Fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum) is frequently served raw
alongside kebabs. The distinctive flavour of basil makes
a great foil for the smoky, char-grilled meats, especially
when wrapped in flat bread. Basil is part of the mint
family, and can also be used in a variety of stews.
Some Middle Easterners are known to refer to this
herb as parsley because of its name in Farsi, so always
double-check when exchanging recipes or cooking
tips! Chinese celery smells and tastes much like
bunched celery stalks, but the latter cannot be used as
a substitute for the former in Persian recipes. Celery
leaves, while milder, make an acceptable substitute.
In Chinese-speaking stores or markets, ask for qin cai
(Mandarin) or kun choy (Cantonese) when shopping for
Chinese celery. Malay-speakers know it as daun sop.
Basmati rice has a nutty fragrance. It is a long-grain rice
and is slightly drier than other varieties when cooked.
This means the grains do not clump together, something
that many Middle Eastern cooks dislike. For the same
reason, calrose or glutinous rices are generally avoided.
They make an exception only for rice-based desserts,
which are prepared with shorter-grain rice such as Thai
fragrant rice.
Also known as garlic chives, these flat-leafed shoots
have a certain pungency but are definitely not
overpowering. Speakers of Mandarin, Hokkien and
Cantonese know them as jiu cai, ku cai or gow choy
respectively. Although regular chives can be used as a
substitute, they lack the bite that Chinese chives impart
to the dish.
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