Joy Luck Kitchen Pantry

Shallots

2009-08-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

I used shallots for the first time last night in a chicken marinade. They really make a nice mild addition to a marinate and are not as overpowering as adding onion. The best way I can describe it is that it is a mild onion flavor with additional sweetness that you can't get in an onion. It is stronger than green onion, though. I will be doing some other recipes this month with them. I got a nice size brown bag from Meijer that didn't cost too much. And if the chicken last night was any indication I will continue to include them on my grocery list!

Soy Vay Hoisin Garlic Asian Glaze

2009-08-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

We love soy vay in this house, we use about a bottle of it a month. It goes great on stir fries. I marinate chicken and salmon in it and grill.

Green Onions

2009-01-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

Green onions

sometimes referred to as scallions or spring onions
Kitchen Dictionary on RecipeZaar highlights the difference between scallions and green onions
the green part can be sliced and scattered as garnish
the white part can be used in sauteing like onions

Star Anise

2009-01-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

Star Anise (Bunga Lawang)

More info in wikipedia about Star anise

Fennel Seeds

2009-01-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

Fennel Seeds (Jintan manis)

it releases its flavor when pounded or crushed
common in Indian cuisine

Adabi Beef and Chicken Curry Powder

2009-01-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Malaysian Adabi Chicken and Beef Curry Powder

I prefer to use this to make Malaysian curries, as the spice combo is unique to Malaysian curries.
It might be available in Asian grocery stores (I only came across this because the owner of that particular Asian grocery store is Malaysian)
Otherwise, we usually get them from people coming to the United States from Malaysia

Coconut Milk

2008-12-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

Coconut Milk (Santan)

Stir before using, because in storage it tends to settle and clump.
This is unsweetened

Screwpine Leaves (Daun Pandan)

2008-12-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Daun Pandan

Can be found in the frozen section of the Asian grocery store
Don't have to thaw before using

Just pluck one or a few blades off and wash

Sometimes it's used to flavor a dish with its 'green' aroma, and to do so, it's usually knotted and tossed in the cooking dish
Other times, a few blades may be made into Pandan juice by blending them with water to produce a light green 'juice' that might be used to make sweet desserts

Agar Agar

2008-12-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

Agar Agar

Agar agar is a form of seaweed

Boiled and cooked, then cooled, it turns into wobbly jelly

Water is brought to boil and sweetened.
Agar Agar is dumped in.
The heat will cook and melt the coarse strands
It can, from this point on, be flavored and colored
Poured into a container, and left to cool, it will harden into jelly

Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka/Gula Jawa)

2008-12-28T18:37:00.000-08:00

Palm sugar has a different taste and texture from granulated sugar.

Palm Sugar

It can be found at the Asian grocery store, most probably in the Indonesian section
To use, it can be shaved or cut into chunks with a sharp knife
It should be somewhat soft, not hard like a rock

Homemade Chilli Paste

2008-12-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

In Malaysia, this chilli paste is commonly known as cili boh, sold as ready made pastes. Overseas, Malaysians/Indonesians have resorted to purchasing the ready made Indonesian Sambal Oelek, which I once used in my undergraduate years, or making their own homemade chilli pastes. I personally prefer to make a homemade one in order to avoid the preservatives present in the ready-made ones sold in the stores.

Homemade Chilli Paste

A ready-made version sold in Asian grocery stores is Sambal Oelek (yes, with that exact spelling)
1. Pick off the stems.
2. Soak the dried chillies in very hot water, keeping them submerged by putting a bowl or small plate on top, for half an hour or till softened and rehydrated
3. Blend with enough water to make a wet paste.
4. Add salt (about 1 teaspoon per cup of chilli paste).
The addition of salt I gleaned from my mother in law.
I usually make a mixture of Chilli Japones (small and hotter) and Chilli California (bigger and less hot), with a ratio of 1:3, Chilli California being 1/3 and Chilli Japones being 2/3, so I would not end up with a chilli paste that is too spicy, especially when making Sambal. Sometimes, I would use Chilli Ancho (way bigger and sweeter, even less hot) to tone down the spice level.
If you don't use them too often, either make a small batch, or keep them in the freezer, because they will get moldy if left to sit in the refrigerator too long.

Chilli California

2008-12-28T18:34:00.001-08:00

Chile California

The bigger and less pungent chilli
Usage is described here.

Mexican Chilli Japones

2008-12-28T18:32:00.001-08:00

Chile Japones

The smaller thus more pungent chilli
If you only use these chillies to make your own homemade chilli paste, it's going to be very spicy!
I use this in combination with bigger, sweeter, and less spicy dried chillies.
Usage described here.
You can find these dried chillies most probably in the International section of grocery stores like Kroger or Meijer (for those in the United States).

Yeo's Sweet Chilli Sauce

2008-12-28T18:29:00.001-08:00

Yeo's Sweet Chilli Sauce

Usually used in making Sweet Sour Dishes
This chilli sauce is also used as dips for savory deep fried fritters.
There are many other chilli sauces (not the western hot sauce!). This is just one brand and type. They all have their own taste combo, so feel free to experiment with different chilli sauces.