How pandan leaves are used in cooking
A fibrous herb used widely in Southeast Asian cooking, pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) has an aroma that is all at once sweet, floral and nutty with a hint of …
Cooking ingredients
To cook any dish properly, a good introduction to the ingredients that go into it is a must. For example, when a recipe lists scallions as an ingredient, does it refer to onion leaves, or are scallions and onion leaves different from one another? What is the proper way to rehydrate dried mushrooms? What is fish sauce and why is salt not a worthy substitute? What is shrimp paste and why is it such an important ingredient in Asian cooking? All these and more in this section.
What’s the difference between cilantro and coriander?
In cookbooks and online recipes, coriander and cilantro are used interchangeably. Both terms refer to Coriandrum sativum.
Broccoli stems are edible and nutritious
Facebook feeds of friends are filled these days with snapshots of price tags of vegetables in the market. Per kilo, yard-long beans cost more than pork belly. Broccoli is …
When stir frying, always use oil with a high smoke point
You can’t stir fry properly unless you crank up the heat. High temperature cooking requires a cooking oil with a high smoke point. What oil is ideal?
What are sea cucumbers? How are they cooked?
Sea cucumber is known by various names around the world. It is bêche-de-mer in France, bicho do mar in Portugal, namako in Japanese, trepang in Indonesia, gamat in …
Adlay / adlai (Job’s tears)
Adlay or adlai (Job's tears) is a grain that looks like cracked rice. It is cooked like rice (by water absorption) but the cooked texture and mouthfeel resembles pasta …
Sesame seeds, sesame oil and sesame paste
We find them on hamburger buns and bread sticks, and most people think they’re merely decorative. Sesame seeds are more than a food decoration. They add a subtle crunch, …