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Kitchen basics
Plain, clear explainers on what things are, what they taste like and how to use them, with UK buying tips.
What Is Bagoong (Filipino Shrimp Paste)?
Bagoong is a Filipino fermented shrimp or fish paste, salty and deeply savoury, used as both...
What Is Toyomansi, and How Do You Make It?
Toyomansi is a simple Filipino dipping sauce of soy sauce and kalamansi juice, sharp, salty and...
What Is Patis (Filipino Fish Sauce)?
Patis is the Filipino term for fish sauce, a salty, savoury liquid used as both a...
What Is Sinigang Mix (Filipino Sour Soup Base)?
Sinigang mix is a powdered souring base, usually tamarind-flavoured, that turns a simple pork or fish...
What Is Kalamansi, and How Do You Use It?
Kalamansi is a small, tangy Filipino citrus fruit, somewhere between a lime and a mandarin, used...
What Is Banana Ketchup, and How Is It Used?
Banana ketchup is a sweet, tangy Filipino condiment made mainly from mashed banana, sugar and spices,...
What Is Achiote (Annatto), and What Does It Do?
Achiote, also called annatto, is a small red seed used across Latin American and Filipino cooking...
Lemongrass Paste vs Fresh Lemongrass: What’s the Difference?
Lemongrass paste is a convenient jarred shortcut, but fresh lemongrass gives a brighter, more fragrant result...
What Is Ssamjang (Korean Dipping Sauce)?
Ssamjang is a thick, savoury Korean dipping sauce made from doenjang and gochujang, used for wrapping...
What Is Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)?
Nuoc cham is a light, punchy Vietnamese dipping sauce built from fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic...
What Is Tare, the Seasoning Base for Ramen?
Tare is the concentrated, salty seasoning base spooned into the bottom of a ramen bowl before...
How to Make Ginger Scallion Oil
Ginger scallion oil is a simple Cantonese condiment of finely chopped ginger and spring onion, softened...
How to Steam Fish, Cantonese Style
Cantonese steamed fish is cooked whole or in fillets over high heat for just a few...
What Is Fish Sauce, and How Is It Used?
Fish sauce is a salty, savoury liquid made from fermented fish, most often anchovies, used across...
What Is the Difference Between Gyoza and Dumpling Wrappers?
Gyoza wrappers are thinner and slightly smaller than general Chinese dumpling wrappers, made for pan-frying rather...
How to Fold Dumplings and Gyoza: A Few Simple Folds
A basic pleat is all you need for a well-sealed dumpling, and it gets easier after...
What Is Umami, and Why Does It Matter in Cooking?
Umami is the savoury, mouth-filling taste alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter, and it is central...
What Is Shirataki Noodles?
Shirataki noodles are thin, translucent Japanese noodles made from konjac yam rather than wheat or rice,...
What is Tamari, and How Is It Different from Soy Sauce?
Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce made with little or no wheat, giving it a smoother,...
What Is Sambal Oelek?
Sambal oelek is a simple Indonesian chilli paste made from little more than crushed red chillies,...
How to Velvet Chicken and Beef for Stir-Fries
Velveting is a Chinese technique of coating raw meat in a light cornflour and egg white...
What Is Wok Hei, and Can You Get It at Home?
Wok hei is the smoky, slightly charred flavour that comes from cooking over very high heat...
What Is Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage)?
Lap cheong is a firm, sweet-savoury Chinese sausage, usually made from pork and pork fat, cured...
What Is a Century Egg?
A century egg is a duck, chicken or quail egg preserved for several weeks in a...
How to Make Crispy Fried Garlic and Shallots
Fried garlic and shallots are a simple, crunchy topping made by slowly frying thin, even slices...
How to Store Fresh Ginger and Garlic So They Last
Fresh ginger keeps longest in the freezer, while garlic keeps best in a cool, dark, well-ventilated...
What Is Yuzu Kosho?
Yuzu kosho is a Japanese paste made from yuzu peel, chilli and salt, punchy, citrusy and...
What Is Tonkatsu Sauce?
Tonkatsu sauce is a thick, tangy-sweet Japanese sauce similar to a fruity Worcestershire sauce, the classic...
What Is Sichuan Peppercorn?
Sichuan peppercorn is not a true pepper, and its heat is not spicy in the chilli...
What Is Kombu?
Kombu is a dried edible kelp, used to make dashi and other Japanese stocks. It is...
What Are Bonito Flakes?
Bonito flakes, or katsuobushi, are shavings of dried, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna. They are intensely...
How to Make Ponzu Sauce at Home
Mix equal parts soy sauce and citrus juice, add a splash of rice vinegar and a...
What Is Kecap Manis?
Kecap manis is a thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce, closer to a glaze than the thin...
How to Steam Rice Without a Rice Cooker
Use a heavy pot with a tight lid, rinse the rice, use a 1 to 1.5...
What Is Sichuan Peppercorn, and Why Does It Numb the Tongue?
Sichuan peppercorn is not a true pepper, it is the dried husk of a small citrus-family...
How to Debone a Chicken Thigh for Stir-Fries
Lay the thigh skin side down and run a small knife along the bone, keeping the...
How to Make Quick Pickled Vegetables for Asian Dishes
A quick pickle is just vegetables covered in a warm mix of vinegar, sugar and salt,...
How to Make Ponzu Sauce at Home
Ponzu is a citrus soy sauce, and a simple version is just soy sauce, rice vinegar...
How to Steam Rice Without a Rice Cooker
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then cook it in a pan with...
What Is Chilli Crisp, and How Is It Different from Chilli Oil?
Chilli crisp is a chilli oil packed with crunchy fried bits, usually garlic, shallot and soybean,...
What Is Yuzu, and How Do You Use It?
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that tastes like a cross between lemon, lime and mandarin,...
What Is Katsuobushi (Bonito Flakes)?
Katsuobushi is dried, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna, shaved into paper thin flakes, and it is...
How to Cook Glass Noodles Without Them Clumping
Soak glass noodles in warm water for 8 to 10 minutes rather than boiling, and toss...
What Is Nori, and How Do You Use It?
Nori is dried, pressed edible seaweed, sold in thin sheets, best known as the wrap around...
What Is MSG, and Is It Safe?
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavour enhancer that adds umami, and is safe to eat...
What Is Shichimi Togarashi?
Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven spice blend built around chilli flakes, with citrus peel, sesame...
How to Use a Rice Cooker (A Beginner Guide)
Rinse your rice, add it to the pot with water at a 1 to 1.5 ratio...
What Is Congee, and How Do You Make It
Congee is rice cooked slowly in a lot of water until it breaks down into a...
What Is Chinese Five Spice?
Chinese five spice is a warm, aromatic spice blend made from star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon,...
What is Chinkiang Vinegar?
Chinkiang vinegar, also called black vinegar, is a dark, malty Chinese rice vinegar with a deep,...
What is Doenjang?
Doenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste, similar in role to Japanese miso but with a...
How to Cook Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice, also called sticky or sweet rice, is cooked by soaking then steaming rather than...
What is Doubanjiang?
Doubanjiang is a salty, savoury Chinese fermented broad bean and chilli paste, most associated with Sichuan...
How to Cook Black Rice
Black rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, cooks the same way as brown rice: simmered in around...
How to Cook Soba Noodles
Soba noodles cook in 4 to 5 minutes in boiling water, then need a cold-water rinse...
What is Furikake?
Furikake is a dry Japanese seasoning sprinkled over rice, usually a mix of sesame seeds, dried...
What is Shaoxing Wine, and What to Use Instead
Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine used in cooking to marinate meat and seafood, deglaze...
What is Ponzu Sauce?
Ponzu is a Japanese citrus and soy sauce, made by mixing soy sauce with rice vinegar...
What is XO Sauce?
XO sauce is a Chinese condiment made from dried scallops and dried shrimp cooked slowly with...
What is gochugaru?
Gochugaru is Korean red chilli powder, made from sun-dried chillies that are deseeded and crushed into...
How to Make Chilli Oil: A Simple Ratio and Method
To make chilli oil, heat a neutral oil with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and star...
How to Toast Sesame Seeds: Oven, Pan, and Microwave
The quickest way to toast sesame seeds is in a dry frying pan over a medium...
How to Make Tempura Batter: The Ratio That Stays Crisp
To make tempura batter, mix ice cold water into plain flour with a few light strokes,...
How to Cook Udon Noodles: Fresh, Frozen, and Dried
Fresh and frozen udon noodles need only one to two minutes in boiling water, since they...
How to Make Dashi at Home, and Where to Buy the Ingredients in the UK
To make dashi, soak a piece of kombu in cold water, bring it just to a...
What is oyster sauce?
The bottle that makes stir fried greens taste like the restaurant version. Savoury, thick and nothing...
What is wasabi?
The green paste next to your sushi is almost certainly not wasabi. Here is what the...
What is dim sum?
Small plates, steamer baskets, endless tea. Here is what to order and how the meal actually...
How to cook sushi rice
The rice is the whole job. Get the seasoning and the cooling right and even wonky...
How to cook jasmine rice
Rinsed, measured, lid on, left alone. Four rules, and none of them need a rice cooker....
What is hoisin sauce, and what to use instead
The dark, glossy sauce in the duck pancakes. Sweet, salty and far more useful than the...
How to cook rice noodles without them going sticky
Rice noodles turn to glue faster than any other noodle. The fix is to stop boiling...
What is panko, and why it stays crispier
Panko is why katsu stays crunchy long after ordinary breadcrumbs have gone soft. The difference is...
What is mirin, and what to use instead
The bottle in the Japanese section that makes teriyaki taste like teriyaki. Here is what it...
What is dashi, and how to make it
Dashi is the reason a bowl of miso soup tastes like more than salty water. It...
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a Korean side dish of vegetables, usually napa cabbage, salted and fermented with chilli,...
What is gochujang?
Gochujang is a thick, red Korean chilli paste made from chilli powder, fermented soya beans, glutinous...
How to season a wok
Seasoning a wok builds a natural non-stick layer of baked-on oil so food stops sticking. You...
What does tofu taste like?
Plain tofu tastes very mild, almost neutral, with a faint milky, beany note. Its real strength...
What is katsu sauce?
Katsu curry sauce is a mild, smooth Japanese-style curry sauce, gently thickened and lightly sweet, usually...
What is miso?
Miso is a savoury paste made from fermented soya beans. It brings a deep, salty, moreish...