Stir-frying, pounding, steaming, grilling — how Thai cooks actually cook and what makes each technique essential.
The fastest Thai technique — extreme heat, constant motion, minimal liquid; the wok must be screaming hot before anything goes in; produces char and speed simultaneously.
Mortar and pestle for pastes, salads, and sauces — pounding breaks cell walls differently from blending, releasing oils and flavours a blender destroys.
Fish, sticky rice, dumplings — steaming preserves texture and natural flavour; the bamboo steamer basket over boiling water is the standard Thai method.
Not just for snacks — whole fish, spring rolls, fried basil; Thai deep-frying uses palm oil at very high temperature for quick crisping without greasiness.
Low and slow over charcoal for chicken and pork; the charcoal smoke is part of the flavour; gas grilling produces an inferior result that Thai cooks notice immediately.
