''Authentic Thai dishes prepared at home.'' Thai food is best known for its bold flavors and manages an exquisite balance of spicy, sour, salty and sweet. For home cooks who love Thai food, Linda Stephen demystifies this cuisine and readily brings its authentic flavors to family meals. Drawing on her extensive travels to Thailand, where she conducts tours and cooking classes, the author captures her love of Thai cuisine and shares her experiences. Her outstanding recipes require a minimum of preparation time, use simplified techniques, and result in colorful, fragrant dishes that seduce the senses. A sampling of these magical dishes: ''Starters'' spring rolls with pork and shrimp; pumpkin and coconut soup ''Perennial favorites'' green mango salad; Pad Thai; garlic shrimp ''Dishes to awaken the palate'' chili beef with peppers; glazed spare ribs; chicken with asparagus and mint; sweet and sour scallops ''Curries'' green curry with chicken and eggplant; tofu with red curry; massaman beef curry; stir-fried curried pork satay ''Vegetable side dishes'' green beans with cashews and chilies; asparagus and tofu with roasted chili paste ''Finishing touches'' sticky rice with mango; Thai iced coffee. Linda Stephen also adapts many common dishes to reflect Thai flavors, including Thai-style pulled pork and roasted chicken. In these 200 delicious and authentic recipes illustrated with lush color photography, the author's expertise truly shines.