Southeast Asia's Best Recipes. Wendy Hutton

rice wine is used in Chinese-inspired recipes and sometimes added to marinades in other local dishes. The best Chinese rice wine is from Shaoxing in China; use dry sherry as a substitute.

      Cinnamon may have been specified in these recipes, but the flavoring bark used in Southeast Asia is in fact from the cassia tree, a related species with a thicker, darker and more pungently flavored bark than true Ceylon cinnamon. Since cassia is generally labeled “cinnamon” when sold, I’ve used this name throughout the recipes, but cassia is what you should be using.

      Chili is a Central American native and available in Southeast Asia in many different varieties of varying heat and flavor. The heat comes from an enzyme known as capsaicin, which is present in the seeds and membranes. Take care to wash your hands carefully after dealing with chilies, as the juice will sting—don’t ever rub your eyes or nose when working with chilies. Fresh finger-length chilies are used either green or red. The most common type are about finger length and of moderate intensity. Fresh chilies are often crushed to use as a seasoning; one finger-length chili is roughly equal to one teaspoon of crushed chili. It is possible to buy jars of crushed chili (generally mixed with a little salt), which can be kept refrigerated and these are an acceptable substitute for finger-length chilies. Crushed chili is sometimes sold under the Dutch-Indonesian name, sambal oelek or ulek. Generally speaking, the smaller and thinner the chili, the greater the heat. Small bird’s-eye chilies are much hotter and also have a different flavor and aroma to finger-length chilies. Bird’s-eye chilies can range in size from the aptly (if indelicately) named “rat’s dropping chili” which can be as tiny as1/₂ in (1 cm), up to 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 in (3–4.5 cm) in length. Green, orange and red bird’s-eye chilies are all used, generally in spicy dips and relishes. Fresh chilies can be stored whole in a plastic bag in the freezer; remove them and slice or chop while they are still frozen. If you want the full flavor of chilies, but less heat, discard some of the seeds before using. Dried chilies give a much deeper red color to food and lack the smell of fresh chilies. They are usually cut into short lengths and soaked in hot water until soften, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chili. Dried chilies vary in intensity; the hottest I have tasted come, surprisingly, from China; Thai dried chilies are hot but not unbearably so, while some Indian varieties are actually quite mild. When buying dried chilies, make sure they still have a good deep color; any which are fading in color or breaking up will be passing their use-by date pretty soon. Dried chilies should keep a few months on the shelf, or almost indefinitely refrigerated. Toasted or dry-roasted dried chilies are coarsely crushed to make crushed dried chili flakes, sometimes sold as “chili flakes.” These are always served on the table in Thailand as a condiment. Dried red chilies ground to a very fine powder are sold as ground red pepper (cayenne); do not confuse this with American ground red pepper which contains black pepper and oregano and is used in Mexican dishes. Ground red pepper (cayenne) is sometimes added during cooking to provide heat when other types of chili are not used. A final tip for when someone has eaten a fiery chili and is suffering: don’t drink water, eat a spoonful of sugar instead. This is remarkably effective. Chili sauce is widely used in South-east Asia as a condiment. Many manufactured chili sauces have added garlic or ginger; some are sweet, others quite acidic and the chili content (read heat factor) differs considerably. One of the most widely exported chili sauces is a Thai blend of chili, garlic and vinegar sold as Sriracha chili sauce. Perhaps the most versatile dipping sauce is the mild combination of chilies, ginger and sugar often labeled “ sweet Thai chili sauce;” this is particularly good with grilled chicken and fish. Most brands of chili sauce can be kept on the shelf, although you might like to refrigerate it if you want to store it for many months.

      Coconut is one of the most useful plants in the region, although not found everywhere in Southeast Asia. The flesh of the mature coconut is grated and squeezed to make coconut milk. The water from inside the young coconuts (often sold abroad in cans as “coconut juice”) is sometimes used to simmer meat (it has a tenderizing effect) and also enjoyed as a cooling drink. Although nothing matches fresh coconut milk for use in cakes and desserts, adequate substitutes are available. If I can’t get fresh coconut milk, I prefer to use small packets of concentrated coconut cream (the one I use is reduced from two whole coconuts to make 3/4 cup/185 ml of liquid). This can be used straight from the packet as coconut cream; diluted with two parts of water to make thick coconut milk and diluted with three parts of water to make coconut milk. Some brands of concentrated canned coconut milk are also quite good, although I’ve come across some very mediocre products that I’ve had to throw away. Experiment with what you can find locally, buying products labeled “coconut cream” or those which are clearly concentrated to give you the flexibility to create the type of coconut milk you require. Packets of powdered coconut milk are a useful standby when you need just a few spoons of coconut milk, but I do not recommend this product for general use. Once you’ve opened a packet, store it in the refrigerator.

      Coriander leaves, seeds & roots (cilantro) is the world’s most widely used herb and perhaps even more popular in Southeast Asia than in Central and South America and the Middle East. Coriander leaves have a distinctive smell and attractive appearance and are the most important flavoring herb and garnish throughout the region. Coriander seeds are the most popular spice; for maximum freshness, local cooks prefer to use whole coriander seeds, heating them slightly to help release their volatile oils and make them easier to pound or grind whenever required. Each time you have finished using the leaves of whole fresh coriander plants, cut off the roots, wash well, dry and slice very thinly. Store in a small airtight container in the freezer; do this each time you use coriander and you will soon have a stock of coriander roots for use in Thai recipes. If you do not have enough roots when these are required in a recipe, you could use finely chopped coriander stem to make up the amount. Fresh coriander plants can be stored for about one week by putting them in a jar with the stems ends standing in about 1/2 in (1 cm) of water. Enclose the coriander and the jar with a large clear plastic bag and stand in the refrigerator.

      Curry powder is a mixture of ready ground spices, used particularly in Malaysia and Singapore. Different mixtures are available, prepared from a range of spices depending on the type of dish which is required and are generally labeled accordingly. Curry powders labeled “for fish” or “for meat and poultry” are best bought in small quantities and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum flavor.

      Daikon radish has a very thin skin, which can be scraped off with a knife. It is normally eaten raw in Southeast Asia, generally after salting to remove some of the bitterness and is frequently partnered with carrot. Use the smaller radishes around 6 to 7 in (16–18 cm) if possible, as these will generally have a milder flavor and finer texture than the larger ones.

      Dried Chinese sausage (lap cheong) is particularly popular among the Vietnamese. Perfumed with rose-flavored wine, they are never eaten alone, but cooked with rice or other food. They keep well in a dry place, although if you live in a humid climate, you may prefer to refrigerate them.

      Dried Shrimp are used in countless ways throughout the region. They are an important flavoring in their own right and not used as a replacement for fresh shrimp. Although various sizes are available, the most common ones are around 3/4 -in (2-cm) long. They should look orangey-pink and plump; avoid any with a grayish appearance or with an unpleasant ammonia smell. It is possible to buy packets of powdered dried shrimp (generally labeled “floss” or “powder”), but it is better to buy the whole shrimp so you can check the quality. Dried shrimp will keep for several months if refrigerated. Before use,