The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [3]
CHILI PEPPERS. Small chili peppers, either red or green, provide spicy heat to dishes. Different peppers generate different amounts of heat; if you can’t find the one called for, use the variety you can find and adjust the quantity to taste. Tiny Thai peppers are very hot; elongated serrano and smooth-skinned cayenne chilies have plenty of heat, too. Jalapeño is a good all-round chili pepper. Anaheim is a large chili that thinks it’s a spicy bell pepper. Usually a recipe says to discard the ribs and seeds, because that is where the hottest part, the capsaicin, is concentrated. If you prefer your food spicy, leave the seeds and ribs in. When handling chilies, be sure to use care, as capsaicin can be very irritating. If you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves when handling them. In any case, after working with chilies, wash your hands well with soap and water to avoid passing the burning oils onto other more delicate parts of your body, such as your eyes.
CHINESE BROCCOLI. The Chinese variety of this vegetable is very leafy, with tiny white flowers, and has a slightly bitter flavor. Look for it at Chinese groceries. Broccolini, a new thin-stemmed kind of broccoli found in many supermarkets, is much milder but is a good substitute; or use broccoli rabe.
CILANTRO. Sometimes called coriander (although that also refers to the dried seed of the same plant, used as a spice) or Chinese parsley, this herb resembles flat-leaf parsley but has its own distinct flavor and fragrance. It is sometimes sold with the roots attached, a sure way to tell it from parsley. To store cilantro, snip an inch or so off the stems and stand them in a glass of water, just like a bouquet. Cover the cilantro with a plastic produce bag and refrigerate it; it will keep fresh for a few days.
GALANGAL. This relative of ginger is used as a flavoring in Southeast Asian curries. It looks like ginger, but with a paler, lighter skin. On its own, it has a somewhat medicinal taste; it must be combined with other seasonings to be palatable. Galangal is available at Asian and Indian groceries. If you can’t find it, use a bit more ginger, with which it is almost always paired.
GINGER. The freshest ginger is firm and has shiny skin; avoid wrinkled ginger. To store it, wrap the ginger in aluminum foil and refrigerate it; it will keep for a week or so. There is a recent fashion for freezing ginger—it does not work.
LEMONGRASS. An aromatic plant with an enticing citrus fragrance and flavor, lemongrass is sold in stalks about 18 inches long. Only the inner bulb is used. To prepare the bulb, first trim off the base of the stalk. Chop off and discard the thin top of the stalk, where it meets the wider bulb area. Peel off the tough outer layer to reveal the tender, pale bulb—the bottom 6 to 8 inches of the stalk. Discard the outer layers. Use a sharp knife to chop the bulb as required.
LOTUS ROOT. At first glance, this tuber looks like an elongated potato with pointed ends. When cut crosswise, it reveals a pattern of moderately large holes, making a very interesting-looking addition to mixed vegetable dishes. Store uncut lotus root in a dark cool place as you would potatoes; cut lotus root should be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated.
NAPA CABBAGE. Sometimes labeled “nappa cabbage,” this delicately flavored, pale green cabbage is the most popular vegetable in northern China. It is essential for Pan-fried Pork Dumplings and Lion’s Head. Napa cabbage is stout and barrel-shaped. You may also see elongated, smaller heads: this is celery cabbage, and as the flavor is very similar, it can be substituted. For either type, choose relatively heavy specimens with no brown discoloration.
TARO. This tuber is not the most attractive relative of the potato family, with its very dark, scaly skin. Once peeled, it reveals a beige flesh with purplish veins. Cooked, it adds a bit of pale lavender/purple color to desserts like Chilled Tapioca and Fresh Fruit Soup.
WATER CHESTNUTS. Most Western cooks know only canned water chestnuts. If there was ever an example