Tamarind (Ma-Kham)

The pulp of the fruit is used as a spice both in Asian as well as in Latin American cuisine, and is also an important ingredient to Worcestershire sauce and HP sauce. The pulp of a young fruit is very sour, and hence suitable for main dishes, whereas a ripened fruit is sweeter and can be used in desserts, drinks, or as a snack.

Lemongrass (Takhrai)

This erect annual plant resembles a coarse grey green grass used as a flavoring. Lemongrass contains 0.2-0.4% volatile oil. Therapeutic properties are as a diuretic, emmanagogue, anti-flatulence, antiflu, and antimicrobial agent.

Greater Galanga (Kha)

Greater Galanga commonly used in Thai cooking as a flavoring. The approximately 0.04% volatile oil content has therapeutic uses as carminative, stomachic, antirheumatic, and antimicrobial agents.

Kaffir Lime (Makrood)

The leaves, peel and juice of the Kaffir Lime are used as a flavoring in Thai cuisine. The leaves and peel contain volatile oil. The major therapeutic benefit of the juice is as an appetizer.

Marsh Mint (Sa-ra-nae)

The fresh leaves are used as a flavoring and eaten raw in Thai cuisine. Volatile oil contents give the plant several therapeutic uses, including carminative, mild antiseptic, local anaesthetic, diaphoretic, and digestant properties.

Chili (Phrik)

Chili is used as garnishing and flavoring in Thai dishes. There are many different specifies. All contain capsaicin, a biologically active ingredient beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure, and the heart. Other therapeutic uses include being a stomachic, carminative antiflatulence agent, and digestant.

Garlic (Kra-thium)

Dried mature garlic bulb are used as a flavoring and condiment in Thai cuisine. The bulbs contain 0.1 to 0.36% garlic oil and organic sulphur compounds. Therapeutic uses are as antimicrobial, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, antiflatulence, and cholesterol lowering agents.