Kaffir limes are important to many Thai food recipes, but even if you can get the fruits, don't try to cook with them. It's the leaves that are highly prized, as an herb for sauces and soups. The limes that are so common in Thai cooking are usually standard or key limes.

Instead of using salt in Thai dishes, consider using fish sauce, which is a salty liquid made from small fish. While it is in fact made with salt, the fish and other ingredients add a unique flavor to Thai food, and offer a different balance of nutrients than pure salt does.

To a subtle flavor to your Thai food, wrap it in banana leaves rather than aluminum foil when appropriate. The use of banana leaves is traditional in Thai cuisine, and you can easily use them when baking, barbecuing, or steaming. At $3-$4 per bag, they're quite inexpensive.