There is nothing more important to Thai cooking than a solid understanding of Thai ingredients. After all, ingredients are the foundational building blocks of Thai cuisine! I always say that Thai cooking is not hard, it only feels hard because the ingredients are unfamiliar. And that's an easy problem to fix!

This article and the accompanying video will give you an overview of the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine. For many of these ingredients there are also dedicated posts that dive further into the minute details; but this post should provide plenty of information for you to start cooking Thai food with more confidence.

I've divided the ingredients into functional categories: salty, sour, sweet, herbs and spices, and dry goods.

The Salty

Thai cuisine employs a number of different salty sauces in our cooking. Here they are listed roughly in order of how often they are used for the average Thai person.

FISH SAUCE | NAM PLA | น้ำปลา

Fish sauce is a must-have in any Thai home. Made from fermented anchovies and salt, this pungent amber liquid adds a sharp saltiness and a punch of umami that is an iconic characteristic of many Thai dishes, such as salads, curries, stir fries, and if you want to cook pad thai, fish sauce is necessary! 

I have a detailed post about how to choose a good fish sauce and recommended brands in my Ultimate Fish Sauce Guide, but briefly, look for brands only contains anchovies, salt, and sugar (though sugar is not a required). Squid and Megachef are classic, good-quality Thai fish sauce brands that are inexpensive, easy to find, and perfect for everyday cooking.

STORAGE: Fish sauce will not spoil at room temp even after opening because it's so salty. However, the flavour deteriorates over time, so unless you're a daily user like Thai people, keeping it in the fridge will preserve the flavour for longer.

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you’re vegetarian, the easiest thing (and what I do for vegan friends) is substitute soy sauce in equal amounts, or sometimes I do a combination of soy sauce and Golden Mountain Sauce (see below). Larger Asian markets do sell vegan fish sauce, but some of them can be rather awful.

Having said that, I have sampled a decent version labeled “premium pineapple-made vegetarian fish sauce” from Vietnam. Also check online sources from time to time, as there are a few new products on the market that have had some good reviews.

OYSTER SAUCE | NAM MUN HOI | น้ำมันหอย

Oyster sauce is the queen of stir-fry sauces. Imagine a combination of the briny flavors of oysters, the umami of soy sauce, and a subtle sweetness—that’s the flavor of oyster sauce. A common Thai brand is Maekrua, but the widely available Lee Kum Kee is also great for Thai cooking. If you're on a budget, Panda Brand, which is also a Lee Kum Kee brand, is cheaper and is what most takeout restaurants use.

Oyster sauce quality varies significantly though, with the better ones containing more “oyster extract” (which is the oyster poaching liquid). Better ones also tend to be more expensive. For a deep dive, see my post What is Oyster Sauce and Which is The Best One? where I tasted the four oyster sauces in the pic above.

STORAGE: Keep open oyster sauce in the fridge as it can get moldy at room temp over time.

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can find vegetarian oyster sauce at Asian markets, but it won't say "vegetarian oyster sauce" on the label. Look for vegetarian stir fry sauce by Lee Kum Kee.

SOY SAUCE | SEE EW KAO | ซีอิ๊วขาว

You probably have Japanese or Chinese soy sauce in your kitchen already, and they can be used for Thai cooking, but Thai soy sauce does taste different. Compared to Chinese or Japanese soy sauces, ours is a little lighter in both color and body and has a distinctly different aroma and flavor.

Healthy Boy is a classic brand available at many Asian markets; look for a bottle labeled “thin soy sauce” (yellow label) or “mushroom soy sauce” (brown label); these are two varieties of Thai soy sauce. The mushroom version is the one I prefer, though either will work in your recipes just fine. For a deep dive, see Types of Soy Sauces Explained.

STORAGE: Soy sauce will not spoil at room temp, but keeping it in the fridge once opened, will preserve the flavour for longer.

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you cannot find Thai soy sauce, you can use your favourite Japanese soy sauce. A 1:1 substitution will still result in a tasty dish.

GOLDEN MOUNTAIN SAUCE (Thai Seasoning Sauce) | SAUCE PROONG ROHT  | ซอสปรุงรส

Yes, these are all seasoning sauces technically, but there is a specific type of sauce that we literally call “seasoning sauce.” I commonly refer to this as Golden Mountain Sauce because it is the most common brand available outside of Thailand.

It is actually a type of soy sauce, but with a different character; it is a bit richer and darker than Thai soy sauce and has a very similar flavour to Maggi Seasoning. We usually use Golden Mountain in combination with soy sauce in order to create a more complex flavour than soy sauce alone. We also love to drizzle it on eggs!

STORAGE: Because this is a type of soy sauce, you can store it in the same way. It will not spoil at room temp, but keeping it in the fridge once opened, will preserve the flavour for longer.

SUBSTITUTIONS: This is not an essential ingredient to stock, and wherever it is called for you can use an equal amount of soy sauce instead. However, if you have Maggi Seasoning or Bragg Liquid Aminos, they do taste quite similar, and these will be your best option.

BLACK SOY SAUCE | SEE EW DUM | ซีอิ๊วดำ

Black soy sauce is a nice-to-have ingredient but not essential because it’s not usually integral to the dish. Think soy sauce mixed with molasses - it’s thick, mildly salty, a little sweet, and very dark. It’s used mainly to add a dark brown color and a touch of richer flavor. Whenever you see a Thai dish with a very dark color, such as some dark soup broths or stir-fries, it’s probably see ew dum in action. 

Black soy sauce brands vary significantly in terms of how dark they are, so in my recipes I always give a range and you should always start with the smaller amount. Healthy Boy brand and Dragonfly brand (my preference) are two popular Thai black soy sauces, but Healthy Boy is much darker and less is required for the same colour.

For a deeper dive, see Types of Soy Sauces Explained.

STORAGE: Though I haven't personally seen black soy sauce gone bad at room temp, because it is not as salty as fish sauce or soy sauce, I like to keep it in the fridge just in case it gets mold.

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can substitute Chinese dark soy sauce, which will give you the dark color, but it tends to be saltier; so if using more than ½ teaspoon or so in the recipe, you want to cut back on other salty ingredients you’re adding. 

FERMENTED SOYBEAN PASTE | TAO JIEW | เต้าเจี้ยว

Tao jiew is the Thai version of miso, but with a pourable consistency and some whole soybeans are still visible. It’s very salty, with an edge of acidity, and its aroma is slightly different from that of Japanese miso. It’s not used often, but when it is, it is important to the character of that dish. Healthy Boy soybean paste is the most popular brand of tao jiew outside Thailand.

STORAGE: Once open, keep in the fridge.

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can substitute Japanese miso or Korean doenjang in roughly equal amounts, then thin it out with a bit of water to achieve a similar consistency. Be prepared to taste and adjust for saltiness.

FERMENTED SHRIMP PASTE | GAPI | กะปิ

​This salty, purplish-gray paste made from fermented small shrimp (or sometimes krill) is the epitome of "funky" and is used all over Southeast Asia. It’s one of those things that tastes better than it smells. It has lovers and haters. I am a proud lover of shrimp paste.

You may have eaten shrimp paste without knowing it, because most Thai curry pastes contain it in small amounts. You can buy Thai shrimp paste in a plastic tub, or the Malaysian type in a plastic-wrapped brick called belacan. 

STORAGE: Refrigerate after opening, but keep it tightly sealed and maybe even in a bag to prevent the smell from "perfuming" your fridge!

SUBSTITUTIONS: Where shrimp paste is used in small amounts, such as in curry pastes, you can omit it and add extra fish sauce instead. If omitting because you are vegan, substitute an equal amount of miso paste.

Note: Do not confuse this with a product called "shrimp paste in soybean oil" which is an orange paste in a glass jar. That is made from shrimp tomalley cooked with herbs and seasonings. It’s delicious added to fried rice and stir-fries, but it is not fermented and cannot be used as a substitute for gapi. 

The Sour 

Sour is an extremely important component in Thai cuisine. Every cuisine uses acids in their cooking in some manner, but I can't think of any other cuisine that uses it to the extent that we do. Here are two main acidic ingredients of Thai cuisine.

Herbs & Spices 

Here's a list of some of our core herbs and spices, some of which you may not be familiar with. There are obviously more than I'm showing here, but these are the most important and most commonly used ones. 

GALANGAL | KHA | ข่า

The key ingredient of the iconic soup tom kha gai, galangal is a firm rhizome whose aroma is very much like that of a lush pine forest. It’s cooling, calming, and refreshing. Although it looks like ginger, and many people will say that you can use ginger as a substitute, I insist that you don’t do this. Not if you expect it to have a similar flavor, anyway! 

There are two common uses of galangal: pounded into curry pastes, and sliced into rounds for infusing into soups such as tom yum soup. While not done as often, it can also be finely chopped and added to salads or stir fries. 

Galangal freezes very well. Slice it into thin rounds and freeze in a single layer on a tray lined with plastic wrap before storing in a freezer bag. 

For a deeper dive see my ultimate guide to galangal.

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you can't find fresh galangal, try looking first for frozen which will work just as well. Your second choice would be dried pieces of galangal which can work in soups, but not ideal if you're trying to grind it into a curry paste as it's very tough. I don't suggest using powdered galangal.

LEMONGRASS | TAKRAI | ตะไคร้ 

Lemongrass has a citrusy aroma but without the sour taste. It’s as core to Thai cuisine as garlic is to Italian cuisine. Lemongrass can be bruised and infused into soups, like a cinnamon stick might be, or finely chopped and added to salads, dips, or stir-fries. It’s also a key ingredient in many curry pastes. 

I use only the bottom half of lemongrass because the flavor gets weaker at the top. I freeze the tops for making stock, or if making soup such as tom yum soup or tom kha gai where the lemongrass is added to infuse and is then discarded, there is no harm in also adding the tops as some bonus flavour. You don't want to cook only with the top half. For a deeper dive see my ultimate guide to lemongrass.

STORAGE: Lemongrass freezes well. I cut it into 2- to 3-inch long pieces before freezing for ease of use. You can also buy stalks of lemongrass already frozen.

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you can't find fresh lemongrass, try looking first for frozen. Your second choice would be dried pieces of lemongrass which can work in soups, but not ideal if you're trying to grind it into a curry paste as they're very tough. I don't suggest using powdered lemongrass.

MAKRUT LIME LEAVES | BAI MAGROOD | ใบมะกรูด

​Previously called kaffir lime leaves, these thick, sturdy leaves smell like the grassier sister of lime zest. It’s all aroma, though, as makrut lime leaves don’t impart any of the sour taste you might expect from something with such a citrusy fragrance. 

Makrut lime leaves are extremely versatile. They can be roughly torn and infused into soups and broths, or finely julienned and added to just about anything you can imagine. Make sure those juliennes are really fine though, as these leaves are tough, and too-big juliennes can leave you feeling like you’ve got a piece of hay stuck in your teeth. 

We do not generally use the juice of makrut limes, of which there isn’t much anyway, though the zest is often used in curry pastes. Look for frozen leaves if you can’t find fresh; if not available, look for dried. For a deeper dive, see my ultimate guide to makrut lime leaves.

STORAGE: Makrut lime leaves freeze like a dream. Simply put them into a freezer bag and press as much air out as possible. 

SUBSTITUTIONS: If you can't find fresh makrut lime leaves, try looking first for frozen which will work just as well. Your second choice would be dried whole leaves which can work in soups and curries where it'll have a chance to rehydrate in the dish.

THAI BASIL | HORAPA | โหระพา

Fragrant and floral, Thai basil adds so much complexity to stir-fries and curries. It is quite widely available these days in Asian markets; and if not, it is also quite easy to grow in N. America in the summertime.

STORAGE: I keep my basil stems in a glass of water, loosely covered with a plastic bag on the counter. Remove the bag to air out excess moisture and change out the water every day, ideally, or as often as you remember. If you find that your basil stems have rooted in the water, you can plant them once the roots are at least an inch long.

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use Italian basil instead.

FRESH CHILIES | PRIK | พริก

To add spiciness in our dishes, we most often use small and super-spicy bird’s eye chilies, or prik kee noo. In North America, you can find these sold as “Thai chilies,” and they can be found red (ripe) or green (underripe). 

We also use larger, milder chilies to add color and chili flavor without heat, and for this we turn to spur chilies, or prik chee fa. These are not easy to find, but you can substitute any other mild red pepper you can find; even red bell pepper will do in a pinch. 

STORAGE: All chilies can be frozen and they'll last basically forever. Freeze them whole in a freezer bag and use them without thawing or they will turn mushy and become harder to chop.

SUBSTITUTIONS: You can use any kind of hot peppers that are available to you to replace the heat of Thai chilies. If large, mild fresh chilies are called for, you can also use any type that's available to you; worst case, red bell pepper will be fine.

DRIED CHILIES | PRIK HAENG | พริกแห้ง

We use two major types of dried chilies: small (spicy) and large (mild). Don’t get too hung up on which specific varieties you need, because fortunately most dried chilies have a similar-enough flavor that they can be substituted for one another in Thai recipes, but you do want to be aware of the heat levels, which vary greatly. 

Spicy, small dried chilies are used to add heat to curry pastes, and we also roast and grind them up into chili flakes, which can be added to just about anything. In Thailand we use dried bird's eye chilies. In the West, the generic no-name dried chilies you can usually find at Chinese grocery stores, as well as Mexican chiles de árbol, are great for this purpose, and they are not too hot.

Large, mild dried chilies are most often used in curry paste because we want to maximize the bright red color and chili flavor without making the curry too spicy. The Thai variety, prik chee fa, is essentially impossible to source, but dried guajillo or puya peppers are perfect substitutes. You can find them anywhere Latin American groceries are sold. You can also use Korean gochugaru pepper flakes instead.

STORAGE: Keep dried chilies in a cool dry place. If you live in a warm, humid place, I recommend freezing dried chilies to prevent mold.

PANDAN LEAF | BAI TOEY | ใบเตย

This aromatic, long, blade-shaped leaf is the star of Thai desserts because its floral aroma pairs fantastically with coconut. Most commonly, we simmer the leaf in liquid to infuse its fragrance, though it can be blended with water and strained when its natural green color is also desired. In stores, they can sometimes be labelled as screwpine leaves or lá dứa in Vietnamese.

STORAGE: I cut my pandan leaves into 5-6 inch pieces and freeze in a freezer bag.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Fresh pandan leaves are harder to find, though frozen ones are perfectly fine to use. In fact, if I buy them fresh, I end up freezing them anyway. Pandan extract, though not ideal, can be used instead - but be sure to add a little at a time as it can be intense and easy to overdo. 

Dry Goods

COCONUT MILK | GATI | กะทิ 

Coconut milk is our only source of creaminess because we do not traditionally use dairy in Thai cooking. And when it comes to Thai dessert, coconut milk is as essential to us as butter is to Western pastries. 

A caveat: Some modern cooks have started using evaporated milk in a few dishes such as creamy tom yum and curry crab, but it is not a traditional ingredient.

Coconut milk quality varies a great deal and it's important that you know how to choose a good one. In my ultimate guide to coconut milk I talk about how to choose a good one out of all the brands that line store shelves, and I highly recommend you check that out. But in short, my recommended brand is Aroy-D in the UHT paper carton. But Chaokoh in the paper carton is good too.

Do not use coconut cream when recipes call for coconut milk. Coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk, but different brands vary greatly in how much fat it actually contains. Traditional Thai cooking is based in the use of freshly squeezed coconut milk, which is not nearly as fatty as some commercial coconut cream can be, which is why I never call for it. Of course you can use coconut cream if your intention is to utilize the higher fat content, I just want to stress that it cannot be used interchangeably with coconut milk.

STORAGE: You can keep open coconut milk in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. It can also be frozen, however, when thawed it will be curdled, so you'll just need to heat it up until hot and it will be smooth again.

Want to know how coconut milk is made? Watch my short documentary! How Coconut Milk is Made: From Farm to Cans.

COOKING OIL | NAM MUN | น้ำมัน 

You can use any neutral-flavored, high-heat-resistant oil for Thai cooking. I personally use avocado oil because it is a healthier option, but because that’s pricey, I use canola when I deep-fry. 

You may think we use coconut oil a lot in Thai cuisine, but we actually mostly use coconut milk and rarely the oil. If you want to use coconut oil, choose refined coconut oil, which does not have the coconut flavor. Using virgin coconut oil will make everything taste like coconut!

DRIED SHRIMP | GOONG HANG | กุ้งแห้ง

Basically, goong hang are shrimp jerky. Little shrimp are salted and dried in the sun, and in that process they develop a robust, savory flavor. You can buy these in the refrigerated section at Asian grocery stores. I stick with medium-sized ones, which are most versatile. Freeze them and they will last indefinitely. 

SUBSTITUTION: Depending on the recipe, you may be able to just omit dried shrimp altogether, as in the case of pad thai. In salads however, I like to substitute Japanese bonito flakes.

RICE NOODLES | SEN GUAY TIEW | เส้นก๋วยเตี๋ยว

If you're not experienced with rice noodles, or if you find yourself often having trouble cooking them well, I highly recommend watching my video on How to Cook Rice Noodles Properly.

Dry rice noodles are a great thing to keep in your pantry because they are versatile and last seemingly forever. Choose brands from Thailand if possible, as Vietnamese ones can sometimes have tapioca starch mixed in and will have a slightly different texture.

They come in many sizes and shapes, but the thin ones are the most convenient for weeknight cooking because they don’t take long to soak and cook. 

Rice is a foundational ingredient of Thai cuisine, as it is for many other Asian cuisines. And over the years I’ve gotten a lot of questions about different types of rice: jasmine rice, basmati rice, short grain rice. How are they different? When should you use which rice? And do they need to be cooked differently? So in this article I want to demystify all of that and help you make the right rice decision for your next meal!

I’m going to talk about the 3 most common types of rice used in Asia: Japanese short and medium grain rice (aka "sushi rice"), basmati rice, and jasmine rice.

Video: Sushi, Jasmine and Basmati Rice Explained + How to Cook Them

If you prefer watching to reading, in this video I cover most of what is included in this article, but you may find the visuals of the video more helpful as they more clearly show the differences between the types of rice. The video also includes a demo for how to cook each type properly.

The 3 Types of Rice Most Commonly Eaten in Asia

Let's go through the types of rice we're going to cover here.

First is what most people call "sushi rice." There are many varieties that fall into this category, some are considered short grain and others are considered medium grain. For this article I’ll call it "sushi rice" for simplicity, but know that in addition to Japan, this is also the type of rice that’s also eaten in Korea and parts of China. 

Then we have jasmine rice which is the staple rice of Southeast Asia. For our discussion jasmine rice will also represent other varieties of long grain rice that are similar but not technically jasmine. I’ll call these “jasmine adjacents,” which will also include the generic “long grain white rice” that you see in most Western grocery stores. 

Finally basmati rice, the longest grain of them all, and this is the rice eaten in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. Like the other two this also represents the many other subtypes of basmati rice that also exist.

Aroma Comparison

There is also big a difference in the way these types of rice smell. Most known for its fragrance is Thai jasmine rice. The reason it is called jasmine rice is because of its beautiful floral aroma similar to jasmine flower. In Thai jasmine rice is called "hom mali" rice which means "fragrant of jasmine flowers." You can smell this scent even before you cook the rice!

Basmati rice is also fragrant, though the aroma is different from jasmine rice. I’d describe it as having a grassier aroma, whereas jasmine is more floral.

Sushi rice is not as fragrant as the other two. It does have that smell you associate with rice in general, but it isn't distinctly aromatic. That was one thing I immediately noticed the first time I cooked sushi rice after a lifetime of cooking jasmine!

What About Brown Rice?

So where does brown rice fit into all this? Brown rice is not another type of rice, it's just processed differently. All white rice has a brown version because white rice is simply brown rice with the bran removed.

So brown rice is going to be more fibrous, and chewier than their white counterpart, but the chew is coming from the brown bran on the outside, and not the rice on the inside. You can cook brown rice using the same method as white rice, but you’ll need a little more water and a little more time because it takes more time for the water to penetrate through the bran. 

Here’s my hot tip: If you don’t like brown rice because you think it tastes like chewy twigs, try brown Thai jasmine rice; meaning real hom mali rice. It is the best tasting, softest brown rice I’ve had, and the jasmine aroma will counteract any twiggy flavour from the bran.

How to Cook Different Types of Rice

The good news is that even though they are very different, you can actually cook all 3 types of rice using this standard method of cooking rice most common in Asia. It's the simplest, it's the same method that electric rice cookers use, and I think it yields the best results.

BUT you will need different amounts of water to match the rice you're cooking, as outlined below. There are other factors that can affect how much water you need, and we’ll talk more about that in a bit, but the type of rice is by far the biggest determinant.

If you're using a rice cooker, you still need to add the correct amount of water. The rice cooker is not magic, all it's doing is stopping the cooking when all the water has been absorbed, it cannot fix dry or mushy rice. So here is a guideline for how much water you need for each type of rice.

How Much Water Do You Need To Cook Different Types of Rice?

If you're using the standard stovetop method, OR if you're using a rice cooker, here's the amount of water you need:

For sushi rice (Japanese short grain and medium grain, including US grown brands)

• You need a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 part water, by volume.

So 1 cup of rice, 1 cup of water. Whatever kind of cup, coffee cup, rice cup, measuring cup, it doesn't matter, it's all about the ratio. This ratio also seems to be quite stable between brands in my experience, but you can adjust according to your preference.

If you have a Japanese rice cooker like a Zojirushi, and you’re using the rice cup that comes with the cooker to measure your rice, you’ll notice that this ratio of water corresponds to the “white rice” line in the rice cooker, so you can go with that line to simplify. By extension, if you're cooking jasmine or basmati rice in a Japanese rice cooker, you cannot use those water lines. 

For jasmine rice and its adjacents.

• You need a ratio of 1 part rice to 1¼ to 1½ parts water, depending on the variety, brand, and your preference.

If your rice cooker comes from a country that eats primarily jasmine and long grain white rice, including Thailand, Hong Kong, even US and Canada, AND if you’re using the measuring cup that came with the rice cooker to measure, you’ll notice that the water lines in these rice cooker corresponds to a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 ½ parts water.

For basmati rice

• You need a ratio of 1 part rice to 1 ¾ - 2 parts water, again depending on the variety, brand and your preference.

Other factors affecting the amount of water needed to cook rice

The ratio of water I provided is just a guideline, as there are other factors that can affect the amount of water needed, beyond the type of rice.  

1. The brand of rice. Even though you’re cooking the same type of rice, the specific plant varieties can be different between brands. AND the processing can most certainly be different. Rice has to be dried before it’s milled and packaged, and how LONG the rice was dried will affect how much water is required to rehydrate it in the cooking process.
   So if you’re working with a new brand of rice, be aware that it may require a different amount of water than you're used to.
2. Evaporation during cooking. How much water you add is one thing, but how much is lost during cooking is another. This depends on how high your heat is, how wide or narrow your pot is, how tight fitting your lid is, etc. Some people leave the pot uncovered in the beginning in order to see if the rice is boiling, so they’ll lose more water that way. All these things are slightly different for everyone.
3. Your preference. Some people like rice that is firmer and dryer, others prefer it softer. I always find the rice at my parents' house too soft, but that’s how they like it, and that's okay! Also, if you're going to use the rice for fried rice, you may want to add slightly less water.

Does the 1-Knuckle Rule Work?

Some of you might have been taught to cook rice by adding enough water so that it is “1 knuckle” above the rice, specifically the first knuckle of your index finger. Does this method work? 

Well, it CAN work, but not always.

If you use the 1-knuckle rule, the rice to water ratio will be roughly equivalent to 1 : 1 ½ IF you're cooking at least 2 rice-cups of rice (1.5 measuring cups). So this is why it generally works for jasmine rice and its long grain white rice adjacents. And if you talk to people who follow the 1-knuckle rule, you’ll find that they are usually cooking this type of rice and cooking enough to feed a family. (I'm looking at you, my East Asian friends.)

And because jasmine rice is generally quite forgiving, meaning you can add a little more or a little less water and still have decent rice, the 1-knuckle rule seems to work for a lot of people despite different finger lengths.

But there are a few situations where the 1-knuckle rule does not work:

1. If you’re using Japanese short/medium grain rice, basmati rice, or another kind of rice that takes a different ratio of water, it won't work.
2. Your rice pot is not straight sided. If the pot has sloped or curved sides, like the pot of my Zojirushi rice cooker, it won't work.
3. If your rice happens to be new crop, the 1-knuckle rule might produce slightly too-wet rice.
4. If you're cooking a tiny bit of rice, i.e. 1 rice-cup (¾ measuring cup) or less, it will not work. These days I often cook only half a rice-cup at a time because it's the perfect amount for my son's lunch box, and using 1-knuckle would mean way too much water.
5. This is obvious but it must be said: if you have unusually long or short knuckle!

Which Type of Rice Should You Use For Which Dish?

This is a important aspect of cooking with rice. You could cook the perfect rice, but if it's the wrong rice for the job, it won't be a perfect meal. We now know that there are huge differences between types of rice, so it should go without saying that they are NOT interchangeable.

Here’s my rule of thumb: You should always serve the rice that matches the cuisine. If you’re making japanese food, use Japanese rice. If you’re cooking Thai food, use jasmine rice. Indian food, basmati rice, etc.

Each country’s cuisine has been designed to pair with the rice that is local to their country. The food was not developed independent of the rice.

So if you mix and match, sometimes it might be okay, but other times it’s not. The extreme example is if you try to make sushi using basmati rice. Basmati rice will not hold together. But a more subtle example is if you try to eat a Thai green curry with basmati rice. Thai green curry, and most other Thai curries, are very thin and soupy, and if you poured it over basmati rice which doesn’t stick together at all, the rice will just turn into a soupy mess. But Thai rice with stick together enough.