Chinese Yard Long Beans

The bounty that comes from my CSA box is continually astounding to me. This past Saturday, we were treated to a bundle of one of my favorite Asian vegetables, Vigna sesquipedalis, also known as Chinese yard-long beans. (They are also known as asparagus beans, but I have no idea why–they do not taste a thing […]

Soybean Pastes: A Primer

Since I wrote the primer on soy sauces, I thought I should probably talk a little about the different kinds of fermented soybean pastes there are in Asian cookery, too. They are nearly as important as flavor enhancers as soy sauce, and the variation in flavor, color and texture in these sauces and pastes is […]

Soy Sauce: A Primer on the Types, Functions and Flavors of the Quintessential Condiment

One thing that tends to shock newcomers to Asian cooking is the seemingly endless array of soy sauces on the shelves of the local Asian market. Which ones to buy? What are they all used for? Are they all different, or the same, or what? And most often: Why are there so many? And then, […]

Chinese Fermented Black Beans

A staple of the Chinese pantry, fermented black soy beans, also known as salted black beans, add a giant helping of flavor to a variety of foods. Some people seem to think that they are “stinky” or overly salty, but I don’t know what they are talking about–I love the smell of them and don’t […]

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