Perhaps you are fortunate enough to already have food memories from various parts of Southeast Asia. If not, I hope that cooking some of these recipes will start you on your own voyage of discovery and remembrance.
Wendy Hutton
Essential Southeast Asian Ingredients
Anchovies, commonly know as “whitebait” in the West, are available dried, either whole or cleaned and range in size from about 1/4 in to 2 1/2 in (0.5 cm to 6 cm). They are salted and sun-dried to make a seasoning and snack item. They are particularly popular in Malaysia and Indonesia (where they’re known as ikan bilis and ikan teri respectively). Dried anchovies are often cooked in a little oil to flavor vegetable dishes and soups; instant stock powder made from dried anchovies is now available. If possible, buy cleaned anchovies which have had the head and dark intestinal tract removed; otherwise, you’ll need to snap off the heads and flick out the intestinal tract of each tiny fish with the point of a sharp knife. Check that packets of dried anchovies do not look powdery or stale before buying. Store in a tightly closed container on the shelf.
Basil, Asian (bai horapa in Thai, rau que in Vietnamese) is the most common type of basil used in South east Asia, generally known outside the region as Asian or Thai basil. It has a wonderful aniseed aroma, making it quite different to the common Mediterranean or sweet basil and has medium to dark green leaves with a purple tinge to the upper stems and purplish flower heads. Use regular sweet basil as a substitute if unavailable. Lemon basil, (known in Thai as bai manglak) has smaller, soft pale green leaves and is usually cooked (when the flavor intensifies) rather than eaten raw; unfortunately it is not widely found outside the region. It is not difficult to strike Asian or lemon basil for growing at home; put a few stems in 1/2 in (1 cm) of water in a glass and keep in a sunny spot until rootlets appear from the bottom of the stem. Transfer to a pot of well-dug soil or plant in the garden in a sunny place. You could also plant Asian basil seeds, which are sometimes available in Asian food shops or nurseries.
Bamboo shoots of several types of bamboo are inexpensive and readily available in most of Southeast Asia, very often gathered wild by villagers. Although deep-frozen and dried bamboo shoots are usually available elsewhere, I recommend using canned bamboo shoots if fresh ones are not available. Provided canned shoots are briefly boiled in fresh water before being added to recipes, they have an acceptable flavor and texture.
Banana leaves are indispensable as food wrappers, used to wrap food for steaming or grilling, to provide little trays to hold food for steaming and as a kind of cookie cup for sweetmeats. The moisture within the banana leaf makes a difference to the texture and flavor of the food, but if you can’t find fresh or frozen banana leaf, use aluminum foil. For how to prepare banana leaf, see page 22.
Bean sprouts are made by soaking small, round, green mung beans, then keeping them moist in a warm place until the crisp white shoots emerge 3 to 4 days later. One of the most important vegetables in the region, they are eaten raw, briefly blanched, stir-fried, or made into a pickle. Buy crisp shoots with no sign of green leaves appearing at the seed end. Refrigerate covered in water for up to one week, changing the water each day. Pinch off the straggly tails before using the sprouts and discard any loose black skins, but do not remove the seed heads.
Black Chinese mushrooms (often known by their Japanese name, shiitake) are cultivated in most of Southeast Asia and enjoyed for their firm texture and meaty flavor when fresh. The dried mushroom, often imported from China, is even more widely used and is often preferred for its more intense flavor and keeping ability. Buy dried black mushrooms that do not show any signs of powder under their gills, which would indicate they are deteriorating. Store in a dry place in a closed container. Before using, soak in hot water until they soften; this will range from about 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the thickness of the cap; “flower mushrooms,” which have creamy white streaks making them look a bit like a chrysanthemum, are particularly tough and need a full hour to soften. Discard the stem before using the cap.
Cabbage is found in several varieties in Southeast Asia. The round white cabbage common in temperate climates is grown in cooler areas around the region and eaten both raw and cooked. More frequently found in local markets is Chinese celery cabbage or Napa cabbage, with very long, pale green to almost white overlapping leaves, used both raw and cooked. Another type popular for stir-frying is Chinese white cabbage. This name is somewhat misleading because although the stems are usually bright white, the leaves are either pale or mid-green. This delicately flavored cabbage is widely known abroad as bok choy. Another variety of this cabbage, with green instead of white stems, is often called Shanghai bok choy. Chinese flowering cabbage (choy sam or cai xin) is one of the most delicious members of the cabbage family, with soft mid-green leaves and stems, sometimes sold with delicate yellow flowers visible.
Calamansi lime is medium-sized and round, with a thin green skin that ripens to a pale yellow color. These are commonly used to provide lime juice for countless sauces and other dishes in Southeast Asia. Tahitian or other varieties of lime, or even lemon, can be used as a substitute, although the flavor and fragrance are not identical. Small round green limes (as pictured), are 1 to 1 1/2 in (2.5–4 cm) in diameter and called limau kesturi in Malaysia and lemo in Bali and have a mild and very fragrant juice. They are often sold as calamondin outside Asia, or may be known by their Filipino name, kalamansi. Substitute with regular lime juice, adding, if you like, a few drops of orange juice.
Candlenuts are waxy, cream-colored nuts related to the macadamia. Sold raw, they must be cooked (generally crushed and fried in seasoning pastes) before being eaten. They add texture and a faint flavor to food. Choose candlenuts that are light cream in color, not golden brown, as the latter may be rancid. Candlenuts have a high oil content, so are best refrigerated. Substitute one unsalted macadamia or two cashew nuts for each candlenut.
Cardamom is a Southwest Indian spice used to flavor some curries and sweet dishes. Whole cardamom pods have a fibrous straw-colored bark that encloses about 12 to 16 intensely fragrant black seeds. Generally, whole pods—slit with a knife and bruised to help release their fragrance—are used. You could substitute a pinch of cardamom seeds for one whole cardamom; ready-ground cardamom is not recommended as it loses its fragrance very quickly.
Chayote, originated in Central America, is also known as choko, christophene, custard marrow and vegetable pear. The last name describes its size and shape perfectly. Chayote has a delicate flavor and, when young and raw, a pleasant crisp texture. In most of Southeast Asia, however, the vegetable is cooked. Be sure to peel off the wrinkled, somewhat prickly skin; the central seed is edible.
Chinese celery is a small pungent plant, with leaves resembling large, dark green coriander leaves (cilantro). It is used as a flavoring herb and not as a vegetable, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves are often used as a garnish for soups (in fact, the Malay name for this translates as “soup leaf”) and for noodles. Chinese celery plants can be refrigerated for up to one week with the roots in a jar containing a little