Essential Thai Ingredients to Keep in Your Freezer

Bright, aromatic, and spicy, these are some of adjectives often associated with Thai cuisine. Ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, and Thai basil layer many Thai dishes with tantalizing sequences of flavor. 

Knowing this, it might come as a surprise that 2022 F&W Best New Chef Justin Pichetrungsi points to a surprising place to start building a strong Thai cooking arsenal at home — the freezer. “When you’re at home, you’ve got to learn to eat for real and when I visualize how a really strong Thai grandmother’s kitchen looks, I imagine a lot of really good, frozen stuff,” he says. In anticipation of the 2025 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen where folks can catch Pichetrungsi demonstrate how to make the popular and punchy Thai papaya salad, the chef/owner of Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks, California, shares the freezer staples that can level up your Thai cooking at home.

Thai chilies

“Thai chilies freeze beautifully,” says Pichetrungsi. These small green (unripe) and red (ripe) chilies, also known as bird’s eye chilies, are thin, fiery peppers commonly used to add heat to dishes like Thai green curry and crispy rice salad. When stored properly in the refrigerator, they can last about one to two weeks before the skin succumbs to wrinkles and the texture turns mushy. Pichetrungsi recommends freezing them to preserve their distinctive floral heat. The best part? You don’t need to thaw them before using. Wash and thoroughly dry the peppers before storing them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or airtight container.

Justin Pichetrungsi, Chef and Owner of Anajack Thai in Sherman Oaks, CA

“I could probably name at least 40 dishes across Southeast Asia you could make with these ingredients; it’s all about building layers of flavor.”

— Justin Pichetrungsi, Chef and Owner of Anajack Thai in Sherman Oaks, CA

Frozen bones

You can bet your last baht a Thai grandma keeps frozen chicken, pork, and beef bones at the ready. Frozen bones are Pichetrungsi’s go-to for homemade stock, a flavorful base that’s just as easy to store in the freezer. “Most Thai food recipes say add a ladle stock in here. It’s super simple, very nutritious, and so easy to do.” Plus, it’s a great way to cut down on food waste. Simply toss all the bones leftover from roasting a chicken, bone-in pork chops, or short ribs into a freezer until you have enough to make a rich stock.

Shrimp

Fast to thaw and even faster to cook, shrimp are your ultimate weeknight MVP, especially in Thai cuisine.“Shrimp is one of those ubiquitous proteins that’s in every Thai dish in some way, shape or form. You can do salads, curries, or pound it and then turn it into a chili dip really quickly.” Pichetrungsi shared bonus points if you can find frozen river prawns, the celebrated crustacean in Thailand which have a delicate, buttery flavor.

For Pichetrungsi, stocking your freezer with foundational Thai ingredients isn’t just a smart way to extend the life of perishables and reduce waste—it’s also an exercise in creativity beyond Thai cooking. “I could probably name at least 40 dishes across Southeast Asia you could make with these ingredients; it’s all about building layers of flavor.”