Ingredient Guide

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

	Agar Agar (Seaweed Gelatine) ............................................................................ A gelatine from several varieties of red seaweed and it is quite tasteless. Come in strips and powdered form. Boil to dissolve, set in room temperature. 1 teaspoon : 1 1/2 cups water. Sugar and other flavourings are usually added.
	akalkhoda (Indian) ............................................................................ a Rajasthan spice with a mild sweet flavour second in price to Saffron.
	All Spice (Piment, Cuban Pepper) ............................................................................ A Carribean spice, said to have the flavour of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg.
	Almond ............................................................................ A great delicacy in Pakistan and India, they impart a sumptuous richness to many curries. Sometimes used as a replacement for candle nuts.
	Amchur (Mango Powder) ............................................................................ A sourish greyish green powder made from unripe mango used often in curries and barbecuing fish.
	Anchovies dried (see Ikan Bilis) ............................................................................
	Angled loofah / Angled Gourd ............................................................................ A delicious vegetable somewhat like courgette. It has big but taste seeds and smooth texture often used in stir fry dishes and soup often coupled with eggs. Need to be peeled.
	Anise Seeds (Sweet Cumin) ............................................................................ Similar in shape(but thinner) and color to cummin . taste like liquorice, somewhat sweet and minty.
	Arabic Gum ............................................................................ Sap of a plant and that comes in crytalized form and is quite tasteless used mainly for thickening, not a common ingredient. (Powdered Asafoetida does contain Arabic gum.)
	Aren Sago flour ............................................................................ Made from the core of the aren palm not commonly available outside Indonesia, tapioca flour can be used as a replacement.
	Arrowhead ............................................................................ Underground corms of a plant that grows in ponds, rice fields and swamps. Peel before use. It's also used as a decorative plant during Chinese New Year season in Southeast Asia.
	Asafoetida ............................................................................ Dried gum from giant fennel used in North Indian kitchen. Strong distinct odour and bitter in taste. Only small amount is used. Store in all tight jar to prevent the smell from dispersing into other ingredients. A prepared powdered form is more common.
	Asam (Tamarind) ............................................................................ Adds a unique sour flavour to various seafood dishes. Also sweeten and eaten as a candy. To use, discard shell and extract the pulp, add some hot/warm water, soak for several minutes and knead till the pulp dissolves, then strain. Yod Makhaam(thai), the young leaves of the tamarind tree, gives a bitterish taste to a special curry.
	Asam pulp/extract Various types of tamarind extracts are available, usually in a ready to use plastic container, however freshly made juice from fresh pulp is preferred.
	Asam Gelugor ............................................................................ Dried slices, light brown when fresh and darken with age. Used to give a subtle sour taste to various foods, tamarind maybe used as a substitute. Called dried sliced tamarind or tamarind skin at times, it is not.
	Atap (See Nipah) ............................................................................
	Atta flour (Chapati Flour) ............................................................................ A low gluten fine wholemeal flour from a soft wheat suitable for all Indian flat breads.
	Aubergine (Brinjal, Eggplant) ............................................................................ from light green to deep purple, aubergine comes in various shapes and sizes, some round and some long. A tiny variety called pea aubergines is of African origin(see photo) but popular in Southeast Asia, its skin and seeds are somewhat tough and taste a little bitter.
	Aubergine, round ............................................................................ It's crunchy and the green fruit has the texture and taste of cucumber, perhaps not quite as juicy but crunchier with a hint of bitterness.
	Avocado ............................................................................ A fruit with rough dark glossy green skin, a creamy fresh and a large seed. Makes a very rich and delicious drink with palm sugar and coconut milk.
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