SOY SAUCE Three types are used in Chinese cooking. Light soy sauce is thinner, lighter in color and saltier than black soy sauce. which is often added to give a dark coloring to a dish. Delicately flavored red soy sauce is seldom used and can be substituted with light soy sauce.
For Japanese food, use the Kikkoman brand. Tamari is very strong, thick and black and available from Japanese stores; dark soy sauce is a reasonable substitute.
In Indonesia. thick sweet soy sauce (kemp manis) is most frequently used as a condiment, followed by the thinner, saltier light soy sauce (kemp asin). If you cannot obtain kemp manis, use thick black Chinese soy sauce and sweeten with brown sugar.
SPRING ONION See SCALLION.
STAR ANISE A sweet-smelling star-shaped, eight-pointed pod with a pungent flavor of aniseed or licorice. Frequently used in soups.
STARFRUIT A star-shaped fruit, eaten raw and finely sliced. Young starfruit has a tart taste and is often served on the Vietnamese vegetable platter as a complement to grilled or fried foods.
SUGAR CANE Fresh sugar cane juice-extracted from the stalks by a crushing machine-is a very popular drink in Vietnam. In addition to the familiar uses of sugar cane, the peeled stalks are also used as skewers in cooking.
TAMARIND A large, brown pod with several seeds, tamarind has a tangy, acidic taste, and is a popular sour flavoring. It can be bought fresh, dried or in pulp form, and is most commonly sold in compressed blocks, with the seeds removed. The paste is used in hot and sour soups, and fresh crab dishes. To make tamarind juice, add 1 part pulp to 3 parts hot water for 5 minutes before squeezing to extract the juice. Discard the seeds and fibrous matter before using.
TAPIOCA The root of this plant (also known as cassava) and the tender green leaves are both eaten, though the leaves have to be cooked for at least an hour to remove the mild toxins. The root is grated and mixed with coconut and sugar to make sweetmeats. Fermented tapioca root is added to some desserts, while the dried root is made into small balls and used in the same way as pearl sago. Substitute spinach for tapioca leaves.
TAPIOCA STARCH Used as a thickening agent, and sometimes in the making of fresh rice papers. Combined with rice flour, it adds a translucent sheen and chewiness to pastries. Available in many Asian food markets.
TARO A barrel-shaped oval root, with hairy, brown skin and white flesh with purple-brown fibers, which can be used like a potato in soups. The tubers are best eaten when the fibers are small and barely noticeable.
TEMPEH Cakes of compressed, lightly fermented soy beans with a nutty flavor. Often available in health food stores. No substitute.
TURMERIC A bright yellow-orange tuber from the ginger family, turmeric is often used in curries and as a coloring agent. It is also used for medicinal purposes. Peel before using. Substitute ½ teaspoon turmeric powder for ½ in (1 cm) fresh.
VIETNAMESE MINT: see DAUN KESUM
VINEGAR Black, red and white Chinese vinegars are all made from rice, and as the flavor differs, be sure to use the type specified. Red vinegar has a distinctive tang, while full-bodied black vinegar. sometimes known as Tientsin vinegar, has a faint flavor similar to balsamic vinegar. Use sparingly as a seasoning or dip. Japanese rice vinegar makes an acceptable substitute for the white. There are no good substitutes for red and black vinegar. Slightly diluted cider vinegar can be used in place of rice vinegar.
WAKAME See SEAWEED
WASABI Indispensable in Japanese cuisine, and widely available in tubes. Wasabi powder (available in tiny tins), mixed with a little water 10 minutes before required, gives a much closer approximation of the freshly grated root.
WATER CHESTNUT Although it is troublesome to peel away the dark brown skin of this crunchy tuber, it's well worth using fresh water chestnuts if you can find them. Their crisp texture and sweet flavor make them ideal in salads, stir-fried vegetable dishes and desserts. Fresh yam bean is a better substitute for fresh water chestnuts than the canned variety.
WATER CONVOLVULUS This aquatic plant, a member of the convolvulus or morning glory family, is sometimes known as kangkong or water spinach. The arrowhead-shaped leaves and tender tips are usually stir-fried. Discard the tough, hollow stems. Young shoots are often served as part of a mixed platter of raw vegetables for dipping into hot sauces.
WHITE FUNGUS A crinkly golden-colored dried fungus that turns transparent after soaking. Prized for its chewy texture, and used in Chinese soups and desserts.
WILD GINGER BUD The pink waxy flower from a ginger plant, sometimes known as torch ginger (Etlingera elatior). Used in some Malay and Nonya dishes. No substitute.
YAM BEAN Known as jicama in the Americas, where it originated, this crunchy, mild tuber has a crisp white interior and beige skin, which peels off easily. It taste like a potato and apple cross. Excellent raw with a spicy dip, and can be cooked.
YUNNAN HAM A smoked salted ham used mainly as a seasoning. It is sold in tins.
YUZU ORANGE An orange-colored citrus fruit used for its fragrant rind. Lemon or lime rind could be used as a substitute, or else kaffir lime.
The traditional open hearth or irori is virtually a museum piece in Japan today
The Asian Kitchen
Spoons made of coconut shells or wood are put to countless uses in the Indonesian kitchen.
You do not need a range of exotic implements to cook Asian food. Perhaps that is the most surprising aspect of Asian cooking-that often sophisticated food is prepared with so few utensils! Most of the implements found in the average Western kitchen can be adapted for use in Asian cooking, although several items, such as a wok or rice cooker, will make the preparation and cooking of certain dishes much easier. Far more time is usually spent on the preparation of the ingredients, which have to be peeled, chopped, grated, ground, and blended before the cooking begins. You should be able to obtain most of the implements mentioned here from Asian grocery stores.
Cooking Implements
Perhaps the most essential ingredient in the Asian kitchen is the wok-known as a kuali in Malaysia and Indonesia-a deep, curved pan traditionally made of cast iron and used for just about everything except cooking rice: stir-frying, deep-frying, braising, making sauces, steaming, and so on. The shape of the wok distributes the heat evenly, while its sloping sides ensure that food falls back into the pan and not over the edge during stir-frying. It's also practical for deep-frying, requiring less oil than a conventional saucepan or skillet. It allows just the right amount of evaporation for many dishes which begin with a large amount of liquid and finish with a thick sauce. When choosing a wok, avoid aluminium or Teflon-coated types; a heavy cast-iron wok that won't tip over easily is preferable, or best of all, a non-stick alloy that will not scratch when metal scoops are used.
A wok should be "seasoned" before its first use so that food will not stick. Wash the inside of the wok with warm soapy water but do not use a scouring pad. Rinse with fresh water and dry thoroughly. Put some oil on a paper towel and wipe the inside of the wok. Repeat until the paper towel comes away clean. Chinese cooks always heat the wok before adding oil to be sure that it is dry and the oil will