Periplus Editors - Quick & easy Asian vegetarian recipes : nutritious and delicious alternatives

Ingredients Glossary Asian eggplants are long and slender, smaller and milder than Mediterranean globe eggplants. They can be either purple or green. Asafoetida is a pungent gum which is usually sold in powdered form. Use very small amountsa pinch is enough. Keep well sealed when not in use. Bamboo shoots are the fresh shoots of the bamboo plant.

Pre-cooked bamboo shoots, packed in water, can be found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets. Canned bamboo shoots are also pre-cooked but should be boiled for 5 minutes to refresh before using. Black Chinese mushrooms , also known as shiitake mushrooms, are used widely in Asian cooking. The dried ones must be soaked in hot water to soften before use, from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the thickness. The stems are removed and discarded; only the caps are used. Fresh shiitake mushroom stems can be eaten if the bottoms are trimmed.

Substitute with porcini mushrooms. Fresh shiitake are increasingly available in supermarkets. Bok choy is a highly nutritious variety of cabbage with long, crisp stalks and spinach-like leaves. It has a clean, slightly peppery flavor and is a wonderful addition to soups and stir-fries. It is available in most well-stocked supermarkets. Cardamom pods are highly aromatic and contain tiny black seeds.

If whole pods are used, they should be removed from the food before serving. If only the seeds are called for, lightly smash the pods and remove the seeds, discarding the pods. Ground cardamon is sold in packets or tins. Chili peppers come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Fresh green and red Asian finger-length chilies are moderately hot. Dried chilies are usually deseeded, cut into lengths and soaked in warm water to soften before use.

Ground red pepper , also known as cayenne pepper, is a pungent red powder made from ground dried chilies. Substitute dried red chili flakes or chili paste. Chili oil is made from dried chilies or chili powder infused in oil, which is used to enliven some Sichuan dishes. Chili paste consists of pounded fresh or dried chilies, sometimes mixed with vinegar and garlic and sold in jars. Chinese celery is much smaller with thinner stems than normal Western celery, and has a very intense, parsley-like flavor. The leaves and sometimes the stems are added to soups, rice dishes and stir-fried vegetables.

This type of celery is obtainable in Asian specialty stores. Use celery leaves or Italian parsley as a substitute. Coconut milk is available canned or in packets in most well-stocked supermarkets. It comes in varying consistencies and you will need to adjust the thickness by adding water as needed. In general, you should add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of 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 and spice in Asian 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. Curry leaves are sold in sprigs containing 815 small, green leaves and are used to flavor Indian curries. There is no good substitute. Daikon radish is a large, crisp, white-fleshed root with a sweet and clean flavor. It is widely used in Chinese and Japanese cooking and can be eaten raw or cooked.

The skin needs to be peeled and scrubbed before using. Used mainly in soups and stir-fries, it is available in Asian markets and any well-stocked supermarket. Enokitaki (golden mushrooms) are clusters of slender, cream-colored stalks with tiny caps, and are available fresh and tinned. The tough ends of the enokitaki should be discarded before use. Galangal is similar in appearance to ginger and a member of the same family. This aromatic root has a distinctive flavor that is used in dishes throughout Asia.

Dried galangal lacks the fragrance of fresh galangal, so try to buy it fresh. It can be sliced and kept sealed in the freezer for several months. Garam masala is an Indian blend of powdered spices, usually including cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, fennel, black pepper and salt. Pre-blended garam masala can be bought from any store specializing in spices. Store in an airtight jar away from heat or sunlight. Ghee is a rich clarified butter oil with the milk solids removed and is the main oil used in Indian cooking.

Substitute with vegetable oil or butter.
Dal refers to a wide variety of split peas and pulses. Channa dal or Bengal gram resembles a yellow split pea but is smaller. Channa dal is also ground to make Channa flour . Masoor dal are skinned and split lentils. Theyre salmon-colored, cook quickly, and turn golden and mushy when cooked. Mung dal are pale yellow and slightly elongated.

Tur dal are pale yellow lentil which is smaller than channa dal. Urad dal or blackgram dal are sold either with their black skins on or husked, when they are creamy white in color. Hoisin sauce or Peking duck sauce is a sweet and spicy reddish-brown sauce made from soybeans, garlic, pepper and various spices. It is commonly used as a dipping sauce for pork and duck dishes, and as a flavoring in stews. Kaffir lime leaves are used in soups and curries of Thai, Malay or Indonesian origin. They are also thinly sliced and used as a garnish.