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INGREDIENTS
AGAR-AGAR
Made in different forms from various seaweeds, agar-agar serves
as a gelatin.
ALUM
For keeping foods crunchy, an important characteristic in Vietnamese
cooking. Used in fruit recipes, and wherever that crisp texture
is wanted. Found in Oriental groceries, it resembles rock sugar
except that it has a clearer color. Just break off as large a
piece as you need.
BAMBOO
SHOOTS
Best fresh, although in the West fresh bamboo shoots are virtually
unobtainable. However, all Oriental groceries carry canned bamboo
shoots. If you are albe to purchase fresh bamboo shoots, they
must be peeled and boiled. The canned bamboo shoots need no further
preparation. After opening the can, they will keep for up to 3
weeks in the refrigerator if covered with water that is changed
every 2 days.
*DRIED BAMBOO SHOOTS: These must
be soaked and boiled. In the moutains of Vietnam there are huge
bamboo forests, where bamboo shoots are cut and processed, then
sent to market in very large pieces. In the West, when we can
buy them, they are boxed and cut in small slices; we find the
best brand to be Companion. They are not a substitute for fresh
or canned bamboo shoots. They are specifically called for in certain
recipes and have their own unique flavor and texture.
*SOUR
BAMBOO SHOOTS: In the West we buy them in cans.
BANANA
LEAVES
These are used in Vietnamse cooking for wrapping various foods,
particular cakes and pates. The cakes are not sweet dessert cakes,
as in Western cooking, but a rather sustantial food, such as glutinous
rice, shaped into a cake. When wrapped in banana leaves, a delicate
greeen hue is transferred to the rice.
BEAN
SPROUTS
These are the sprouts of mung beans, available in Oriental groceries,
in many supermarkets, or you can easily grow your own. When you
buy them, rinse and put into a bowl of cold water, uncovered.
Refrigerate and they will keep for about 5 days.
BOK
CHOY
Also known as "Chinese cabbage," this is a very mild vegetable,
actually a member of the Swiss chard family. It has an elongated
shape and very white stems with dark green leaves. Its construction
is similar to that of celery.
CELLOPHANE
NOODLES
This dried noodles, made from mung beans, are also used a great
deal in Chinse cooking. The noodles that are more translucent
in the package will be more elastic after cooking than those that
are very white in the package. They come in 2, 4, and 8 ounce
package and must be soaked before cooking.
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