Newcomers to Thai food might come to this chapter and think, “What is this?” That is understandable, since much of the theory behind Thai food has not really been clearly explained up to now. Paste – pounded herbs, spices and usually some type of protein source – forms the foundation for almost every dish in the Thai culinary lexicon, be it as a marinade or as the basis for a soup, salad dressing, dipping sauce, dip, stir-fry or curry. Pastes are to Thais what “mother sauces” are to the French: know their basic components, and you know the basis for just about any other dish. Of course, this begs the following question: What are a paste’s most basic components? There are nine of them, different combinations of which lead to different tastes, dishes and flavor experiences. There is a table that shows you the variety of combinations in the ingredients section of this book, but for now, let’s be content with identifying the nine main ingredients: a. Lemongrass b. Galangal c. Kaffir lime rind d. Shallots e. Garlic f. Cilantro root g. White peppercorns h. Chilies (both fresh and dried) i. Shrimp paste To explain how paste became such an integral part of Thai cooking, one must once again travel back in time. Unlike French cooks who consider their knives the most important tools in the kitchen, Thai cooks rely wholeheartedly on their mortars and pestles. In the centuries that led to the creation of a unified Thailand,