Mingkwan - Quick & Easy Vietnamese Cooking

The Asian finger-length red or green chili is moderately hot. Dried red chilies are ground to make chili flakes or ground red pepper . Tiny birds-eye chilies are extremely hot. Whether sliced or minced, the chili seeds are usually removed. Coconut milk can be bought fresh from local markets and is also available canned and in packets. It comes in varying consistencies and you will need to adjust the consistency and flavor by adding water as needed.

In general, you should add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of canned or packet coconut cream to obtain thick coconut milk, and 2 cups of water to 1 cup of coconut cream to obtain thin coconut milk. Coriander is an indispensable herb in Vietnamese cooking. Coriander seeds are roasted and then ground in spice pastes. Coriander roots are used in the same way, while coriander leaves (also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley) are used as a herb and a garnish. Dried rice paper wrappers are spring roll wrappers made from rice flour, water and salt, that are steamed and dried in the sun on bamboo racks, which leaves a crosshatched imprint. Dried rice paper wrappers must be moistened before using.

Available in many Asian food markets, they will keep for many months if stored in a cool dark place. Dried shrimp paste is known as belachan in Malay, trasi in Indonesian and kapee in Thai. It is a dense mixture of fermented ground prawns that should be toasted before use either wrapped in foil and dry-roasted in a pan or toasted over a gas flame on a spoon. Fish sauce is made from salted, fermented fish or shrimp. Good quality fish sauce is golden brown in color and has a salty tang. It is available in bottles in most supermarkets.

Five spice powder is a highly aromatic blend of Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, clove, fennel and star anise, ground to a fine powder. Five spice powder is available in packets in the spice section of Asian markets and many well-stocked supermarkets. Galangal is an aromatic root similar in appearance to ginger and a member of the same family. It adds a distinctive fragrance and flavor to many dishes, and many stores now sell it fresh. It can be sliced and kept sealed in the freezer for several months. Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained sticky rice that is widely used in Asia.

It is often used in desserts. Buy glutinous rice in the packaged grains section of supermarkets. Look for intact kernels that arent broken, scratched, or damaged. Store rice in a cool, dry area in a sealed glass or plastic container, away from the open air and moisture. Glutinous rice comes in white or black varieties. Jicama , also known as bangkuang or yam bean, is a crunchy, mild tuber similar to a potato with a white interior and beige skin which peels off easily.

It is excellent eaten raw with a spicy dip, and can also be cooked. Daikon radish can be used as a substitute. Lemongrass is a highly aromatic herb. The tough outer layers of the stem should be peeled away and only the pale, inner part of the thick end are used. Mung beans are sold dried in packets and need to be soaked in water before use. Noodles, both fresh and dried, are widely used in Vietnamese cooking. Noodles, both fresh and dried, are widely used in Vietnamese cooking.

Fine dried rice vermicelli or beehoon / mifen ( banh hoi ) are similar to glass noodles, but made of rice flour. Dried glass noodles or tang hoon ( mien in the north and bun tao in the south) are translucent noodles made from mung bean starch. Both types of noodles need to be blanched with hot water before using. Palm sugar is made from the distilled juice of various palm fruits and varies in color from golden to dark brown. It has a rich flavor similar to dark brown sugar or maple sugar, which make good substitutes. Rice vinegar is mild and faintly fragrant, and is the preferred vinegar throughout Southeast Asia.

If you cannot obtain rice vinegar, use distilled white vinegar, but reduce the quantity. Saw-leaf herb , also known as long coriander, has a long, serrated green leaf. Mint or shiso leaves are good substitutes. Star anise is a dark brown, strongly-flavored spice that resembles an eight-pointed star. Its aroma is similar to anise or cinnamon.