Bamboo Shoot and Pork Soup (Naw Mai Moo Nam)

Thai Translation - Naw Mai = Bamboo Shoot, Moo = Pork, Nam = Water

This soup is a distinctly northern dish. It is made with fresh bamboo shoots that are cut from the base of certain types of bamboo plants. The shoots are then shredded and boiled with pork bones to make a delicate soup with soft pork meat.

Bamboo shoots can be purchased in jars or tins from Asian grocery stores. You should endevour to buy whole bamboo shoots rather than the pre-cut ones as they will have a better flavour for the soup. Some Asian grocery stores will also have the fresh ones which are much better to use though!

Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Pork (Pad Khana Moo Grob)

Thai Translation - Pad = Stir Fried, Khana = Chinese Broccoli, Moo Grob = Crispy Pork

This delicious dish with a hint of the Chinese influence on thai cooking is super easy and super yummy. Made with only a couple of ingredients, it can be quickly whipped up and served with steamed rice. This is a dish I fell in love with at Spice I Am restaurant in Sydney. The flavours were amazing and I had never eaten Thai food like it before. This recipe will definitely have you wanting more!

Crispy Pork (Moo Grob)

Thai Translation: Moo = Pork, Grob = Crispy

Moo Grob is an ingredient that is used in a number of different stir fries. It is made from pork belly that is fatty meat with layers of skin and fat. When it is fried in this way the fat will become soft and the flavour of the meat enhanced. When this is made, you will only need to use a small amount of it for your dish. It can be sliced and served with rice and thick sweet soy sauce or used in soups and stir fries. In Thailand, you can buy this pork ready made from markets or street vendors.

Pad Thai with Chicken (Pad Thai Gai)

Arguably the most famous Thai dish of them all, Pad Thai is a favourite in both Thailand and abroad. Its ribbons of rice noodles that are stir fried with soy sauce, egg, vegetables and meat. Typically, this is a dish that is sold by street vendors or in pad thai shops.

This particular version uses chicken but this can easily be substituted with prawns, tofu or pork. The dish is usually made with 'pad thai' tofu which is hard tofu that is coloured bright yellow on the outside with tumeric. Peanuts and mung beans are add a delicious depth to the flavour of the pad thai and also provide extra nutrients and are high in vitamins too.

Penang Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Penang Gai)

Thai Translation – Gaeng= Curry, Penang = Penang, Gai = Chicken

This creamy chicken curry will be a favourite in no time. Its very easy to make and tastes amazing when you make your own curry paste too! Adding extra vegetables like pumpkin, eggplant or potato will not only stretch the dish further, but will make it that little bit more nutritious too.

Chicken with Lemongrass (Gai Sai Takrai)

Thai Translation – Gai = Chicken, Sai = Add, Takrai = Lemongrass

Gai sa takrai is a deliciously spicy and herb laden dish. It has an unusual taste, unlike other Thai dishes but you wont be dissatisfied if you take the plunge and eat it. If you prefer your dishes on the mild end of the scale, leave out some of the chilli, but add a little just for taste.

Satay Sauce

Satay sauce is a creamy and nutty sauce that goes very well with grilled meats. It is highly addictive, tastes great on its own and is ridiculously easy to make. You wont ever buy a store-made version of this sauce again!