The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. Jaden Hair
Rice Vinegar There are two types of rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar): seasoned (or sweetened) and regular (or un-sweetened). Rice vinegar is less acidic and tart than regular white distilled vinegar. The seasoned rice vinegar is perfect for dressing sushi rice or for salad dressings as it includes sugar already in the mix. Substitute the regular rice vinegar with cider or white vinegar. To make sweetened rice vinegar, take 1/4 cup (65 ml) unsweeteend rice vinegar, cider or white vinegar and add 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Salt Like the spelling of chilli (page 18) there is much confusion about salt! Not the spelling, but the fact that foodies and chefs are definitely passionate about their salts and there are different types of salts. The most common in households is table salt, but it’s also my least favorite. The granules are very fine, the taste is bitter, the anti-caking agent just sounds gross, and the added iodine is sooooo 1920s. I’m a natural sea salt and kosher salt gal. Most restaurant kitchens will use kosher salt in its everyday prep and expensive sea salt in finishing a dish, sprinkling it right after the dish is plated. I do the same. Kosher salt’s larger granules are easier to use and feel (instead of spooning salt, I always use my fingers and hands to salt) and it’s not as salty as table salt. And you can’t beat sea salt’s natural taste and flakey texture. I don’t know what kind of salt you use at home, (and since the measurements of these different salts are so different), instead of putting exact measurements, like “ 1/2 teaspoon of salt”, I’ve used “generous pinch of salt” throughout the recipes. I’m a big advocate of “season to taste” as your “salty” may be my “bland”. Start with a generous 3-finger pinch of salt (probably twice for kosher and sea salt). You can always add more.
Sake is Japanese fermented rice wine and the best sake is drunk chilled. The so-so sake is served warm to mask its inferior quality. Sake has a higher alcohol content than beer or wine, and like wine, there are many different types and price points. Daiginjo is the top quality stuff (I’d use this for drinking and not cooking). For cooking, you can always substitute with dry sherry or dry vermouth.
Sambal The word sambal refers to a Southeast Asian (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singaporean) relish or condiment made with ingredients like chillies, salt, garlic, vinegar, sugar and others. Sambal is usually served at the table, so you can spoon some on your own plate as you need. I have a sweet chilli version (page 26) that is great tossed with cooked noodles, used as a dipping sauce or topped on plain chicken.
Sausage, Chinese, see Chinese Sausage
Scallions or Spring Onions, see Green Onion.
Sesame Oil, Toasted or Dark Sesame oil is the oil from toasted sesame seeds. The dark sesame oil has a very strong flavor and fragrance, so only a few drops to a teaspoon is all that’s needed in a dish. Otherwise, your entire dish will end up tasting like the sesame oil! It’s used as part of a marinade for meat and seafood for Chinese stir-fries, but mostly added towards the end of a dish as the sesame oil smokes at high heat. Buy sesame oil in glass bottles and store away from heat and light, it turns rancid pretty easily. If you don’t have sesame oil, add regular cooking oil to toasted and crushed sesame seeds.
Sesame Seeds These itty bitty seeds are used whole in cooking for its nutty, sweet aroma with a rich, buttery, nutty taste. They come in shades of pale ivory, brown and black. The ivory colored sesame seeds are probably untoasted or unroasted. You can use them as is, but for maximum flavor, toast them in a dry frying pan on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. The brown and black sesame seeds are pre-roasted (check the label) and are beautiful and provide a nice contrast in your dish.
Shallots are small, anywhere from 1 1 /2 to 3 inches (3.75 to 7.5 cm) across. They are sweeter and milder in taste than onions and are a very popular ingredient in Asian cooking. You can add them to your stir-fry along with the garlic and ginger, or you can deep-fry them for a crispy topping on a dish. Store shallots in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, just as you would store your onions or garlic. Substitute shallots with finely minced onion.
Sichuan peppercorn Contrary to its name, the Sichuan peppercorn (sometimes spelled “Szechuan”) is not a peppercorn, but rather a berry from a bush. Put a couple of pods between your teeth and chew—you’ll get a numbing, tingly sensation all inside your mouth and lips. Contrary to what people think, Sichuan peppercorn is not really spicy in your face hot. It has a citrusy, warming and woodsy aroma and flavor. Try making a flavored salt with Sichuan peppercorn (page 24).
Soy Sauce/Dark Soy Sauce This essential seasoning is made from fermented soybeans mixed with some type of roasted grain (wheat, barley, or rice are common). It tends to have a chocolate brown color, and a pungent, rather than overly salty, flavor. Dark soy sauce is used in Chinese cooking and is a bit richer, thicker, and more mellow than the lighter varieties. I use both the more full-bodied dark soy sauce in many Chinese meat stews and braises and the lighter variety, which I refer to simply as “soy sauce” in the recipes as my everyday soy sauce.
Sriracha Sauce. See Chilli Sauce.
Sweet Chilli Sauce is my “ketchup”— it’s sweet, vinegary and just barely a hint of spice. I use it as a dip anything for Mom’s Famous Crispy Egg Rolls (page 50) and Firecracker Shrimp (page 48) as well as in stir-fries (Thai Chicken in Sweet Chilli Sauce, page 104). Two great brands are Mae Ploy and Lingham (thicker, spicier and less sweet than Mae Ploy). When my assistant, Farina, eats at a restaurant that doesn’t have sweet chilli sauce, she makes her own concoction from a combo of ketchup, hot sauce (Tabasco), sugar and salt. If you have Plum Sauce, you can use that as a substitute.
Tamarind comes in blocks of pulp (with or without seeds) or prepared in jarred form as a paste (sometimes called “concentrate”). To make tamarind paste out of the blocks, in a medium sized bowl, combine a golf-ball sized piece of tamarind and ½ cup (125 ml) of hot water. With a fork, smash and “knead” the tamarind to extract as much pulp as possible. You can also use your fingers to knead as well. The consistency should be like thin ketchup. Drain and discard the tamarind solids, reserving the water. If you’re using the concentrate form, measure straight out of the jar.
Tea leaves, whether white, green, black or oolong all come from the same bush, Camillia Sinensis. The differences arise in the processing. Green and white teas are not fermented and the oolong and black tea are semi fermented and fermented. Chinese drink tea like water and of course, loose leaf tea is best (supermarket tea bags = stale tea dust!). In addition to drinking tea, I’ve got a recipe where I’m using tea to smoke and flavor salmon (page 80).
Thai Basil. See Herbs.
Tofu/Bean Curd (though tofu sounds sexier) is made out of soybeans—soft and firm. The soft, or silken is lovely eaten as is with a ginger-miso salad dressing. It’s also used cubed in miso soup. The medium and firm tofu are perfect for baking (Baked Tofu Salad with Mustard Miso Dressing, page 64) stir frying and pan frying, as they hold up better in the cooking process (see chapter on Vegetables, Tofu & Eggs, page 108). Tofu has very little taste on its own, so it takes on whatever flavors you have in the dish. It’s incredibly healthy for you and inexpensive to buy. They don’t last too long in the refrigerator, though, so use within a few days of purchase. Tofu often comes in a plastic tub covered with a thin plastic film. Slit the film and drain all the water out. To store, you can put the tofu in a bowl or container, fill with cool water, cover and refrigerate. Check the expiration date and if the package puffs out with locked in air and the package looks like it’s about to pop, discard (tofu is doin’ something funky inside). Soft or silken tofu also comes in a paper carton that does not need to be refrigerated. It’s much silkier, smoother and more delicate than the tub version. It’s difficult to use for stir-fries (but great for Tofu and Clams in a Light Miso Broth, page 117), but handy to keep in the pantry.
Wrappers From egg rolls to summer rolls and potstickers to firecracker shrimp, Asians love to wrap their food! Wonton Wrappers: Find wonton wrappers in the freezer section of an Asian market. They are very thin and square. To defrost, place package