Mini Sensational Starters & Finger Foods. Wendy Hutton
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Kaffir lime leaves are used in soups and curries of Thai, Malay or Indonesian origin. They are also thinly sliced and used as a garnish. Buy them fresh or frozen or dried—the fresh or frozen leaves are much more fragrant.
Kim chee is a salted, fermented Korean pickle containing vegetables (usually Chinese cabbage, as well as long white radish) with liberal amounts of chili and garlic. It is eaten as a side-dish and is used as a seasoning. Keep refrigerated.
Konbu or dried kelp is a type of seaweed commonly used in Japanese cooking. It has a dark brown color, often with whitish patches of salt, and is sold in strips or small folded sheets. Look for konbu in the Japanese section of supermarkets.
Mint leaves are indispensable in salads. Mint grown in Southeast Asia has a very intense flavor, similar to spearmint, although regular mint leaves may also be used.
Mirin is a sweet liquid made by mixing and fermenting steamed glutinous rice with shoju (a distilled spirit similar to vodka). It adds a lovely glaze to grilled foods and is used to flavor soup stocks, marinades and dressings.
Nori is a type of seaweed pressed into very thin sheets and baked (yaki nori) or seasoned with sweetened soy sauce (ajitsuke nori). It is sold in large and medium sheets and usually packed in bundles of 10. Yaki nori is used for making sushi rolls. Before use, hold a nori sheet over an open flame for a few seconds, or toast it.
Oyster sauce is a sauce that is soy-based with oyster extract. Vegetarians should look for a version sold as "mushroom oyster sauce".
Rice paper wrappers are made from rice flour, water and salt. These wrappers are already cooked and unlike spring wrappers, do not need to be deep-fried or cooked any further. They are used to enclose a variety of fresh fillings and are available in Asian markets. Look for popiah wrappers or moo-shu pancakes.
Rice vinegar is mild and faintly fragrant, and is the preferred vinegar throughout Southeast Asia. Japanese rice vinegar is less acidic than malt or wine vinegars and has a mild and pleasant fragrance. If you cannot obtain rice vinegar, use distilled white vinegar and reduce the quantity by about a third.
Sesame oil is extracted from sesame seeds that have been toasted, producing a dark, dense and highly aromatic oil that is used for marinades, sauces and soups, or as a table condiment. Its nutty, smokey flavor has become a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.
Soy sauce is available in several forms. Light and dark soy sauces are used in this book. Light or "regular" soy sauce is saltier, less malty in flavor and thinner than black soy sauce. Chinese brands of black soy sauce are sometimes labelled "superior sauce".
Spring roll wrappers are thin sheets of light, pliable pastry made from wheat flour, eggs and salt. These wrappers are usually used to wrap a variety of fillings, then deep-fried until golden brown. They are available both fresh and frozen in well-stocked supermarkets and Asian markets. They are also sold in the West as egg roll wrappers, and are often called skins, rather than wrappers in Asia. Indonesian or Filipino lumpia skins are good substitutes.
Tamarind juice is made from dried tamarind pulp that is soaked in water, squeezed and then strained to provide a sour, fragrant juice added to many sauces and curries. Soak 1 tablespoon of tamarind pulp in 60 ml (¼ cup) warm water, then mash and strain the mixture to obtain the juice.
Thai lemon basil (manglak) is a lemon-scented herb added to dishes at the last minute to keep its flavor, or used as a garnish. Use regular basil as a substitute, although the flavor is quite different.
Thai red curry paste is used as a seasoning paste as well as in curries. Buy the packaged varieties or make your own paste. Dry-fry 1 tablespoon coriander seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds in a wok or frying pan over low heat for 5 minutes, then grind the seeds to a powder using a blender or mortar and pestle, together with 5 dried red chilies (slit lengthwise, deseeded and soaked in hot water for 15 minutes), 3 tablespoons sliced shallots, 8 cloves smashed garlic, 2-3 slices galangal, 2 tablespoons sliced lemon-grass (tender portion only), 2 teaspoons grated kaffir lime rind, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander root and 10 black peppercorns. Add 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste and grind to a smooth paste. Keep refrigerated.
Turmeric powder is a yellow powder with a mild, bitter and slightly acrid taste.
Wasabi is one of the best known of all Japanese condiments. It is a very spicy Japanese horse-radish that is sold in powdered form or as prepared paste.
Water chestnut is a crunchy brown tuber. Although its skin is difficult to peel, it is well worth using the fresh variety rather than canned water chestnuts. Fresh yam bean is a better substitute for fresh water chestnuts than the canned variety.
Tangy Tomato Dip
1 tablespoon dried prawns, soaked to soften then drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1-1½ teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon belachan (dried shrimp paste)
3 medium red tomatoes (about 300 g/10 oz), finely diced
60 ml (¼ cup) warm water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped fresh
I coriander leaves (cilantro)
1 Grind the dried prawns in a blender, food processor or with a mortar and pestle until fine. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and stir-fry the shallots, garlic and chili powder over low heat for about 2 minutes or until softened. Then add the turmeric powder, dried prawns and belachan. Stir-fry until fragrant. This should take another 2 minutes.
2 Add the tomatoes and water. Let the mixture simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes start to soften.
3 Stir in the fish sauce, sugar and salt. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 7-10 minutes. Transfer the dip to a bowl and set aside to cool.
4 Mix in the coriander leaves. Serve with crispy rice cakes or raw vegetables.
Serves 8-10
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Roasted Eggplant and Herb Dip
4-5 slender eggplants (about 500 g/1 lb)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large green chilies, cut
1 spring onion, finely chopped
10 g (¼ cup) coarsely chopped mint leaves
10 g (¼ cup) coarsely chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and sugar to taste
1 Roast the eggplants whole under the broiler or on a hot grill until the skin is blackened on both sides. This should take about 10 minutes. Press lightly with the back of a spoon to see that the flesh inside is soft and if not, grill further.
2 Allow the eggplants to cool, then cut each eggplant in half lengthways.