What Is Water Spinach? Water spinach, also known by its scientific name Ipomoea aquatica, is a vegetable belonging to the Convolvulaceae family, just like sweet potatoes. It is an aquatic or semi-aquatic herbaceous plant with hollow, smooth, and long stems measuring between 2 and 3 meters. Numerous leaves grow on […]
What people generally call bean sprouts are actually young mung bean shoots—often mislabeled as “soy sprouts”—hence the common confusion. To grow them, mung beans are soaked and sprouted in water. Once germinated, the water is drained and the sprouts are kept in a cool, dark place to develop. What do […]
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 […]
Not all mushrooms have to be sautéed in a flash. They are just as delicious when braised, especially when you simmer them the Chinese way as we do here. This technique, known as “red cooking,” is widely practiced in China, often with pork. By the way, I have a delicious […]
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 […]
The classic Thai green papaya salad: crisp, vibrant, and sweet-and-sour. Walk down any bustling street in Thailand and you will almost certainly hear the steady thud of wooden pestles hitting clay mortars as vendors whip up their own versions of som tam, each finished with a lip-smacking sweet-and-sour dressing. The […]
What is kai lan? In Asia, it’s also called gai lan; around here you’ll more often hear “Chinese broccoli” or “Chinese kale.” So what is kai lan? It’s a variety of cabbage from southern China that doesn’t have the typical cabbage flavor… It’s closer to broccoli—hence the French name. It’s […]
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, […]
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 […]
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