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Reheating Thai Food – How To Reheat For Maximum Flavor

Norah Clark
Reheating Thai Food – How To Reheat For Maximum Flavor

Norah Clark

Norah Clark, Editor of Boyd Hampers! Norah is a food writer with over a decade of experience in hospitality as a pastry chef, sous chef, and barista; former chef at the Savoy Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Plaza Hotel.

Reheating Thai food using the microwave, oven, or stovetop is the most efficient method. Reheating Thai food will depend on the kind of dish you’re cooking because, as with all ethnic cuisines, there are many food items.

Hot and spicy Sweet and savory, tasty and crunchy, rice and noodles – these are only a few descriptions that pop into our minds when we think of Thai food. There is a myriad of Thai dishes to choose from. There’s something for all tastes.

Thai food is known for its hint of spice in every dish. This kind of food typically has light ingredients but strong flavors that can be fragrant and spicy. Even if you don’t enjoy it, its aroma is always tasty.

In reality, how do you not enjoy Thai food? There are many choices to pick from as there are many alternatives to Italian, Chinese, American, or Mexican cuisines. Each cuisine culture offers numerous dishes and certainly a variety to suit everyone’s preferences.

Read on to find out all the information you must know about the process of reheating Thai food.

Reheating Thai Food Safely

Cooking Thai food is fairly simple. The majority of Thai food can be cooked in a variety of ways. The goal of this article is to provide as much info as you can about reheating different kinds of Thai food.

If we’ve missed an item that you are in love with, don’t be concerned. Most of these meals are reheatable using similar ways, so you’ll be able to reference the instructions for dishes that have similar ingredients.

We’ll cover a variety of meals in this guide but first, let’s go over a few of the most well-known Thai dishes.

  • Tom Yum Goong
  • Som Tum
  • Tom Kha Kai
  • Gaeng Daeng, also known as red curry.
  • Pad Thai
  • Pad Krapow Moo Saap
  • Thai fried rice
  • Phat Kaphrao
  • Pad See Ew
  • Thai BBQ chicken
  • Pad Krapow

These are only a handful of the best well-known or popular Thai dishes. There is a wide variety of Thai dishes that it’s impossible to go through them all.

Tom Yum Soup

Tom Yum is a spicy and sour soup. The most well-known tom yum can be referred to as Tom Yum Goong, including shrimp in the mix. It is among the most well-known Thai dishes, known for its hot and spicy taste.

This isn’t your usual soup. It is chock-packed with flavorful ingredients such as shrimp, chilies from the bird’s eye galangal, Kaffir lime leaves, Thai chili paste, lemongrass, mushrooms, and all sorts of other spices.

If you’re planning to keep your soup in the freezer prior to making it reheated, take a look at this article on the freezing of soup.

Tom Yum Soup.
Tom Yum Soup.

Since it is soup, it’s recommended to heat it on the stove, but it can be heated by heating it in the microwave. Both methods are very effective, and you’ll not be able to lose the taste or flavor of the soup.

There’s a specific tip you must be aware of that could assist in the process of reheating. If you are able to easily remove the shrimp and put it aside, then you must. Shrimp tends to shrink when heated, and this keeps the shrimp in good condition.

Reheating Tom Yum Soup On The Stovetop

  1. Pour your soup into an oven that is adequate in size.
  2. Take the shrimp out of the soup and place it in a bowl to set aside (optional, however, recommended).
  3. The heat should be moderate for approximately 10 minutes while stirring regularly. You can cover it with a lid, too, and it will be heated more quickly.
  4. When the soup is ready, then add the shrimp to the soup for around one minute.
  5. Remove from the heat and enjoy.

Reheating Tom Yum Soup In The Microwave

  1. Place soup in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Take the shrimp off and place them in a bowl.
  3. Cover the dish with a towel.
  4. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring it every minute. It is possible to add more time in minutes in case the soup isn’t sufficiently warm.
  5. Once the soup is heated to the desired temperature, then add shrimp and cook for another 30 seconds.
  6. Serve and enjoy.

Making tom Yum soup is among the simplest heating methods you’ll find in this article. The good thing is that a lot of Thai recipes are soup-based, and it is possible to make this simple to make.

Are you prepared to talk about the next item on your menu?

Som Tum – Green Papaya Salad

Som Tum is a spicy salad that is made from chopped green papaya as well as other ingredients that are similar to salads. Som tum also comes in an extremely popular version which is a Vietnamese dish. They are very similar, and both are excellent.

Although this item on the menu is described as salad, it’s served warm and must be heated before you are serving leftovers.

Som tum is typically made up of ingredients such as roasted peanuts, cashews that have been roasted, Thai chili paste as well as garlic, fish sauce, bird’s-eye chili, shredded papaya, chopped carrots, tomatoes, and snake beans.

Also, it is popular to add beef or shrimp slices to Som Tum in case you would like to include meat in these recipes. You could also serve meat in a separate dish too. Som tum is usually prepared over the stove and is similar to a noodle stir-fry or pasta dish once it’s cooked.

The dish is fairly simple to prepare and very easy to heat. The trick to reheating it is to avoid ending with a mess of ingredients. Don’t worry. This is a straightforward procedure.

Reheating Som Tum On The Stovetop:

  1. In a small saucepan, melt oil or butter at a moderate to low temperature.
  2. Put Som Tum in the hot pan.
  3. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the water is warm.
  4. Stir often.
  5. Take the heat off and enjoy.

When you cook with a saute procedure, it can help keep the integrity of your dish.

Reheating Som Tum In The Microwave:

  1. Place the container in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Then cover with a damp towel.
  3. Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring between 1 and 2 minutes. It is possible that you do not require all 3 minutes, but you might require an additional minute.
  4. Serve and enjoy.

Reheating the Som Tum In The Oven:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put som tum in an oven-safe dish.
  3. Protect with foil aluminum
  4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the oven is well-heated.
  5. Take the oven out and have a delicious meal.

Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of the most well-loved and well-known Thai food items you are likely to recognize. Everyone enjoys a good noodle dish, and this stir-fried noodle dish can’t be beaten.

Pad Thai can be simple to prepare in large quantities. The best thing is that you can alter the ingredients or add additional items. It is possible to add different kinds of meats and veggies and create pad Thai however you like effectively.

Pad Thais are usually cooked on the stove but can also be cooked by baking in the oven. The dish is prepared with eggs, rice noodles and vegetables, and meat that is cooked to taste. There are many methods to prepare this dish, but the most important ingredient is rice noodles.

Thai red curry. Credit: Unsplash
Thai red curry. Credit: Unsplash

Pad Thai is simple to make and is a food item that is easy to cook. The noodles cook well, and generally, any vegetable or meat that you may contain in your noodles could also be cooked to perfection.

Incredibly, one of the most effective methods to heat pad Thai is by using the microwave.

Reheating Pad Thai In The Microwave:

  1. Place Pad Thai in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Add an ice cube to the center of the noodles or add 1 TBSP of water.
  3. Wrap your dish in plastic wrap.
  4. Make a few small holes (a triangular shape works great) inside the plastic wrap to steam for purposes.
  5. Microwave for one minute and 30 seconds.
  6. Take off the plastic wrap and have a blast!

Reheating Pad Thai On The Stovetop:

  1. A small amount of butter or oil in a pan at a moderate temperature.
  2. Add the Pad Thai to the pan that is heated and stir to coat it with butter or oil. This process will help revitalize the noodles, making them fresh and delicious.
  3. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Serve and enjoy.

Reheating Pad Thai In The Oven:

  1. Place the Pad Thai, on an oven-safe plate, then spread it out.
  2. Pour a tiny quantity of olive oil into the dish, then stir it in.
  3. Protect with foil aluminum.
  4. Bake at 350°F for approximately 15 minutes.
  5. Removing from the oven.
  6. Serve and then enjoy.

Thai BBQ Chicken

Chicken is a common food item in every culture, it seems, and Thai definitely ranks high with this spicy and tangy BBQ chicken. Thai BBQ chickens are generally cooked on the grill, but they can also be baked. It’s extremely delicious and tasty food that will definitely set Thai food aside and should not be missed out on.

The most delicious BBQ Thai chicken comes cooked in a BBQ sweet and spicy sauce that has a delicious garlic flavor. It is possible to marinate any kind of bird in this sauce based on the ingredients you have at hand. It is typical to cook wings and legs and grill them, but you can also enjoy excellent success using breasts and thighs, too.

Typically, these are cooked at medium-high heat, but grilling is not always an option. Alternatively, so don’t worry about this step since you can make them your own in the oven.

Thai BBQ Chicken being barbequed.
Thai BBQ Chicken being barbequed.

If you want to cook Thai BBQ chicken, it is very easy to do. You can heat the chicken on the stovetop, oven, or microwave.

In this instance, it is the oven that is the most preferred method since the chicken is able to stand best in this way. It’s easy to make, and the chicken will be delicious and as tasty as the first time.

Cooking this on the stove is an option. However, it can dry the chicken out slightly if you’re not cautious.

Reheating Thai BBQ Chicken In An Oven:

  1. Stir chicken up. It is possible to add one tablespoon of water if the sauce appears dry.
  2. Place in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees for twenty minutes, or till the chicken is cooked through. ‘
  4. Remove from the oven.
  5. Add rice and other vegetables, and take your time.

Reheating Thai BBQ Chicken In The Microwave:

  1. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish.
  2. Mix chicken in a bowl to revive the sauce prior to cooking.
  3. For 2 mins, microwave, Stirring every 30 seconds.
  4. Mix gently so as to not make the chicken break up. The reason for stirring is to evenly distribute heat and to move the sauce to ensure the most effective results.
  5. Get a fork and a glass and take a bite too.

Reheating Thailand BBQ Chicken On The Stovetop:

  1. Set it on the BBQ chicken in a pan and then switch to medium temperature.
  2. In a skillet, cook the chicken on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, stirring often.
  3. If the sauce appears to dry out, lightly drizzle liquid over your chicken, and then stir.
  4. When the sauce and chicken are at temperature, you prefer to take the pan off the stove.
  5. Serve it with a side dish or rice, and then take your time.

Thai Fried Rice

We are all familiar with rice fried, and, let’s face it, we all have one of our top choices. When it comes to food foods from different cultures, rice has always been a timeless success. Thai Fried rice definitely is the best.

There is no way to make a mistake with rice that has been fried, but, for some reason, it is one of the most difficult ways to reheat it. You’d think that you could throw it into the microwave and warm it up.

However, here’s the problem, for some reason, it seems that for some reason, it always comes out dry or crisp when you heat it up. The process of reheating rice is always a disappointment, and it definitely does not taste as great as it did the first time.

And you know what? It isn’t necessary to do it that way. Reheating rice that has been cooked is a great idea. It is recommended to cook rice by heating it on the stovetop as well as using the microwave. Are you ready to learn this next step? The microwave can reheat rice that has been cooked more efficiently than any other way.

Variety of Thai noodle dishes on a table.
Variety of Thai noodle dishes on a table.

You can cook Thai rice that has been cooked in the oven, but it’s not advised. The oven absorbs the moisture, and it becomes difficult to preserve the flavor and texture of the rice and not dry it out.

Thai Fried Rice isn’t the usually cooked rice. Thai Fried rice is usually comprised of shrimp paste, as well as other meats, vegetables as well as sauces. The flavor of the sauce may vary; however, in the majority of cases, it is a little bit of spice, which is typical of Thai food.

It is possible to add any meats or veggies you like to Thai fried rice. It’s up to you to create your own version, and don’t forget to add the rice.

Reheating Thai Fried Rice In The Microwave – 1:

  1. Place the rice that has been cooked in an oven-safe bowl.
  2. Wrap rice in tightly plastic wrap.
  3. Make a few holes in the plastic wrap to allow for air circulation.
  4. Two minutes in the microwave.
  5. Mix and test the overall temperature.
  6. Cover and warm for another minute, if needed.
  7. Take a bite and enjoy.

Reheating Thai Fried Rice In The Microwave – 2:

  1. Put the rice in an oven-safe bowl.
  2. Make a mess with a paper towel, then put it on the bowl’s top.
  3. Two minutes in the microwave.
  4. Mix and test the temperature.
  5. In 30-second intervals, heat in case further heating is required. Stirring every 30 seconds.
  6. Serve and enjoy.

Reheating Thai Fried Rice On The Stovetop:

  1. In a skillet, melt butter at medium-low temperature.
  2. Add Thai rice that has been cooked in the skillet, and mix it into the butter.
  3. The rice is cooked in the skillet for about 5-7 minutes to ensure that the rice remains hot.

Overview of Heating Tips

We’ve covered the most loved Thai food items in the previous sections, but there are a lot of others that haven’t been discussed. Don’t worry if you are unable to find the menu item that is for the Thai dish you’re searching for specific directions to reheat.

Do you notice anything that is similar to your food? Perhaps something that has similar ingredients or sauces? We recommend trying to find something that’s comparable to the food you’re making reheat and following the steps given in the recipe.

One thing you’ll be able to see is that a lot of these meals have similarities in the way they are reheated, and some have a lot in common with other dishes.

In fact, almost every microwave reheating technique is a reminder to wrap your dish in a damp towel or wrap it in plastic that you blow out. This will ensure that the moisture or sauce of the dish remains when reheating it, and it is actually effective.

Heating Thai food is quite simple, and virtually every dish comes with a variety of options that you can try. These techniques, along with the food items, are usually flexible and can be adjusted according to your preferences and using the equipment available to you.

Don’t throw away leftovers; Put them to great use. It is possible to store Thai food in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze Thai food and then heat it by using these methods too.

Thai street food chef's cooking.
Thai street food chef’s cooking.

It is necessary to allow time for thawing or defrosting in case you opt to store leftovers in a freezer and then heat them leftovers.

Do not be afraid to try items out or even reheat any kind of Thai food that might require reheating. We’re sure that the taste of your food will be grateful to you once they are able to take a bite of this Thai food for the second time, and it tastes amazing.

Thai Food Vs Other Cuisines

So, what is the difference between Thai food and other cuisines? Every culture has its distinct cuisine that has distinct features that make it unique in its own particular way. Thai food definitely belongs in its own category since there is no other kind of food that tastes as good as Thai food.

Thai food is distinguished because of its ability to mix the right balance of salty, sweet, and sour. A lot of Thai recipes have some spice. If you’re not fond of spicy food, it is possible to have this modified or lowered.

The Most Common Vegetables In Thai Dishes

What are the most commonly used vegetables in Thai dishes? Thai cuisine is a mix of vegetables based on the food. Most dishes contain garlic, shallots, and chilies (usually bird’s eye chilies). In addition, the dishes may contain a variety of vegetables.

Carrots, lemongrass sprouts as well as eggplant, broccoli, and bamboo shoots are some of the vegetables commonly found in a wide variety of Thai recipes.

Is Thai Food Healthy?

Thai food is generally an option that is healthy. Thai food is rich in spice blends like coriander, turmeric, ginger, and many other spices that offer many advantages for health. In addition, Thai food typically has plenty of vegetables used in dishes as well.

There isn’t a lot of added sugar in sauces that are used in Thai cuisine because the spices make a difference in taste, and they have achieved the art of sweetening their food with just enough sweetness without adding sugar or artificial sweeteners.

FAQs

Can you reheat Thai food?

Yes, you can reheat Thai food. It’s best to reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until it’s hot throughout.

How long is leftover Thai food good for?

Leftover Thai food can be good for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you eat Pad Thai the next day?

Yes, you can eat Pad Thai the next day if it has been stored properly in the refrigerator.

What can I do with leftover Thai food?

You can use leftover Thai food to make a variety of dishes, such as fried rice, stir-fry, or soup. Alternatively, you can simply reheat the leftovers and enjoy them as is.

Summary

Reheating Thai food is a simple process that involves a few basic steps. With the right instructions, it is possible to enjoy reheated Thai dishes that taste just as good as the original.

From tom yum soup to Som Tum salad and Pad Thai, there are many Thai dishes that can be reheated using similar methods.

Whether you choose to use the stovetop, microwave, or oven, reheating Thai food is a breeze.

So, next time you have leftover Thai food, don’t hesitate to reheat it and enjoy it all over again!

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1 comment

Why 10 min for reheating had thai? It seems like less time was needed.

Alicia P Sloan

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