Chatuchak Market Food Series 4: R.S.T Spices

How can a trip to Bangkok be complete without lugging back some spices?

It was spices galore at Chatuchuk Market in Bangkok, Thailand.

R.S.T Spices on sale at Chatuchuk Market, Bangkok

(Almost ) every herb and spice imaginable - such as vanilla, pepper, rosemary, poppy seeds - adore a charming spice shop named R.S.T at the corner of Chatuchuk Market. I love the simple, back to basics and clean packaging as well as the attractive prices. The pastes are vacuum sealed for freshness (the pastes contain no artificial colours or preservatives according to them) and with the wide variety, a foodie like me has found heaven on earth … I am simply spoilt for choice.

Some of the spices I bought - tom yum paste, red & green curry, dried ginger and phad-thai.

Fortunately, I have great foresight (for once hehe) when it comes to this gorgeous ‘lemon grass and pandan leaves herbal tea’ and bought 3 packets … It tastes and smells awesome! It is similar to the lemongrass scent  and herbal tea one finds at spas … and each packet (which lasts a long time) only cost a low, low, 40 baht (US$1.20, S$1.70). This is such an unbelievably great buy! I think the leaves can be used as a backdrop for product photography too, hehe…

The owner of the store told me that this is the hottest spice they sell at their store. When a Thai tells you something is hot, don’t ever take them lightly ;p She said you can just add this to curry and tom yum paste or in stir fries to up the spice meter =D

Best of all, the spices come with English instructions. You won’t have an excuse for not using it because you can’t figure out how to ;D

R.S.T Natural Herbs & Spices
Chatuchuk Weekend Market (25th section), Bangkok Thailand
Opened on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays

Looking back at the photos, I realised to my horror that there are so many spices I missed buying!! This means I should plan a trip back to Bangkok soon, even if the trip’s only mission is to buy spices! ;D

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I will be updating this post with a link whenever I have a blog recipe which uses any of the paste I bought.

(Update)

29 Sep 08 - Tom Yum paste used to cook Tom Yum Seafood. It is not hot at all, so you need to add your own chilli padi/ground chilli powder… but otherwise the tom yum taste is definitely there, with the wonderful, familiar sour tangy taste. Perfect for those who like to adjust the fiery meter of their tom yum according to who they are cooking for.

8 Oct 08 - Red Curry paste used to cook Curry Chicken with Potatoes. Again, it’s not hot at all for us, but it’s nothing a tsp of the tremendously hot & satisfying Queen of Chilli powder can’t fix ;p Love the aromatic spice of this one.