Asian Condiments in My Pantry
I have a lot condiments in my pantry, both for Eastern and Western dishes. Here are the spices and sauces I use whenever we go Asian for dinner at home. My Top Ten are:
- Curry powder - a mixture of different spices such as coriander, cumin, pepper, turmeric and ginger. A number of different Asian Herb and Spice mixes can be found here. Store in an air tight container away from bread and biscuits, as they may absorb its strong aroma.
- Miso - it is made of fermented soy bean paste. It has a lot of varieties, each of a different color. It comes in beige, yellow, brown or other colors depending on the additional ingredients - but not in green! If it has green patches, it means it has become moldy. So you need to store this in the fridge. More on miso here
- Hoisin - fermented soybeans with garlic, vinegar and chili added. It is also known as Chinese barbecue sauce. Be sure to store this in the fridge. I am planning to use this on this recipe and on this one.
- Fish Sauce - made from fermented fish and is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking. Recommended for seafood and vegetable recipes in place of salt for added flavor. It may be stored in kitchen cabinets. If you are interested in the origins of fish sauce look here.
- Soy Sauce - fermented soybeans with added grain, water and salt. General dipping sauce. Store this in the fridge and be sure to check the ingredients listed on the label. Good quality soy sauce does not have caramel or any food coloring to give the sauce its dark color.
- Sesame Seed Oil - fragrant oil from sesame seeds, used as flavor enhancer. I put a few drops of it in chopsuey, before removing from heat. Use sparingly because of its strong flavor. It may be stored in the kitchen cabinet.
- Coconut oil (Refined) - mainly used for frying
- Extra virgin coconut oil - I use this for sauteeing Asian style veggies, like chopsuey. It adds a nice flavor to the dish. Store in kitchen cabinets. Don’t worry if it turns cloudy in cold weather, it clears up when heated.
- Honey - I prefer this sweetening ingredient over sugar in most recipes. Store at room temperature.
- Ginger - I keep fresh ginger at hand since it goes well with most of the Asian spices and sauces. There are dried and powdered varieties in the grocery but nothing beats the fresh root. Choose roots with greenish skin that is easily peeled off by your fingers. Stay away from those that have dry wrinkly skin.
I tend to try out new recipes often, so I see my collection of condiments increasing as I discover and experiment with new dishes. This list gives you a nice sampling of the ones I like the most. I hope you find it useful.
