Spices & Powders

5-lb bags of ground black and white pepper for the standing prep, curry powder for the kao mun, turmeric and paprika by the same case, whole peppercorns for the mortar. Spices in a Thai kitchen rotate faster than the back shelf wants to admit, and a stale 5-lb bag is more expensive than the fresh one. The prep cook knows when a turmeric has gone flat by the color of the rice it touches.