Translation of Ingredients Terms - Chinese to English

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Japanese Cooking 101: Ingredients and equipment list for Lesson 2

For Lesson 2, we are going to cover the all-important subject of cooking rice. So, from the list of pantry ingredients for the course, you’ll need:

Japanese type rice (uncooked) - this is your one and only critical ingredient for the week. Please read the instructions on the pantry list post carefully for exactly what to get. A packet of microwave rice - as a baseline for what Japanese rice should look, feel and taste like

You’ll also need the following equipment:

A fine-mesh sieve, as described on the pantry list postA bowlA rice paddle is not critical, but handy to haveA cooking implement for cooking the rice, which can be one of the following: A rice cookerA heavy bottomed pot, like a cast iron pot, with a tight fitting lid _ A large (at least 10 inches or 25cm diameter) frying pan, with a tight fitting lid

If you’d like to try the bonus how-to, how to prepare proper sushi rice, you will also need:

rice vinegarsalt and sugardashi as prepared in Lesson 1, or dashi granules, or kombu Equipment: a sushioke or handai (a large, wooden bowl for mixing sushi rice) is ideal, but a large bowl will do too. Plus a rice paddle and a handheld fan or a hairdryer.Plus toppings of your choice, such as smoked salmon and cucumber, or some sashimi-grade tuna or other sashimi-grade fish.

And that’s it! It should be a very interesting lesson!

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Japanese Cooking 101: List of required ingredients and equipment

The response to the Japanese Cooking 101 announcement has been very encouraging! I’m glad that so many of you want to learn about making Japanese food from scratch.

As promised, here is the list of required ingredients that I would like you to have ready for the course. Unfortunately most Japanese ingredients are rather expensive, but on the plus side this will form the nucleus of an authentic Japanese pantry after the course is finished, since we’ll only be using a small amount of each.

The fresh ingredients needed will be announced before each lesson, but for this course I will be sticking to things that should be easily obtainable in most of the world, at any tme of the year, so you shouldn’t have any problems there.

I’ve put together a section on my Amazon.com aStore that lists these ingredients. You don’t have to buy them from Amazon of course, but you may find it useful to take a look anyway for a visual of the ingredients.

This is available at Japanese grocery stores. Make sure you get “japonica” rice, not “sweet” rice or “mochi” rice. Rice listed as “sushi rice” is ok. For this course, please don’t substitute other kinds of rice or it will defeat the purpose. (And we’ll be using white rice rather than brown rice since that’s the baseline.) These days Japanese style rice is grown in the U.S. (mainly in California, but also in places like Arkansas) as well as in Europe (Italy and Spain), and various parts of Asia. I’ve not bought any Asian-grown Japanese rice myself, but all the U.S. or Europe grown Japanese rice brands I’ve tried have been fine. Japanese-grown rice is quite expensive although it’s really top quality.

In the U.S. two well known and well priced brands are Nishiki and Kokuho Rose. Of these to I personally prefer Nishiki. If you can afford it, Tamanishiki and Tamaki rices are better quality. I’ve listed different pack sizes of all three rices on the aStore page. The most frugal option is to get a 2.2 lb / 1 kg bag of Nishiki rice.

In the U.K. and Europe, rice types like Yumenishiki and Yutaka are grown in Spain and Italy. I’ve tried both, and slightly prefer Yumenishiki, which is now our everyday white rice. Japan Centre (who ship all over Europe) carries both, as well as several Japan-grown rices and Nishiki and Tamanishiki from the U.S.

Most Japanese grocery stores stock this in the rice section. They are small packs of rice that can just be heated up in the microwave for 2 minutes. One brand is Katokichi, but there are others. Again please refer to the aStore page for a visual. (By the way, I could only find a big pack of these on Amazon, but you don’t need all of that for the course. They usually sell for around $1.50 or so each in stores. If you end up with extras though, they are really handy when you are too busy or lazy to cook your own rice.)

The reason why I’m requiring this is that I want to make sure that you know what Japanese rice should look and taste like when it’s properly cooked. I don’t really trust the quality of rice at every “Japanese” restaurant around - I’ve had some pretty awful rice at some - and believe it or not these microwaveable rice packs are pretty good quality.

Essentials for making dashi, which is the foundation for most savory Japanese dishes.

Another essential for making proper dashi stock. Don’t bother with the tiny little 6-packs - that’s meant to be used as a sprinkle on top of food. Get a bag filled with large, puffy flakes if at all possible. Again I refer you to the aStore page for a visual.

If you cannot get either katsuobushi or konbu seaweed, dashi granules like Hon-dashi (an Ajinomoto brand) is better than nothing. Keep in mind that dashi granules have added salt, MSG and other things, so you will have to adjust your recipe accordingly.

Used in soups and salads. You can usually just get the dried version, but if you’re lucky enough to get the fresh, salted kind, let me know and I can tell you how to handle it.

The reason why I specify a Japanese brand is that soy sauce formulas differ a little from country to country. Two well known Japanese brands of soy sauce are Kikkoman and Yamasa. I prefer Yamasa but either is fine. A non-Japanese company that makes Japanese-style soy sauce is ok too.

Sake is used in many Japanese dishes. I much prefer to use a regular sake, but if you can’t get it using ryouri-shu or cooking sake is acceptable. Keep in mind that cooking sake has salt (and sometimes other things) added to it so you must adjust the salt in your dish accordingly.

Hon-mirin is an alcoholic beverage that is used exclusively in cooking. Aji-mirin or mirin flavored seasoning is what it says - not real mirin, but fairly close, and containing less than 1% alcohol. Get hon-mirin if you can, but aji-mirin is acceptable.

The standard vinegar used in Japanese cooking. Mild and slightly sweet.

Used for miso soup and a lot more. White miso is milder and less salty usually than red miso; blended miso is a great all-purpose miso. See Japanese Miso Primer for more about miso.

By the way, if you’re in the UK or Europe Japan Centre carries a Japanese Cooking Essentials kit that contains everything you need for the course except for wakame seaweed, which you can just get separately. It has some other ingredients too which are handy for Japanese cooking. (Note: Japan Centre is an advertiser on Just Hungry, but I’m also a happy longtime customer.)

Besides these ingredients, there are a few pieces of equipment that I’d like you to have on hand:

By fine-mesh, I mean a steel wire mesh rather than the kind of colander that is made of a sheet of metal with holes punched through it. This is used for rinsing rice efficiently. Again, I’ve listed an example on the aStore page for reference.

Used for washing rice.

Any of these can be used for cooking rice. Please have at least one of them ready.

For frying something!

For boiling, making soup, and so on.

The big kind you use for cooking, not a fancy little soup-tureen one.

A regular chef’s knife or santoku knife is fine; no need for a special Japanese one. You should also have a cutting board.

This is not mandatory, but it’s very handy to have around for all kinds of Asian cooking.

Again, not mandatory, but handy to have.

For presenting your final complete Japanese meal. You certainly do not have to go out and get specialized Japanese dinnerware for this (unless you want to) - just use what you have.

So there you have it. If you have any questions let me know in the comments.

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Kosher Chinese Cooking – Ingredients and Books

(Above: Soy Vay hoisin sauce)

A woman who attended one of my cooking classes recently emailed an excellent question: her daughter kept kosher, and she wondered whether any Chinese pantry staples can be purchased kosher.

I was curious about this myself. So to start, I went through my own pantry for the OK and OU symbols. Then I dug a little deeper online. Not surprisingly, Soy Vay was one of the top brands that surfaced on Google (During my undergrad days at Brandeis, I cooked with their Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce religiously….pun completely accidental.)

Here’s a list of pantry ingredients I commonly use for Chinese cooking and where to find them kosher.

Soy sauce – My big bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce carries the kosher parve symbol. And Kikkoman is pretty much available everywhere, in many different bottle sizes. They also have kosher low-sodium and gluten-free versions. Lee Kum Lee, a brand found in every Chinese market, also fits the bill.

Hoisin sauce – Lee Kum Kee and Soy Vay produce kosher hoisin sauces. Soy Vey products can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other supermarkets.

Sesame oil – Eden Organic makes a kosher sesame oil.

Chili sauce – Lee Kum Kee makes kosher chili sauces and chili garlic sauces.

Rice vinegar – Marukan rice vinegar, according to my bottle, is certified kosher.

Chinese black vinegar / Balsamic vinegar - Whenever I list Chinese black vinegar as an ingredient in a recipe, I also mention balsamic vinegar as an alternate ingredient. That’s because a good balsamic vinegar makes an excellent substitute, since both are aged, slightly smoky, and slightly sweet. While Chinese black vinegars aren’t kosher, you can definitely substitute your favorite kosher balsamic vinegar.

Chinese rice wine / Dry sherry – Same situation as above. Dry sherry is a great substitute for Chinese rice wine, and while Chinese rice wines don’t come kosher, sherry does, though I’ve heard it can be hard to find.

As for books on kosher Chinese cooking, check out these titles:

Or The Kosher Cookbook Trilogy. I picked up this particular copy below two years ago at Housing Works. The Chinese portion includes gems like Matzoh Brei Foo Yong, “Shrimp Puffs” that use gefilte fish, and Fortune Strudel. I haven’t tried cooking from the book yet so I can’t vouch for how the recipes turn out, but at least the titles and headnotes make for interesting reading.

Tagged as: Chinese Ingredients, Products

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Tolerance Test: Are Gluten-Free Asian Ingredients for You?

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September 19, 2011Tolerance Test: Are Gluten-Free Asian Ingredients for You?

A number of people have written to me over the years about gluten-free strategies for enjoying Asian food. Several of those individuals suffered from Celiac disease. I hesitated until now because aside from occasionally feeling slightly bloated or gassy from eating water crackers in the afternoon, I have little personal experience with wheat intolerances. And none of my family or close friends has problems with gluten. (Ask me about lactose intolerance and I have lots to talk about!) 

However, Laura Russell’s new book, The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, got me thinking about the subject more seriously. (I reviewed the book for a cover endorsement and revisited it after its release.) According to an August 2011 BusinessWeek article on popular trends, less than 1 percent (about 3 million out of 312 million) of Americans have celiac disease but 15 percent of consumers buy gluten-free foods. The result is a $2.6 billion market for gluten-free foods.

The data indicate that a fair number of people experience a range of reactions to food that contain gluten from wheat, barley, and rye. That is, gluten intolerance may range from being mildly uncomfortable to seriously debilitating.

Since the Asian diet is based on rice, making gluten-free Asian food seems like a no-brainer. Russell points out at the outset of The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen that devilish gluten may be found in a number of Asian staples, such as:

Fish sauceSoy sauce (including tamari and kecap manis Indonesian sweet soy sauce)Maggi Seasoning sauceShaoxing rice wineMisoHoisin sauceOyster saucePlum sauceWasabiKorean red pepper paste (gochuchang)

What to do if you want to eat gluten-free Asian food? How do you navigate Asian ingredients to turn out tasty fare that won’t cause you grief?

Read labels and learn about ingredients

This is what Russell advises and I totally agree. Be a smart Asian ingredient shopper. Learn a little bit about how Asian foodstuffs are made so you can make informed decisions. For example:

The production of soy sauce and many Asian bean sauces (e.g., hoisin and miso) combines a legume (most likely soybean) with a grain (wheat, barley, or rice). My bottle of Indonesian kecap manis says that it contains “black soybean extract” (read: soy sauce). Given that kecap manis is made with palm sugar and soy sauce, the “black soybean extract” probably contains wheat. Tamari may or may not contain wheat. Traditionally made tamari is dense and intense because it is by definition the concentrate at the bottom of a vat of soy sauce. Wheat-free tamari is a modern approach and delicate in comparison to old-school tamari.Fish sauce manufacturers sometimes add a bit of hydrolyzed wheat protein to their brew. On the label below, it’s presented as hydrolyzed vegetable protein. In Vietnamese, “protein lua mi” literally means wheat protein.

Asian companies may mislabel because of a lack of English language fluency. I once found a brand of rice paper that supposedly contained wheat flour, water, and salt. The manufacturer may have lifted that copy from a Chinese wheat-based spring roll label. Rice paper contains rice (gao), water (nuoc), salt (muoi) and sometimes tapioca starch (bot nang). The more expensive brands of Asian ingredients are more likely to have better labeling of ingredients and manufacturing or best-by dates. They tend to be more marketing and communication conscious.Asian markets are savvy to their growing base of multicultural customers, whose needs and languages vary. Over the years, I’ve seen more organic ingredients at Asian markets and better labeling. The Yamasa brand of gluten-free tamari in the top photo was purchased at an Asian market.

Read labels carefully wherever you shop, be it an Asian market or regular supermarket.

How intolerant are you?

Russell suggests purchasing certain ingredients at mainstream grocery stores because the ingredient labels will be in clear and accurate English. If you suffer from an acute case of gluten intolerance or diagnosed with celiac disease, you definitely need to seek out ingredients that won’t harm you. The first part of The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen contains a helpful grid of ingredients and their gluten status. That section is followed by a guide to ingredients that includes DYI workarounds for ingredients such as kecap manis.

If you’re used to standard Asian ingredients having wheat or barley, you may find that their gluten-free kin taste off. You may feel like you’ve been thrown off your game because the flavors won’t seem right. Asian seasonings were produced with gluten for particular flavor and texture outcomes. When you omit the gluten, there’s something missing. I’ve found that when using gluten-free Asian seasonings, I have to add a bit extra salt, sugar, or spice to tweak the flavors to my liking.

However, if you can tolerate a bit of gluten, consider allowing a little gluten into your Asian food via the seasonings. Because you don’t use much of those ingredients to flavor food, your body may be fine with regular soy sauce, rice wine, or hoisin sauce. (I’ve not found much rye in Asian ingredients.)  Try a bit out and see how you react. Gauge your personal tolerance for gluten.

Maybe you'll feel better if you reduce your intake on the big-gluten ingredients in Asian foods.  Sample strategies for a low-gluten diet include:

Drizzle Maggi Seasoning sauce and slather on the full-fat mayonnaise in your banh mi sandwich but employ gluten-free bread; it’s the Maggi, mayo and other goodies that make the sandwich sing. Panfry rice noodles instead of egg noodles but use fish sauce and oyster sauce to lend briny depth to the stir-fry topping. Eat non-wheat Asian dumplings that employ rice flour or starches. Go for steamed rice rolls, fried sesame balls and tofu rolls! Refrain from eating pot stickers, shui mai,  and wontons. Har gow uses wheat starch, which may have a tiny bit of gluten in it. (Russell’s book inspired me to revisit making a basic gluten-free Asian dumpling dough, which I’m still tinkering with and will write about soon.)Stay away from wheat gluten and seitan, common Asian meat substitutes; they are your enemy!

So if you can allow a little gluten in your diet, keep the seasonings but find substitutes for the bigger gluten-laden offenders. If you suffer acute, persistent symptoms, see a doctor and go totally gluten-free.

Have experience with gluten-free cooking or gluten-free Asian ingredients? Share your thoughts and insights.

Related sites:

Laura Russell's personal blog and info on The Gluten-Free Asian KitchenShauna Ahern's Gluten-Free Girl and the ChefPosted in Asian Ingredients, Cooking Tips & Tools, Recipes: Gluten-Free | Permalink

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Comments

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The study of more than 50,000 adults ages 18 and older provides new molecular evidence that 11 DNA regions in the human genome have strong association with these diseases, including six regions not previously observed.

Posted by:best watches replica |September 20, 2011 at 12:54 AM

What a great guide for those needing to avoid gluten.

Amy
www.theglutenfreemaven.com
@glutenfreemaven

Posted by:Amy |September 20, 2011 at 03:57 PM

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Navigating Food Safety in Chinese Ingredients

Navigating Food Safety in Chinese Ingredients - Viet World Kitchenwindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World KitchenHomeArchivesRecipe IndexVWK StoreClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission and CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messageMy Publications

Asian Tofu
Release date: Feb. 28, 2012
available for pre-order

Asian Market Shopper
mobile app is here!
"Never Be Lost in an Asian Grocery Again"
-- L. Andriani, Oprah.com

Asian Dumplings
Reviews & Press Release
Enhanced e-book with how-to videos now available!

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Reviews & Press Release
E-book released on 6/1/11!

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July 01, 2011Navigating Food Safety in Chinese Ingredients

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times ran a story on the astounding food safety problems in the People’s Republic of China. From pork that glows in the dark and glazes that render pork to look like beef to fake eggs that cost less to produce than letting a chicken hatch one naturally, the piece by Barbara Demick revealed the growing pains of a fast-paced socialist-capitalist economy. Rampant corruption, fear, and outlaw behavior combine for a situation that not only compromises public safety but also poses a major threat to political instability.

I traveled to China last September to conduct research for the Asian Tofu book and met many honest people who were as concerned about food safety as any of us are abroad. They unfortunately live in a situation where they constantly have to worry about fake products. It is one thing to by a cheap knockoff Louis Vuitton handbag, but it’s another thing to digest food made with synthetic materials that are not designed for human consumption. My heart goes out to the Chinese people who face that level of uncertainty on a daily basis.

Reader responses

As of today, there were about 60 comments in response to Demick’s story. Some self-identified Asian Americans expressed shame but in the main, most people communicated anger and frustration. There were vitriolic comments that reflected misconceptions about Asian foods and cultures. The doozies included:

Can’t expect too much from a country that regularly serves boiled dog and cat in its restaurants.  Far as I’m concerned they can all croak.

Well then, let them eat all that crap... It’s fine with me, as long as they don’t ship any of that stuff to this country.

Wake-up America!  If you have EVER eaten an eggroll, you were ingesting yesterdays (and someone else’s) chicken & broccoli or pork-fried rice scraps that come back to the kitchen. This is the Asian way and it happens in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia and of course China...and to a lesser extent in Thailand. This cultural effort to recycle groceries -- did not stop at the border. I don’t care if you eat at a Panda Express in a stripmall of PF Changs…You’re eating the scraps of yesterdays buffet or uneaten plate scraps.

[IN RESPONSE TO ABOVE COMMENT] Having seen the food service trucks delivering the so-called "fresh" eggrolls and such from corporate HQ, I know that this is bullcrap. Panda Express, Chang’s, all chains get their food in pre-measured, pre-wrapped packaging and buckets from corporate. Now, your little strip mall ma and pa buffet might be doing some creative recycling, but I know I could smell the difference (let alone taste it) and I don’t eat in those places anyway. Didn’t you ever wonder why the eggrolls in one joint are exactly like the ones in another? Answer: food service, not plate scraps.

Make no mistake, there’re many Chinese restaurants here in the US using dangerous or forbidden ingredients. The thing is that they never allow anybody, other than their own people to learn about the procedures and the kind on ingredients they use to make their delicious Kung Pao dog... I mean Kung pao Chiken. [SIC] At Panda Inn, only Chinese cooks are allowed in to their kitchen.

[IN RESPONSE TO ABOVE COMMENT] It’s obvious you have never worked in a restaurant before in the US.  Dog meat is more expensive than chicken meat, even in China.  If you look in the kitchen of many Panda Express or PF Chang’s, the cooks are mainly Latino. Try doing some research next time before pulling crazy lies out of the air.

Let’s all go to WALMART and get some food, toys, clothes, et al. We won’t have to worry about the deficite, [SIC] we will all be dead. I try to not buy anything from CHINA, but it is nearly impossible. That is what is wrong with the UNITED STATES, we keep doing it to ourselves. Even some things that are "MADE IN AMERICA" get the materials from CHINA. What a country.

These comments gave me pause about what people think of Asian cuisines. (Remember the discussion we had about the U.S. marine's fight to curb Vietnam's dog eating?) While the comments above are from self-selecting individuals, there are still a lot of ill-notions about what Asian food is and is not. On the other hand, I’ve heard many Asian people express distrust of their own people. The negativity comes from many directions. The last comment listed above brings up the larger issue of our love for cheap Chinese goods. 

What can you do?

Indeed, food safety upsets and brings up prejudices. But what can you do for your family and friends? How can you navigate the food safety issues regarding Asian ingredients?

Be vigilant and shop smart. Whether I’m at a mainstream market or Asian grocery store, I basically follow some general rules when selecting ingredients:

Shop at a store you trust. Look at the management and staff in the eye. Are they honest people? Do they know and pick the best ingredients for their customers?Is the store busy most times? A busy store is one with quick turnover of inventory, which means things are fresher.Find brands that work for you and stick with them.When possible, avoid ingredients from China. Look for comparable brands from Taiwan, Hong Kong, or elsewhere. Maybe there is a domestic brand that’s good? However, know that certain Asian ingredients, such as good Chinkiang vinegar and Pixian chile bean sauce come from China. Additionally, there are reliable Chinese brands have been stellar for years and remain so.Some ingredients are labeled as “export quality,” meaning that they’re of high quality and suitable for shipping overseas. I always wonder what’s left for people in the country of origin to use. Nevertheless, that terminology is used to indicate a superior product.If you have to take a stab in the dark, buy at the middle to high-price range. Asian ingredient manufacturers are super competitive so a 50-cent or dollar difference matters.Check to make sure the packaging is well sealed.Select packages that haven’t sat around long enough to gather dust.

Stories such as this one from the Los Angeles Times are not meant to stoke public fear here in the States. The journalist was reporting on problems in mainland China. Yes, there are Chinese products that reach our shores and we rely on them to cook well. Just take a measure of caution but remain level headed when you’re shopping for food ingredients – whether they’re Asian or not.

If you’ve got a reaction, experience, or shopping tip to share, contribute them below!

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andrea, thank you for countering the knee-jerk reactions with sober reasoning and thoughtful suggestions.

Posted by:burkie |July 01, 2011 at 04:53 PM

Burkie: when good food is at stake, I try to do all that I can. Thanks!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |July 01, 2011 at 06:15 PM

My rules of thumb are "no China if possible," and "no dusty packages." Of course, for some food stuffs there's no choice but mainland China sources, but I've tried to avoid it ever since the melamine incident.

Of course, I happily consume products from India, Thailand, Vietnam, etc and for all I know they could have similar QA issues. But a gal's got to eat, so I just hope for the best.

Posted by:Diane |July 01, 2011 at 10:13 PM

Sorry to say, but I join Diane in just not *knowingly* purchasing any kind of food product from mainland China. As we learned with the milk scandal, however, plenty of products made in other nations include corrupted, tainted Chinese ingredients.

I am not persuaded that what we seen in China are "the growing pains of a fast-paced socialist-capitalist economy." The US went through many decades of tainted, adulterated, contaminated food products, and was very slow in passing food safety laws.

And to be fair to China, they are not alone in hosting food scandals. Vietnam too has had problems with adulterated and contaminated food, and with some agricultural practices that are inexcusable and a danger to people well beyond its own borders.

Frankly, I don't see this as any kind of an Asian issue at all. I suspect that similar things occur in other lands, where there is also no real rule of law, no independent media, no regulatory enforcement, and no possibility of anyone blowing the whistle... in safety.

Posted by:Simon Bao |July 01, 2011 at 11:48 PM

There is a certain frontier and Wild West mentality in China. The inequities are so huge that people are desperate to get ahead. The notion of a social contract is slim. China is wonderful with beaurocracy and death is the penalty for anyone caught of directly harming others through tainted food. The other policy issue is that there could be mass public protest and outrage, leading to destabilizing the country.

Truth be told, in other countries, Vietnam included, there are counterfeit stories on a regular basis. I recall Viet farmers over feeding their pigs with antibiotics so that the pork smelled and tasted bad. People were warned to not buy pork at wet local markets and advised to purchase from brick-and-mortar markets. That was a story I read about when traveling there. It wasn't headline news in the US.

These bizarre food safety incidents are pretty much about people hurting their own in their own countries. I hope they diminish over time.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |July 02, 2011 at 10:37 AM

Andrea:

Did you delete my comment posted this morning? It was there and now its gone... A bit odd.

Laura

Posted by:Laura@silkroadgourmet.com |July 02, 2011 at 11:25 AM

Hi Andrea, Thanks for your general tips. I am pregnant at the moment and most food I crave for are Asian food, however I have to be extra careful in what I buy, especially with stuff from China. So far, I have tried to substitute Chinese brands with Thai, Taiwanese or Hong Kong brands when possible but certain things are not really the same. Do you know Lee Kum Kee brand (oyster sauce and hoisin sauce)? In your opinion and experience is that a good brand to buy? Many thanks

Posted by:Anh G |July 04, 2011 at 04:11 AM

Thanks for the post and for pointing out the LA Times story.

I generally avoid Made in China products as well. Same with Vietnam, actually. Has nothing to do with nativist politics or old history.

Humans being the way we are, I just feel more comfortable buying products from countries ranked high on press freedom. Every country has well-meaning regulations and honest producers as well as crooked ones. It's just easier to be an honest producers when you can count on the press to expose your crooked competitors.

Posted by:Linh-Dang |July 04, 2011 at 01:01 PM

Laura@silkroadgourmet.com: I didn't see your original post. Sorry.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |July 04, 2011 at 02:12 PM

Anh G: Lee Kum Kee is a highly reputable producer of Asian condiments. I've visited their facilities in the U.S. and it is totally -- scrupulously -- clean. I like their products, especially the oyster sauce. Koon Chun is good for hoisin sauce as theirs is a little more robust in flavor.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |July 04, 2011 at 02:15 PM

Andrea, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the LA Times story. It made me very angry to read those comments posted by readers who clearly have no proof of what they claimed to be true.

It's a very unfortunate matter to hear about 'fake food' being served in China. I definitely will have to think twice about what I eat when I travel.

Posted by:Tuyet |July 04, 2011 at 03:27 PM

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EventsRADIO INTERVIEW
Everyday Food
July 5, 12:15pm EST
Join Sandy and me to talk Asian marinades & sauces!

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Japanese ingredients: Myoga or Myouga

I’m back from Japan after another pretty long stay! I’ve been spending more and more time back ‘home’ these past couple of years, but my real home is still over here. Striking a balance between the two is not easy, but interesting to say the least!

One of the main themes of Just Hungry since its inception is re-creating Japanese cuisine using the fresh ingredients you can obtain locally, using Japanese cooking methods and some key Japanese flavoring ingredients. Until recently I’ve tried to limit myself as much as possible to pantry staples when it comes to Japanese ingredients. However, it’s come to my attention that some fresh ingredients that are quintessential to Japanese cuisine are becoming easier to find, especially in places like San Francisco or New York. I have to grow my own to get my hands on these…or just enjoy them when I’m in Japan.

Myoga or Myouga (????, ??)is one such ingredient. Sometimes called myoga ginger, the botanical name is zingiber mioga. It’s a deciduous perennial plant, and only the young, tender flower buds are eaten. Raw myouga buds taste like a cross between fresh ginger shoots and mild pickling onion, but without any strong onion-y flavor. They look like slender shallots.

Myouga is usually eaten as a garnish, sliced very thinly. Like fresh ginger, it has a refreshing, zingy quality. The slices are very pretty, as you can see here.

Cultivated myouga is available all year round in Japan, but its true season is June to July. Myouga is a wonderful garnish on hiyayakko, cold tofu, and its great eaten with cold noodles, especially somen (thin wheat noodles), though they’re very nice with cold soba noodles instead of, or in addition to, chopped green onions. Myouga tempura is also very nice; just slice in half, and follow the basic instructions for vegetable tempura.

Have you seen myouga for sale at your local Japanese grocery store? Have you tried it? Right now, I’m doing some research to see if this sub-tropical plant will grow at all in sunny but dry southern France. Ah, the things expats do to recapture the flavors of home. ^_^;

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Giveaway: Asian Ingredients 101 App

Giveaway: Asian Ingredients 101 App - Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksBurnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksLumpia FillingAbout Burnt LumpiaFilipino Food Recipe ArchiveLinks Get My FeedWelcomeLegion of DoomBurnt Lumpia on FacebookRecent PostsTwo Words: Done DealBanana 2 ConferenceFourGambas for Game DayFilipino Food Bloggers Featured on "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho"Giveaway: Asian Ingredients 101 AppCoconut Eggnog with Coconut MoonshineQueso de Bola FondueAdobong Sili (Chile Pepper Adobo)Sinigang na LechonCategoriesAdobo RecipesBeefBeer, Liquor, & WineBL OriginalsBL Restaurant ReviewsCookbooksDessertsFruits and VeggiesHow to Make LumpiaKalamansiLasang PinoyMy Cookbook!On The GrillOtherPancit (Filipino Noodles)PorkPoultrySeafoodThe BL FamThe Manila MachineTravelUbe RecipesVinegar (Suka) « Coconut Eggnog with Coconut Moonshine |Main| Filipino Food Bloggers Featured on "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" »

January 10, 2011Giveaway: Asian Ingredients 101 App

I've never been grocery shopping with my grandmother, though I imagine such an experience would provide innumerable perks.

Aside from helping me pick out the best green papayas for her atchara recipe, or perhaps telling me straighaway which Filipino vinegar is best for any particular dish, my grandmother would be indispensible in proving my ethnicity to doubtful fishmongers at the Asian market.

Alas, my grandmother lives 4 hours away from me, so my excursions to the market (like most everyone I'm sure) are always grandma-less.

But thanks to Asian Ingredients 101, an iPhone app created by cookbook author, Pat Tanumihardja, you can now have a robot Asian grandma in your pocket!

Asian Ingredients 101 is a comprehensive guide to East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian ingredients at your fingertips. Whether you are shopping at an Asian market or traveling in Asia, this app will help you to identify close to 100 ingredients ranging from spices to herbs to sauces using color photographs as well as their common names in different languages. It also tells you where to find the ingredients at the market (i.e. frozen or dried goods section) and offers little tidbits on selection and preparation.

Oh, that's what oyster sauce is for! Thanks Robot Grandma!

Pat's an old friend of mine, and is the author of The Asian Grandmother's Cookbook, so I can vouch for how cool this app is. And luckily for you, dear readers, Pat has provided me with three (3) promo codes that will enable three of my lucky readers to download her app for free.

For a chance to win a free download of Asian Ingredients 101, just leave a comment telling me what your favorite Asian ingredient is. I'll then randomly choose three winners who will each recieve a free download.

All comments for this post will be accepted as entry for the giveaway and this contest will end on Sunday January 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. I'll randomly select three winners and announce the winner later that week.

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1 Favorite Comments

I think my favorite asian ingredient is Calamansi. The Filipino citrus. There is no clear substitute, "kinda tastes like. . ." doesn't cut it for me. I am not sure if any other Asian country uses it, now that I think about it. I can't imagine that it's too well known. Nothing like it!

Posted by:Linda M |January 10, 2011 at 04:59 PM

I love all sorts of Asian ingredients from fish sauce to natto, but more than that I love learning about what I haven't tried yet.

Posted by:Hannah |January 10, 2011 at 05:05 PM

Cool idea for an app - coconut (more specifically coconut milk) is my jam, since it can go both savory (laing, adobo) or sweet (every pinoy dessert, basically).

In other news, glad to see you still posting! Hope the Machine's going well-

Posted by:Chris C |January 10, 2011 at 05:06 PM

Mine has to be ube.

Posted by:Chris L |January 10, 2011 at 05:08 PM

I ? coconut milk! mmmmmmm (drool)

Posted by:Chelsie H |January 10, 2011 at 05:11 PM

Wonderful giveaway. My favorite would be wasabi.

Posted by:Nisrine | Dinners & Dreams |January 10, 2011 at 05:21 PM

It's so hard to choose just one! I've been all about fresh coconut lately but if I had to get down to the most basic, then I have to give it to RICE. Yes, many will argue that it's not solely Asian but after moving back to Manila, my rice experience has greatly expanded as I learn more about how this marvelous foodstuff is used for everything from condiment (buro) to main (paella valenciana) to dessert (biko!) and so much more in between. Then there are all the varieties...Is there an app for that?

Posted by:Tangled Noodle |January 10, 2011 at 05:28 PM

Just one favourite? Hmm... macapuno is usually at the top of my list, but so is patis :)

Posted by:Rochelle |January 10, 2011 at 05:34 PM

my favorite asian ingredient is ginger!

Posted by:Carmel |January 10, 2011 at 05:37 PM

make mine fish sauce.

Posted by:Mark Argent |January 10, 2011 at 05:40 PM

Mine would have to be lemongrass - so very useful and aromatic.

Posted by:Ed |January 10, 2011 at 05:55 PM

The one ingredient, I think, that identifies Asian cooking and is pretty much a staple ingredient in almost all Asian recipes is soy sauce!!!

Posted by:Harvey Bringas |January 10, 2011 at 06:14 PM

Bagoong alamang (rocks in kare-kare).

Posted by:Row |January 10, 2011 at 06:15 PM

Since someone else has already nominated rice, then I would have nominate soy sauce! Kikkoman original soy sauce and kecap manis are my most used soy sauces, though I also have tamari and dark soy sauce when I need an extra flavour boost.

Posted by:Sefie |January 10, 2011 at 06:16 PM

Fish Sauce. I love it in everything from hamburgers to pasta sauce.

Posted by:ladywild |January 10, 2011 at 06:24 PM

jasmine rice. or spam :)

Posted by:kimberly |January 10, 2011 at 06:34 PM

ok, this is admitting the deep dark truth. . .I love MSG! (haven't had it in the spice shelf since I was a kid), wouldn't dream of buying it as an adult, but I loved that junk more than salt. otherwise, Bagoong baby!

Posted by:Ning Ning |January 10, 2011 at 06:42 PM

Maggi seasoning is a favorite for me.

Posted by:Mysticcher |January 10, 2011 at 06:58 PM

Have to go with Rice. You can have it at any meal; it can be savory or sweet; it kicks butt when partnered with everything from kare-kare to ice cream! Rice is the ultimate asian ingredient!

Posted by:Jessica |January 10, 2011 at 07:22 PM

Fish sauce! I'm a Fil-Am married to a Viet guy so you know we've always got a bottle in the house. Since I tend to make more Vietnamese than Filipino food these days, the beloved Rufina patis of my childhood has been replaced by Viet Huong nuoc mam.

Posted by:Michelle |January 10, 2011 at 07:47 PM

current fave would have to be sriracha! even adds a nice kick to adobo (sacrilege I know...)

Posted by:Marie |January 10, 2011 at 08:06 PM

GINGER!

I love it in stir fry's, fried rice, arroz caldo and just about on anything. It adds such a mild kick like no other!

Posted by:Claudia MM |January 10, 2011 at 09:13 PM

Garlic- although it's an international ingredient. Can't think of my favorite food without it-chicken adobo, fried rice, pancit canton! Buko and juicy, sweet mangos are my favs on sweet dishes !

Posted by:Christie |January 11, 2011 at 02:19 AM

Free?!? Fuck that! I'm buying it right now! Awesome apps and awesome app authors deserve to be awarded.

I agree with Linda that calamansi is awesome. I just came across it for the first time (just as juice) and it blew my mind. But garlic is my staple cooking pretty much any cuisine, east or west.

P.S. I can't wait to hunt down your truck next time I'm in SoCal.

Posted by:Ryan |January 11, 2011 at 02:33 AM

Sinamak (spiced coconut vinegar) local to the province of Iloilo in the Philippines

Posted by:macky |January 11, 2011 at 06:43 AM

Since I'm a condiment queen, it would probably come down to simple ol' soy sauce. My husband makes some mean Chinese food while I use it for everything Filipino. And, I'll admit, white rice isn't the same without it!

Posted by:Lorena |January 11, 2011 at 08:39 AM

Fish Sauce. UMAMI in a bottle!!

Posted by:deevee |January 11, 2011 at 12:09 PM

Soy sauce! Soy sauce enhances the flavor on almost anything.

Posted by:jae_em |January 11, 2011 at 03:28 PM

Eggplant!

Posted by:zeeamie |January 11, 2011 at 10:54 PM

oo tough choice. there's so many. i'll say fish sauce!

Posted by:Cindy Waffles |January 12, 2011 at 05:34 AM

Calamansi, definitely. But around here, you have to grow your own if you want fresh calamansi! My potted tree, Chloe, is hanging in there. How is Kal? ; )

Posted by:manju |January 12, 2011 at 06:27 AM

asian ingredient? of course it would be soy sauce :D

Posted by:Marj |January 12, 2011 at 11:09 AM

Garlic and patis

Posted by:Jess @ B-more Balanced |January 12, 2011 at 12:43 PM

That is so cool. My favorite has to be patis. I use it in almost everything.

Posted by:Joy |January 13, 2011 at 07:34 AM

It's gotta be Patis! Fish Sauce adds to dishes like no other ingredient!

Posted by:Alan T |January 13, 2011 at 12:45 PM

It's taba ng talangka!

Posted by:Kaffirgirl |January 13, 2011 at 11:32 PM

I just came across your blog after visiting the Philippines! I am so excited to follow your food truck and try your food!

Ginger happens to be my favorite ingredient; the sweet, bitter distinct taste adds real excitement to a dish! Fresh is the only way to go when a recipe calls for ginger :)

Posted by:Ashley-FunAsWeGo |January 13, 2011 at 11:46 PM

Saging na Saba (Philippine Plantains) would have to be mine...

Posted by:The Beancounter |January 14, 2011 at 05:07 AM

patis!! lends everything that filipino je ne sais quoi...

Posted by:jo |January 14, 2011 at 01:09 PM

Low-sodium soy sauce for me!

Posted by:Dee |January 14, 2011 at 06:45 PM

Wow! Watched you on a TV program here in the Philippines. They featured your blog. :)

Posted by:eight |January 15, 2011 at 05:52 AM

Adobo! :)

Posted by:eight |January 15, 2011 at 07:06 AM

patis! :) heeheehee.

Posted by:eight |January 15, 2011 at 07:08 AM

Favorite asian ingredient: soy sauce

Posted by:Elizabeth |January 15, 2011 at 09:05 AM

Fish Sauce makes everything better, but I have to say my FAVE, the one I grab whenever I can find it, is Galangal. MMMMM

Posted by:Jerry Shaheen |January 15, 2011 at 10:19 AM

lime leaves! I just wish they were easier to find!

Posted by:Veronica V-V |January 15, 2011 at 12:28 PM

My favorite is the little dried shrimp. I love to eat them as is, as well as in my mom's yummy papaya salad! YUMMY!

Posted by:Joan |January 15, 2011 at 01:00 PM

This app looks like a fantastic idea as I get really confused when shopping for Asian ingredients. I have lots and lots of favourites. My latest is a Phillipino coconut wine vinegar. It is very tasty and super hot. The lady in the shop recommended it to me and explained how it is collected and prepared.

Posted by:Trix |January 15, 2011 at 05:21 PM

One of my favorite Asian ingredients is Maggi sauce! As a kid, I loved using it as a dip for fried chicken and pork chops and because of that, it holds a special place in my heart.

Posted by:Sheila |January 15, 2011 at 11:29 PM

gosh....i can't decide between coconut vinegar which is a favorite dipping sauce since childhood and lemongrass with its "clean" and refreshing flavor that always elevate my mood whenever i have it. whether its in my soup, marinade or as a refreshment...

Posted by:lynette |January 16, 2011 at 01:03 AM

mine is fish sauce

Posted by:Roga |January 16, 2011 at 04:54 AM

Every family should have at least one Asian robot grandma.

Posted by:Little Spoon |January 16, 2011 at 09:43 AM

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