Thai cooking is governed by a flavour philosophy before it is governed by technique: every dish balances four primary tastes simultaneously, every paste is built by pounding rather than blending, and every coconut-based preparation turns on the precise moment when cream breaks and fat separates from milk solids. The entries in this chapter move from those governing principles outward through the foundational ingredients, the major paste families, the canonical relishes and dipping sauces, and then the dishes and regional forms that rest on all of the above.