Black urad bean soup simmered with Nepali spices, then finished with a crunchy ghee tempering. Steam rises from a mound of white rice while a thin, golden dal coats each grain, perfumed with ghee and fried garlic—the everyday emblem of Nepal. Dal bhat is both meal and ritual: fluffy rice, […]
These crispy Korean pancakes combine mung beans, sauteed pork, and kimchi for big, bold flavor. Since the Korean War, rural cooks have relied on locally grown mung beans, which need no milling and pack more protein than polished rice. The inimitable sizzle still draws lines of regulars and tourists under […]
A fresh, creamy and colourful accompaniment to summer meals with potatoes, carrots and cucumbers! Where I come from, we know potatoes from every angle. But what about Japanese-style potato salad? With its fresh, crunchy vegetables and gourmet Kewpie mayonnaise dressing, this recipe promises to be your go-to dish this summer. […]
Purple desserts, especially sweets like ice cream or pastries such as macarons and other cakes, have become extremely popular on Instagram, thanks to the use of a special ingredient: ube. It’s a tuber from the yam family, traditionally grown in Southeast Asia, India, and even in the French West Indies, […]
What is taro? Taro is an underground vegetable that comes from a perennial plant scientifically known as Colocasia esculenta. The plant’s root is not actually a root, but a corm or tuber—a kind of swollen underground stem surrounded by scales. This cylindrical or spherical corm has a brown, hairy skin […]
Kuzu, this plant-based binder, is very well known in Japan! It is highly valued there for its gelling and smoothing properties that are attributed to traditional sauces such as yakitori sauce, soups and desserts. What is kuzu? Kuzu, or kudzu, comes from the Asian climbing plant Pueraria montana. Known for […]
Galangal, also called galanga, is the citrusy cousin of ginger. This aromatic rhizome is widely used in Asian, South Asian and Indian cooking and is especially popular in Indonesian cuisine and Thai cuisine. It is peppery and spicy, with a hint of pine. Although harder to find than ginger, galangal […]
Arrowroot is a flavorless white powder commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and dishes such as fruit pie fillings. Made from starch extracted from various tropical tubers, including Maranta arundinacea, arrowroot powder is similar to cornstarch and offers twice the thickening power of wheat flour. It is neutral in taste […]
What Is Lotus Root? Lotus root is an ingredient widely used in Chinese cuisine, typically categorized as a vegetable. In fact, it’s the stem that connects the lotus flower on the surface to the bottom of ponds and rivers. The root is very thick and composed of segments. Visually, it […]
