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SPECIAL INGREDIENTS
A LITTLE PLANNING AHEAD
MAKES STIR-FRYING EASIER.
Agar-Agar
Is made from different types of seaweed. It
has excellent setting properties, similar to
gelatine, and will set at room temperature.
Bok choy
Also known as Chinese chard or Chinese
white cabbage, has fleshy white stems and
dark green leaves. It has a slight mustard
taste. There is also a smaller version called
shanghai or baby bok choy.
Bamboo shoots
The young tender shoots of bamboo plants
are available in cans. They are mainly used
to add texture to food.
Coconut cream and coconut milk
Both coconut cream and milk are extracted
from the grated flesh of mature coconuts.
The cream is a richer first pressing and the
milk the second or third pressing.
Chili peppers, fresh and dried
Chili peppers are available in many different
types and sizes. The small ones (Thai,
macho, serrano, jalapeno) are the hottest.
Use tight fitting gloves when handling and
chopping fresh chilies they can burn your
skin. The chili seeds are the hottest part of
the chilies so remove them if you want to
reduce the heat content of recipes.
Cilantro
This is also known as coriander and Chinese
parsley. It is essential to many Southeast
Asian cuisines. A strongly flavored herb,
use it sparingly until you are accustomed to
the unique flavor. Parsley can be used as a
substitute; it looks the same but tastes quite
different. Cilantro is available fresh. The
dried spice version is labeled coriander and
is available whole or ground.
Char siu sauce
This is the equivalent of Chinese
BBQ sauce.
Crisp fried shallots
These are available pre-prepared from most
Asian supermarkets.
Fish sauce
A thin, salty dark brown sauce with a
distinctive fishy smell, which is used
extensively in Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
It is made from small fish that have been
fermented in the sun. Fish sauce replaces
salt in many recipes.
Garam marsala
A blend of spices, usually consisting of
some combination of cinnamon, cumin,
pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and
mace. It can be bought already blended from
supermarkets, but it is best freshly made. It
is usually added towards the end of cooking.
Green Ginger Wine
An Australian made alcoholic sweet wine
infused with finely ground ginger.
Hoisin sauce
This sauce is a thick sweet Chinese
barbecue sauce made from a mixture of
salted black beans, onions and garlic.
Hoikkien noodles
Also known as fukkien, these are thick,
yellow and rubbery in texture. They are
made from wheat flour and are cooked and
lightly oiled before being packaged and
sold. The noodles need to be broken up
before cooking.
Rice noodles
These are fresh white noodles, they do not
require a lot of cooking.
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