Saucy taste of Siam





Thailand is very active in the culinary arts in competition and development. Television shows many new creations almost everyday and most are of the central Thai style although in some cases borrowing heavily from the other surrounding Thai styles.
A recent  competition "Taste of Siam", to create good sauces for Thai dishes particularly for Thai restaurants opening in other countries.  A good sauce is fundamental to a great authentic Thai dish and the ease of collecting ingredients particularly in Supermarkets overseas was a major consideration. The authenticity is true as are the traditional criteria of balanced flavour. These sauces are winners in every sense.

The following are the top five sauces, the term sauce used as a very open generic term, and you can select the final amount from each sauce ingredient table:

First sauce
Finished Quantity: Volume/Mass

Unit 1 litre 500 300 250 100
Ingredient





Dried Chillie gram 50 25 15 12.5 5
Garlic gram 300 150 90 75 30
Lemongrass gram 200 100 60 50 20
Galangal gram 20 10 6 5 2
Kaffir Lime Skin gram 20 10 6 5 2
Coriander Root gram 20 10 6 5 2
Coriander Seed gram 10 5 3 2.5 1
Cumin Seed gram 5 2.5 1.5 1.25 0.5
Cinnamon Stick gram 5 2.5 1.5 1.25 0.5
Nutmeg gram 5 2.5 1.5 1.25 0.5
Cardamon (whole) gram 5 2.5 1.5 1.25 0.5
Cloves gram 5 2.5 1.5 1.25 0.5
Black Pepper gram 10 5 3 2.5 1
Bay Leaves gram 2 1 0.6 0.5 0.2
Shrimp Paste gram 10 5 3 2.5 1
Palm Sugar gram 350 175 105 87.5 35
White Sugar gram 160 80 48 40 16
Salt gram 70 35 21 17.5 7
Coconut Milk millilitre 1500 750 450 375 150
Tamarind Juice millilitre 300 150 90 75 30
Shallots gram 100 50 30 25 10

Method:                       
  1. Fry the dried chilli, garlic, shallots and lemongrass until cooked and fragrant. Set aside.                       
  2. In a dry frying pan, stir the galangal, kaffir lime skin, coriander roots, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and black pepper until the spices are fragrant.                       
  3. Mix together both sets of ingredients with shrimp paste in a blender until they are combined into a smooth mixture.         
  4. Heat the top of the coconut milk in a frying pan. Add the spice mixture and stir until fragrant. Season with palm sugar, white sugar, salt and tamarind juice. Then add the rest of the coconut milk and blend till smooth.       
  5. Save in bottles for future use, or use to marinate 1kg of chicken.

Second Sauce

This seafood sauce was created by Netdao Panpo, and can be used to dip all kinds of seafood: Alaskan king crab, snow fish, New Zealand mussels, lobster or even caviar.
Finished Quantity: Volume/Mass

Unit 1 litre 500 300 250 100
Ingredient





Thai Garlic gram 150 75 45 37.5 15
Green Chillie gram 80 40 24 20 8
Coriander Leaves gram 25 12.5 7.5 6.25 2.5
Coriander Roots gram 25 12.5 7.5 6.25 2.5
Young Ginger gram 25 12.5 7.5 6.25 2.5
Lemongrass gram 50 25 15 12.5 5
Fish Sauce millilitre 180 90 54 45 18
Lime juice millilitre 1 0.5 0.3 0.25 0.1
White Sugar gram 1 0.5 0.3 0.25 0.1
Cloves pieces 6 3 1.8 1.5 0.6

Method:                       
1. Mix ingredients in an electric blender.                       
2. Season with sugar, fish sauce and lime juice.


Third Sauce

This is the sauce used to make caramelised crispy vermicelli, a popular Thai dish. Created by Sattra Thitiwattana, the sauce can also be used to make khai luk khoey, chicken with cashew nuts, sweet and sour dishes and khao mok gai, or used as a dip with sadao vegetables or raw mangoes.
Finished Quantity: Volume/Mass

 Unit 1 litre 500 300 250 100
Ingredient





Shallots gram 1000 500 300 250 100
Fresh Red Sorrel pieces 10 5 3 2.5 1
Coriander Root gram 1 0.5 0.3 0.25 0.1
Tamarind paste gram 1500 750 450 375 150
Large red Chillie gram 2 1 0.6 0.5 0.2
Tomato Paste gram 1500 750 450 375 150
Salt tsp 0.5 0.25 0.15 0.125 0.05
Soft Palm Sugar mllilitre 1000 500 300 250 100
Water millilitre 1000 500 300 250 100
Sesame oil Tbsp 2 1 0.6 0.5 0.2
Soy Sauce Tbsp 1 0.5 0.3 0.25 0.1
Vegetable Oil millilitre 120 60 36 30 12
Shrimp Fat gram 200 100 60 50 20
Pickle Garlic gram 200 100 60 50 20
Hard Palm Sugar gram 500 250 150 125 50

Method:
  1. Soak the tamarind in water for 15 minutes and squeeze out the juice.
  2. Thinly slice the shallots and deep fry. Set aside.
  3. Pound the coriander root.
  4. Set the soft palm sugar on the stove until soft. Add tamarind juice and Lea & Perrins sauce to taste.
  5. The other ingredients are used to make the crispy vermicelli.

Fourth Sauce

This hot basil and black pepper sauce was created by Nannaphat Wanna to make a tasty penne pasta with fried shrimp in pesto sauce.
Finished Quantity: Volume/Mass

Unit 1 litre 500 300 250 100
Ingredient





Ground Black Pepper gram 80 40 24 20 8
Thai Garlic gram 100 50 30 25 10
Small Red Chillie gram 100 50 30 25 10
Water millilitre 250 125 75 63 25
Holy Basil (wilted) gram 200 100 60 50 20
Soy Bean Oil millilitre 100 50 30 25 10
Brown Sugar gram 200 100 60 50 20
Mushroom Oyster Sce millilitre 200 100 60 50 20
Soy Sauce millilitre 100 50 30 25 10
Rice Bran Oil millilitre 600 300 180 150 60
Salt gram 20 10 6 5 2
Lime Juice millilitre 150 75 45 38 15

Method:
  1. Grind the pepper. Pound the red chillie and garlic.
  2. Heat some oil, then add the pounded chillie, then the pepper. Season with oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar.
  3. Mix the lime juice and salt in a blender. Add brown sugar, basil leaves, followed by the salad oil a little at a time.
  4. Serve with vegetable salad, canapes, Thai omelettes or mini sandwiches.

Fifth Sauce

This chillie paste by Payom Kantongdaeng was created for a Thai herbal cocktail.
Finished Quantity: Volume/Mass
Ingredient Unit 1 litre 500 300 250 100
Garlic gram 250 125 75 62.5 25
Salt gram 90 45 27 22.5 9
Hard Palm Sugar gram 500 250 150 125 50
Water millilitre 800 400 240 200 80
Soy Bean Oil millilitre 400 200 120 100 40
Pla Krob gram 250 125 75 62.5 25
Dried ground Chillie gram 25 12.5 7.5 6.25 2.5
Tamarind Paste gram 300 150 90 75 30
Shallots gram 250 125 75 62.5 25

Method:
  1. Soak the tamarind in water and squeeze out the juice.
  2. Mix the tamarind juice with palm sugar.
  3. Pound the dried fish and mix with tamarind juice and palm sugar mixture.
  4. Slice and fry the shallots, then the garlic.
  5. Fry the ground dried chilli.
  6. Mix all ingredients together in the pan and season with salt.
  7. Serve with shrimp crackers, Thai omelette, pork crackling or vegetables.