Basic ingredients

Glass noodles, also known as cellophane noodles, tang hoop or bean threads, are thin transparent noodles made from mung bean flour. They are sold in dried form and must be soaked in warm water to soften before use. Use rice vermicelli as a substitute.

Kaffir lime leaves are used in soups and curries of Thai, Malay or Indonesian origin. They are also thinly sliced and used as a gar­nish. Buy them fresh or frozen or dried—the fresh or frozen leaves are much more fragrant.

Kangkung is a highly nutri­tious vegetable also known as water spinach or water convolvulus. Young shoots are served as part of a mixed platter of raw veg­etables for dipping in hot sauces, while the leaves and tender tips are often stir-fried.

Kencur or aromatic ginger is sometimes mistakenly called "lesser galangal" although its correct English name is zedoary. This ginger-like root has a unique camphor flavor and should be used sparingly. Wash it and scrape off the skin before using. Dried sliced kencur or kencur powder can be used as a substitute. Soak dried slices in boiling water for approximatley 30 min­utes; use 1/2-1 teaspoon of powder for 1-inch fresh root. There is no real sub­stitute—if you cannot find it, add more galangal and ginger to the recipe.

Lemon basil (daun kemangi) is a lemon-scented herb added to dishes at the last minute to keep its flavor, or used as a garnish. Use regular basil as a substitute, although the flavor is quite different.

Lemongrass is a highly aromatic herb stalk. The tough outer layers of the stem should be peeled away and only the tender inner portion of the thick end of the stems are used. Lemongrass is sold fresh in bundles in most supermarkets.

Nutmegs are the seeds of the nutmeg tree, covered with a lacy membrane called mace. Buy whole nutmegs and grate only when needed as ground nutmeg looses its flavor quicldy. Use nut­meg powder if you cannot get whole nutmegs.

Pandanus leaves are the long, thin leaves of the pan­danus or screwpine palm tree. They are usually tied in a knot and boiled to release their flavor. Use pandanus essence or vanilla essence in desserts if the fresh leaves are unavailable.
Tamarind is a large, brown tree pod with a sour pulp and hard, black seeds inside. Tamarind pulp is rich in vitamin C and has a tangy, acidic taste. It is used as a souring agent throughout the world. It can be bought fresh, dried, or in pulp form, and the pulp is commonly sold in compressed block, with the seeds removed. To make tamarind juice, mix 1 tablespoon of the dried tamarind pulp with 2 table­spoons of warm water, then mash well and strain to remove the seeds and fibers.


Turmeric root (kunyit) is similar to ginger but with a bright yellow color and a more pungent flavor. It has antiseptic and astringent qualities and stains every­thing permanently, so scrub your knife blade, hands and chopping board immediately after handling. Purchase fresh turmeric root as needed as the flavor fades after a few days. Substitute 1 teaspoon turmeric powder for 21/2 cm (1 in) of the fresh root.

Turmeric leaves are the large leaves of the turmeric plant that are used in some parts of Asia for cooking. They are seldom available outside Asia. Look for them in Indian food shops.

Star anise is a dried brown flower with 8 woody petals, each with a shiny seed inside, which gives a flavor of cinnamon and aniseed. Use whole and remove from the dish before serving.

Sour carambola (belimbing) is a pale green acidic fruit that grows in clusters on a tree. A relative of the large, five-edged sweet starfruit, carambola is used whole or sliced to give a sour tang to some soups, dishes and sambals. Sour grapefruit or tamarind juice can be used as a substitute.

Salam leaves are subtly flavored and comes from a tree in the cassia family. The taste bears no resem­blance whatsoever to the taste of a bay leaf, which is sometimes suggested as a substitute. If you cannot obtain dried salam leaf, omit altogether.

Sweet Indonesian soy sauce (kecap manis) is a thick soy sauce brewed with molasses and sugar. If you cannot obtain it, use dark black Chinese soy sauce and add brown sugar to sweeten it.

Basic ingredients

Coconut cream or coconut milk is widely used in Asian sauces and desserts. While freshly pressed coconut milk has more flavour, coconut cream and milk are now available in cans and carton packets that are quick and convenient to use. Consistencies vary from brand to brand, so use your judginclit and dilute with water as needed. Thick coconut milk is obtained from coconut cream by diluting it by half with water; and thin coconut milk is half again as diluted as thick milk.


Cumin seeds are pale brown to black and usually part­nered with coriander seeds in basic spice mixes. They impart an intense earthy flavor to foods. They are often dry-roasted or flash-cooked in oil to intensify their flavor.


Dried shrimp paste, known by its Indonesian name, terasi or by its Malay term, balacan, is a dense mixture of fermented ground prawns that must be toasted before use-either wrapped in foil and dry-roasted or toasted over a gas flame on the back of spoon.


Fennel seeds are larger and paler than cumin seeds, with a sweet flavor similar to anise. They add a sweet fragrance to Indian and Indonesian dishes.


Galangal is an aromatic root used throughout most of Southeast Asia, known as lengkuas in Singapore and Malaysia, as laos in Indonesia, and as kha in Thailand. The fresh root can be sliced and frozen for future use. It is available fresh in most large super­markets.

Basic ingredients

Banana leaves infuse a delicate flavor and aroma to foods and are used as wrappers when steaming or grilling dishes, or as little trays to hold food when cooking. Soften the leaves slightly in boiling water before use to prevent them from cracking when folded.

Candlenuts are waxy, straw-colored nuts that are ground to add texture and flavor to spice pastes and curry mixtures. Raw almonds, cashews or macadamia nuts may be substituted.

Cardamom pods areused to flavor curries and desserts—giving foods a heady, sweet scent. The fibrous, straw-colored pods enclose 15-20 pungent black seeds. The pods should be bruised lightly with a cleaver or a pestle when used whole. Do not substitute ground cardamom as it is virtually flavorless compared to the pods.

Chilies are indispensable in Indonesian cooking and many different varieties are used. The large, red finger-length chili is the most common and is moderately hot. Dried red chilies of this variety are ground to make chili flakes or ground red pepper. Tiny red, green or yellow-orange bird's-eye chilies are very hot and are used in soups, curries and sauces. They are also available dried.

Chinese celery is much smaller and has thinner stems than the normal Western variety, with a ver) intense, parsley-like flavor. The leaves and sometimes the stems are added to soups, rice dishes and stir-fried vegetables. Use Italian parsley or celery leaves as a substitute.

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