Introducing other Aromatic Herb and Spices in Thai cuisine There are some key ingredients that give Thai food it's distinctive aroma, depth and layers of flavour. Lemongrass, galangal, lime (rind and leaves), coriander leaves, sweet Thai basil leaves and garlic are used in one way or another is all Thai dishes.

Look for lemongrass in the herb section of your supermarket. Lemongrass can be sold in long stalks that you chop yourself, short stocks in a plastic container, or as a jarred or bottled paste.

Lemongrass in Thailand is called takhrai (ตะไคร้).

Look for lemongrass that is firm and pale yellow-green with a bit of a bulb at the end. The top of the stalk should look relatively fresh; they tend to dry out quickly so they may not look like they were just harvested but they shouldn't be browned or sad looking.