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Asian Food Glossary |
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| Owing to the increasing interest in Asian cookery, you may wonder what certain ingredient used in Asian recipes mean ? Here you can browse through various ingredients used in Asian food most commonly. |
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| Bamboo shoots | Cone-shaped, light-colored shoots of tropical bamboo, usually sold canned in Chinese or oriental provision stores. Leftover shoots can be stored for up to 2 weeks if they are transferred to a screw-top container, immersed in water, and kept in the refrigerator. Change the water daily. There is no real substituted, although celery hearts have a similar texture. |
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| Basil | Asian basil also known as sweet basil is used widely in Thailand . Several varieties are used to flavored foods. The sweet aromatic fragrance of bai horapa graces many dishes. Maenglak or lemon basil is used in soups. Basil leaves are best used fresh, they do not retain their flavour when dried. |
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| Banana blossom | Dok Kluai in Thai, is also called 'banana heart' as its shape is similar to a cow's heart and it is found at the end of banana fruit bunch. The tough outer layers must be removed until the yellow part is exposed. This part can be finely cubed and cooked with spices or blanched and eaten with sauce dip. |
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| Bean curd | Made from soy beans, there are several types ranging from soft white to small hard squares. The soft bean curd is used in soup while the hard variety is used in fried dishes. It can be kept for up to 10 days if drained and then stored, immersed in water, in a sealed container. Change the water daily. It is also available canned. |
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| Bean sprouts | The young sprouts of the mung bean, the plant which also produces the product from which soy sauce and soya protein are derived. Bean sprouts are used extensively as a vegetable in Chinese cooking and can be obtained fresh from Chinese or oriental provision stores. Fresh sprouts will keep for about 2 days in the refrigerator. To keep longer, transfer to a screw-top container, immerse in cold water, and keep in refrigerator. They will keep for up to 2 weeks, providing the water is changed every 2 or 3 days. If fresh sprouts are not available, canned can be substituted but rinse canned bean sprouts thoroughly under cold running water before using. |
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| Bilimbi (Belimbing asam) | A small, light green fruit with a sourish taste. Used in curries and smabals to give an appetising tangy flavor to the dish. It is also used to tenderise meat. |
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| Black beans, fermented | Soya beans, strongly flavored and preserved, are an important ingredient in both Cantonese and Szechuan cooking. Sold in plastic bags or in cans. Transfer leftover beans to a screw-top container and store in refrigerator. They will keep for up to six months. Extra Soya sauce may be substituted. |
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| Black shrimp paste (Haeko) | This thick dark paste is sold in plastic jars. It is made from prawns (shrimps) and is usually taken straight from the jar and diluted with a little warm water before use. |
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| Butterfly / Blue pea flowers | Anjan in Thai, this tropical, slender twiner has dark bluish purple showy flowers. The flowers can be boiled with a little water to obtain a blue colour solution that can be used to colour desserts. The seeds and roots are used in India as laxative and diuretic. |
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| Bonito flakes | The shavings of dried, smoked and cured bonito fish, sold in fine or coarse flakes in small plastic packs. Fine flakes are used as a garnish while coarse flakes are used to make dashi fish stock. Store unused portions in an airtight container or plastic bag. | |
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