You have been to Thailand, or at least you have had a meal in the Thai restaurant, and you know that special taste. That special taste that you are craving for right now. Thai food sure has special aromas and very distinct tastes. A couple of ingredients that create that special taste include tamarind, galangal, fish sauce, palm sugar, and lemongrass.
If you are not in Thailand right now, and not near a Thai restaurant where you are, I have an easy to make sauce for you which has that special Thai taste you are craving.
My ingredients list includes both the authentic ingredients used in Thailand, as well as alternatives in the event that you don’t have the real ingredients. While nothing beats the real thing, using alternatives may still render the taste and aroma you are looking for.
This sauce is best with BBQ meats or any meats. If you are vegetarian, just dip your cooked or fresh veggies in this sauce and you will be reminiscing of your wonderful holiday in Thailand.
Goes great with any of these Thai dishes
Ingredients (based on two people sharing)
- 2 teaspoon palm sugar (Alternative: brown sugar or any tropical sugars such as coconut sugar)
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce (Alternative: try a pinch of table salt mixed with a little soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste (Alternative: lemon juice, though tamarind paste or juice is a very special part of Thai food)
- 1 tablespoon smoothly ground fried dry sticky rice. Fry the dry rice in a pan until light brown, then ground semi-smooth. (Alternative: try jasmine rice, though sticky rice has a unique taste and aroma)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of finely chopped green onion.
Mix all the ingredients and dip your freshly BBQ meat or veggies in the sauce. You will suddenly shudder and remember the good times back in Thailand. Enjoy!
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.