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glossary

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CANDLE NUT

A hard oily nut used to flavor and thicken Indonesian and Malaysian curries. The name arises because the nuts, when threaded on the mid-rib of a palm leaf, are used as a primitive candle. Similar in size and shape to a macadamia. Do not eat raw. Store in the fridge.

CAPSICUM

A much milder though still flavorful variety of chili with a long pod large enough to stuff with spiced meat or fish mixtures.

CARAMBOLA

A pale-green acidic fruit about 2 - 3 in (5 - 8 cm) long that grows in clusters. A relative to the starfruit, carambola is used whole or sliced to give a sour tang to soups, curries, fish dishes and sambals. Sour grapefruit juice or tamarind juice are good substitutes.

CARDAMOM

Next to saffron, the world's most expensive spice. Cardamoms grow mainly in India and Ceylon, and are the seed pods of a member of the ginger family. The dried seed pods are either pale green or brown, according to variety. Sometimes they are bleached white. They are added, either whole or bruised, to pilaus and other rice dishes, spiced curries and other preparations or sweets. Try to buy the whole pod rather than seeds or powder for maximum flavor.

CAROM

Carum ajowan comes from the same family as cumin and parsley. Known as carom or bishop's weed in the West, it is called ajwain in India. The flavor is similar to caraway with overtones of thyme.

CASHEW NUT

A sweet, kidney-shaped nut. In countries where the cashew tree is not grown, it is not possible to get the milky sweet fresh cashews. However, it is possible to buy raw cashews from nut shops, health food stores and grocers specializing in Asian ingredients.

CATERPILLAR FUNGUS

Neither a caterpillar nor a fungus, these dried pods (Cordyceps sinensis) are used in Chinese dishes for their medicinal value.

CELERY

The celery used in Asia is much smaller than the Western variety, with slender stems and particularly pungent leaves. Often known as "Chinese celery" and used as a herb rather than vegetable, it is added to soups, rice dishes and stir-fries. Substitute with regular celery leaves.

CENTURY EGGS

Duck eggs coated with a mixture of powdered lime, rice husks and salt and left to cure for several months. To use, peel off the shell and quarter or chop the eggs, which have a translucent black albumen and greenish-grey yolk.

CHILI

Many different types of chilies are used in Asia. The flavor of fresh and dried chilies is different, so be sure to use the type specified in the recipes. Green (unripe) and red (ripe) chilies are usually moderately hot. Chilies mainly used in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia include the normally finger-length red or green chili and the tiny but fiery-hot bird's-eye chilies.

CHILI OIL

Dried chilies or chili powder steeped in oil, used to enliven some Sichuan dishes.

CHILI PADI (Bird Peppers)

Very small and very hot chilies. Used mainly in pickles, though in some cases added to food when a very hot flavor is required as in some Thai food. Treat with extreme caution.

CHILI POWDER

Asian chili powder is made from ground chilies. It is much hotter than the Mexican-style chili powder. American chili powder is a blend of a variety of seasonings.

CHILI SAUCE

There are two different types of chili sauce. The Chinese style is made from chilies, salt and vinegar and has a hot flavor. Malaysian, Singaporean or Sri Lankan chili sauce is a mixture of hot, sweet and salty flavors generously laced with ginger and garlic and cooked with vinegar.

CHINESE CABBAGE

The three most common types are white cabbage (pek cai or in Cantonese, bok choy), which has white stems and bright green leaves and is often sold in immature form; long white or 'celery' cabbage, which has long pale green leaves and white celery-like stems; and round cabbage.

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CHINESE RICE WINE

Wine made from fermented rice used in cooking. Wine from Shaoxing, generally considered the best, is available from Chinese food stores. Use dry sherry as a substitute.

CHINESE SAUSAGES

Thin, sweet Chinese pork sausages that are delicately perfumed with rice wine. Used as a seasoning rather than eaten on their own. They will keep almost indefinitely without refrigeration.

CHIRONJI NUTS

Small brownish nuts that looks like a little large sunflower seeds, sometimes ground with other nuts, such as almonds and cashew. White poppy seeds is sometimes added to enrich some dishes. The flavor is similar to that of hazelnuts. Almonds and hazelnuts are good substitutes.

CHIVES

'Chinese', 'coarse' or 'garlic' chives have dark green flat leaves about 12 in (30 com) long. They are used as a vegetable and as a herb. The flavor is stronger than normal chives.

CHOKO

An oval-shaped squash that looks like a light green cucumber, with small white seed inside. Peel before using as a vegetable, Zucchini is a possible substitute.

CHRYSANTHEMUM LEAVES

Enjoyed as a vegetable for their distinctive flavor and bright green color. Spinach leaves can be used as a substitute.

CILANTRO

See  Coriander

CINNAMON

Derived from the fragrant bark of a tree native to Sri Lanka, it is light in color, thinner and more expensive than cassia bark, which is often sold as cinnamon. Cinnamon and powdered cinnamon are different in their characteristics, so follow the recipe closely.

CLOUD EARS FUNGUS

Crinkly, greyish-brown, dried leafy shaped fungus or mushroom with a delicate taste. soak 15 min in warm water to soften. Rinse before using. Keeps indefinitely on shelf when dried. Also called tree ears. They have little flavor but is prized for their texture.

CLOVES

Cloves are the dried flower buds of an evergreen tropical tree native to South East Asia. They were used in China more than 2,000 years ago and were also used by the Romans. Oil of cloves contains phenol, a powerful antiseptic that discourages putrefaction and the clove is hence one of the spices that helps preserve food.

COCONUT

Widely used Asian cuisines, they are not just used for cooking but also for palm sugar, alcohol, housing, utensil and charcoal.

COCONUT MILK

Not the water inside the nut but the creamy liquid extracted from the grated flesh of fresh coconuts or from desiccated (shredded) coconut. It can be frozen, thaw and stir thoroughly before use. The best substitute for fresh coconut milk is instant coconut powder, sometimes sold under the name "santan".

CORIANDER

An ingredient that is widely used in Asian cooking. The roots are pounded together with garlic and black pepper to make a common basic seasoning. The seeds are roasted and ground for spice blends, and the leaves, known as cilantro or Chinese parsley, are eaten as a vegetable or used as a herb.

CORNFLOUR

Also known as cornstarch, this finely grounded powder is used to thicken sauces. A common ingredient in the Asian pantry. The powder is mixed with water, stirred and added directly to the sauce. One is required to stir constantly for a few seconds until the sauce thickens.

CUMIN

A fragrant seed that varies in shades from pale brown to black. Used commonly together with coriander in curry dishes and spice mixtures.

CURRY LEAVES

As the name suggest, this small dark green leaves with a distinctive fragrance is a must-have ingredient when cooking curry. Sprigs of these leaves are added to bring out the flavor. A sprig is usually about 8 - 12 leaves. Though dried curry leaves are milder, a better substitute would be daun salam or bay leaves.

CURRY POWDER

It is actually a mixture of various spices ground together. Certain spices are included or removed to form a combination that is appropriate to different category of cooking. Normally curry powders are sold in packets labeled "fish", "mutton", "korma" etc. They should be used for that particular purpose only. Curry powder should be blended with water to a paste before being stir-fried in cooking oil and sprigs of curry leaves. Keep the curry powder in small quantity and plan your purchases so they are always as fresh as possible. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.