Spoons of coloured ground spices on a dark surface
Ships worldwideTracked from Bangkok, 7–14 days depending on the country.
Bought at sourcePaid for at the market or co-operative, not through a wholesaler.
ReturnsDamaged goods replaced on a photo. Sealed food cannot be returned.
Gift Set · Thailand and Malaysia

Market Spice Six

The six things I buy on every South-East Asian trip, in glass, boxed. Not a curry kit — the individual building blocks the region actually cooks with.

$34
Read the Thailand guide

Posts from Bangkok, tracked. Usually 7–14 days. Sealed food items cannot be returned — see shop policies.

What you get
  • Six 40–60g glass jars with sealed lids
  • Galangal, white pepper, star anise, cassia, tamarind, bird’s eye chilli
  • Card with three starting recipes and what each spice does
  • Boxed and padded — arrives giftable, no wrapping needed

Why this one

Most spice gift sets are a blend somebody invented, in a nice tin. This is the opposite: six single ingredients that turn up again and again across Thai and Malaysian cooking, bought whole or freshly ground at market rather than pre-packed.

Galangal, not ginger — sharper, more medicinal, and the thing that makes a Thai curry paste taste Thai. White pepper, which is the heat in a lot of Thai food that people assume is chilli. Star anise and cassia for the braises. Tamarind for sourness, which matters more in this region than any other single note. And dried bird's eye chilli for when you do want the heat.

Enough of each for months of cooking, with a card explaining what each one is for. If someone has come back from a trip talking about the food, this is the thing that lets them chase it.

Specifications

JarsSix
Net weightApprox. 290g total
PackagingGlass, sealed
SourcedOr Tor Kor and Chow Kit markets
Shelf life18 months from dispatch
BoxedYes, gift-ready

Questions

Is this a curry paste kit?

No. It is six separate spices rather than a pre-made blend, which is more useful and lasts far longer. The card gives you three recipes to start with, including a green curry paste from scratch.

Will customs let spices through?

Dried spices are accepted almost everywhere, but a few countries — Australia and New Zealand in particular — restrict plant material. Check your own rules before ordering, because I cannot refund a seizure.

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