Thai food is particularly well known around the world for its spiciness, strong aromas and relatively light preparation. Traditionally, Thai recipes aim to include an even balance of all five fundamental taste sensations; spicy, sour, salty, sweet and bitter.

With numerous ethnic groups located all over Thailand, Thai food is extremely varied across the country, with many different preparation methods, ingredients and cooking techniques. However, there are some common defining characteristics across all Thai food; one of which is the use of fresh herbs and spices, including kaffir lime, mint, lemon grass, chillies, garlic, turmeric, ginger, cilantro, and peppercorn.

Fish is a particularly common ingredient in Thai recipes, with Nam Pla (a strong fish sauce) being the staple ingredient in most Thai dishes. There are numerous other fish based pastes and sauces, including Pla Ra (a more pungent version of Nam Pla which often contains fish pieces) and Kapi (a shrimp based paste).

As with the majority of Asian cuisines, rice and noodles are a staple ingredient of many Thai dishes. Sticky rice is a particularly popular dish across the Northern and Eastern areas of Thailand, with Jasmine rice (which comes from Thailand) being the staple accompaniment to curries and stir fries throughout the country.

Thai food typically contains numerous vegetables, such as eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, bean sprouts, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, bamboo shoots and sweet potatoes. Other typical Thai ingredients include mushrooms, which are used in numerous different recipes, and fruit, which forms a considerable part of most Thai people's diet.

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