Simple Thai Food

A collection of 100 recipes from a Bangkok native who understands both the Thai kitchen and the reality of cooking abroad. Leela Punyaratabandhu grew up eating and cooking in Bangkok before moving to the United States, and she brings that insider perspective to a book designed to make authentic Thai food genuinely accessible.

Why Start Here

If you want a Thai cookbook written by someone who grew up eating this food every day, this is the one. Leela does not romanticize or oversimplify. She explains what pad thai actually tastes like in Bangkok (not sweet), why certain ingredients matter, and how to get real Thai flavors without a specialty grocery store on every corner. The recipes are tested with a home cook’s patience in mind, and most can be made in under an hour.

The book covers one-plate meals, classic rice accompaniments, soups, curries, salads, and Thai sweets. Leela is particularly good at explaining the base recipes and techniques that underpin Thai cooking, so you learn transferable skills rather than just memorizing individual dishes.

What to Expect

A focused cookbook at 236 pages that prioritizes clarity over comprehensiveness. Named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2014 and a Globe and Mail Best Cookbook. The ingredient guide at the front walks you through the Thai pantry essentials and suggests practical substitutions where they work. This is not an encyclopedia of Thai cuisine. It is a carefully chosen set of recipes that gives you a strong foundation for cooking Thai food regularly at home.