Pok Pok

1. Thai Food is Vast & Regional, Not Just Rainbow Curries

Thai food is so much more than those menus would lead you to believe.

Beyond the familiar. The common perception of "Thai food" in the West is limited to a small canon of dishes like rainbow curries and phat thai. This narrow view fails to capture the immense geographical and cultural diversity of Thailand, historically a collection of distinct peoples and kingdoms.

Four main regions. The country comprises four major culinary regions, each with unique characteristics shaped by climate, geography, and ethnic influences:

• Northern: Mountains, forests; sticky rice; dried spices, turmeric, bitterness, tamarind; milder heat.
• Northeastern (Isaan): Infertile soil, harsh climate; sticky rice; pungent, fiery, fermented fish (plaa raa); simple cooking (grilling, boiling).
• Central: Fertile plains, coast; jasmine rice; sweet, sour, salty, rich (coconut cream); sophisticated, influenced cuisine.
• Southern: Coastline, tropical; jasmine rice; fiercely spicy (fresh/dried chiles), spices (turmeric, cumin), coconut milk.

Evolving landscape. While historical distinctions are blurring due to migration and modern transport, many regional flavor profiles and techniques persist. Exploring these regional differences reveals a much richer and more complex culinary landscape than typically encountered abroad.

2. Authenticity is Complex & Ever-Changing

Both terms are nonsensical designations—as if traditions are the same everywhere, as if they don’t change, as if culinary ones don’t evolve with particular speed.

Tradition is fluid. The concepts of "authentic" and "traditional" Thai food are misleading, implying a static cuisine. Culinary traditions are dynamic and constantly evolve, incorporating new ingredients, techniques, and influences over time.

Foreign influences are integral. Many ingredients and methods now considered quintessentially Thai were introduced from other cultures:

• Chinese: Wok cooking, noodles, stir-fries.
• Western: Bread, tomatoes.
• Portuguese: Chiles (arrived around the 16th century, long after Thai cooking began).

Dishes transform. Even familiar dishes have evolved significantly. Phat Khii Mao ("drunken noodles"), for example, is traditionally wickedly spicy and seasoned with hot basil, potentially without noodles originally, but the American version is often milder and always includes noodles. The take-out Thai food in the US, while different from Thailand, has become its own valid cuisine.

3. My Goal: Replicate Real Thai Flavors, Not Reinterpret

I’m a proud copycat.

Honoring the originators. The food served at Pok Pok is not an invention or reinterpretation of Thai cuisine. It is a deliberate attempt to replicate the flavors and techniques encountered in Thailand, particularly those from street vendors, home cooks, and roadside restaurants.

Learning through observation. The author's approach involves years of traveling, observing cooks, asking questions, collecting recipes, and persistent trial and error to decipher how to achieve authentic Thai flavors using ingredients available in the West.

Tribute to Thai cooks. The recipes in the book are the author's best approximations of dishes created, cooked, and perfected by Thai people. The aim is to share these specific flavors and experiences, not to showcase personal creativity or a unique "take" on Thai food.

4. Cooking Thai Food at Home Requires Effort, Specific Tools & Ingredients

Some recipes will take work.

Dispelling myths. While Thai food isn't inherently too laborious for home cooks (many amazing dishes are made in rudimentary kitchens), it does require effort, particularly in sourcing ingredients and mastering techniques.

Ingredient sourcing. Finding authentic ingredients can be the hardest part. Many require trips to Asian markets or mail-order sources. Substitutions are only recommended when they genuinely don't compromise the intended flavor profile. Key ingredients to seek out include:

• Fresh chiles (Thai, specific green varieties)
• Galangal & Krachai (wild ginger)
• Kaffir lime leaves & fruit
• Specific sauces (Thai fish sauce, oyster sauce, yellow bean sauce, seasoning sauce)
• Palm sugar, tamarind pulp, shrimp paste
• Specific vegetables (Chinese broccoli, water spinach, sawtooth herb)

Essential equipment. Certain tools are necessary for achieving the right results. Investing in a few key items is recommended:

• Thai granite mortar (for pastes) and clay mortar (for salads)
• Wok and wok spatula
• Sticky rice steamer set
• Electric rice cooker
• Digital scale (for precise measurements)

5. Mastering Key Techniques: Pounding, High-Heat Stir-Frying & Grilling

Yet there is no modern tool that does the job as well.

The mortar and pestle. This elemental tool is central to Thai cooking, particularly for pastes and salads. A granite mortar is used for pounding ingredients to various paste textures, while a deep clay or wood mortar is used for gently bruising ingredients like papaya for salads, allowing dressing to permeate without losing texture. Proper technique involves controlled pounding and scraping.

High-heat stir-frying. The Chinese-imported technique of cooking in a scalding-hot wok imparts "wok hay," a sought-after smoky flavor. While home stoves may lack the extreme BTU power of restaurant burners, using a carbon steel wok on the highest heat setting can yield excellent results. Stirring constantly ensures even cooking and prevents burning.

Charcoal grilling. Grilling over charcoal is crucial for imparting distinct smoky flavors to many dishes, from meats to vegetables and chiles. While oven or stovetop alternatives are provided, charcoal grilling is highly recommended for the best outcome. Controlling heat involves managing coals and grill vents.

6. Seasoning to Taste Requires Understanding Flavor Profiles

The point of these recipes is to take you to a specific place, perhaps somewhere you’ve never been before.

Beyond the recipe. Recipes provide guidance, but achieving the desired flavor in Thai cooking requires seasoning to taste, as ingredient variability (chile heat, soy sauce saltiness) is significant. This is especially true for vendor fare, where customers customize dishes.

Understanding the goal. Blindly seasoning can alter a dish's identity. It's crucial to understand the intended flavor profile for each recipe (e.g., sour, salty, funky for Som Tam Lao; sweet, sour, spicy, salty for Som Tam Thai). The book provides descriptions of these profiles to guide the cook.

Context matters. The context of the meal influences seasoning. A dish might taste too intense on its own but be perfectly balanced when eaten with sticky rice. Familiarizing yourself with raw ingredients by tasting them also helps predict their impact on the final dish.

7. Thai Meals are Balanced, Communal & Centered on Rice

As long as I’ve known I would write a cookbook, I’ve known that the first chapter would be about rice.

Rice is fundamental. Rice is the cornerstone of Thai cuisine and culture, historically the main course and a symbol for the entire meal ("Have you eaten rice yet?"). Its significance is reflected in the language and meal structure.

Balanced, shared meals. The traditional Thai meal (aahaan kap khao) consists of multiple dishes shared communally, balancing different flavors (sweet, tart, salty, bitter, mild, hot) across the table, not necessarily within each dish. Rice provides a crucial mellow counterpoint to intense flavors.

Eating customs. Thais typically eat with a spoon and fork (spoon for eating, fork for moving food to the spoon), not chopsticks for rice dishes. Meat and vegetables are served in bite-size pieces, so knives are not needed at the table. One-plate meals (aahaan jaan diaw) are a separate category for quick eating.

8. Building a Thai Pantry is Key to Home Cooking

Once you build up even a modest pantry, cooking this food becomes infinitely less onerous.

Overcoming intimidation. The long lists of seemingly unfamiliar ingredients can be daunting. However, many are dried, preserved, or freezable staples that last a long time, making cooking less challenging once a basic pantry is established.

Strategic shopping. A single large shopping trip to an Asian market or ordering online can stock your pantry for many dishes. Focus on acquiring non-perishable items first.

Key pantry items:

• Palm sugar, dried chiles, dried shrimp
• Fish sauce, fermented fish sauce, various soy sauces, oyster sauce, seasoning sauce, yellow bean sauce
• Tamarind pulp
• Shrimp paste
• Salted radish, pickled mustard greens
• Rice (jasmine, sticky)
• Frozen aromatics (galangal, kaffir lime leaves, krachai)

Having these staples on hand significantly reduces the effort required for individual recipes, making regular Thai cooking at home much more feasible.

9. Stories & Culture Illuminate the Cuisine

I hope the book helps illuminate why the food is the way it is, not from a preponderance of historical facts, but from the ingredients and techniques used to make it, and from observations about where and how it’s eaten, from me and from the mouths of some of the characters who have taught me what I know.

Beyond the recipe. The book aims to provide context for the food by sharing personal stories and observations about Thai life and culture. This helps readers understand the origins, purpose, and significance of the dishes.

Mentors and characters. The author introduces key Thai individuals (Sunny, Da Chom, Mr. Lit, Ajaan Sunee) who served as mentors and teachers, sharing their knowledge, techniques, and perspectives. Their stories are woven into the narrative, illustrating the human element behind the cuisine.

Preserving traditions. Many recipes embody traditions that are rapidly disappearing as younger generations move to cities and adopt new lifestyles. The book serves as a record of these culinary practices, ensuring they are documented in English. The personal journey of the author, from outsider to passionate advocate, provides a relatable entry point into this complex culinary world.

Last updated: June 8, 2025