all about vegetables

COCONUT - BUAH KELAPA

2008-03-11T13:39:00.006+07:00

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

2008-03-08T21:39:00.004+07:00

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

2008-03-08T21:33:00.004+07:00

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

2008-03-06T20:21:00.006+07:00

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

2008-03-06T20:18:00.003+07:00

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

2008-03-06T20:12:00.005+07:00

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

2008-03-03T16:28:00.004+07:00

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

2008-03-03T16:25:00.001+07:00

PARIA

2008-03-03T16:23:00.000+07:00

LOOFAH - OYONG

2008-03-03T16:20:00.002+07:00

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

2008-03-03T16:19:00.002+07:00

LEMON BASIL. - KEMANGI - MANGKLAK

2008-03-03T16:12:00.003+07:00

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

2008-03-03T16:11:00.000+07:00

PEANUTS - KACANG TANAH

2008-03-03T14:43:00.000+07:00

LONG GREEN BEANS - KACANG PANJANG

2008-03-03T14:42:00.000+07:00

GENJER -

2008-03-03T14:40:00.000+07:00

GREEN HOT CHILI - CABE HIJAU

2008-03-03T14:37:00.001+07:00

SUMATRA EXOTIC BEANS - JENGKOL

2008-03-03T14:32:00.005+07:00

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

2008-03-03T14:30:00.000+07:00

LEEK - P'A

2008-02-26T14:18:00.003+07:00

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

2008-02-26T14:15:00.002+07:00

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

2008-02-26T14:13:00.005+07:00

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

2008-02-26T14:11:00.002+07:00

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

2008-02-26T14:09:00.001+07:00

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

2008-02-26T14:07:00.004+07:00

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