About this app

Interested in Thai food? Do the ingredients confuse you? Find the English (and Japanese) translations of ingredients used in Thai cooking here.

The popularity of Thai cuisine has expanded globally over recent years, resulting in it becoming one of the world's most popular cuisines - particularly in Australia, the US, Japan and increasingly in the UK. The uniqueness of Thai food lies in its skillful and complex balance of flavours - ① sweet (coconut milk, palm sugar, etc.) ② sour (lime, tamarind, etc.) ③ spicy (chillies, pepper, etc.) ④ salty (fish sauce, salt, etc.) and ⑤ bitter (bitter melon, raw leaves, etc.).
Despite this popularity, comprehensive reference materials with translations of Thai cooking ingredients and terms remain scarce. There is an abundance of Thai cooking books available, which often include a token glossary, however they incorporate only basic information (notable exceptions being the books of David Thompson and Kasma Loha-unchit, amongst others).
This dictionary is designed to assist people interested in Thai cooking and also for the many foreigners living in Thailand, who may find it helpful when shopping. I also hope that it will be of use to Thai people residing overseas. It is not a language dictionary and therefore I have only included words relating to cooking or Thai food names.
Searches can be performed in English, Japanese (kanji and romaji) and Thai, as well as the scientific name (when applicable), which will be helpful in linking entries which have multiple names. I have included a 'simple' pronunciation (based on the Pronunciation Guide included) of the Thai word for non-Thai speakers, RTGS transcription (Royal Thai Royal General System of Transcription) - official, yet sometimes confusing - for foreign Thai speakers, Thai script, as well as katakana for Japanese users.
Photos have been included wherever possible and will be added later, when available. Photos (non-copyrighted) would be gratefully accepted for photoless entries. I will credit the name of the photographer.
Users are free to recommend any additions or corrections, provided that they are supported by reasonable evidence.
Research has been conducted using only the most reliable sources, with a great deal of assistance from members of the Thai Visa Forum. Finally, many thanks to Richard and Watinee Ashley, to whom I am indebted to for generously providing me with countless photos and information, at the expense of their own time.
I hope you enjoy it!