BUYING FILIPINO INGREDIENTS

Many cooks already know that a meal does not begin in the kitchen but at the market. The beauty of Filipino cookery is that a good number of the spices, condiments, and ingredients needed for these recipes are readily available in your neighborhood grocery store, if they aren’t already in your cupboard or refrigerator. Many large grocery store chains have updated their ethnic foods section to include a wide variety of Asian and Latino ingredients used in these recipes. However, if you happen to be lucky enough to have an Asian grocery store available to you, take advantage of it.

This chapter will help you shed your fear of the unknown bottles, jars, and bags that are indispensable to the Asian cook. Although I am not entirely against ingredient substitutions, I will say that they will take a recipe so far and should be used conscientiously. Once you’ve become familiar with the ingredients and how they affect the recipe, choosing substitutions will become easier. If you stick to substituting similar flavors, you usually won’t go astray. For example, it’s safe to substitute sambal ulek for Thai chiles or lime for calamansi or fish sauce for shrimp paste. However, swapping soy sauce for fish sauce will not give you the results you want when they both lend such different flavors to a dish. Using the proper ingredients will be the difference between a good recipe and an amazing meal.

This shopping guide is organized very similarly to an Asian market. When you walk in an Asian market you’ll often start off with large sacks of rice towering high in the first corner aisle. Weighing at least as much as a small child, these bags hold rice in dozens of varieties, colors, shapes, and sizes, which is why I start this chapter with a few of the main selections you’re likely to encounter. Then, as you meander through the store, you’ll find aisles dedicated to the mind-boggling selection of noodles and condiments, dried herbs, spices, and canned goods before arriving at the refrigerated area where the exotic spread of produce is displayed alongside all of the frozen foods. Though it may seem odd, I’ve inserted a special section on coconut. The coconut plant is a thriving Filipino resource, so much so that coconut products represent an important component of the cuisine.

You won’t necessarily have to search out a Filipino market to find these ingredients. I often find everything I need for a Filipino meal at a Thai, Vietnamese, or Chinese market. And if Asian markets are scarce in your area, the Mail-Order and Online Shopping Guide (page 175) will prove helpful in securing those hard-to-find ingredients.

RICE

Rice is the single most important element of Filipino cuisine, the reason to eat. Often, main courses and side dishes take a back seat to rice, serving merely as toppings or condiments. There are thousands of rice varieties classified by their grain length: short, medium, or long. Short and medium grains cook moist and tender with a slight stickiness. Long grains cook separate and fluffy. Carolina rice, basmati, and brown rice are all in the long-grain category. Most Asian stores will carry enough rice varieties for the average shopper to be slightly intimidated by the mountains of paper and burlap rice bags. The following are the types of rice you should look for when shopping for a Filipino meal. Rely on your personal preference when choosing between long- and medium-grain rice for your everyday rice. Short-grain and glutinous rice are not commonly used as all-purpose table rice but for specific dishes.

Long-Grain Rice. Long-grain, or indica, varieties, are the most commonly grown rice in the Philippines. Having little starch, long-grain rice cooks to a tender, separate, and fluffy texture with just enough fresh-cooked stickiness to satisfy the Filipino palate. Jasmine rice, originally grown in Thailand but now available from California, is a naturally aromatic long-grain variety that cooks tender and sticky like a medium-grain rice, which is why it is a popular rice among Filipinos. Because the grains easily separate, long-grain rice is great for pilafs or curries. Filipinos love the dry, day-old texture of long-grain rice for sinangag, a breakfast staple of garlic fried rice.

Medium-Grain Rice. This is another all-purpose table rice. The grains are shorter and wider than long-grain rice and cook up soft, plump, and sticky. The medium-grain japonica rice variety, also called calrose rice, is quite a multitasker making frequent appearances in porridge, stuffings, and soups. Popular brands are Botan Extra Fancy Calrose, Nishiki Premium, and Ichiban Premium.

Short-Grain Rice. Short-grain rice, also called sushi rice, has nearly round, plump kernels that cook into clumps of soft, sticky grains. Short-grain rice is most commonly used for sushi, puddings, and molded rice dishes. Brands to look for are Kukoho Rose, Assi, Yume Super Premium, Nozomi Super Premium, or Nishimoto.

Glutinous Rice. This type of rice is also known as sticky rice, sweet rice, or mochi rice. The name of this rice is deceiving in that it does not have any noticeable sugar sweetness in flavor nor does it have gluten. When raw, the short, round orbs are an opaque, chalky white that when cooked become translucent and extremely sticky. Glutinous rice is not an everyday rice but specific to desserts, puddings, and wrapped or steamed snacks.

Rice Flour and Glutinous Rice Flour. Made from milled long-grain rice, rice flour is used commercially to make noodles and egg roll or dumpling wrappers and noncommercially for dumplings, cakes, and other desserts. Glutinous rice flour is made from milled short-grain glutinous rice and is used to make doughs, heavy batters, and desserts with a heavier texture. Not often is rice flour used as a thickening agent as are wheat flour or cornstarch.

Black Rice. Black rice, called pirurutong, has only recently come into the limelight on restaurant menus and grocery store shelves, but it’s been a longtime standard in Asia. When purchasing black rice, you will find either Thai black sticky rice or Chinese forbidden black rice. The Thai variety is a medium-grain rice and is often referred to as black glutinous rice, although it lacks the characteristic stickiness of white, short-grained glutinous rice. Closely resembling wild rice, Thai black rice is a whole grain that gets its uneven purple-black color from the exposed outer bran, which also imparts a woody flavor to the rice.

Chinese black rice, or “forbidden” rice, is another medium-grain rice, although not of the glutinous variety. For a time it was served exclusively to Chinese emperors, but now this nearly extinct rice variety has gained popularity on tables around the world as a nutritious, whole-grain substitute to polished white rice.

Interestingly, the black rice varieties are not terribly popular in their mother countries except in sweet snacks or dessert puddings. Steamed white rice will always reign supreme on the Asian table as the everyday rice. But for Western palates, the nutty chewy texture of black rice is welcomed in savory side dishes and salads. I use black rice in Paella Pirurutong a la Filipina (page 76).

NOODLES

The Chinese culinary influence extends far beyond the common Filipino use of soy sauce or ginger to include the fundamental noodle dishes that are collectively called pancit. Although a general term, pancit is considered a national dish because most regions throughout the many islands have some form of it. The different kinds of pancit are often distinguished in name by the type of noodle used or by the region in which it is popular.

Dried Rice Vermicelli, Thin Rice Stick Noodles (Bihon). These dried noodles are thin round threads made from rice flour and water. They can be added directly to simmering liquid to cook, but I find that softening the noodles in warm water beforehand makes them easier to use. Pancit Palabok is made with bihon noodles.

Chinese Wheat Noodles (Pancit Miki). Also known as Shanghai-style noodles, these noodles are made solely with wheat flour and water and available fresh in small plastic packages that look very similar to flat fettuccine or round spaghetti. Miki noodles are also available dried in boxes in varying shapes (round or flat) and thickness. Any yellow color that they may have is artificial.

Chinese Egg Noodles (Pancit Mami). The egg in mami noodles lends a rich chewy texture to this type of pancit. They are similar in appearance to the fresh Chinese wheat noodles described above, except that their coloring may be slightly more yellow (again, due to artificial coloring). Mami noodles are available in two shapes: thick and round, or thin and flat like fettuccine, and it is most commonly used in noodle soups.

Super-Fine Wheat Noodle Sticks (Misua). These dried noodles are thread-thin and cook almost instantly. They have a silky smooth texture, not at all like other noodles and must be added at the very last moments of cooking.

Mung Bean Thread Noodles (Sotanghon). Also called bean thread vermicelli, these dried sotanghon noodles are made from mung bean flour and water. They require soaking in warm water to soften them before cooking. Once softened, they have a slick, jellylike translucent appearance. These noodles are easy to distinguish in the grocery store since they are often packaged in neon pink netting.

Thick Chinese-Style Instant Noodles (Pancit Canton, Pancit Mian, Pancit Lomi). Canton noodles are dried instant wheat noodles often made with coconut oil and yellow food coloring. The noodles cook very quickly and are added to the pancit broth toward the end of the cooking process.

Cornstarch Noodles (Pancit Luglug). These dried noodles are long round strands that must be soaked in warm to hot water to soften before using. They appear creamy and opaque white when dried, and translucent when soaked or cooked.

WRAPPERS

Banana Leaves. See page 167.

Egg Roll and Dumpling Wrappers. Lumpia is a generic Filipino term for egg roll. Since there are many types of egg rolls, there follow many different types of lumpia wrappers. You will find most of these wrappers in the frozen or refrigerated section in many sizes, shapes, and colors. The following are the more popular types of wrappers used for the recipes in this book:

Egg Roll Wrappers. These thin dough sheets are made with wheat flour, egg, and water. They come in 7 to 8-inch (17½ to 20-cm) square sheets in packages of twenty-five (11 ounces). When fried, the wrappers turn a crispy golden brown with small bubbles rippling the surface of the wrappers.

Lumpia Wrappers. Specifically labeled lumpia wrappers are translucent, super-thin round skins made from cornstarch or flour, egg, and water (shown to the right). They are similar to the spring roll wrappers in the way they cook, light and crispy. They are offered in 8-inch (20-cm) square blocks or 10-inch (25-cm) rounds. You’ll find both sizes in the frozen section of your Asian market. Make sure the wrappers are completely thawed before using. Once thawed, you will have to separate the wrappers by gently peeling each sheet from the stack. Lumpia wrappers dry out quickly and become difficult to use so keep them covered with a towel or in a freezer bag until you’re ready to use them.

Spring Roll Wrappers. These Chinese-style, ultrathin square wrappers look similar to the thicker egg roll wrappers but are made without egg and have a more transparent look to them. When fried to a golden brown, the surface of the wrapper remains smooth and crispy, like a crunchy thin wafer. Spring roll wrappers are usually found frozen in a stack of twenty-five sheets. Treat spring roll wrappers as you would frozen lumpia wrappers, allowing them to thaw before separating the thin sheets.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Wrappers. These dried wrappers are not typically used in Filipino cuisine but instead are an excellent substitute when spring roll wrappers or lumpia wrappers are unavailable. Made with rice flour and water, these dried round sheets come in different sizes, most commonly 12, 10, and 6½ inches (30, 25, and 16 cm) in diameter. I prefer using the 6½ inch (16 cm), which doesn’t require cutting into smaller pieces, as do the larger sizes. Because they are dried, they require softening before being filled and fried. Fill a large pie dish with hot tap water. Dip each wrapper into the water for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the wrappers are soft and pliable. Remove from the water and place on your work surface. The wrappers are then ready to fill and roll; they can be used for fresh spring rolls or deep-fried to make egg rolls. You’ll find the wrappers in the dried noodles aisle; they’re easy to pick out with their beautiful crosshatch imprint resulting from the bamboo mats on which the wrappers are dried.

COCONUT

In the Philippines coconuts are an essential economic and household commodity with its valuable flesh prized as a source of coconut milk and other edible coconut products. However, Filipinos use the entire coconut to their advantage: the shells are made into utensils and musical instruments; the fronds can be woven into mats, hats, baskets, and brooms or layered for thatching material; and the copra (white coconut flesh) yields coconut oil used for cooking, making soaps, shampoos, perfumes, and cosmetics.

The recipes in this book will refer to coconut juice (also called coconut water), coconut milk, and coconut cream. With the exception of the Chaokoh brand of coconut milk (useful when making coconut cream), I don’t seek a particular brand of coconut juice, milk, or cream because there are so many available from India, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines with relative homogeneity among them. These are their relative definitions:

Coconut Juice/Coconut Water. This is the clear liquid found in the center of a fresh coconut. It is not often used for cooking but enjoyed freshly poured from the coconut as a beverage. In Asian countries or even Asian neighborhoods in the United States, it is quite common to see tourists and locals sipping coconut juice from long straws inserted into a hole poked into the top of a coconut.

Coconut Milk. This is made from the toughened white meat of mature brown coconuts. The meat is grated and moistened with water, gathered in cheesecloth, and pressed. The first press yields thick coconut cream. More water is added to the coconut meat for a second press, which produces thick coconut milk. A third press produces thin coconut milk.

Coconut Cream. Coconut cream is essentially a thick pastelike version of coconut milk, it is the first press of coconut and water. You can find coconut cream in the frozen section or you can easily make it yourself using canned coconut milk. Depending on the brand of coconut milk, I have found that coconut cream may be obtained in one of two ways. The first is by far the simplest: chilling a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator and allowing the coconut solids to separate from the water. Remember, coconut milk is just grated coconut and water. The coconut solids will often form a firm mass at the top of the can, which is easily separated from the water by pouring the contents through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. The water, which appears cloudy white, can be saved and used as a cooking liquid for soups, stews, or stir-fries. The strained solids or coconut cream is what you have left to use in your recipe. The Chaokoh brand of coconut milk is excellent and has an impressive amount of coconut cream that easily separates from its liquid when using the chilling method. The second method, for which any brand of coconut milk works equally well, requires reducing the water out of the coconut milk by cooking it over low heat, whisking occasionally to keep the oils from separating from the solids. See page 16 for instructions on making cooked coconut cream.

Other Coconut Products

Macapuno. This is a mutant variety of the coconut palm plant that produces large coconuts that do not have the characteristic water in the center of the fruit. Macapuno tastes like coconut but has a soft jellylike texture compared to the firm dry flesh of a mature coconut. Also called coconut sport, macapuno comes in long strands, preserved in sugar, and packed in glass jars. It is commonly used in desserts for custards, halo-halo (Filipino sundae), cakes, or pies.

Nata de Coco. The Philippines is the birthplace of this unique product. Also labeled coconut gel, nata de coco is a firm, chewy, translucent jellylike dessert made when bacteria is added to coconut water found in the center of the coconut fruit and allowed to ferment for several weeks. Nata de coco comes either canned or jarred in sugared syrup and is eaten plain or added to beverages and desserts. It is a common addition to halo-halo, a shaved ice dessert of layered fruit and sweetmeats.

Buko. Buko refers to tender, young coconut meat from an immature coconut. Most of what Americans see and use in the way of coconut is the meat from mature brown coconuts, which is firm and relatively dry. Young coconut meat is moist and tender with a consistency of a very ripe pear.

Coconut Vinegar. See page 174.

SPICES, SEASONINGS, AND PRODUCE

Annatto Seeds (Atsuete). Native to South America, these pebble-sized, rust-colored seeds came to the Philippines via the Spanish. Annatto seeds have almost no odor and a faint dusty flavor but are prized for their bright russet color. Filipinos sauté annatto seeds with olive oil to impart the characteristic flavor and vibrant color to a dish.

Bagoong. Bagoong refers to the generous category of fermented seafood sauces and pastes. Bagoong uses different types of seafood, ranging from oysters to clams to fish to shrimp. Bagoong Alamang, also called guinamos, is often labeled shrimp fry or shrimp paste. It is a bright purple-pink or pink-gray paste made from fermented shrimp. It is very salty and is used to enhance the flavor of soups, sauces, meats, or fish. Bagoong alamang is commonly used as a condiment sautéed with garlic, tomatoes, onions, or chiles (called bagoong guisado) and is served on the table as a finishing flavor paste. Bagoong Balayan, like bagoong monamon, is made from fermented anchovies and round scad but it is a thin liquid sauce instead of a paste. Bagoong Monamon is a gray paste made from fermented anchovies and round scad.

Banana Ketchup/Banana Sauce. This is as popular a condiment in the Philippines as tomato ketchup is in the States. Although the primary ingredient is banana, you’d never know it by the look or taste. Both the ketchup and sauce are artificially colored red and were it not for the distinctive sweet and spicy finish, one could easily mistake it for tomato ketchup. It’s used as a basting sauce or dipping sauce for barbecued chicken or meats and, of course, on hamburgers and French fries. You’ll find bottled banana ketchup in the condiments section of the Asian market.

Banana Leaves. These are the large green leathery leaves of the banana tree. They are most commonly available in plastic packages of frozen whole leaves, stacked one upon another and folded into large rectangles. Banana leaves are a popular wrapper for steamed or grilled dishes because of the light flavor that they impart as well as the protection they provide the meats or fish over direct heat.

Banana Varieties. Filipinos hold the banana in high regard and are not limited by the fruit when it comes to creative uses. As the largest fruit industry on the islands, bananas are serious business in the Philippines. Saba cooking bananas are the most widely grown, followed by the variety most commonly eaten in the States, Cavendish bananas. Saba bananas are primarily used in the Philippines as a cooking banana when green or semi-ripe. However, when they fully ripen, as indicated by their dark yellow skin, they are deliciously sweet eaten un-cooked. Plantains are a fine, although not exact, substitute for Sabas.

Bok Choi. Also referred to as Shanghai bok choi, pak-choi, or baby bok choi, this member of the cabbage family has a pale green base and stalk from which tender green leaves shoot out. Bok choi is very popular in Filipino cooking as a substitute for Napa cabbage because its small size allows cooks to cook the whole thing quickly, without slicing or shredding.

Calamansi or Kalamansi. Regional dialects allow for both spellings of this fruit. Native to the Philippines, this small gum ball–sized citrus fruit is delicious and versatile with a flavor that lies somewhere in the intersection of a lemon, lime, and mandarin orange. It’s that good. The pale yellow–orange flesh is very tart and used as a finishing condiment squeezed over noodles or grilled foods. It is also juiced, diluted with water, and sweetened with sugar to make a delicious beverage. Served hot, it makes a soothing tea; served cold, it is a refreshing thirst quencher. Fresh calamansi will be sold in netted bags and keep for about 1 week. Alternatives to fresh calamansi are frozen packets of pure calamansi juice and bottled, presweetened calamansi concentrate.

Cassava (Kamote Kahoy). Native to South America, cassava (also known as yucca or manioc) is a long dark brown, starchy root with a tough, sometimes waxy exterior peel and firm, ivory white flesh. Most Americans are familiar with cassava in its processed form of tapioca pearls, which are made from gelatinized cassava starch. Cooks in Hispanic and Southeast Asian countries embrace cassava’s versatility using it in its fresh form as you would use a potato: sliced into chunks for stews, simmered and mashed as a side dish, or grated and mixed into a batter for steamed savory snacks. In Filipino cuisine, cassava is primarily used for baking because of its heavy starch content, which makes it an ideal substitute for wheat flour.

In the grocery store, you may find the 1 to 2-foot (30½ to 61-cm)-long, dark brown tubers fresh in the vegetable section. Choose cassava that are hard and dense and have dark brown unblemished skin. The size of cassava, which can range in length from only a few inches to nearly 2 feet (30 cm), is not particularly important when choosing fresh cassava. When preparing fresh cassava, first peel off the brown skin with a peeler or a paring knife to reveal the white flesh. Any black striations in the flesh indicate that the cassava is getting old although it is still edible when cooked. If you don’t plan on using your cassava right away, store it in a cool dry place for up to 4 days.

If cassava is not available fresh, you may buy the frozen versions that come in different forms: peeled, whole cassava cut into 2 to 3-inch (5 to 7½-cm) pieces, or finely grated in 14 to 16-ounce (400 to 450-g) packages.

Chayote (Sayote). A Mexican native, chayote is another Spanish import that belongs to the extended squash family. Like its summer squash relatives, chayote can be eaten either raw or cooked. The flavor is rather weak but it has a firm body, which makes it very versatile in almost any type of preparation from soups to stews to pickles. In the Filipino kitchen, chayote makes an equitable substitute for green papaya in cooked dishes.

Chinese Celery (Kinchay). Chinese celery is easily distinguishable from the more common European celery that Americans are familiar with. The thin almost spindly stalks are crisp and less fibrous and are topped by plentiful bushy leaves that slightly resemble flat-leaf parsley. The flavor of Chinese celery is more assertive than regular celery and it is an important vegetable in stir-fries and soups.

Chinese Long Beans (Sitao). Also called yard-long beans, Chinese long beans look and taste deceivingly like a member of the green bean family when, in fact, they are cousins to black-eyed peas. Growing up to 3 feet (90 cm) in length, long beans are easy to find in almost every Asian grocery store coiled in looped bundles or rubber-banded into roped bunches. You’ll find one of two common varieties on the shelves: the first is pale green with a full firm body; the second variety is dark green and pencil-thin. When purchasing, look for beans that are free of dark spots or blemishes and that have a good bright color. They are best 1 to 1½-feet (30 to 45-cm) long, which is when they are at their tender peak. Longer beans are older and become tough with age. Even though long beans are pliable, they should not be withered or limp. Cook them as you would green beans.

Chinese Red Dates. Also called Chinese jujube or zizyphi fructose, these Chinese dates come dried with or without their seeds. Often used as a medicinal fruit in Chinese culture to remedy the heart, lungs, and stomach, these dates are oblong in shape and dark reddish brown in color and have a sweet-tart flavor.

Chinese Sausage. These thin cured sausages (shown in the top left side of the photograph below) are made from pork, beef, or both with salt, sugar, honey, and spices. The sausages are vacuum packaged in the refrigerated section and have a distinct sweet and savory flavor. They may be sliced like salami and added to vegetable or noodle dishes or simply fried or steamed and served with rice.

Chorizo De Bilbao. Not in any way related to or originating from Bilbao, Spain, chorizo de Bilbao (shown in the lower right-hand side of the photograph above) is a generic Filipino term for any version of a Spanish-style, semi-cured sausage. It is heavily flavored with paprika and garlic and used widely in different stuffings and noodle dishes.

Daikon Radish (Labanos). This root vegetable is much larger than the small red radishes we are used to seeing. It has a smooth white surface and grows to 2 to 4 inches in diameter and 6 inches to 2 feet long. Daikon radishes are mild in piquancy and are a versatile vegetable served raw in salads or cooked in soups or stews.

Dried Anchovies (Dilis). Eaten fresh, canned, dried, or processed into precious bagoong fish paste, the local anchovy industry is an important component of Filipino cuisine. Dried anchovies come in varying sizes from very tiny to finger-length and are a popular snack, fried and dipped into spicy vinegar or soy sauce.

Dried Mushrooms. In many Asian grocery stores there are almost as many types of dried mushrooms as there are dried noodles. They are often called Chinese mushrooms or dried shiitake mushrooms and have brown caps with beige shriveled stems. They range in variety and price depending on the type, size, and quality of the mushroom. Dried mushrooms must be soaked for 15 to 30 minutes until they are soft and plump and easy to slice. The soaking liquid is concentrated mushroom flavor that begs to be used in soups or broths. Do strain the liquid through a fine sieve; the mushrooms often leave behind dirt and debris after soaking.

Dried Shrimp. Dried shrimp is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine used not only to season seafood dishes but meats, poultry, and vegetables. Like fish sauce or oyster sauce, dried shrimp has the undeniable odor of the sea but when cooked imparts a full dimensional flavor that is not overpowering fishy. These tiny shrimp come in many forms and sizes. Large shrimp (roughly ½ inch/1 cm in length) often come peeled without the head. The extra small shrimp (¼ inch/6 mm long) are featherlight and dried with the shells and heads left on.

Fermented Black Beans. Salted black soybeans are fermented with spices to produce a pungent flavor that lends a dish earthy taste and rich texture. It is often recommended to rinse these beans before cooking to remove some of the salt and to lessen the intensity of their flavor. But I find that rinsing defeats the purpose of having the precious beans in the dish at all. Fermented black beans are often used in braising meats or steaming fish or poultry.

Fish Sauce (Patis). Fish sauce is Southeast Asia’s equivalent to soy sauce. As a general rule, when I cook any type of Asian dish, I use fish sauce for seafood dishes and soy sauce for meat and poultry. It is a thin, light-colored liquid made from fermented anchovies or other small fish. The extract is very salty and has a formidable fishy odor that easily discourages the unaware cook. However, the flavor that fish sauce lends to your food is not the same one that assaults you upon opening the bottle, but one of subtle harmony and balance. Fish sauce can be used as a dipping sauce mixed with lime, chiles, or garlic, or as a seasoning for foods during cooking.

Ginger (Luya). This flavorsome rhizome is essential to many Asian cuisines, including Filipino. The thick knobby fingers are covered with a thin beige skin that covers the juicy pale yellow flesh. Look for gingerroot whose skin is smooth and unblemished indicating tender, young flavorful flesh. Once peeled, ginger may be minced, sliced, grated, or even used in large chunks to lend its piquant flavor and aroma to soups, stews, or stir-fries.

Green Mango. Green mangoes are simply mangoes picked before they have ripened into the sweet juicy fruit enjoyed worldwide. In this immature form, green mangoes are eaten as a tart snack dipped in fish sauce or shrimp paste. Green mangoes are very sour and have pale green to yellow flesh. When choosing green mangos look for green skin with no yellow or red colorations that indicate ripening. The fruit should be very hard and should not have any distinct mango smell. Green mangoes are sold at Asian markets.

Green Papaya. This is merely green or unripe papaya. Green papaya is rich in the enzyme papain, a natural digestive aid, which diminishes as the papaya ripens and is nonexistent in fully ripe papaya. The tropical fruit has dark green skin with white to pale green flesh and a loose cluster of white seeds in the center. Once peeled, the flavor of green papaya is not sweet but faintly grassy. The firm flesh, which has a crisp crunchy texture, is served raw in salads and pickles, or cooked in soups, stews, or stir-fries. As a general rule, cook green papaya the same way you would zucchini. A comparable substitute for cooked green papaya is the chayote; however, it is not a suitable substitute for recipes that call for raw green papaya.

Hoisin Sauce. Hoisin is the Asian equivalent to an American barbecue sauce. It is a heavy, dark brown paste made from salted soybeans, sugar, vinegar, and spices. Hoisin is often used as a glaze or marinade for grilled meats and poultry or as a tangy dipping sauce for egg rolls and spring rolls.

Horseradish Leaves (Malunggay). The horseradish tree is native to India and has long branches of small, oval-shaped concentrated leaflets that make an excellent alternative to spinach. Young horseradish leaves have a mild peppery flavor and are highly nutritious as an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and B, iron, and calcium. Only sporadically have I had the pleasure of finding fresh horseradish leaves at the Asian grocer. You’ll find them on long thin branches rubber-banded together, perhaps loosely wrapped in cellophane. Grab them when you do find them since they make a beautiful addition to your salads, soups, and sautés

Jackfruit (Nangka or Langka). Jackfruit is a large intimidating-looking fruit that is not commonly found fresh in the Asian grocery store. You’ll more likely find it frozen, the yellow fruit pods tidily shrink-wrapped in packages or large sections of the whole fruit cut into 3 to 4-pound (1¼ to 1¾-kg) segments.

Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit in the world (just think of a watermelon hanging from a tree), weighing as much as 80 pounds (36-¼ kg). It has a strongly scented, heavily studded armor shell that oozes a sticky sap once cut. Inside, the fruit is a series of yellow pods which when ripe are sweet and juicy. This yellow fruit covers a large seed that is also edible when cooked. Jack-fruit is more commonly and conveniently available in the canned fruit section packed in sweetened juice. I love using jackfruit in both sweet and savory dishes as an alternative to sugar because of the unique sweetness that gives depth to many dishes.

Jicama (Sinkamas). This tuber is also called the yam bean, Mexican potato, or Chinese turnip. It is round with thin, tan skin and milky white flesh underneath. Jicama has a mild unassuming flavor and is valued primarily for its apple-crisp crunchy texture. It is wonderful served raw in salads because it takes on the flavor of any dressing. However, it also makes a cheap suitable substitute for water chestnuts in Asian stir-fries for added texture. Choose jicama with thin, smooth unblemished skin that indicates young nonfibrous flesh underneath.

Lemongrass (Tanglad). Lemongrass is an oddly shaped herb with its small bulbous base that connects to the long pale yellow stalk. The usable base and heart lend a distinct lemon essence without any acidity. Remove the tough outer layers of the stalk and cut above the tender pinkish bulb, which you should bruise slightly with the flat side of your knife to release the lemon perfume. If minced finely, lemongrass is edible. But if cut into large rings or chunks, discard the pieces as you would a bay leaf or whole peppercorn.

Lycium. Lycium’s magical healing powers have been the subject of Chinese folklore, poetry, and celebrations, and not entirely without cause. It has more beta carotene than carrots, which is why the Chinese use it as a cure for failing eyesight. It also claims similar benefits recognized in the berry family (raspberries, cranberries) such as high levels of vitamin C and E, two powerful antioxidants that boost the body’s immune system. This small, raisin-sized berry is used by Chinese herbalists to improve circulation, protect the liver and kidneys, reduce fever, and control high blood pressure. I enjoy using lycium because the bright red berries add a splash of color to any dish, but also because of its wonderful sweet-tart flavor. These berries are usually found in the tea or herbal aisle of your Asian grocery store nestled somewhere in between ginseng and lotus seeds. They are dried and packaged in individual bags or prepackaged with other dried herbs. I add the dried berries to soups or stews so that they absorb the cooking liquid to become plump red orbs. It is also known as the Chinese wolfberry.

Mirin. Mirin is not a Filipino staple but one that I enjoy adding to Filipino dishes. Popular in Japanese cuisine, mirin is a sweet rice wine made from fermented glutinous rice. It has a very high sugar content that easily masks its alcohol flavor. The Japanese use mirin mainly for cooking, but I find it an invaluable addition to salad dressings, sauces, and meat marinades.

Misu. Called miso, this thick rust-colored paste resembles peanut butter in its color, thickness, and high protein content. Made from fermented soybeans, yeast, and malted grain, this paste is used to flavor soups, sauces, dressings, and marinades.

Mung Beans (Mongo). Mung beans are native to India but eaten throughout China and Southeast Asia. These small round beans are dark green when whole and bright yellow when stripped of their outer layer. Mung beans are easy to cook and don’t require presoaking like other dried beans. Yellow mung beans cook in half the time it takes for green mung beans to cook, and when well-cooked have a wonderful creamy consistency. Mung beans are a common ingredient ground into flour to make cellophane noodles, mashed into a sweetened paste for cakes and snacks, and as a nutritious protein alternative in soups and stews.

Napa Cabbage (Pechay). Chinese Pe-tsai or pechay in Filipino is the oblong tender cabbage with wide white ribs and pale green leaves. It has tender leaves that have a sweet flavor when eaten raw in salads, pickled, or wilted in soups. This is my preferred cabbage for Filipino recipes because of its tenderness, sweetness, and its short cooking time.

Oyster Sauce. Running a close second to soy sauce in Asian cooking is oyster sauce. This brown creamy sauce is made from a steamed mixture of oysters, sugar, salt, wheat flour, cornstarch, and caramel. Oyster sauce has a rich earthy flavor not indicative of the oyster extracts and is versatile as a harmonious addition to vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood, and noodles.

Pandan, Screw Pine Leaf. The long, thin fragrant leaves are from the screw pine tree. Pandan leaves impart a tropical green flavor and are used to scent any number of dishes from steamed rice to desserts. The versatile leaves are used as wrapping for rice snacks or grilled meats, seafood, or poultry. I’ve also seen them formed into a basting brush used to impart its aroma on grilled meats, poultry, or fish. Pandan may also be ground to a pulp and used as an extract to lend its deep green color and flavor to cakes, pastries, and other desserts. Pandan leaves come in different forms. If you’re lucky, you’ll find them fresh in the produce section of the Asian market. Otherwise, they’re available canned, frozen, or in extract form.

Pili Nuts. These nuts grow throughout the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and Australia, although the Philippines claims to be the only commercial producer. Pili nuts boast the highest oil content of all nuts, rivaling macadamia nuts in this category with over 70 percent fat. But what all this fat lends to the pili nut is a creamy richness that makes it delicious and indulgent. I have had difficulty finding pili nuts in the United States other than in candied form with a thin, hard caramel coating, which is how I’ve used it in this recipe collection. They are also called java almond, kenari nut, Philippine nut.

Plantains. These thick oversized bananas are strictly cooking bananas. Because of their high starch content, they are eaten as a vegetable instead of a fruit. Although Filipinos primarily use the Saba banana variety, plantains are an excellent substitute and readily available in mainstream and Latino grocery stores. When unripe, the thick skin will be green and the plantain will be very hard and starchy. As it ripens, the skin turns golden yellow with black striations and the fruit turns sweet while remaining firm. Eventually at full ripeness, the skin turns black and the inside fruit becomes tender. Plantains can be eaten at each stage of maturity.

Pork Crackling (Chicharon). Crispy pork skin (rind) is commonly eaten as a Filipino snack or used as a meaty addition to vegetable and noodle dishes. Although pork is the chicharon of choice, Filipinos also include crispy fried fish skin or chicken skin in this category. Pork chicharon is easily made by trimming the thick layer of fat and skin from roast cuts of pork belly or shoulder. The skin is cut into chunks and either fried or roasted until crispy. Good-quality chicharon is easily found in Latino markets.

Rice Wine (Tapuy). Rice wine is a traditional drink made regionally in the northern provinces of Luzon. It is a small localized industry, which doesn’t have widespread, commercial availability. However, Chinese rice wine is commonly available and is an excellent substitute.

Sambal Ulek. The Indonesian word sambal is a general name for any spicy chili sauce for raw or cooked foods. There are many different types of sambal, ranging from fiery hot to mild to sweet. Ulek refers to the mortar and specially-shaped pestle, the ulek-ulek, used to grind the chiles into a paste. Often, different commercial brands of sambal ulek will include vinegar, garlic, or sugar, which add extra flavor to dishes beyond fiery heat. But I prefer purchasing a clean sambal ulek made with just chiles and perhaps salt, which allows me to add heat to a dish without altering its flavors.

Skate. Although skate is a delicious, abundant, inexpensive fish it has gained only marginal popularity in the States. Skate is a close cousin with rays and shares similar physical features such as the flat body flanked by two triangular fins, “wings,” the only edible part of the fish. When purchasing fresh skate look for wings with the skin already removed. Fresh skate is sold in one of two ways: tender, ivory white boneless fillets or on the wing “bone,” which is actually a thin piece of cartilage sandwiched in between the fillets that holds the delicate flesh together.

About Skate. The flesh should be firm and smell sweet although you may encounter fillets with a slight ammonia odor caused by urea that skate excrete through their skin. Placing the skate in an hour-long milk bath or mild acidic soak of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar (substitute lime or lemon juice) will help cleanse the fish of excess urea and remove any odors before cooking.

Smoked Paprika. Although not a new spice, smoked paprika is a recent discovery in my kitchen that I have eagerly incorporated into Filipino-American cooking. Many of us are familiar with paprika—finely ground capsicums native to South America—that range in flavor from sweet to hot. Produced primarily in Hungary and Spain, paprika is used to season and color foods. Smoked paprika, primarily from Spain, goes through an extra processing step that adds an amazing flavor boost to regular paprika. The peppers are slowly smoked over oak ash before being ground into a fine powder. The final result is paprika with a spicy, smoky, right-off-the-grill flavor that one of my colleagues succinctly described as all natural “vegetarian bacon.” To find smoked paprika, look in local gourmet markets. You can also purchase it from Penzeys.com (see page 175).

Soy Sauce (Toyo). Soy is Asia’s version of salt. This essential brown liquid is extracted from soybeans that have been fermented with mold cultures, wheat flour, and brine. There are different grades of soy, ranging from light to dark to sweet. Light soy is the saltiest of the three, the lightest in color, and the type of soy most used in our recipes. Dark soy is a milder soy based on the same ingredients as light soy but finished with caramel and matured for a longer period of time. Both light and dark soy are used for cooking as well as in dipping sauces. Sweet soy, also called sweet sauce, is a molasses-thick condiment sweetened with palm sugar. It is most often used as a dip or condiment for meats, poultry, and spring rolls.

Sweet Chili Sauce. This reddish-orange translucent sauce is a wonderful dipping accompaniment for meats, poultry, or egg rolls. Made with red chiles, sugar, vinegar, and garlic, sweet chili sauce has an excellent balance of sweet and sour flavors with a mild kick from the chiles. This prepared sauce is available in bottles but is certainly easy enough to make from ingredients that you may already have in your cupboard. (A recipe for this sauce is included on page 18.)

Tamarind. Tamarind is the pod-shaped fruit of the tamarind tree. The pod contains hard seeds in a thick brown pulp that is both sugary and intensely sour. It is very versatile as a souring agent in beverages, soups, and marinades in place of sour citrus fruits. At the grocery store, you will find tamarind in different forms: densely pressed blocks of pulp and seeds; fresh, whole pods; or liquid tamarind concentrate. If you don’t use tamarind often and need only a little for a particular recipe I recommend using whole dried pods, which allow you to purchase only what you need for your dish. The pods also keep indefinitely when stored in a cool dry place. The brown pods are between 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long and ½ to 1 inch (1 to 2½ cm) in diameter. The pods have three components: the shell, pulp, and seeds, although only the pulp is used for flavoring. The outer brown shell breaks away to reveal a single piece of tacky pulp that protects the seeds. To make tamarind juice soak the pulp in hot water at a ratio of 1 tablespoon pulp (approximately 2 pods) per ½ cup (125 ml) hot water. After 5 to 10 minutes the pulp will soften. Pour your tamarind and water through a fine sieve and firmly knead the pulp in the strainer to extract the tamarind juice. Discard the pulp and seeds. Other convenient forms of tamarind are compressed blocks of pulp and seeds or ready-made tamarind concentrate in liquid form. Cut the tamarind block into small 1-inch (2½cm) blocks and freeze them for convenient use. Tamarind blocks can be soaked and pressed as you would the pod pulp to extract tamarind juice. Liquid tamarind concentrate will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

Thai Chile (Sili Labuyo). Also called bird peppers, these pinky-sized peppers start off green and redden upon ripening. They are extremely hot and used to add heat to any type of dish. The leaves are commonly used in Filipino cuisine wilted into soups, sautés, or stews.

Tinapa. Adding flavor and nutrition to bland food was never so easily achieved than with tinapa, or brined smoked fish. A common ingredient found readily in both fine restaurants and modest food stalls, tinapa’s unique blend of ash and ocean are an irresistible accompaniment to any dish. Different fish are used for tinapa, including milkfish, tilapia, mackerel, bonito, and sardines. The process begins with a brine for the fish to soak in, then the fish are lightly boiled and using sawdust from the native Narra tree to lend its unforgettable aroma and golden color. You’ll find smoked tinapa packaged in vacuum-sealed pouches in the refrigerated fish section of your Asian market.

Vinegar. In Filipino recipes souring agents are not necessarily used to make a dish sour but to give it added dimension and a distinct explosion of flavor. In this collection, when I list vinegar in a recipe, I’m referring to any of the Filipino vinegars listed below. Each one is an all-purpose vinegar and all but coconut palm vinegar have an acetic acid level between 4 and 5 percent. Admittedly, finding them will more than likely warrant a trip to the Asian market, but commonly available vinegars such as white distilled and cider vinegar are more acidic than Filipino vinegar and cannot be substituted without changing the amount listed in the recipe. Instead, use rice wine vinegar for an exact substitution.

Coconut Vinegar. This is an all-purpose, everyday vinegar. It is cloudy white vinegar made from the fermented coconut water collected from the center of the mature fruit. It is mild in acidity with a slightly sweet finish.

Coconut Palm Vinegar. Also a popular vinegar in Filipino cuisine, made from the fermented sap of the coco-nut palm’s inflorescence. It has a slightly foggy translucence and has a low acidity ranging from 3 to 6 percent.

Nipa Palm Vinegar. Also a common all-purpose vinegar, it is made from the fermented sap of the nipa palm’s inflorescence. It has a cloudy white color and is mild in acidity. It’s mellow flavor makes it excellent for salad dressings or dipping sauces.

Sugar Cane Vinegar. Made from fermented sugar cane syrup, sugar cane vinegar is milder than palm or coconut vinegars and has a light amber color.

Water Spinach (Kangkong). This prolific Southeast Asian aquatic plant is not related to spinach but earns its name from its home on top of lakes, ponds, and rivers. The long green leaves are shaped like 5 to 6-inch (12-½ to 15-cm) arrowheads and the vinelike stems are hollow. When you’re looking for kangkong at the market, you may run into two different varieties: one with thin, dart-shaped, quill-length leaves and the other with wide broad leaves, similar in shape to the sweet potato plant. Both varieties will have the characteristic hollow stems that are prized for its firm crispy texture. Look for bright green leaves free from blemishes. Kangkong has a mild flavor and can be enjoyed fresh or cooked in the same manner as regular spinach, sautéed or wilted.

Unfortunately, kangkong leaves have a short shelf life and will only last a few days at most in the refrigerator. To maximize its freshness, pick the leaves off the stems and store them separately in food storage bags. Because the stems stay fresh longer, if you don’t get around to using the leaves, you can still enjoy the stems in a stir-fry or sauté as you would asparagus, green beans, or pea pods.

MAIL-ORDER AND ONLINE SHOPPING GUIDE

thechoppingblock.net. The Chopping Block is a nonprofessional cooking school and ret ail store in Chicago that carries a generous number of Asian and Spanish ingredients used in these recipes. They do not have a catalog or an online store, but they do ship anywhere in the United States. E-mail: info@thechoppingblock.net Store Locations: (1) 4747 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625; Tel: (773) 472-6700; (2) The Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 107, Chicago, IL 60654; Tel: (312) 644-6360

pilipinomart.com. This is a terrific Web site when shopping specifically for Filipino ingredients. There are pictures to help with your shopping and they offer discounts if you order in bulk. E-mail: info@pilipinomart.com; Tel: (866) 627-4956

templeofthai.com. They have a fine selection of ingredients, including those that are not just used in Southeast Asian cookery, such as noodles, sauces, and curries. What I really like about this site is that they offer some fresh items that might be difficult to find without an Asian store nearby, such as fresh galangal, lemon-grass, kaffir lime leaves, and chiles. There is a minimum order of $35 delivery. E-mail: customerservice@templeofthai.com; Tel: (877) 811-8773

asianfoods.com. There is a product list on this Web site that includes a wide variety of dried and canned goods, frozen seafood, noodles, and cookware. You can also call for a free catalog. Store Locations: (1) 1300 L’Orient Street, St. Paul, MN 55117; Tel: 1-800-ASIAN55; (2) 1232 Vernon Street, N. Kansas City, MO 64116; Tel: 1-877-ASIAN57

asiafoods.com. This Web site is very user friendly with a handy shopping cart, ingredients in neat categories, and attached pictures to help you choose your products. They also have free UPS delivery for orders over $75. E-mail: info@asiafoods.com; Tel: (877) 902-0841

asianwok.com. This Web site is organized into three departments: the market, recipes, and gifts. It features foods, gifts, and recipes from China, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. E-mail: customerservice@asianwok.com

thephilippinefoodstore.com. This Florida-based store has a Web site with contact information only (no online shopping is available), which requires you to already know what you’d like to purchase. The customer service representatives are friendly and helpful and they will ship both dry and fresh groceries to anywhere in the United States. E-mail: philippine8510@yahoo.com Store location: 8510 State Rd. 52, Hudson, FL 34667 Tel: (727) 697-3280

filgoods.com. This site offers Filipino dry goods, movies, magazines, and books. It is arranged into product categories and allows the shopper to browse by brand name. E-mail: filgoods@filgoods.com

etindahan.com. This is the Web store for the Pearl of the Orient markets in Livonia, Michigan. The Web site offers an easy to navigate selection of grocery and beauty and health goods, Filipino music, and videos. Store Locations: (1) Pearl of the Orient, 31160 Five Mile Rd., Livonia, MI 48154; Tel: (734) 466-9999; (2) 2829 Coolidge Hwy., Berkley, MI 48072; Tel: (248) 548-0600

pacificrimgourmet.com. This site offers a global selection of gourmet foods, cookware, cookbooks, and gifts from Asia, the Pacific Islands, Mexico, and Peru. Although the Philippines inventory is not extensive, you’ll find many of the basic ingredients here: dried noodles, vinegars, sauces, and spice mixes. E-mail: customerservice@pacificrim-gourmet.com

importfood.com. Despite the fact that is an online Thai market, you’ll find many of the ingredients you’ll need for Filipino cookery. It offers a generous selection of sauces, pastes, and canned goods as well as interesting Thai cookware and serving wares. This is also one of the three sites listed that offers a limited selection of fresh produce for shipment. E-mail: info@importfood.com; Tel: (888) 618-8424

penzeys.com. Penzeys Spices has nearly thirty retail stores nationwide and a very friendly online store. You can order spices from their catalog or the Web site. One feature that I particularly like about Penzeys Spices is that many of the spices are offered in small trial-size containers. Some are offered at quantities less than an ounce all the way up to several cups. Tel: (800) 741-7787