8

pantry items

Wholewheat flour

(essential)

Wholewheat flour is not as processed

as all-purpose flour, making it

more nutritious. It also produces a

denser texture, a much darker brown

appearance, and a nutty, wheat-y

aftertaste, which may or may not be

desirable. To make a dish healthier,

sometimes we mix 50% all-purpose flour

with 50% wholewheat flour.

Cornstarch

(good to have)

This has no taste on its own and is

used for thickening soups and sauces

in Chinese cuisine to produce a more

concentrated flavour. It’s also added when

the dish needs a slight binding effect or a

light glossy finish.

Proteins

Canned chickpeas

(essential)

Not only are chickpeas high in protein and

other nutrients, but the liquid that they

are cooked in (which canned chickpeas

come with) is also a pantry staple! Known

as aquafaba, it is a versatile egg replacer

in many sweet and savoury recipes.

Dried soybeans or other beans

(good to have)

In addition to canned beans, I recommend

stocking up on dried beans. You can get

more flavours and nutrients from cooking

dried beans. You can also stew them for

very long without them turning mushy.

Dried beans should be soaked for at least

10 hours before use for faster cooking

and easier digestion.

Nuts

Cashews and peanuts

(essential)

Cashews and peanuts are commonly

used in Southeast Asian cuisine. They are

versatile nuts with healthy fats, and can

be made crunchy by roasting or frying, or

soft by braising. Avoid them if you have

nut allergies.

White sesame seeds

(good to have)

When roasted, these give a subtle sweet

and nutty aroma that can uplift your dish.

I often use it as a finishing ingredient

or topping. White sesame seeds are

generally more fragrant than their black

counterpart, thus you’ll find that the

recipes here don’t call for the latter.

Flaxseed powder

(good to have)

A superfood, this is not a traditional

ingredient but highly recommended for

binding purposes. Mix flaxseed powder

with water using a 1:3 ratio (1 Tbsp

flaxseed powder + 3 Tbsp water) and

set it aside for 10 minutes; it becomes

a viscous liquid that’s almost like egg

whites. It produces a fantastic binding

effect while being rather flavourless. In

this book, it’s essential in the tempeh

bak kwa

recipe.

Flours

All-purpose flour

(essential)

Also known as plain flour, this is highly

versatile and very commonly used in

Asian recipes, like my family’s dumplings.

Feel free to use superfine wholewheat

flour in place if you like.