The Food of Asia. Kong Foong Ling
water for 1 hour to soften before use.
RICE Many types of rice are eaten throughout Asia, the most popular for daily meals being fragrant long-grain jasmine rice. Some Indian recipes call for the nutty-flavored basmati rice. White and brownish-black glutinous rice are used in sweet and savory dishes. The absorbency of rice is affected by its age-young rice absorbs less water than older rice. When you use a new packet of rice, be conservative when adding water until you find out its degree of absorbency.
Wash rice thoroughly in several changes of water before using. To make plain rice, measure a minimum of ½ cup of rice per person and wash thoroughly. Put into a heavy-bottomed pan with enough water to cover the rice and come up to the level of the first joint on your forefinger (about ¾ in or 2 cm). Cover the pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Set the lid slightly to one side, lower heat slightly and simmer until all the water is absorbed and dimples or "craters" appear in the top of the rice. Reduce heat to the absolute minimum, cover the pan and leave the rice to cook for at least another 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff up the rice with a fork (do not stir before this), wipe any condensation off the lid and cover the pan. Set aside until required. The rice should keep warm for at least another 15-20 minutes.
Short-grained rice with a somewhat sticky texture is used in Japan. Do not serve fragrant Thai or basmati rice with Japanese food.
RICE PAPER Made from a batter of rice flour, water and salt, then steamed and dried in the sun on bamboo racks. Moisten with a little tepid water before using to make Vietnamese rolls.
RICE WINE See CHINESE RICE WINE
ROCK SUGAR Crystallized cane sugar, sold in chunks in boxes.
Added to Chinese red-braised dishes, desserts and drinks.
ROSE ESSENCE A heady fragrance from the Middle East, used in Malay desserts, drinks and some Indian rice dishes.
SAFFRON The world's most expensive spice, actually the dried stigma of a type of crocus. Infuse saffron strands in warm milk before adding to rice and dessert dishes. Store saffron in the freezer as it loses its fragrance quickly.
SAGO PEARLS The pith of the sago palm that has been ground to a paste and pressed through a sieve. It is very glutinous, with little taste, and used in Asia for desserts.
SAKE Popular as a drink, sake or Japanese rice wine is available in many different qualities and is an important cooking ingredient. It is almost always heated to get rid of the alcohol for Japanese cuisine. A bottle of sake will keep for about a month after opening. If red sake is not available, use regular sake.
SALAM LEAF A subtly flavored leaf of a member of the cassia family, infused in curries. If you cannot obtain fresh or dried leaf, omit altogether.
SALTED FISH Salted and sun-dried freshwater fish that do not require soaking before using. Grill whole or cut into fine slices and fry to a crisp, and serve as a condiment. Salted fish is also sometimes pickled.
SALTED CABBAGE Various types of heavily salted cabbage are used in some Chinese and Nonya dishes; the most common is made from mustard cabbage. Soak in fresh water for at least 15 minutes to remove excess salt, repeating if necessary.
SALTED DUCK EGG A popular accompaniment to rice and savory Malay dishes. Wash off the black coating (often added to protect the egg), boil for 10 minutes, then cut egg in half while still in the shell.
SALTED SOYA BEANS Salty and with a distinctive tang, these are often lightly pounded before being used to season fish, noodle or vegetable dishes. Varieties packed in China are sometimes labelled "Yellow Bean Sauce". Mash slightly before using. Sichuan brands contain additional chili. Keeps indefinitely on the shelf.
SANSHO A peppery powder made from the seeds of the prickly ash, available in small glass bottles in Japanese stores. The dried Sichuan pepper is an exact substitute.
SCALLION Also known as spring onion, this popular herb is often used as a garnish and to add flavor to many dishes. It has slender white stalks with dark green strap-like leaves.
SEAWEED Used extensively in Japan. Dark green dried kelp or konbu is an essential ingredient in basic stock or dashi. It is sold in packets. Wipe clean with a damp cloth but do not soak before using. Other varieties include a fine golden kelp (shiraita konbu), mozuku, which are hair-like shreds, small squares of salted dried kelp (shio-kobu). and laver (nori), which is dried and sold in very thin, dark green sheets. Wakame is sold either dried or in salted form in plastic bags. Reconstitute by soaking in water.
SESAME Both black and white sesame seeds, the latter more commono are used in Japanese cooking. White sesame seeds are toasted and crushed to make a paste; if you don't want to do this yourself, you can buy either a Chinese or Japanese brand of sesame paste. Middle-Eastern tahina has a slightly different flavor as the sesame seeds are not toasted.
SESAME OIL Added to some Chinese dishes-usually at the last minute-for its fragrance and flavor, but never used on its own as a frying medium.
SESAME RICE CRACKERS Thin crackers made from rice flour sprinkled with sesame seeds. Grill or lightly bake before serving, and use like a cracker for dipping. Prawn crackers or puffed rice crackers may be used as a substitute.
SEVEN-SPICE POWDER A mixture of different spices and flavors, shichimi contains sansho, ground chilies, hemp seeds, dried orange peel, nori flakes, white sesame seeds and white poppy seeds. Shichimi togarashi contains chili. Both are available in bottles in Japanese stores.
SHALLOTS Small, round and pinkish-purple, shallots add a sweet onion flavor to sambals and curries. Packets of deep-fried shallots are generally available in Asian supply stores. If they lose their crispness, scatter in a large baking dish and put in a very low oven for a few moments to dry thoroughly. Cool before storing. Indonesian shallots are smaller and milder than those found in many Western countries.
SHARK'S FIN Transparent threads of dried shark's fin (generally sold in packets) are highly valued for their gelatinous texture and added to soups or sometimes cooked with egg. Soak in boiling water for about 30 minutes to soften before use. Shark's fin is also available canned.
SHISO The tangy, attractive green leaves of the Perilla frutescens or beefsteak plant, related to the mint family, are a common garnish in Japan. There is no substitute for the flavor of shiso leaf. The flower is often used as a garnish, and the tiny seeds for cooking. If the seeds are not available, omit as there is no good substitute.
SHRIMP PASTE Known variously as kapi, trasi, and belacan. A dense mixture of fermented, ground shrimp used extensively in Southeast Asian cooking. There are many different types, ranging in color from pink to blackish-brown. The former is good for curry pastes, the latter for making dipping sauces. Shrimp paste should be cooked before eating; if the recipe you are using does not call for it to be fried together with other ingredients, either grill or dry-fry the shrimp paste before pounding. To grill, wrap a piece of the paste in a piece of foil and toast under a grill or dry-fry in a pan for about 2 minutes on each side.
SHRIMP SAUCE, BLACK A very thick syrupy paste, usually sold in jars or plastic tubs, with a strong shrimp flavor. It is commonly added to rojak. a fruit and vegetable salad, and Penang laksa.
SHRIMPS, DRIED Small dried shrimps or prawns are a popular seasoning in many Asian dishes, particularly in sauces, condiments (sambals), and vegetable dishes. Choose dried shrimps that are bright pink in color, and soak in warm water for about 5 minutes to soften before use.
SICHUAN PEPPER A round, reddish-brown berry with a pronounced fragrance and flavor, used primarily in Sichuan cuisine and as an ingredient in five-spice powder. It is also known as prickly ash or fagara, and often sold powdered under the Japanese name sansho.
SOUR PLUMS Salty pickled plums (umeboshi) are very popular with plain rice for breakfast in Japan, as they are believed