Nut allergy and Thai cooking

Nut allergy and Thai cooking

Have you ever wondered why Thai (and Asian) people cannot understand what nut allergy is? Or if you are allergic to nuts, have you found it is difficult to explain to Thai restaurants or Asian people about your allergy? This information can be useful to you.

First of all, nut allergy is not common at all in Asia, or especially in Thailand. When I grew up I never met anyone who was allergic to nuts in Thailand or who came from other Asian countries. Thai people love their peanuts, cashew nuts and other kinds of nuts you would not see in the UK. Peanut oil is sometimes used in Thai cooking. Secondly, the Thai word for nuts is ‘tua’ but this word is used at the beginning of words for vegetables as well such as ‘tua-fak-yaw’ (Thai long green bean), ‘tua-ygua’ (beansprout) and ‘tua poo’ (an indigenous Thai vegetable) so Thai people simply cannot get their heads around why some Westerners are allergic to peanuts (‘tua-li-song’) but not to long green beans (‘tua-fak-yaw’).

One other thing to bear in mind is that in Thailand some chefs will use crushed nuts or peanut oil as a garnish for dishes that have no nut content, so those who are nut allergic must be careful.

In all my recipes I only use nuts where explicitly stated in the ingredients. The vast majority of my dishes have no nut content at all because I have adapted them for my wonderful husband, who happens to be nut allergic.