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Far Eastern cuisines depend on their own distinctive flavours, therefore I have listed some of the ingredients needed to create these dishes. Most of these ingredients will be available from an oriental grocers or they are now becominge more widely available through supermarkets.
Aubergines Many varieties of aubergine are used in Thailand from the small green pea aubergine to the white/yellow/purple golf ball sized aubergine right up to the full size common purple aubergine in everyday use.
Bamboo Shoots Usually available in cans these are the shoots of young bamboo plants cultivated in China. Rinse before use and they add texture to stir-fry's, can be kept covered in daily water changes in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Basil - Holy and Sweet Fresh holy basil has darker leaves and a deeper sharper aniseed flavour than the sweet basil normally found. Usually added at the end of a dish for flavour and garnish, can be kept frozen. If unavailable use the ordinary sweet basil.
Bean Curd Usually sold in blocks in liquid which is discarded, it is made from puréed and pressed soy beans. Readily absorbing other flavours it can be added to soups and stir-fry's but as it has a texture like soft cheese it needs careful stirring so not to break it up.
Bean Sauces Available as black bean, red bean and yellow bean, these sauces are made from crushed soy beans adding a spicy-salty, flavourful and colourful addition to stir-fry's. Available in cans or jars.
Bean Sprouts Tender young sprouts from the mung bean, use only the freshest white looking sprouts. Can be eaten raw in salads or slightly cook them in stir-fry's to keep their light and crisp qualities. Can be kept bagged in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, avoid the canned varieties which are just too soggy.
Chillis Some of the hottest chillis are grown in Thailand, including the tiny birds eye, mainly added to stir-fry's whole or split longways, or ground into curry pastes.
Chilli Paste & Sauces Various chillis and ingredients go into all the different pastes and sauces available. Usually ground and roasted the chillis are then made into sauces and pastes with oil, vinegars, sugars, salts, garlic, etc. The sauces can be used as seasoning in stir-fry's or as a dip to deep fried crisp snacks.
Coconut Coconut milk can now be prepared from coconut block, powdered, desiccated and frozen coconut flesh, or poured straight from a tin, but try making your own coconut milk, pour hot water over grated coconut flesh and let stand for 15-20 minutes and then strain and squeeze out through a piece of muslin. If kept for a while the thicker cream will eventually rise to the top and can be skimmed off to use separately.
Coriander / Cilantro Fresh coriander is used extensively to flavour and garnish food, roots and stems should be kept washed and dried for marinades and making pastes. Fresh coriander will freeze well if needed to flavour a dish but will be too limp after freezing to use as a garnish. Coriander seeds are used ground to flavour curries.
Curry Leaves These fresh leaves are often available at oriental grocers, being light olive green they add a fresh aromatic taste to a dish, can be added whole or tour into the final stages of a dish. Also available dried.
Dried Shrimp These small, shelled shrimps are salted and dried in the sun and are strongly flavoured. Best washed and rehydrated before use they are used for seasoning for vegetables and meat and often used in stuffing. Choose the pinkiest freshest looking variety.
Fish Sauce This sauce is a must for all Thai and Vietnamese cooking as there is no satisfactory substitute. Available in bottles in different varieties, anchovy, squid and prawn etc with different flavour and strengths, it will add a savoury salty taste to any dish. Used in the making of many dipping sauces.
Galangal Looks similar to ginger but with a pinkier tinge and less of a pungent flavour. Bought either fresh or dried and needs to be peeled and sliced before using. If not available use fresh ginger instead but cut the quantity by about half.
Ginger Always use fresh root ginger not the powder, the root is peeled and sliced thinly and will give a wonderful refreshing, pungent, citrus-like aroma to any dish with also a hotness.
Greens Chinese greens are boiled or stir fried very briefly to retain colour, crispness and vitamins. Often a small amount of meat is used to enhance the taste of vegetable dishes. Chinese Chives- Similar to ordinary chives but are thicker and darker in colour, with a stronger taste
Hoisin Sauce Reddish brown, thick and sweet this sauce is made from soy beans, flour, sugar, vinegar, garlic, chilli and sesame oil. Used in marinating, stir-fry's or as a dip. Keeps indefinitely in a jar in the refrigerator.
Kaffir Lime Leaves These leaves are dark green and glossy coming from the kaffir lime tree, they keep well in the refrigerator and can also be frozen. Best cut with scissors if needed in fine strips they add they add a pungent lemony lime flavour to a dish.
Kaffir Limes These limes are roughly the same size as normal lime but they have a darker skin which is all knobbly. The skin is often zested in curry pastes, substitute normal limes if they are not available.
Karachai Same family as the ginger, galangal and turmeric, but with a thinner root. Can be found fresh or dried and has a fiercer, wilder flavour than ginger.
Lemon Grass These stalks are about the same size as spring onions but are hard skinned and fibrous, usually bought in bundles. The ends should be trimmed off and outer wrap removed if tough, they will add an intense lemon flavour and scent to cooking. Will last up to 3 weeks in a refrigerator or can be frozen.
Oyster Sauce This thick liquid is made from a concentrate of oysters with soy sauce, it is dark brown and has a rich but not fishy flavour. Features mostly in Chinese cooking.
Mushrooms Various mushrooms are used in Chinese cooking to provide texture and taste. Black mushrooms, Wood Ear and Cloud Ears not only provide taste but they also absorb the flavours of the dish, but they also need cooking longer so are best used in soups adding a slimy buy crunchy texture. All dried mushrooms will need rehydrating in hot water before slicing and cooking. Straw mushrooms - tinned, cultivated on rice straws in paddy fields
Palm Sugar A thick brown sugar with a strong slightly bitter caramel taste made from palms. Usually sold in a block but if unavailable use a soft dark brown sugar as a replacement.
Shrimp Paste Made from shrimp and salt that have been fermented and mashed to a paste. Found in jars and tins and mostly used in the making of Thai curry pastes. Anchovy paste could be used as a substitute.
Sesame Oil Thick, aromatic oil which is pressed from roasted sesame seeds. Not used in cooking with, but more for marinating or adding the final flavour to a dish just before serving.
Soy Sauces Made from soy beans, wheat or barley, salt, sugar and yeast
Star Anise Pungent star like liquorice-tasting spice used to add flavour to meat and poultry, Available whole or in powdered form.
Szechwan Peppercorns These tiny reddish brown peppercorns should be bought whole and dry roasted and ground up when needed to add aroma and a slightly numbing hotness to dishes.
Tamarind These are the pods taken from the tamarind tree, usually found compressed into blocks. To extract the tamarind juice pour over hot water and gradually break down the tamarind block, as it starts to dissolve sieve out the seeds and any other bits to be left with a thick sauce. The longer it is left to dissolve the stronger and thicker the juice. It has quite a sour acidic taste and lemon juice may be substituted if unavailable. Also available as a paste in bottles.
Turmeric Member of the ginger family and sometimes can be found fresh, having a brownish skin and a vivid orange flesh, needing peeling and grating before use. Most often it is found in its bright yellow dried form and will add a hot flavour to a dish.
Water Chestnuts Crisp, sweet-tasting walnut sized bulb from the sedge, cultivated in paddy fields. Can be eaten raw or used to provide a sweet crunchy texture to stir-fry's Mexican Recipes |
