The Food of Asia. Kong Foong Ling
a member of the ginger family, is used for its spicy flavor and appearance in some Japanese dishes. No substitute.
MIRIN A bottled sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking. If mirin is not available, use 1 teaspoon sugar as a substitute for 1 tablespoon mirin.
MISO A protein-rich salty paste of fermented soya beans, the mainstay of Japanese soups. Many different types are available, varying in taste, texture, color and fragrance. The most common are red miso, which has a reddish-brown color and an emphatic flavor, and white miso, which is actually golden-yellow in color, has a lighter flavor and is less salty than the red variety, making it ideal for soups and dressings. Plastic bags or tubs of miso are generally sold in Japanese or health-food stores.
MITSUBA Both the stems and leaves of this decorative herb, a member of the parsley family, are used in Japanese cuisine. Parsley makes an acceptable substitute, although the flavor of mitsuba is more like celery.
MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) Some cooks in Asia make use of this taste enhancer. If you use only top quality ingredients, there should be no need for MSG.
MORNING GLORY See WATER CONVOLVULUS
MUNG BEANS Husked, dried green mung beans are known as yellow mung beans. Sprouted beans have a subtle flavor and a slight crunchiness. In Vietnam, yellow beans are used to make yellow bean sauce or other sauces. The starch from the beans is processed into cellophane noodles.
MUSHROOMS DRIED Black (shiitake) mushrooms are prized in Japanese and Chinese cooking for their flavor and texture. Soak in warm water for 15-20 minutes before use and discard the fibrous stems. Do not substitute with European dried mushrooms. Fresh shiitake are increasingly available outside Asia.
Fresh and delicate sheathed straw mushrooms are excellent in soups and vegetable dishes. Button mushrooms and the large, bland oyster variety are good for stir-frying. Golden mushrooms (enokitaiki), clusters of slender cream-colored stalks with tiny caps, are available fresh and tinned-discard the tough ends before use.
Reddish-brown nameko mushrooms have a slippery texture and attractive reddish-brown cap; they are more commonly found in jars or tins. See also CLOUD EAR FUNGUS.
MUSTARD OIL Oil made from ground mustard seeds is used as a cooking medium in some parts of India, particularly in Bengal. The oil gives a distinctive flavor to the food and is worth looking for in Indian grocery stores. Substitute any refined, flavorless vegetable oil.
MUSTARD SEEDS Both yellow and brownish-black mustard seeds are used in Indian cuisine. They are not interchangeable.
NIGELLA Often referred to as onion seeds, these small, black seeds are known as kalonji in India. Omit if not available. If specified for Indian breads, substitute with black sesame seeds.
NOODLES Both fresh and dried noodles made from either wheat flour, rice flour or mung bean flour are used in Asian cooking. The most popular types are fresh yellow or "Hokkien" noodles, spaghetti-like noodles made from flour and egg; dried wheat-flour noodles, plunged into boiling water to soften; fresh flat rice-flour noodles, ribbon-like noodles about 1 cm (½ in) wide, used in soups or fried; fresh laksa noodles, which look like white spaghetti; dried rice-flour vermicelli, sometimes known as rice-stick noodles; and dried mung bean noodles, generally used in soups and sometimes referred to as "glass", "jelly" or "transparent" noodles.
In Japan the wheat noodle, udon, comes in various widths and is either flat or round. Packets of dried udon, whitish-beige in color, are readily available in Japanese stores. Somen are also made from wheat, but are very fine and white in color. Soba are made from buckwheat, and are sometimes flavored with green tea. Devil's tongue is used to make shirataki konnyaku-soak in hot water until they swell and become transparent.
NORI See SEAWEED
NUTMEG A native of the Moluccan islands, the nutmeg is actually the seed of a fleshy fruit. Try to purchase whole if possible and grate as required.
OIL, COOKING Blended vegetable oils (never olive oil) are used by Chinese cooks for frying. Peanut oil is sometimes specified for its distinctive flavor.
OKRA A green, ridged vegetable about 2 ½-8 in (7-20 cm) long, favoured by Indians and Southeast Asians as a vegetable. Has a mucilaginous quality. Also known as ladies' fingers.
ORANGE PEEL, DRIED Dried orange peel is added to slow-cooked dishes for flavor. Although usually available in Chinese stores, fresh peel can be used as a substitute.
OYSTER SAUCE A thick sauce made from ground oysters, water, salt, cornflour and caramel coloring, used primarily to flavor stir-fried vegetables and meat. It is commonly used in Chinese cooking. Refrigerate after opening. Look for MSG-free brands.
PALM SUGAR Made by boiling down the sap of various palm trees, usually sold in solid cakes or cylinders and varies in color from gold to light brown. If unavailable, substitute with soft brown sugar or a mixture of brown sugar and maple syrup. To make palm sugar syrup, combine equal amounts of chopped palm sugar and water (add a pandan leaf if it is available). Bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes, strain and refrigerate.
PANDAN LEAF A fragrant member of the pandanus or screwpine family, pandan leaf is used to wrap seasoned morsels of chicken or pork, and added to various cakes and desserts. Bottled pandan essence can be used as a substitute in sweets.
PAPADS Also known as poppadum, these wafer-thin discs of seasoned wheat and lentil flour crisp up when fried in hot oil. Dry thoroughly before frying.
PEPPERCORNS Thought to be native to the Malabar coast of India, peppercorns are generally sold black (with their skins intact) and are frequently added whole to dishes. If crushing or grinding, do so just before use for maximum flavor and freshness.
PLUM SAUCE Sold in tins or jars, this piquant reddish-brown condiment is made from salted plums, chilies, vinegar and sugar. Refrigerate after opening. Available from Chinese stores.
POMELO A citrus somewhat similar to grapefruit, the pomelo is drier, sweeter and has a much thicker and tougher peel. It is eaten as a fruit or broken up for salads.
POPPY SEEDS Tiny white poppy seeds are prized for their delicate nutty flavor and used as a thickening agent. Soak in warm water for 10-15 minutes and grind before use. Substitute with cashews or almonds.
POTATO Yamato-imo, often referred to as a potato in Japan, is actually a type of mountain yam which is grated and used raw for its gluey texture and bright white color. Sato-imo is a type of yam with a much finer texture and slightly different flavor from Western potatoes. New potatoes make an acceptable substitute.
PRAWNS, DRIED see SHRIMPS, DRIED
RADISH, GIANT WHITE A vegetable about 6-10 in (15-25 cm) long, widely used in Japanese cooking. Daikon is shredded and used raw as a garnish, sliced for stews and stir-fries, and pickled. Preserved salted radish keeps almost indefinitely on the shelf, and is often added to rice porridge (congee) and other dishes.
RED BEANS Dried red azuki beans are used in Chinese and Japanese sweets, or cooked with sugar to make red-bean paste, a popular filling for buns and pancakes. The paste is also sold in tins.
RED DATES Valued for their medicinal properties as well as their prune-like flavor, these are added to soups. Soak in