The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. Jaden Hair
Sauce Magical Maggi! This condiment is originally from Switzerland, but it is incredibly popular in Asia! It’s like a more delicious version of soy sauce, though it contains no soy (but does have wheat gluten). A few dashes is really all you need to add that “umami” (that delicious, savory taste) to any dish. Next time you fry an egg, add a quick dash of Maggi! You can substitute with equal amount of soy sauce. It can be found in the condiment section of your grocery store.
Mint. See Herbs.
Mirin is Japanese sweet rice wine, very different from Chinese rice wine or sake and it certainly is NOT rice vinegar. I know, it can be confusing, as all three are so similar in name! Make sure you check the bottle and look for “sweet cooking rice wine”. If you don’t have mirin, substitute with four parts sake; 1 part corn syrup or sugar, dissolved. If you don’t have mirin or sake, then try dry sherry or dry vermouth with the corn syrup or sugar . . . and if you don’t have dry sherry or vermouth, then white wine. If you don’t have white wine, well then it’s time to go shopping.
Miso is an essential component of Japanese cuisine and it is made from fermented soybeans. There are so many different types and textures of miso, from delicate light and smooth to chocolate brown with bits of soybean chunks. It’s found refrigerated in Asian markets and health food stores, but I bet you can also find it in your regular local supermarket as it’s becoming more and more popular. Once you open it, keep it covered well and it will last up to six months in your refrigerator. The great thing about miso is that you can just take out a little scoop and make miso soup for one. White miso is called “shiro miso” and it’s sweeter and less salty than the others. Of all miso, this is my favorite because the flavor is more delicate. The deeper the color, the saltier and generally stronger in flavor as it’s aged longer. There’s really no substitute for miso.
Mushrooms Canned, straw. This is a common ingredient in Chinese stir-fries and Thai soups. They don’t have a lot of taste on their own (like many canned vegetables) but the texture is pretty unique, kind of slippery soft. I like cutting them in half lengthwise to make it easier to eat (and it’s prettier too). Fresh, shitake. Shitake are Japanese black mushrooms, and you’ll find plenty of shitake in your local supermarket, as it’s widely cultivated now. The cap is light golden brown and the stem is woody. Store shitake in a brown paper bag in your refrigerator. Dried, black. Dried black mushrooms or shitake mushrooms are smokier and deeper in flavor than the fresh version. They are generally large and meaty and are used by vegetarians as a “meat substitute”. These can be stored for a long time in your refrigerator or pantry. To use, soak them in water until soft. The thick mushrooms must be soaked for several hours. If you’re in a hurry, microwave them in hot water. Start with 7 minutes and check. When I know I’ll be using dried mushrooms in a dish, I’ll actually soak them in water overnight. The soaking water is flavorful (discard the sediment at the bottom) and you can use this water when steaming vegetables, making rice or just adding to pot when making soup.
Noodles, dried Buckwheat (soba) noodles. This mushroom-colored thin noodle, which is popular in Japan, is made from buckwheat flour. It’s usually served chilled with dashi-soy-mirin dipping sauce (yum) or in a hot broth. Rice noodles or rice vermicelli. This noodle is made from rice flour. It’s one of the most popular noodles in Asia and come in many widths. The thin rice stick noodles are great for Vietnamese spring rolls and salads. The medium and wide widths are often found in stir-fried noodle dishes (Shrimp Pad Thai, page 137) and noodle soups (like the Quick Vietnamese Chicken Pho, page 58). Soak rice noodles in warm water and briefly boil. Egg Noodles. This pale yellow noodle is made of eggs and wheat. They are available fresh, frozen or dried. The dried egg noodles are dried in little bundles or coils. You’ll have to soak them in warm water to loosen the coils before cooking. These egg noodles are used in Wonton Noodle Soup (page 60). See page 23 for information on fresh or frozen egg noodles. Mung bean noodles. These slippery noodles are made of mung beans and are gluten free! They are white when dried and clear when cooked. They are also known as glass noodles or cellophane noodles. They can also be deep-fried (my kids’ fav!) and they magically puff up in just a few seconds time and great as a top-ping for salads or a stir-fry. Potato starch noodles. These Korean noodles are also sometimes called glass noodles and are used in the dish Korean Jap Chae Noodles (page 135). They are made from sweet potatoes and do not contain gluten. The noodles are called “dangmyeon” in Korean and are grayish in color when dried; they transform to clear color when cooked. Somen. This very thin, delicate Japanese noodle is made from wheat flour. They are usually served chilled with a dipping sauce and they are also served in broths.
Chinese rice wine, Sriracha hot chilli sauce, oyster sauce, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, coconut milk, sesame oil, Chinese black vinegar, fish sauce and hoisin sauce.
Noodles, fresh Fresh Rice Noodles. These are my favorite noodles of all time, especially the wide rice noodles used in a Chinese stir fry. If I can find fresh rice noodles, I’ll use them for Quick Vietnamese Chicken Pho (page 58). You can also find them in sheets that are rolled up; you can unroll them, fill them and then steam them. They don’t keep that long—they’ll dry out in the refrigerator, so use them quickly or freeze. Egg Noodles. Fresh egg noodles are sold in plastic baggies or containers and are in the refrigerated section. They are also frozen in the package and store very well. The noodles are very quick cooking, and perfect for a hearty stir-fried noodle dish like Quick Noodle Stir-Fry (page 136) and the Garlic Butter Noodles (page 134).
Nori is Japanese for thin sheets of dried seaweed, usually sold in sealed packets of ten to fifty sheets. These are for sushi making, but their crispness doesn’t last too long once you open the package. If you have a gas stovetop, turn on the flame, take one sheet of nori and wave it over the flame to toast and crisp up the seaweed for a shatteringly crisp texture. Nori also comes in other shapes—smaller squares and strips. I love to sprinkle seasoned nori on soup (Ochazuke Rice with Crispy Salmon Skin and Nori, page 59), plain rice, french fries or popcorn (page 53). Seasoned nori is usually seasoned with salt, and you’ll see that right on the package.
Oil, Cooking For my everyday stir-fry or pan-fry cooking, I use canola oil as it’s healthier than some of the other oils and it does have a high smoking point and a neutral flavor. I also recommend vegetable oil or peanut oil, however, with so many kids with peanut allergies (what’s up with THAT by the way?) I’m just afraid to use it in my cooking. Toasted sesame oil, which has dark amber color, has a very low smoking point but a pungent/distinct odor when using more than just a few drops or a dribble in a dish. Olive oil is fine to use for cooking, but the oil has a pretty strong flavor and you’ll end up noticing the olive oil taste in your Asian food.
Oyster Sauce Yes, it’s made from dried oysters. But no, you can’t really taste the oysters! It’s dark broth, thick and smooth; salty, smoky and slightly sweet at the same time. Oyster sauce is used to enhance the flavor of many stir-fries, noodle dishes and braises. There is a vegetarian version made from mushrooms, too. Once opened, keep it in the refrigerator, where it will last a long time. There’s not really a good substitute for this sauce, however it’s a very popular Chinese ingredient and you’ll probably find it at your grocers.
Plum Sauce is sometimes called “duck sauce” because it’s often served with roast duck in Chinese-American restaurants. It’s a sweet, slightly tart dipping-sauce made of plums, apricots, vinegar and sugar. It’s good as a dip and as a substitute for Sweet Chilli Sauce and even as a glaze for grilled chicken.
Rice There are so many different types of rice—jasmine, short grain, broken, sweet, brown, red and even black! The most popular rice is the long grain (I prefer jasmine rice and the short grain (used in sushi and popular in Japan and Korea). The long grain Asian rice (not basmati) is popular in China and Southeast Asia. The jasmine rice (popular in Thailand) has a beautiful aroma. Long grain rice is fluffier when cooked and the grains separate better. The short-grained rice is starchier, stickier and heartier. When mixed with a bit of seasoned rice vinegar, its texture is perfect for sushi, which requires the rice grains to stick to each other to form a ball. To cook rice, you must rinse the rice in several changes of