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Key Ingredients
A really important part of being a great chef is knowing how to stock your kitchen. Over time you'll no doubt build up bits and pieces left over from other meals but we've compiled a list of key ingredients that we think no Oriental kitchen would be without.
Soy Sauce
The single most important thing to stick in the cupboard has to be soy sauce. Used in cooking, as a marinade and as a dipping sauce it really is used in all types of Asian cooking. And of course there are many different types of Amoy Soy Sauce, each with their own place in Oriental cooking. Choose from Chilli, Light, Reduced Salt, Dark and Premium.
Ginger
A particular favourite of stir-fries all over Asia, from Southern Thailand to Northern China, ginger is also valued for its medicinal properties, being recognised as calming digestive problems and clearing cold symptoms. Another absolute must have for anyone interested in cooking Asian cuisine.
Garlic
Another all-rounder is, of course, garlic. It appears in loads of different dishes across the region but is seen as going particularly well with ginger for reasons of both taste and health.
Chilli Peppers
Both red and green chillies are used across the whole of Asia to add a spicy kick to any dish. And remember that with the mighty chilli size really does matter - generally the smaller a chilli, the more punch it packs!
Coconut Milk
Traditionally coconut milk was more often used in desserts. As western influences which were accustomed to dairy grew across Asia, it came to be used more and more often in savoury dishes too. Coconut milk is more often associated with South-East Asian cuisine, especially Thailand. You can choose from Amoy Reduced Fat Coconut or traditional Amoy Coconut Milk.
Oyster sauce
Don't even pretend not to know the significance of this fabulous Chinese cooking sauce. Excellent at bringing any vegetable to life!
Sesame Oil
The delicate nutty flavour that accompanies sesame oil is what makes it the preferred oil for most Oriental cooking. It is generally preferred to other oils more commonly used in the West, like sunflower or vegetable oil, so you'll need to stock up if you're after that authentic taste.
Limes
Limes and lime leaves are used in loads of South-East Asian dishes, typically dishes from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
Vinegar
Vinegar is an essential Asian ingredient and although it has many regional variations, is generally regarded for its benefits to one's health. This belief is illustrated in a Chinese legend that tells of a young boy who fell ill and could no longer earn his living catching fish in the lake by his house. His sister prepared him a dish of fish marinated in vinegar and sugar which cured him instantly. When the emperor heard the tale he immediately added the dish to the imperial menu, where it became known as Sour West Lake Fish, a delicacy of Zhejiang Cuisine to this day.