Archive for April, 2009

Galanga root, also referred to as Galangal (Kha in Thai), is a mainstay ingredient that you will find in every authentic Thai kitchen. Galanga has a delicate and unique flavor with a subtle sweet taste, a hint of citrus, and a spicy quality, similar to the spicy heat of fresh ginger.

The galanga root is a relative of the ginger root, but the outer skin is a little more red-ish in color than the brown color of ginger. And the inside is very white unlike ginger which has a more yellow-ish tint to the flesh.

More widely used in Thai cooking than ginger, this traditional root is sometimes referred to as “Siamese Ginger”. Galangal can be used fresh, dried or powdered. Of course, the fresh form is the most exciting way to use this unique herb. Read the rest of this entry »

Pad Thai is one of the most popular and frequently requested Thai dishes here in the US. ‘Pad’ refers to phad or phat which means stir-fried. While ‘Thai’ can refer to tai which means freedom, in the context of this famous noodle dish, it simply means Thai style.

Pad Thai is a tasty stir-fried noodle dish and a perfect example of the relationship between the basic tastes of Thai cooking. There are many variations of Pad Thai, but the basic ingredients include white or palm sugar for the sweetAmerican Thai restaurants sometimes even use ketchup for the sweetness), vinegar, lime or tamarind for the sour, and fish or sea salt for saltiness. Read the rest of this entry »

Thai Food For Thought – The Philosophy of Thai Cooking

You may be surprised to know there is actually a philosophy behind Thai cooking, one of the world’s truly magnificent cuisines. Perhaps you are saying to yourself “I enjoy eating great Thai food, but I don’t think about what makes Thai food so wonderful”. Well, just in case you might be wondering, let’s take a moment and talk about some of the principals and traditions behind great Thai cooking. Then let’s go out and enjoy a great Thai meal.

The underlying foundation of Thai cuisine derives from the early Chinese cooking influence that date backs as early as the 10th century. This cooking tradition establishes a relationship between five fundamental tastes: bitter, sweet, sour, salty and spicy. Achieving a satisfying and exciting taste experience is accomplished by combining flavors from these five basic taste categories. Read the rest of this entry »

Now You Can Find Boba Tea in Moorpark

“Boba Tea“, often called “bubble tea” has become an immensely popular beverage throughout many areas of the US. In fact, there are beverage shops and chains dedicated to serving every variety and style of boba drink you can imagine.

Boba tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, and began to spread in popularity to other neighboring Asian countries, Canada and the US from there.

A “boba drink” contains translucent balls of chewy gelatin, made from tapioca, referred to as “pearls”.  The literal translation in Chinese is “pearl milk tea. The “bubble” actually refers to a “bubbling” process used to make certain types of “bubble tea”.

Thai iced tea, a refreshing version of iced tea blended with milk and sweetened with sugar, is a perfect combination with boba.  At Rachada Thai Cuisine, we’re pleased to offer our special Thai iced tea with boba, and Thai iced coffee with boba, both available on our beverage menu. It’s the perfect combination with many of the wonderful dishes we serve, or just enjoy as a refreshing beverage all by itself.

So next time you’re out in the Moorpark area, now you can find boba tea at Rachada Thai Cuisine.

photo credit: bdjsb7

Thai chiles play a distinctive role in authentic Thai cuisine. When people refer to certain Thai dishes as “hot and spicy”, it’s most often the “chile peppers” that they’re talking about that produce this “spicy heat”.  This is not the “temperature” kind of heat, it’s the “spicy” kind of heat.

Thai chile peppers add more than just “punch and kick” to the cooking.  Fresh chiles provide a clean and fresh flavor that gives Thai cooking a bright distinctive quality.

There are many varietals of chiles that are popular in Thai cuisine.  The above picture shows a display of different chiles in an outdoor fresh market in Thailand. The most popular variety of chili from Thailand is called “prik ki nu“, or “bird chile“. We also use jalapeno chiles in many our of dishes.  Jalapeno chiles are popular and freshly available in many of the local markets here in the US.

The key to great Thai cooking is fresh ingredients. At Rachada Thai Cuisine, we only use the freshest chiles available.

We’re also sensitive to our guests and want to insure everyone has a delicious and pleasant dining experience at Rachada Thai.  While we love to share the best that Thai cuisine has to offer, we won’t go overboard with the chili peppers unless you ask.  Of course, if you’re not bashful and like a dish to bring a few tears to your eyes (tears of joy from the chiles, not tears of sadness), just ask and we’ll be happy to accommodate.

When you order from the menu, you can always ask for the spicy level of your dishes prepared either “mild”, “medium” or “hot”. And we’ll always do a “chile check” and make sure you’re aware when you order dishes prepared with chiles.

We do want to clear up a common misconception that Thai food is  “too spicy”.  Great Thai cooking is all about balance. The proper balance between seasoning, herbs and spices including the chiles. When you achieve the right balance right, the flavors jump out, not just the heat sensation from the chiles. Great Thai food can definitely be delicious and tasty without being overpowered by too much “chile spiciness”.

It’s a favorite time of year when mangos are in season. Here in California, mangos are at their best and sweetest between March and July, with the mango season ending by about September.

By the way, did you know that the first Mango was introduced into California (in Santa Barbara) in 1880?

Traditionally, the mango is indigenous to India, and Southeast Asia.  There are many varieties of mangos, and this sweet and wonderful tropical fruit is very popular in Thailand.

At Rachada Thai Cuisine, we have a very special desert that we serve during Mango season, “Mango with Sticky Rice“.  You have to come in soon and try this scrumptious mango delight for dessert.

We are adding the ability to our website to order online from our Thai food menu. This will make it very convenient for our new and existing customers to place orders online from the website for take-out and delivery.

We expect to have our online ordering system ready to go in about two more weeks. Be sure to subscribe to our our web site so you can be notified as soon we’re ready to take your order online.  Subscribe to  Rachada Thai Cuisine notifications here.

In the meantime, if you want to place an order for take-out or delivery, just give us a call at (805) 552-0249.