Seasoning
Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from sugar, salt and water thickened with cornstarch, flavoured with a little oyster essence or extract. Some versions may be darkened with caramel, though high... more
Pla-ra (Thai: ปลาร้า [plaː ráː], Lao: ປາແດກ [paː dɛːk]) is a traditional Thai seasoning produced by fermenting fish with rice bran or roasted rice powder and salt fermented in a closed container for at least six months. Pla ra is mostly used in northeastern food such as green papaya salad. Pla... more
Thai curries are always made with a curry paste. Common ingredients used in many Thai curry pastes are:
- Shrimp paste
- Chillies; depending on the curry these can be dried or fresh, red or green
- Onions or shallots
- Garlic
- Lemongrass
- Galangal... more
Coconut milk is the liquid that comes from the grated meat of a mature coconut. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are attributed to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a popular food ingredient used in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and northern South... more
A pungent dip made mainly from shrimp paste and chillies. It is eaten with fresh vegetables and/or fried pla thu.
Fish sauce is an amber-colored liquid extracted from the fermentation of fish with sea salt. It is used as a condiment in various cuisines. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and features heavily in Burmese, Cambodian,... more
Salt is essential for life in general, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. The tissues of animals contain larger quantities of salt than do plant tissues. Salt is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings, and salting is an important method of food preservation.
The term "distilled vinegar" (or "spirit vinegar" in the UK) is something of a misnomer when used in the US and North America, because it is not produced by distillation but by fermentation of distilled alcohol. The fermentate is diluted to produce a colorless solution of 5%... more
Fermented bean paste is a category of fermented foods typically made from ground soybeans, which are indigenous to the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia. In some cases, such as in the production of miso, other varieties of beans such as broad beans, may also be used.
The pastes are... more