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Dried bamboo leaves are used by the Chinese as wrapper for making special festive food. To use, first briefly boil in water and soak overnight, weigh down by using a heavy opject.
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Fresh bamboo shoots are seldom available outside Asia, it is a popular vegetable especially with the Chinese. Fresh shoots is delicious and somewhat crunchy while preserved shoots are soft and has quite a different taste.
Photo bottom : Winter Bamboo Shoot
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Native of Southeast Asia, there are many varieties of bananas that come in various sizes and colors, their taste and texture also varies greatly. They are two basic categories, one type for cooking(called plantain) and the other for eating raw. Bananas are used in many dishes from savoury to sweet. Shown here is the most common commercial type suitable for making banana cake and fritters. Only non sweet bananas are used in savoury dishes such as curries.
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Only the bud of certain varieties of banana plant are tasty. Sometimes called banana heart, it's often blanched and used in salad. Peel off the outer layer and use only the tender parts.
top left photo: Singapore Science Centre
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Banana leaves are used much like Alluminum foil but it imparts a special flavour to the food cooked in it. Food wrapped and grilled in Banan leaves is called pepesan in Indonesia. Soak leaves in hot water or over flame to soften and wipe clean with kitchen towels. Sunning it could also help to release its flavour.
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Used mainly in desserts, it is made into a sweet soups or into drinks. Chinese barley is also used in desserts and herbal drinks but has very different property.
photo: Barley(top) and Chinese Barley
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Just for comparison sake, here is a sample of European Basil.
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Has a special distinct fragrant much like the Western basil. Its marked by the purplish stems. Popular in Thailand and often eatern raw in Vietnamese cuisine. Best added when cooking is done. Keep for days when planted in a cup of water and wrap with plastic with wholes to prevent drying up.
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There is no noticeable scent, somewhat bitterish and minty most like an unripe guava. It's leafy, delicate and the leaves are crinkly. Used mostly in stir fried dishes, sometimes deep fried and used as garnish.
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It has a very strong fragrant of lemon. The leaves are covered with visiable pores and some fine hair. Taste is bitterish similar to kaprow. Used occasionally in Thai dishes such as a herb and vegetable soup called kaeng lieng. Also eaten raw with soups.
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One of the many soya bean products, thin been curd sheet is often used in desserts. It has a subtle soya bean taste and used mainly for its texture.
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Come usually in a neat stack, it is somewhat sweet and often deep fried before adding to various stir fried dishes or as a garnish. Only take a few second to deep fry, over frying will turn it bitter and uneatable. Leave on kitchen paper to soak up extra oil, it will turn crisp once cooled.
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A specialty of Xiamen city, Fujian Province. It cooks in just a few minutes and should not be overcooked like most noodles. It is much smoother than noodles made of wheat flour and has a delicate flavour. Need no soaking. It contains wheat, corn and bean flour. (I grew up with it and have yet to come across it in restaurants.)
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Chinese Salted Bean Paste comes in various types, sometime completely messed and thick while sometimes watery with visiable whole beans . Saltiness various from brand to brand so it's wise to test it out before applying. It is similar to Japanese miso in taste.
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A very common and cheap vegetable widely used in Southeast Asia, eaten cooked as well as raw. The tails are usually removed. (personally I love the extra flavour and texture). Overgrown sprouts that appear greenish should be avoided. Keep well in the fridge for several days.
Soyabean sprouts looks similar to green bean sprouts but they're much larger. The taste is not as lovely as green bean sprouts and thus not quite as popular.
Photo: Soya beans that are just begining to germinate and it will be several days before they're sold in the market with longer stems and roots.
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Used mainly by the Chinese. Fermented black beans are used as a seasoning, also made into milk like soya bean milk but has a richer nutty flavour. Also made into bean paste for use in desserts and used whole in soup.
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Used mainly in the Chinese and Indian kitchens, this bean is easy to identify.
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A small sour fruit used by Malays and Indonesians to add sour flavour, it's closely related to star fruit. Sometimes it's sliced and salt is applied and later squeezed and rinsed to rid the excessive sour flavour. Not known to be available outside Southeast Asia. Dried ones are brown in color and often salted.
Note: Somewhat confusing, blimbing is sometimes called carambola in Indonesia which is the scientific name for star fruit.
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