Now if you want to add flavor with a |
| on what region of Thailand you are in. The Thai | | | | bit of spice to it try lemon basil. It looks much like |
| word for chili is prik. The chili that you see the | | | | the basil you normally will buy, the leaves are |
| most is the standard Thai Chili. It is available | | | | normally a bit smaller though. It has a great flavor |
| almost every place you will go to in the world. | | | | and it will make your food much more spicy. It is |
| There is also the same kind of chili that is often | | | | really good when you combine with chili for extra |
| found in the southwestern US that is available | | | | spiciness and more heat. |
| mostly in Northern Thailand. It is served in lot of | | | | Another herb that will make your food spicy is |
| ways same as in the US. They use it to make | | | | ginger. Ginger has many uses and a great flavor. |
| pizza, sausage, eggs, and even serve it as a relish | | | | You can boil it to make a tea, you can add a nice |
| when finely chopped. Another of my favorites is | | | | some sparkle to your grilled and baked fish and it |
| prik kee nu, this is a very small, extremely spicy | | | | also makes a great stir fry. There are so many |
| chili. There are often served as a condiment and | | | | uses for ginger. I recommend the fresh ginger |
| used to add flavor to things like meatballs. | | | | and grind or grate it yourself. You get much more |
| Chili is also used to make your curry hot. Curry is | | | | flavor than the powder that comes in the spice |
| a mixture of chili and other ingredients to give the | | | | cans at your grocery store. |
| desired flavor for the type of curry. There are | | | | You can use all of these in your everyday |
| several varieties of curry, but we mainly use five | | | | cooking to give you a little spicy food any time. |
| types, green, red, yellow, massaman, and penang | | | | And if you want to try spicy Thai food you will |
| curries. The curry that you use depends on what | | | | always be using these items each time you cook! |