COCONUT - BUAH KELAPA

Coconut cream and coconut milk are used in many Asian cuisine.
While freshly pressed milk has more flavor, coconut cream and milk are now widely sold in cans and packets that are quick, convenient and tasty.

You should add 1 cup of water to 1 cup of canned or packet coconut cream to obtain thick coconut milk, and add 2 cups of water to obtain thin coconut milk.


If you prefer to use fresh coconut, you will :

whole medium coconut fruit - peeled
1. You need to open the coconut by tapping firmly on the center with the blunt end of a cleaver until a crack appears.


halves coconut fruit
2. Drain the juice and continue tapping until the coconut cracks into two. Place the coconut halves in a moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the flesh shrinks away from the shell.


fresh grated coconut
3. Remove the meat from the shell, use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer brown skin, then grate the flesh using a blender or food processor.

Fresh coconut cream is made by grating the flesh of 1 coconut (this will yield about 4 cups of grated coconut flesh), adding 1/2 cup water, kneading a few times, then straining with your fist, or with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth.
This should yield about 1/2 cup of coconut cream.

Thick coconut milk is obtained by the same method, but the water is doubled to 1 cup and it should yield about 1 cup of thick coconut milk.

Thin coconut milk is obtained by adding 1 cup of water to the already pressed coconut flesh a second time and straining again, this should yield 1 cup of thin coconut milk.
You may also obtain thin coconut milk by diluting thick coconut milk with water.

MUSHROOMS - JAMUR

shiitake mushrooms



Shiitake mushroom is the most commonly used mushroom in Japanese cooking. It is readily available fresh or dried. If you use dried mushroo,. you should soak in the warm water for about 15 minutes until softer and ready to slice. Dried mushroom also has stronger aroma after soaking than the fresh one. The dried versions are the same as the dried black chinese mushrooms tha can be used as a subsitutes.


COOKING TIME:
- Steam : 4 - 5 minutes
- Microwave : 3 - to 4 minutes
- Blanch : Not recommended
- Boil : 3 to 4 minutes, in broth or wine
- Other : stir-fry or broil for 4 - 5 minutes

CUCUMBER - MENTIMUN

Japanese cucumber

Japanese cucumber have a sweeter flovor and a smoother texture than large cucumber. This variety also known as Lebanese cucumbers in some countries, is widely available in the fresh vegetables section of food stores. Baby cucumber or pickling gherkins are good substitutes.

BANANA BLOSSOM - JANTUNG PISANG

banana blossoms

Banana blossoms or jantung pisang are the unopened male flowers of the banana plant - a purple-red inflorescence tinged with yellow at the base which hangs at the end of a clump of developing bananas. Tasting like artichokes, the hearts of these flowers, which have been stripped off their purple petals, are a popular salad ingredient in some Southeast Asia cuisines, especially in Vietnam and Indonesia. Fresh, canned and dried banana blossoms can often can be found in specialty stores outside Asia, particularly those stocking Vietnamese and Thai ingredients.
Choose a firm, large blossom with an even color and check that the outer petals are not wilted. To prepare the blossom for cooking, remove the coarse outer petals to reveal the creamy white heart. Quarter the heart lengthwise with an oiled stainless steel knife to avoid the sticky sap clinging to it. If not cooking immediately, soak in cold water or rub with lemon or lime juice to avoid discoloration. Simmer the cut heart i plenty of lightly salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, cool, then pull out and discard the hard fillaments inside each cluster of yellow stamens as they have an unpleasant texture.


BANANA LEAVES
Banana leaves are used to wrap food for steaming or grilling. The moisture and flavor of the banana leaf makes a difference to the texture and flavor of the food, but if you can't find fresh or frozen banana leaf, use aluminium foil.
Before using to wrap food, the leaves should be softened for easy folding, either by soaking in hot water for 5-10 minutes or briefly heating over a low flame.

CHAYOTE - LABU SIAM

chayote

Chayote or labu siam is a type of squash that looks like a light green cucumber, having an oval shape and a small white seed. It is also know as mirliton or christophene. A good substitute is zucchini.

YAM BEAN - JICAMA - BENGKUANG - MUN KAEW

Jikama or bengkuang is a crunchy, mid tuber with white interior and beige skin which peels off easily. It is excellent eaten raw with a spicy dip such as sweet-hot spicy chili paste (sambal rujak) , and also can be cooked. Daikon radish may be used as a substitute.

SOY BEANS SPROUT - TAUGE

soy bean sprouts

green bean sprouts

Small white shoots of the pea-like mung bean plant, used separately as a vegetable and included in a wide variety of dishes.
They are available fresh or in cans. Canned sprouts should be rinsed before use to eliminate any metallic taste. Fresh or unopened, unused canned sprouts should be covered with water and stored in the refrigerator.
Soy bean sprouts are commonly used a garnish in Asian dishes. Always buy fresh bean sprouts - these should be crisp, without brown tips, and preferably consumed shortly after purchase.

SPRING ONION - DAUN BAWANG

PARIA

LOOFAH - OYONG

Loofah is a type of gourd with a woody, earthy flavor often used in Asian soups. Any type of squash may be used as a substitute

LEUNCA PEAS

LEMON BASIL. - KEMANGI - MANGKLAK

Basil is often used as a seasoning and garnish in Asian cooking. Lemon basil or manglak or kemangi is similar to thai basil(horapa) but paler and with a distinctive lemony fragrance. It is used in soups and salads.

KATUK LEAVES - DAUN KATUK

PEANUTS - KACANG TANAH

LONG GREEN BEANS - KACANG PANJANG

GENJER -

GREEN HOT CHILI - CABE HIJAU

SUMATRA EXOTIC BEANS - JENGKOL

whole jengkol fruit

first unskinned jengkol fruit

second unskinned jengkol fruit

This special sumatra exotic beans is one of the most Indonesian love to have in their meals. The aroma is very strong and not favorable to unfamiliar people, but the fruit is quite crunchy when it's raw,and tender as a meat when it's cooked.

It is used to made with different styles of cooking. Either with balado in west sumatra, in sweet soy sauce in java, or even eaten raw with chili paste in west java.

PETAI SEEDS - PETAI

LEEK - P'A

Traditionally, leek was eaten with raw fish in spring and Indian mustard in wingter, today, it is still an indispensable ingredients in fish dishes, as it neutralizes the fishy taste and removes harmful elements. Choose leeks that are firm, and wash them carefully to remove all the grit.

KOREAN WATERCRESS - MINARI

A seasonal garden green highly prized by Korean people, for its taste, its crunchy texture, and its fragrance. Unless you know someone who has grown minari from seed, you will have to use western-style watercress, which is more readily available. Wash and dry well before using.

KOREAN LETTUCE - SSUMBAGWI

korean lettuce



Korea is perhaps the only country to enjoy kimchee made of bitter ssumbagwi and kodulppaegi (Ixeris sonchifolia, a variety of lettuce). For an inauthentic substitute, try other bitter leaves such as curly endive (frisée) or rocket (arugula)

CHIVES

PUCH’U



Chives are known to have come from the northwestern part of China. Use the flat-leafed Chinese variety as far as possible. The conventional chive is reasonable substitute, but doesn’t hold as well as the flat-leafed variety.

LETTUCE

SANGCH’ U

The word sangchú seems to have originated from saengch’ae, raw vegetable, from the fact that it is usually eaten raw. Any soft-leafed lettuce may be used, for instance butter, mignonette or coral.

RADISH - MU - DAIKON

radish - daikon

Also known by its Japanese name, daikon.
Daikon is a large white radish which can grow to a length of 15 in (40cm), with a diameter of about 3 in (8cm). Choose firm, heavy, unblemished specimens, if possible with some greenery attached which is edible. Scrub well before grating or slicing for use raw in salads or pickle whole. Widely use in Japanese cooking, the fresh root is often served finely grated and eaten with soy sauce. Pickled daikon radish is yellow or white in color, and sold vacuum-packed and in jars.

red radish

BELLFLOWER ROOT - TORAJI

Because of their appearance, bellflower and ginseng roots have been symbols of the male. The roots are steeped in brine or rubbed with salt to remove the bitter taste; or tossed in a seasoning of chili pepper powder, leek, and crushed garlic; and fermented. Or they could be processed like kkaktugi, a somewhat dry, diced radish kimchee. Omit if the fresh is not available.

CUCUMBER

MENTIMUN, OI

Cucumber grows well without special fertilization or watering, if you are buying them, choose young, slender varieties, preferably with thin skins. Zucchini is not a substitute.
Japanese cucumber are short and have a sweeter flavor and a smoother texture than large cucumber. This variety, also known as Lebanese cucumbers in some countries, is widely available in the fresh vegetables section of food stores. Baby cucumbers or pickling gherkins are good substitute.

GOURD

PAK





Gourds are members of the squash (Cucurbitaceae) family, with a delicately flavoured flesh. Dried gourd strips are also popular in Korea. For gourd kimchee, hollow out the gourd, peel and dice the flesh. Salt, rinse and drain, then season with chili pepper powder and threads of red pepper. Add sliced scallions and pear, and ladle a brine of anchovies over it.

CABBAGE - PAECH' U - KOL

white cabbage

Korean cabbage

The vegetable has a long shape, like cos lettuce, with closely packed pale green to white leaves. The leaves are very delicate in flavor. There are two types – one with narrower leaves and a longer stem, and the other has broader leaves and is more squat.

ZUCCHINI

Available all year, peak June through August.

Look for glossy, dark green skin and firm flesh. Zucchini should be heavy for its size. Avoid zucchini longer than 8 inches (20cm) and with any brown or yellow spots. Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag up to 4 days.

COOKING TIME:

- Steam : 5 to 10 minutes

- Microwave: 3 to 6 minutes

- Blanch : 2 to 3 minutes

- Boil : 5 to 10 minutes

- Others : broil halves for 5 minutes

TOMATOES, TOMAT

Available all year, peak May to August.

Look for well-shaped, heavy tomatoes with uniform full color. Avoid those with bruises and mushy centers. Vine-ripened tomatoes are better than those picked while green, which are often treated with ethylene gas to force reddening. Store ripe tomatoes at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate up to 3 days. Underripe tomatoes should be left in a warm spot until ripe. Never refrigerate tomatoes until fully ripe.


COOKING TIME:

- Steam : 2 to 3 minutes
- Microwave : 3 to 4 minutes
- Blanch : 1 to 2 minutes
- Boil : Not recommended
- Other : bake halves 8 to 15 minutes at 400F (200C)

SQUASH

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Available all year, peak December to February.

Look for hard, smooth, even-colored squash without ridges or bumps. Avoid those that are green or have spots. Store, uncut, in a cool, dry place up to 3 days. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

COOKING TIME:

- Steam : Not recommended

- Microwave : 5 to 6 minutes / pierced

- Blanch : Not recommended

- Boil : 15 to 20 minutes

- Other : Bake 40 to 90 minutes at 350F (190C)

WINTER SQUASH

Available all year, peak December to February.

Look for hard, firm skins. Avoid those with signs of softness, mushiness or bruises. Store, uncut, in a dark, dry, cool place up to 2 months. Refrigerate cut squash wrapped in plastic wrap up to 1 week.

COOKING TIME :

- Steam : 15 to 40 minutes

- Microwave : 6 to 10 minutes

- Blanch : Not recommended

- Boil : 5 to 10 minutes

- Other : bake 40 to 60 minutes at 350F (190C)

SPINACH, BAYAM

spinach

Available all year, peak March to June.

Whether growers pick flat-leaf varieties or those with crinkly textures like other cooking greens, harvesting spinach is intimate business.
Extracting tender leaves requires getting down on hands and knees and hand-plucking them from the plant. But despite the delicate treatment it requires, spinach can also have tough grit and should be dunked in cold water and drained at least once to remove sand or dirt. All that washing is worth your while - at only 7 calories percup, this veggie is an excellent source of fiber, folate and vitamin C, and provides a whopping 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A.
Spinach was first cultivated in ancient Persia, now Iran, where it's still a favorite ingredient in soup, stews, and flaky turnovers. it quickly became a staple in cultures and cuisines around the world. Indians use it in pesto-like purees with raw garlic, and Chinese saute it. The French incorporate it into savory tarts, Italians like it on pizza and who here in Popeye-land can resist spinach when it's steamed with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of hot sauce ??

Look for dark green, fresh leaves. Avoid yellow, wilted, bruised or mushy leaves. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag up to 3 days.

COOKING TIME :

- Steam : 5 to 6 minutes

- Microwave : 3 to 4 minutes

- Blanch : 2 to 3 minutes

- Boil : 2 to 5 minutes

- Other : stir-fry for 3 minutes

TIPS :
Spinach should only ever be cooked once and never re-heat-ed, since otherwise it can release harmful nitrite.

POTATOES - KENTANG

potatoes

POTATOES, KENTANG

Available all year.

Look for firm, somewhat smooth, clean, well-shaped potatoes. Avoid wilted, sprouted or green-tinged potatoes. Avoid wilted, sprouted or green-tinged potatoes. Store, unwashed, in a cool, dark,dry place up to 3 weeks. Do not refrigerate as starch will turn to sugar.

COOKING TIME:

- Steam : 10 to 12 minutes

- Microwave : 8 to 10 minutes

- Blanch : Not recommended ( should be cooked before freezing)

- Boil : 15 to 20 minutes

- Other : bake 25 to 30 minutes at 400F (200C)

SWEET POTATOES, UBI MANIS

Available all year; peak October to December.

Look for firm, blemish-free potatoes of uniform shape. Avoid those that have cracks, mold or soft spots. Store in paper or perforated plastic bag in a cool, well-ventilated spot up to 1 week. Do not refrigerate.

COOKING TIME :

- Steam : 12 to 30 minutes

- Microwave : 6 to 8 minutes

- Blanch : Not recommended ( fully cook before freezing)

- Boil : 20 to 30 minutes

- Other : bake 40 - 60 minutes at 400F (200C)

BELL PEPPERS - PAPRIKA

Available all year; peak August and September.Look for shiny, crisp pepper with smooth skins. Peppers should feel heavy for their size. Avoid those with soft spots or shriveled areas. Refrigerate in a plastic bag up to 5 days

PEAS - KACANG POLONG - KAPRI

ENGLISH PEAS, KACANG POLONG
Available all year; peak January to August.
Look for fresh, light green, plump, velvety young pods filled with developed peas. Avoid wilted, yellow or flat pods. Refrigerate pods, unwashed, in a plastic bag up to 2 days.

SNOW PEAS, KAPRI
Available all year; peak fall and spring.
Look for bright green pods that are firm, crisp, small and flat with immature seeds. Avoid peas which are drying along the seam. Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic bag up to 2 days.

PARSNIP

Available all year; peak October to March.
Look for straight, small (5-10 inch / 12.5-25cm), smooth-skinned roots. Large parsnips might have woody cores. Avoid parsnips that are limp, shriveled or have splits or brown spots. Refrigerate in a plastic bag up to 10 days.

ONIONS -SHALLOTS

onion

Available all year. Pearl onions (immature dry onions) peak in fall and winter and sweet onions peak in late summer and fall. Look for firm, well-shaped onions with dry skins. Avoid sooty or sprouting onions. Green onions should be crisp and tender with fresh tops and medium-size necks. Store onions in a cool, dark, dry place up to a month, preferably hung where air can circulate around them. Onions can give off an odor in the refrigerator and affect the flavor of other foods. Refrigerate green onions in a plastic bag up to 1 week.




SHALLOTS


shallots

KOHLRABIES

Available sporadically all year, peak May to July.Look for small to medium, smooth bulbs. Leaves should be firm and green. Avoid kohlrabies with cracks or yellowing leaves. Separate leaves from bulbs. Refrigerate bulbs in a plastic bag up to 1 week and leaves up to 2 days.

EGGPLANT - KAJI - TERONG

eggplant, sliced eggplant


Available all year; peak August and September.

Look for fim eggplants with smooth skin and a uniform color. Avoid those that are soft, shriveled or have cuts or scars. Usually, the smaller the eggplant is the sweeter and more tender it is. Eggplants bruise easily, Handle gently and store at room temperature up to 2 days. Or, refrigerate in a plastic bag up to 4 days. Use as soon as possible since eggplant becomes bitter with age.

Eggplant is thought to have originated in Southeast Asia and India, which is thin, tender and purple, about 3-4 in (8-10 cm) long. Use slender (Japanese) eggplants, not the bulbous variety – the seeds are too large and they need salting before they can be used.

COOKING TIME (for whole) :
- Steam : 15 to 30 minutes
- Microwave : 7 to 10 minutes
- Blanch : 10 to 15 minutes
- Boil : 10 to 15 minutes
- Other : bake 30 minutes at 400F (200F)

CORN

corn

Available May to September.
Look for fresh, moist, green husks, cob should be well filled with bright, plump, milky kernels that pop easily when pressed with a fingernail. Kernels should be tightly packed together in even rows. Refrigerate immediately in husks; if shucked, store in plastic bags up to 2 days. Use as soon as possible since the sugar in corn begins to turn to starch as soon as it is picked.


baby corn

Look for bright yellow and crunchy baby corn, it is used to cook for stir-frying, soup, or only steam baby corn for salad. Make sure to put in refrigerate if not using, to avoid baby corn becoming brown.