Breville EW30XL manual Special Ingredients cont’d

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS cont’d

A little planning ahead makes stir frying easier.

AGAR-AGAR

Is made from different types of seaweed. It has excellent setting properties, similar to gelatine, and will set at room temperature.

BOK CHOY

Also known as Chinese chard or Chinese white cabbage, has fleshy white stems and dark green leaves. It has a slight mustard taste. There is also a smaller version called shanghai or baby bok choy.

BAMBOO SHOOTS

The young tender shoots of bamboo plants are available in cans. They are mainly used to add texture to food.

CHILLIES, FRESH AND DRIED

Chiles are available in many different types and sizes. The small ones (Thai, macho, serrano, jalapeno) are the hottest. Use tight fitting gloves when handling and chopping fresh chiles as they can burn your skin. The chile seeds are the hottest part of the chiles so remove them if you want to reduce the heat content of recipes.

CILANTRO

This is also known as coriander and Chinese parsley. It is essential to many Southeast Asian cuisines. A strongly flavored herb, use it sparingly until you are accustomed to the unique flavor. Parsley can be used as a substitute; it looks the same but tastes quite different. Cilantro is available fresh. The dried spice version is labeled coriander and is available whole or ground.

FISH SAUCE

A thin, salty dark brown sauce with a distinctive fishy smell, which is used extensively in Thai and Vietnamese cookery. It is made from small fish that have been fermented in the sun. Fish sauce replaces salt in many recipes.

GARAM MARSALA

A blend of spices, usually consisting of some combination of cinnamon, cumin, pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and mace. It can be bought already blended from supermarkets, but it is best freshly made. It is usually added towards the end of cooking.

GREEN GINGER WINE

An Australian made alcoholic sweet wine infused with finely ground ginger.

RICE NOODLES

These are fresh white noodles, they do not require a lot of cooking.

KAFFIR LIME LEAVES

These are dark green, shiny, double leaves which have a very pungent perfume. They are rather thick and must be sliced very finely for use as a garnish, or added whole

in a curry.

LEMON GRASS

An aromatic fresh herb that is used in curry pastes, stir fries and soups. Trim the base, remove the tough, outer layers and finely slice, chop or pound the white interior. Whole stems can be added to soups or curries. Dried lemon grass needs to be soaked in water, but the flavor of fresh is superior.

COCONUT CREAM AND

COCONUT MILK

Both coconut cream and milk are extracted from the grated flesh of mature coconuts. The cream is a richer first pressing and the

CHAR SIU SAUCE

This is the equivalent of Chinese BBQ sauce.

CRISP FRIED SHALLOTS

HOISIN SAUCE

This sauce is a thick sweet Chinese barbecue sauce made from a mixture of salted black beans, onions and garlic.

LYCHEES

Delicious fruit with a light texture and flavor, peel away the rough skin, remove the seed and use. They are also available in cans.

milk the second or third pressing.

These are available from most Asian

Supermarkets pre-prepared.

HOIKKIEN NOODLES

Also known as fukkien, these are thick, yellow and rubbery in texture. They are made from wheat flour and are cooked and lightly oiled before being packaged and sold. The noodles need to be broken up before cooking.

RICE WINE VINEGAR

Milder than most western vinegars, it usually has an acidity of less than 4%. It has a mild, sweet, delicate flavor and is made from rice.

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