Shimeji mushrooms are a variety of Asian mushroom with a crunchy texture and a delicious nutty flavour. They are also known as beech mushrooms because in the wild they grow on fallen beech trees. They are widely used in Japanese cuisine What are Shimeji mushrooms? Shimeji mushrooms are an edible […]
Lemongrass is impossible to ignore on those heavy summer nights. With mosquitoes waiting for the smallest opening, lemongrass essential oil was once the ultimate weapon to keep them at bay. Highly fragrant, lemongrass is not only an excellent repellent against these tiny pests, but also an indispensable ingredient to keep […]
Miso – most of us have heard of it at least once in our lives… and with good reason! This traditional staple of Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine has now found a firm foothold in Europe, where chefs prize its uniquely distinctive flavour. What is miso? Miso is a fermented […]
Okra, often called gumbo, is a tropical flowering plant native to Ethiopia. Like many plants, the flower develops into a fruit, yet okra is usually eaten as a vegetable. It resembles a pod filled with seeds, a bit like a bean. The Lady Finger, as it is sometimes called because […]
What is choy sum? Choy sum, also known as “yu choy” or “yu choy sum”, is a leafy green from the cabbage family. In this article we simply call it Chinese cabbage, but the name “choy sum” literally means “vegetable heart”. It is one of many varieties of Chinese cabbage, […]
What foods are found in Caribbean cuisine? The Caribbean is an enormous melting pot of flavors. It blends local island ingredients with the ingredients and cooking techniques introduced by other cultures. The flavors that define Creole cooking draw on the culinary traditions of Africa, Asia, India, and Europe. Most of […]
With historical Dutch, Chinese and Arab influences, Indonesian cuisine is among the tastiest in the world – and for good reason. Its diversity stems from the fact that Indonesia comprises nearly 6,000 inhabited islands out of more than 18,000 in the world’s largest archipelago. Throughout history, these islands have drawn […]
What is winter melon? Known as “Vietnamese squash” or “Chinese watermelon“, the wax gourd is a creeping herbaceous plant grown mainly in East Asia, though it also thrives in Florida’s warm climate. Biologically speaking, it is a fruit, but it is cooked and eaten as a vegetable in Chinese and […]
You may know tapioca from classic puddings, but this gluten-free starch, extracted from the cassava root, also works as a thickener in both sweet and savory dishes. Native to Brazil, the cassava plant, also called yucca, is now grown across South America and Africa, and tapioca made from it is […]
“Wheat meat” has been eaten for centuries, but the name “seitan” (pronounced SAY-tan) is relatively new. Even though it is made from wheat, seitan has little in common with flour or bread. Popularized by Buddhist monks, it first appeared in Chinese and Japanese cuisine, and with the rise of veganism […]
