Similar to ginger, galangal has a sweeter fragrance and is not as spicy. Ginger is hot and more pungent flavor. They look identical but the galangal flesh is whiter, while the ginger has a slight yellow color. Sold in Korean…
Turmeric
An orange rhizome that is about the size of a finger, it is the spice that gives curry its rich color. A member of the ginger family, this root has…
Lemongrass
Extremely fragrant, we put lemongrass in curries, poached and braised, fish, pork and chicken. It is also pounded and combined with other spices. It is also used for medicinal…
Tamarind
Tamarind used in cooking comes from the flesh of the tamarind pod, shown above. Unlike fresh tamarind, which can be quite sweet–the one above wasn’t–the ingredient tamarind or assam…
Curry leaves
Such a strange name for this leaf. The leaves don’t taste like curry, and the tree doesn’t produce curry. It’s neither spicy, nor fragrant. I rubbed the leaves and had…
Sesame oil
There’s regular sesame oil, and there is black sesame oil. Can you tell the difference if the bottles don’t give you the hint? Two friends and I taste tested…
Chinese cooking wine
Chinese cooking wines are inexpensive versions of drinking wines and are used liberally in braising, for sauces, or just to splash into a stir fry in place of water to…