a variety of vegetable dishes, using them in soups and stews, stir-frying, braising, or making them into fritters, dumplings and pickles, or even using them in desserts. In the tropical countries of Southeast Asia, vegetables are frequently blanched or eaten raw in salads, often accompanied by spicy dips or dressings.
For at least 2,000 years, major Asian cultures have been aware of the medicinal and nutritional benefits of vegetables. Now, it seems, Western science is catching up. Countless scientific reports confirm the powerful properties of many plants, and we are urged to have at least three servings of vegetables every day.
Many plants have been proven to help strengthen the immune system, thus protecting against disease. Some seem to have anti-cancer properties, while others help lower cholesterol levels and ease the symptoms of ailments such as arthritis or rheumatism. The nutritional and medicinal properties, as well as some of the traditional folk beliefs surrounding certain vegetables, are briefly described in this book.
The fact that they are, quite simply, "good for you" would be reason enough to start experimenting with unfamiliar Asian vegetables, but there is another compelling reason for eating them: they taste good, even superb, when prepared properly. This book offers sample recipes from around Asia for most of the vegetables described, as well as suggestions for using them. A whole new world of eating awaits you.
Stretching across a vast area and encompassing a wide range of climates, Asia's cuisines are naturally very diverse. However, some cooking styles are widely used and many utensils and techniques are shared.
When preparing the Asian recipes in this book, be sure never to use olive oil, which is not used in Asian cuisines and will alter the flavor of the dish. Light, non-flavored oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower or corn oil, or light, blended vegetable oils are recommended.
One of the healthiest ways and perhaps the most popular way of cooking vegetables is stir-frying, using a curved wok over high heat so that the vegetables are cooked quickly with minimum loss of nutrition. A wok allows for quick tossing of ingredients, which fall back into the wok and not outside as they would if a frying pan were used. It is important to select a heavy wok so that the heat is evenly distributed, and to avoid non-stick or aluminum woks. The wok should be heated, then oil is poured in and swirled around to coat the sides before adding the vegetables, often after some garlic and ginger have been briefly stir-fried as a seasoning. The vegetables should be constantly stirred over very high heat using a specially shaped wok spatula. For vegetables that need longer cooking, water or stock is often added after the initial stir-frying and the wok covered to allow the vegetables to cook in steam.
Asian cooks often steam food, using either a multi-tiered bamboo steaming basket that sits inside a wok, or placing the food in a bowl or plate on a metal rack or perforated disk set into the wok above boiling water. It is important for the water to be fully boiling before the steamer is set into the wok, and that the water be topped up from time to time if the steaming is lengthy.
Simmering food in coconut milk is a popular cooking method in tropical Asia. Although coconut milk is usually made from freshly grated coconut, cans of coconut cream, which can be diluted as required to make thick or thin coconut milk, are recommended as a substitute.
A Note to Vegetarian Readers
In most parts of Asia, fish products (especially fish sauce, dried shrimp paste and prawns), as well as meat and poultry are frequently cooked with vegetables for additional flavor and nutrition. However, it is possible to adapt some of the authentic Asian recipes in this book by using substitutes for fish, meat or poultry. The final result may be somewhat different, but the overall flavor will still be perfectly acceptable.
BEANS, peas & pulses
All peas and beans are legumes, members of the botanical family, Leguminosae, and are among the most ancient foods enjoyed by man. The dried seeds of legumes are inexpensive and highly nutritious, containing both protein and oils. There is no scientific or culinary distinction between a pea and a bean, although many cooks consider a pea to be the fresh young seed of a legume, and a bean either as an edible green pod or the dried seed of a mature legume. Both are enjoyed fresh in their immature state, and the mature seeds or pulses—known variously as beans, dal, grams, lentils and peas—are dried and eaten in countless ways, as are the leaves and sprouts of some legumes.
Some dried peas and beans need preliminary cooking to reduce any oligosaccharides, which may cause indigestion. Put in a pan covered with three times their volume of water. Bring to the boil, turn off the heat, cover and stand 1 hour. Drain, rinse and add fresh water to cover by about 1 in (2 cm)—some cooks may recommend adding salt, but this toughens the pulses—and simmer until soft.
Azuki, sometimes spelled adzuki, is also known as the red bean. This bean is particularly popular in China, Japan and Korea. It has a nutty, rather sweet flavor that makes it popular in cakes and desserts. According to the Chinese, foods can be classified either as yin ("cooling")or yang ("warming") to the body. Azuki beans are considered to be more yang than other pulses, and are frequently eaten by those following a macrobiotic diet rich in yang foods.
Appearance & Flavor These small, dark red beans, about ¼ in (50 mm) in length, are roughly oblong. The flavor lends itself well to sweet rather than savory dishes. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Azuki beans contain as much as 25% protein. They are very low in oligosaccharides, and so are easily digested. In Japan, a type of soup made with azuki beans is believed to be good for helping kidney problems. Culinary Uses Azuki beans do not need soaking and preliminary cooking. They are very popular in cakes and desserts in northern Asia, where they are boiled and mashed with sugar to make a sweet filling for pancakes, Chinese mooncakes and many Japanese cakes. Azuki beans are simmered with water in China, Japan and Korea or with added coconut milk in parts of Southeast Asia to make a soupy snack or dessert. Boiled azuki beans are also added to various drinks and shaved ice concoctions (such as ais kacang in Malaysia and halo halo in the Philippines). Azuki beans are also cooked together with rice in Korea and Japan to make a savory and nutritious alternative to plain rice.
Black-eyed Beans are also called black-eyed peas, and are the mature, dried seeds of the long bean (an excellent vegetable when fresh, see page 17). Black-eyed beans are widely used in Asia, and are particularly popular among Punjabis in India and in parts of north Asia, including China. Black-eyed beans are also enjoyed in the southern states of the US, as well as in Mexico, where they are cooked in robust soups and hearty stews.
Appearance & Flavor These creamy colored beans are similar in shape