Articles

Indonesia, known as the Republic of Indonesia (RI), is a South East Asia country. Over 17,000 islands make up this lush tropical into the biggest archipelago country in the world. Numerous cultures have flourished here, from the early Hindu and Buddhist empires to the rise of Islam. In the following centuries, Portuguese and British merchants set up trading posts, but the Dutch had the most decisive impact, occupying the islands for 250 years. With cultural influences, the culinary heritage and the abundance of the ingredients, such as rice, chilies, limes, tamarind, and spices, have led to the richness in the flavor of dishes.Each island's culture is different, so People's taste and...

Serves 4.75g / 3oz / 6 tbsp caster sugar300mI / ½ pint / 1¼ cups white winethinly pared rind and juice of 1 lemon7.5cm / 3in piece fresh root ginger, bruised5 star anise10 cloves600ml / 1 pint / 2½ cups cold water6 slightly unripe pears25g / 1oz stem ginger, slicednatural yogurt, to serve Step 1Step 2Step 3Place the caster sugar, wine, lemon rind and juice, fresh root ginger, star anise, cloves and water into a large pan. Bring to the boil.Meanwhile, peel the pears. Add them to the wine mixture and ensure that they are covered in liquid, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pears are tender.Lift out the pears with a slotted spoon and keep them warm. Boil the...

Coconut milk can be made at home, from desiccated coconut. Although the procedure takes a little time, it has plenty of advantages. Desiccated coconut is readily available and is an item that many cooks routinely stock in their store cupboards. You can make as much or as little as you like — although the method is more practical for large quantities —and coconut milk made this way is less expensive than any of the alternatives.Step 1Step 2Step 3Tip 225g / 8oz / 2⅔ cups desiccated coconut into the bowl of a food processor and pour over 450ml / ¾ pint / scant 2 cups boiling water. Process for 20-30 seconds and allow to cool a little. If making several batches transfer immediately to a...

Chinese: Asam Koh; Indonesian: Asam Jawa; Thai: Mak Kham; Burmese: Ma-Gyi-Thi.The handsome tamarind tree, commonly called the "date of India", is believed to be a native of East Africa but is now cultivated in India, South-east Asia and the West Indies. The brown fruit pods are 15-20cm / 6-8in long. Inside, the seeds are surrounded by a sticky brown pulp. This does not look very prepossessing, but is one of the treasures of the East. It has a high tartaric acid content, and is widely used as a souring agent.Aroma and flavourTamarind doesn't have much of an aroma, but the flavour is wonderful. It is tart and sour without being bitter, and fruity and refreshing.Above, from top: Tamarind paste,...

Mustard is one of the oldest spices known to man and has been cultivated as a crop for thousands of years. Both white (alba) and black (nigra) mustard seeds are indigenous to the Mediterranean region, while brown mustard seeds (juncea) are native to India. The word mustard comes from the Latin mustum or must, the newly pressed grape juice that Romans mixed with the ground seeds to make what was aptly described as mustum ardens (the burning paste).In Asia, the mustard plant is valued as much for its dark green leaves, which are called mustard greens and are a popular vegetable, as for its seeds. Mustard powders and pastes are not as widely used as they are in Europe or America.Brown, black...

Mandarin: Ningmeng Cao; Cantonese: Xiang Mao; Malay: Serai; Thai: Takrai Vietnamese: Xa.Few ingredients have seized the Western imagination quite so dramatically as has lemon grass in recent years. At one time this scented grass was little known outside South-east Asia; today it is to be found in nearly every supermarket.Lemon grass is a perennial tufted plant with a bulbous base. It grows in dense clumps in tropical and subtropical countries and is commercially cultivated on a grand scale. The cut stems are about 20cm / 8in long, and look a little like fat spring onions or very skinny leeks.Aroma and flavourIt is only when the stems are cut that the distinctive citrus aroma can be fully...

Thai cooks are famous for their beautiful presentation, and often garnish platters with chilli flowers. These are quite simple to make.Step 1Step 2Step 3Holding each chilli in turn by the stem, slit it in half lengthways.Keeping the stem end of the chilli intact, cut it lengthways into fine strips.Put the prepared chillies in a large bowl of iced water, cover and chill for several hours.The cut chilli strips will curl back to resemble the petals of a flower. Drain well on kitchen paper and use as a garnish. Small chillies may be very hot, so don't be tempted to eat the flowers.StorageLook for firm, unblemished fruit, avoiding any chillies that are soft or bruised. Some types look wrinkled...

Chinese: Liang Jiang; Thai: Khaa; Vietnamese: Cu Gieng.Like root ginger, galangal is a rhizome that grows underneath the ground. The finger-like protruberances of galangal tend to be thinner and paler in colour, but the two look similar and are used in much the same way. Fresh galangal used to be virtually unobtainable in the West (although it was widely used in medieval Europe), but is now almost as easy to come by as ginger. There are two types. Greater galangal, also known as lengkuas, is a native of Indonesia, while lesser galangal originated in southern China. It is not as widely used as its larger relation, but is popular in Thailand, where it is known as krachai.Laos powder is dried...

Mandarin: Jiang; Cantonese: Geung; Thai: Khing; Japanese: Shoga.Ginger is believed to be indigenous to the tropical jungles of South-east Asia, and was introduced into China by way of India more than two thousand years ago. The portion of the plant popularly called root ginger is actually a rhizome or underground stem. The colour ranges from pale pink (when very young) to a golden beige, with a dry, papery skin. Ginger is highly valued throughout Asia, not only as an aromatic, but also for its medicinal properties. It is believed to aid digestion, check coughs and quell nausea.Fresh root ginger, ground ginger and bottled ginger pasteAroma and flavourFresh root ginger (green ginger) has a...

Mandarin: Suan; Cantonese: Suen; Thai: Kratiam.Garlic is a member of the lily family, which is the same genus as leeks and onions. It is believed to have originated in Asia, and is mentioned in Chinese texts that date back over 3,000 years. The ancient Egyptians valued it for food and also accorded it a ceremonial significance. Garlic's curative qualities are well documented, and in many cultures it is used to ward off evil.Aroma and flavourThere are several varieties of garlic, from tiny heads to the aptly named elephant garlic. The colour of the skin varies from white through to pink and purple, and the flavour can be anywhere from mild to extremely pungent. The most common variety in the...

Prawns prepared this way cook quickly and curl attractively.Raw prawnsRemove the heads and body shells of the prawns, but leave the tails intact. Pull out the intestinal cords with tweezers.Make a cut through the belly of each prawn.Gently open out the two halves of the prawn so that they will look like butterfly wings.Step 2Step 3

This way of serving prawns comes from China. The cooked prawns, with their bright red tails, are supposed to resemble the legendary phoenix, which is a symbol of dignity and good luck. Large prawns are used.Cooked prawnsRemove the heads from the prawns and peel away most of the body shell. Leave a little of the shell to keep the tail intact.Make a tiny incision in the back of each prawn and remove the black intestinal cord.Hold the prepared prawns by the tails and dip them lightly in seasoned cornflour, and then in a frothy batter before cooking them in hot oil until the tails, which are free from batter, turn red.Step 1

This method will give you eight good-sized portions of chicken.Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Place the chicken breast side up on a chopping board. Ease one of the legs away from the body, and using a sharp knife make an incision to reveal the ball of the thighbone as you pull the leg further away from the body. When the thigh socket is visible, cut through the bone to release the drumstick and thigh in one piece. Repeat with the other leg.Trim off the end of the leg bone, then locate the knee joint and cut the leg portion in half at this joint. Repeat with the other chicken leg.Cut through the breastbone so that the carcass is in two halves. Cut and separate each breast and wing from the...

Dried sea cucumber sold as iriko, trepang or beche-de-mer, this is not a vegetable, but a marine animal, also known as a sea slug. Before use, dried sea cucumber must be soaked in cold water for at least 24 hours, during which time it will double in bulk and become quite gelatinous. It is mainly used in soups and stocks.

Sheets of dried edible jellyfish are sold in plastic bags in some Chinese stores. This Chinese delicacy is valued for its crunchy yet elastic texture. To prepare, soak the sheets in cold water for several hours, changing the water frequently, and squeezing the jellyfish each time to get rid of as much of the fishy smell as possible. Drain, give the jellyfish sheets a final squeeze to remove the excess water, then cut them into strips. Strips of dried jellyfish are often added to a stir-fry, but they must be tossed in at the last moment; if they are over-cooked, they will become rubbery.

Chinese: Yu Du.Fish maw is the swim bladders or stomachs of certain types of large fish and eels, which have been dried in the sun for several days, then deep-fried. It is considered a delicacy in both China and Thailand.Fish mawAroma and flavourFish maw has little aroma, nor does it have a distinctive flavour.Culinary usesFish maw is mainly valued for its texture, which is slippery.Preparation and cooking techniquesThe maws must be soaked in a large bowl of cold water for 24 hours before use. They will float at first, so will need to be kept submerged with the aid of a plate or dish. As they absorb the water, the maws will swell to four times the original size and slowly sink to the bottom...

Mandarin: Youyu; Cantonese: Yow Yu.In inland China and other parts of Asia that are far from the coast, where fresh seafood was for a long time unobtainable, dried squid and cuttlefish have always been regarded as delicacies.Dried squid has a subtle fishy aroma, but a strong flavour.Aroma and flavourDried squid is pale brown in colour and has a subtle fishy aroma, but a very strong taste. Some people find the texture rather tough when compared to fresh squid, but others like the chewiness of the dried version.Culinary usesIn Asia, dried squid is mainly used in soups or meat stews. The stronger texture and flavour provides an interesting contrast to fresh squid, and the two are often...

Chinese: Dongfen; Yangcai; Japanese: Kanten.This is the gelatinous substance obtained from the seaweed known as "rock-flower vegetable" in Chinese. Available from Thai or oriental stores as long dried strips or as a fine white powder sold in tubs, it is a very popular setting agent, especially for vegetarians seeking an alternative to gelatine.Agar-agar is sold in thick and thin strips and as a powder that is used as a setting agent.Aroma and flavourAgar-agar has no aroma and is entirely flavourless, but will absorb the seasonings with which it is prepared for serving.Culinary usesAsian cooks sometimes use soaked strips of agar-agar in a salad, just as they would any other form of seaweed,...

This stock, based on kombu and dried bonito flakes, is the basis of most Japanese soups; it can also be used instead of water in any dish that requires a delicately flavoured stock.Makes 800ml / 27fl oz / 3½ Cups10cm / 4in square of kombu 900ml / 1½ pints / 3¾ cups water 40g / 1½oz katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)Step 1Step 2Step 3Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth; cut it into 3-4 strips and put in a pan. Pour over the water, making sure that the seaweed is submerged, and soak for an hour.Place the pan over a medium heat. Just before the water boils, lift out the seaweed (shred and use for soup).Stir in the bonito flakes, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and leave to stand until...

Kombu has a strong sea flavour.Several types of seaweed are used in Asian cooking, especially in Japan and Korea. The most common variety is the giant seaweed known as kelp in English. It is only available in dried form in the West, usually labelled with the Japanese name of kombu or konbu.Aroma and flavourKombu is full of vitamins and minerals, and is particularly rich in iodine. It has a strong "sea" flavour and a crunchy texture.Culinary usesThis type of seaweed is mainly used in soups in China, but is served poached or stewed as a vegetable in Japan, as well as being used to flavour the fish stock known as dashi.Preparation and cooking techniquesKombu has a pale powdery covering that...