Chili Peppers The chili pepper is an indispensable ingredient in Asian cooking. It was once thought to have been brought to Asia from the New World by way of Spain and Portugal, but some botanists believe that the plant, like com, was carried by pre-Columbian voyagers across the Pacific from the Americas. As a general rule, the smaller the size of a chili, the hotter it is. For example, the tiny, pea-sized chilies used in Thai and Indonesian dishes can be so excruciatingly hot that they will jolt the palate like an electric shock, bringing tears to the eyes and a searing blast to the nasal passages. Devotees of this chili swear that when the discomfort subsides, only pleasure remains. The amount used in a dish is a matter of taste. Not all palates can tolerate chilies. For me, too much chili is a palate-searing assault that overpowers all other tastes in the dish. There are many varieties of chilies with differing flavors and uses, but I have not specified which to use in these recipes, although fresh ones are preferable to dried ones. Serrano chilies are the choice of many cooks, though I prefer the Anaheim chili because it is milder. But chilies are notoriously unpredictable.
Even chilies of the same variety can vary drastically in heat and flavor depending on the soil they were grown in. When I do not have fresh chilies on hand, I resort to my supply of small dried red ones and usually use one or two at the most. Dried chili flakes are also very convenient and have a nice flavor. Both fresh and dried chilies are no longer difficult to find and are available in almost every supermarket.
A word of caution about handling fresh chilies. More heat is concentrated in the white ribs and seeds than in the flesh itself. So if the ribs are large enough they should be scraped away and discarded. You may want to wear a pair of gloves when cutting chilies as the chili oils may be irritating to your hands. Do not rub your face or eyes after handling them, as these oils will cause painful irritation. Dried chilies will provide almost as much heat and flavor as fresh chilies, but their effect on the skin is less irritating.
Coconut Milk An essential ingredient in the cooking of nearly all coconut-growing countries, coconut milk is used in soups, curries, and meat and fish dishes, as well as in sweets. It is not the delicious clear fluid found inside of a young coconut. Rather, it is the milky liquid extracted from grated fresh coconut or from dried (desiccated) shredded coconut. It has a unique flavor and richness that no other ingredient can duplicate exactly.
Twenty years ago it was almost impossible to find coconut in the United States except for the very sweet packaged variety used for desserts or the occasional wizened coconuts found in some markets. Today desiccated coconut is easy to find in many markets and health food stores. However, some visitors from Southeast Asia have commented that no dried shredded coconut they have bought in the United States is really satisfactory, because it has an unpleasant after-taste, which is a sign that the coconut is too old or rancid.
In the countries where it grows, they say, a coconut at this stage of life is called copra and is turned into coconut oil, the main cooking fat for many of the region's people, especially Muslims, who do not use pork fat. It is also used in the manufacture of soap, perfume, and face and hair creams. For the freshest taste and ease of preparation, unsweetened canned coconut milk, both fresh and frozen, is by far the best tasting. The brand that comes from Thailand, called Cheokoh, is superior, although one other, a frozen brand from the Philippines, is also good. It must be kept in mind that though it contains no cholesterol, coconut is high in saturated fat, which medical practitioners warn should be used in limited quantities in a low-fat diet. Keep in mind that there are about 280 calories, 25 grams of saturated fat, and 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat in one cup of coconut, an obviously unfavorable P/S ratio.
Substitutes for coconut milk: In these recipes, I have substituted lowfat yogurt wherever possible. However, if more authentic taste is desired, some coconut milk mixed with a similar amount of stock, water, or nonfat milk may be used. You can vary the amount further by changing the proportion of coconut milk to the diluting liquid. I have tried bottled coconut extract as a substitute for coconut milk and put a few drops of the extract in nonfat milk. While the result certainly gives a coconut flavor, it is too artificial for my taste. However, it may be worth trying if you wish to cut down further on fat. Though my preference is for low-fat yogurt, which has so many health-giving properties, buttermilk, which is marvelously tangy, is another good substitute for coconut milk and blends well with spicy sauces. Both yogurt and buttermilk are low in saturated fat and have a lot more flavor than nonfat milk, though they are decidedly different in taste from coconut milk. It is all a matter of individual taste and the choice is yours.
Please note that my book on Thai cooking (Siamese Cookery; Tuttle, 1965; p. 36), which recommended the use of sour cream as a substitute for coconut milk, gained the hearty approval of Thai friends living in the States. Though it does not resemble the taste of coconut, it is very delicious and has the rich, thickening effect of coconut milk. Unfortunately, it is too high in saturated animal fat to be considered for use in this book.
Making coconut milk: To make coconut milk from desiccated coconut, the quickest way is to use a blender. Mix 1 cup desiccated coconut with 1¼ cups very hot water and blend at least 30 seconds. Strain through a piece of cloth or fine sieve squeezing out all the moisture. This will be the richest coconut milk and will yield approximately 1 cupful. You may repeat the process using the same coconut pulp and 1¼ cups more hot water. Then discard the pulp. The yield will be thinner but still flavorful and with less saturated fat.
If you have no blender, combine the desiccated coconut and hot water in a bowl. When it cools, mix and squeeze repeatedly with your hands and then strain.
To make coconut milk from freshly grated coconuts, use warm water instead of hot. Proceed as above to extract the milk. Dishes with coconut milk should be stirred frequently and not allowed to boiL It is also best not to cover the pot, as drops of hot water that fall from the lid into the mixture may cause it to curdle.
Note: For those who wish to cut down drastically on saturated fat, no matter whether the coconut milk is hand extracted or ready made, it is recommended that you let the milk stand in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the rich layer to rise to the top, so you can skim off the cream, much as cream is skimmed off dairy milk.
Coriander Coriander is an indispensable herb in Asian cooking. All parts of the plant are used. The seed is used in blends of curry powder and the fresh coriander leaf—called Chinese parsley, Mexican parsley or cilantro—is used in soups and garnishes. It has a pungent, spicy taste and aroma that some find too strong. It is available in the produce sections of most supermarkets.
Garlic Almost every dish in this book has garlic in it. It not only imparts a marvelous flavor to foods, but also, as medical studies have shown, may have a wide range of health benefits as well. Related to the onion, leek, and shallot, garlic has been cultivated since ancient times and is believed to be native to southwest Asia. Mentioned over 5,000 years ago in Sanskrit, one of the world's first written languages, garlic was also a staple in the ancient Sumerian diet. Revered by the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks for its curative powers, it was used in the treatment of a whole range of ailments ranging from headaches to tuberculosis. In ancient China garlic was worn to ward off the evil eye. It was even found entombed with King Tutankhamen. The Romans fed it to soldiers and slaves to give them courage and strength. It was thought to have protected garlic-eating French priests from contracting the Black Death from victims they attended, whereas English priests who reviled garlic caught the plague easily. By World War I, the British and Russians were using it to control infection, and the Germans used it to prevent gangrene. There are even claims made for its pesticidal properties.
In China and Japan it has been used for some time in the treatment of high blood pressure, and the Japanese food and drug administration has approved garlic therapy for this purpose. Garlic is also credited with antibiotic properties that inhibit the growth of certain fungi that cause disease.
I have learned all of this information and more