Sambal is Indonesian chili paste with countless variants
Chili, or a combination chilies, is the ingredient for sambal, the Indonesian chili paste or sauce which is either cooked or raw. Secondary ingredients vary. Garlic, …
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.
Panko (Japanese bread flakes)
Strictly speaking, panko isn’t even crumbs the way bread crumbs are understood by the English-speaking world. They are light and airy flakes.
Crispy fried shallots and garlic
Sprinkling crispy fried shallots and garlic over cooked food before serving isn’t merely about aesthetics. They add flavor, texture and aroma that give panache to many …
Sichuan (Szechuan) pepper
Black pepper is Piper nigrum. Sichuan pepper is either red (Zanthoxylum simulans) or green (Zanthoxylum schinifolium), it is not hot, but it leaves a numbing and tingling …
Anise (aniseed) and star anise are different spices
Anise / aniseed is Pimpinella anisum. Star anise is Illicium verum. Their flavor and aroma are similar to licorice. Can they be used interchangeably in cooking?
Fermented fish sauce: how it is made and used in cooking
We call it patis in the Philippines. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it is nam pla in Thailand, nuoc mam in Vietnam, nam pa in Laos, tuk trey in Cambodia, …
Butterfly pea flowers
Steep to make a blue herbal brew that can be drank like tea or use to make Malaysian nasi kerabu. The scientific name Clitoria ternatea.