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Aji No Moto -
Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG) - Several countries MSG is processed free glutamic acid, an amino acid (protein) extracted from seaweed. It's used in many Asian countries as a flavor enhancer, but has been plagued by the controversy of whether it causes a host of health problems, such as hives, seizures and brain damage. Would I try again? Shortterm, yes. It does make things taste good. Ultimately, I don't know. Given my health consciousness, I may decide to avoid MSG when possible, just in case. For more information: For a
quick primer,
try the Whole
Foods
article. Otherwise, type in MSG and Health in Google, and
read. |
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Bonito Flakes - Japanese
a.k.a. Katsbushi Dried shavings of bonito fish, which can be sprinkled on salads, various entrees, and used to make dashi, which is the base stock for most Japanese soups. A nice strong, slightly salty fish flavor. 3.75 stars! Would I try again? It makes a
great topping
for a million different things, especially Okonomi-yaki. Yes.
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Gari (aka
Shoga) (Pickled Ginger) - Japanese Pickled ginger, used to clean the palate between bites of your Japanese meal - also extremely good, so they say, for the digestion. Tastes terrific. Bright pink, found very often on top of sushi. 3.8 stars. Would I try again? Alllll the time. Where I found it: Any Japanese restaurant or market |
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Hon Dashi -
Several countries Soup stock for miso soup. Ingredients include bonito flakes and konbu (kelp seaweed.) For convenience, it's often sold in little jars of crystal dashi. For those who care, be aware that these jars usually include MSG. (See above.) Would I try again? It's pretty good to sprinkle over plain rice as a flavoring. So yes, periodically.
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Mirin - Japanese
A sweet golden wine used for cooking, and sauces/glazes. Also called rice wine. Would I try again? n/a |
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Miso Paste Fermented soy bean paste - and the primary ingredient in Miso Soup. Miso paste comes in a number of different colors/varieties (the longer the paste is fermented, the darker the color): white, yellow, red, dark brown. There are also different types of miso, which depend on what the soy bean is mixed with (for instance, barley, sea salt or brown rice.) Would I try again? Sure - I hear
it's actually
good when mixed with oatmeal, and would like to try it.... |
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Nam Pla - Thailand
Shottsuru - Japanese A fermented fish sauce, that's used as a dipping sauce, and an ingredient in many Thai dishes. They say it's pungent, but I found it rather bland, compared to, say soy sauce. Would I try again? Not my favorite sauce/topping, so no. Where I found it: Udon's Corp. |
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Nuoc Mam -
Vietnamese Much like Nam Pla (see above), but Vietnamese. Like the other sauce, it's fermented fish - but for some reason, I like this stuff much more. It's spicier, and has more, well, flavor. Would I try again? Yes. Where to find it: Any Vietnamese restaurant. |
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Petis Udang -
Malaysian A hard, gooey black shrimp sauce - with tons of salt. Diluted with water, it's used to sour Malaysian soups like Laksa, and as an ingredient in Rojak. Also known as hay koh (Chinese) and Mam Ruoc. (Vietnamese). It's hard to describe the taste - really salty, but with an addictive flavor that leaves you coming back for more. Straight out of the jar, it's hard and gummy, and needs to be watered down before using it as a flavoring. Would I try again? Yes - , although the amount of sodium in it is troubling.... Where to find it: Bangkok Center Grocery |
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Seaweed -
Japanese Seaweed is used in alot of Japanese cooking/preparation. And there are several different types, each with their own particular uses and tastes. Nori - often sold in flat sheets for wrapping sushi and onigiri. Wakame - a kelp which is often added to soups and salads, and noodle mixtures. Would I try again? I especially
like Nori,
and it's essential to sushi. So, of course. |
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Sago (Pearls
and Flour) -
Southeast Asia A starch extracted from the sago palm. It's used as a thickener in desserts, and as a really, really neat form of jello in various dessert drinks. Sago at Gulaman comes to mind (I haven't tried it yet, but it comes highly recommended.) Sago can be colored, and cut into various chewy texturific shapes. Yum! Four stars! Would I try again? Love the stuff, yes! |
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Soy Sauce - Japanese,
Chinese a.k.a. Tamari, Shoyu Everyone knows soy sauce. The real stuff is a salted sauce made from fermented soy beans. What you may not know is that the average soy sauce found in restaurants and grocery stores are a synthetic non-fermented product, which they say is distinctly different in taste from the real thing. I don't know, I probably haven't had the real thing. Also, you can of course now get variants of soy sauce: low sodium, light, etc. Would I try again? Yes, although
I'm not crazy
about it. |
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Tapioca
(Pearls and Flour) A starch extracted from the cassava plant (also called yuca.) They're the penultimate ingredient in bubble tea, which is just the most amazing, great beverage to come out of Asia! Tapioca pearls are chewy, gummy and just plain fun! Four stars! Would I try again? Of course. |
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Wasabi - Japanese
Ah, the well known wasabi. (Best known as that lump of green stuff that they put next to sushi rolls, and tastes like strong horseradish.) The real thing is a root plant which is somewhat rare and difficult to grow. As a result, the wasabi you get in a restaurant often isn't the genuine article - it's just regular horseradish colored green for presentation. The purpose of Wasabi? To cleanse the palate and aid digestion. And it just tastes good! Would I try again? Hey, I've
eaten it straight
on a dare! |
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