ROUSES_JulyAug2019_Magazine

coconut

sauces

Coconut water is the slightly opaque, naturally sweet liquid found inside young coconuts with green or yellow skins. Coconut cream is an emulsion of coconut meat and plain water. Do not

Duck sauce is an orange, fruity, sweet-and- sour sauce typically used for dipping fried food. It usually comes in packets alongside Chinese hot mustard with your Chinese takeout. That Chinese hot mustard gets its heat from brown mustard seeds, which are stronger than the black and white mustard seeds used in most other types of mustard. Fish sauce is a thin, pungent, fermented mix of salted anchovies and water that’s similar to soy sauce. Hoisin sauce — sometimes called Chinese barbecue sauce — is another popular Asian condiment. This dark, thick, salty, slightly sweet sauce is made with fermented soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chilis, and other flavors and spices. Oyster sauce is a thick, sweet and savory sauce that’s thicker than fish sauce and made with cooked oysters, or “oyster essence.” It is widely used in Chinese cuisine, especially to add rich, savory flavor to soups and stir-fries. Plum sauce , made with sugar, white or rice vinegar, salt, ginger, chili peppers and plums, is another sweet and tangy Chinese condiment. It’s a must for moo shu pork. Use soy sauce or gluten-free tamari in place of salt when you’re seasoning glazes, sauces, stir-fries and soup. Don’t confuse Sriracha , aka Rooster Sauce, with our local Tabasco. While both contain a mixture of distilled vinegar, chili peppers and salt, Sriracha is more ketchup-y and has added garlic and sugar. In America, when we think of Sriracha, we usually picture the rooster-decorated bottle produced by Huy Fong Foods. Thai sweet chili sauce is a thickened mixture of chilis, vinegar, sugar and garlic. It’s the perfect dipping sauce for crispy fried Thai egg rolls.

confuse coconut cream with cream of coconut, which has added sugar. (If you like piña coladas, and getting caught in the rain, you like cream of coconut). There’s also coconut milk , which is made with coconut meat and water too, but the mix is less coconut, more water. Coconut milk is thinner than coconut cream, and has a lower fat content. The easiest way to remember the difference between coconut creamand coconut milk is to think of the difference between dairy creamand

dairy milk. Finally, there’s coconut flour , which is made from dried coconut meat. It is a gluten-free alternative that’s high in fiber, protein and healthy fats, and low in in sugar, digestible carbohydrates and calories.

spices

Chinese Five Spice Powder is a commonly used ingredient in Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. It includes all five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami; hence the name. Chinese Five Spice Powder contains star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan peppercorns and fennel seeds, but may also by flavored with anise seeds, ginger root, orange peel, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom pods and licorice. Curry powder is a mixture of finely ground spices, such as cumin, turmeric, ginger and coriander, used for making curry, a type of stew. There’s actually no such thing as curry powder in India; there are just spices mixed together for savory, spiced Indian dishes. These mixtures, which vary from region to region, are better known in India as garam masala.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made of ground, fermented soybeans, salt, rice and other ingredients. It can be used as a soup base or as part of a sauce, glaze or marinade.

buy it fresh

Cilantro is one of the most widely eaten herbs in the world and a key flavor in many Asian cuisines.

Most of us are familiar with dried, grated ginger, the kind you find in a spice jar, but fresh ginger — the gnarly brown root sold in our produce department — is an equally essential part of Asian cooking. Fresh ginger’s flavor is more pronounced than dried, but cooking will mellow the flavor. Limes are a mainstay of Thai and Vietnamese cook- ing. They are used mainly for their juice, although lime zest and leaves are also used in cooking.

oils & vinegars

Rice vinegar and rice wine are made from fermented rice. Both are used to flavor sauces, marinades and rice.

Sesame oil is the Chinese cooking equivalent of olive oil in Western food preparations. Toasted sesame oil provides a deeper flavor than less flavorful, delicate oils.

Lemongrass stalks , when finely chopped, add a unique citrusy note to Thai cuisine.

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