Know your ramen from your udon with Jennie Milsom's dummies' guide to Asian food shopping.
KEY POINTS:
JARS AND BOTTLES
Hoisin: A brown sauce made from fermented soya beans, spices, vinegar and sugar. Use for glazing meat.
Tom yum: Paste used in hot and sour broths, traditionally with chicken or mixed seafood.
Oyster sauce: Good-quality ones are made from oyster extracts, but many contain MSG and thickeners. Use in stir fries or drizzle over steamed veggies.
Sake: Japanese drink made from fermented rice, served hot or cold. Ranges through sweet and dry.
Mirin: Strongly flavoured sweet liquid similar to sake. Add to marinades for fish. Also used as a condiment in sushi.
Teriyaki sauce: Japanese sweet and salty brown sauce made from mirin and soy sauce that has been boiled with sugar. Use as a marinade for meat or as a dipping sauce.
Fish sauce: Strong, salty sauce made from fermented fish or shellfish. Use sparingly in curries, sauces and dressings.
Miso paste: Made from fermented soya beans. It is used in stocks and soups and imparts a sweet and salty flavour.
DRIED INGREDIENTS
Seaweed: For sushi or soups. Known in Japan as nori.
Black fungus: Also known as wood-ear or tree-ear (it grows on trees). Rehydrate and use in soups and meaty stews.
Snow fungus: Also known as white tree-ear fungus. Good-quality snow fungus has a pale and yellow-white colour. It is often used in soups and desserts.
Bamboo leaves: To wrap around dumplings when steaming.
Black sesame seeds: Use to garnish desserts, grind into soups or sprinkle over salmon.
Szechuan pepper: Tastes only faintly hot but brings out the taste of many foods well.
Five-spice powder: Used in many Chinese dishes, it is a blend of ground star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and Szechuan peppercorns.
NOODLES
Ramen: Thin, yellow, made from wheat flour and egg.
Soba: Thin, brown Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour.
Udon: Thick noodle, made from wheat flour.
Somen: Thin, white, often served cold in salads.
TOFU
Made from soya beans, tofu looks a little like a pale cheese and comes soft (almost like custard), firm or dried. It has little flavour so can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. For savoury, marinate or drizzle with seasonings, such as soy sauce.
VEGES
Pak or bok choy: Cabbage with white stems and dark green leaves. Stir fry or steam.
Choy sum: Similar to pak choy but with bitter stems and yellow flowers.
Where to shop
Silver Bell: www.silverbell.co.nz
Tai Ping: Branches in Northcote and Howick
JapanMart: 75 Anzac Ave, Auckland central, ph (09) 377 2226
