Thai Cooking Starter Kit
Thai cooking is built around fresh aromatics — lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and chilies — that are pounded into pastes rather than chopped. The granite mortar and pestle is therefore the defining tool of a Thai kitchen: no machine replicates the cell-rupturing action that releases the volatile oils that make Thai curry pastes taste alive. This guide covers the equipment you need to cook authentic Thai food at home.
This page contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
Essential Kit
- Granite mortar and pestle (diameter 20+ cm) — the
anchor piece. Granite is heavy enough to absorb impact without sliding
and coarse enough to grip fibrous aromatics. Ceramic and marble are too
smooth; wood absorbs flavour. Size matters — 20 cm minimum for a full
curry paste batch; 22–25 cm is better.
Find granite mortars on Amazon.de → - Carbon steel wok (32–36 cm) — for stir-fries, curries,
and deep-frying. A wok reaches the high temperatures Thai stir-fry
(pad kra pao, pad see ew) requires. It also works as the vessel for
coconut-based curries simmered on lower heat.
Find carbon steel woks on Amazon.de → - Bamboo steamer set (2 tiers, 25–30 cm) — for sticky
rice and dim-sum-style Thai dumplings (kanom jeeb). Glutinous rice
(khao niao) must be steamed, not boiled — a bamboo steamer over a wok
is the correct method.
Find bamboo steamers on Amazon.de → - Rice cooker (1–1.5 litre, basic) — for jasmine rice.
Thai jasmine rice (khao hom mali) cooks best in a dedicated cooker: the
keep-warm cycle prevents the starchy water from evaporating unevenly.
A basic model with one switch is all you need.
Find rice cookers on Amazon.de → - Thai chef's knife (kiwi brand or equivalent) — thin,
light, and extremely sharp for slicing lemongrass, galangal, and chilies.
Thai cooks use a lightweight carbon steel blade that would look
insubstantial next to a German chef's knife — the thinness is a
feature, not a compromise.
Find Thai kitchen knives on Amazon.de → - Coconut milk strainer (fine mesh, 15–20 cm) — for
pressing freshly grated coconut or straining curry pastes. A small
fine-mesh sieve also doubles for straining tamarind paste — a component
of pad thai and many Thai soups.
Find fine mesh strainers on Amazon.de →
Nice-to-Have Upgrades
- Wok spatula and ladle set — long-handled steel tools for working the wok at high heat safely.
- Sticky rice basket (kratip khao) — the traditional woven bamboo container for serving khao niao (sticky rice). Keeps glutinous rice warm and pliable through a meal.
- Wok brush (bamboo) — for cleaning the wok after high-heat cooking without removing the seasoning layer.
Where to Buy
Amazon.de carries the full range. The granite mortar is the one item worth spending on — look for a Thai or Vietnamese import in the 25–35 EUR range rather than a decorative Western version. The Kiwi-brand Thai knife is exceptional value at under 10 EUR. A basic Tefal or Panasonic rice cooker covers jasmine rice perfectly at 25–40 EUR.