in the car.
Shop farmers' markets early. Just-harvested greens wilt rapidly after a few hours in the sun.
Prepping
Cutting vegetables ahead of time isn't ideal. But if you're a busy working parent, or work late nights, having ready-chapped ingredients in the fridge means you'll be more likely to cook dinner at home than buy takeout. This advance prep also means dinner will be on the table faster. If it suits you, set aside part of your weekend for vegetable prep to save time during the week. Divide cut ingredients up according to each recipe. Then bag, pack, label and refrigerate in glass containers or zip-top bags as you go.
Storing
Leave refrigerated produce unwashed in its original packaging or wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. (Exceptions: place leafy herbs in a glass of water and cover with a plastic bag, and store mushrooms in a brown paper bag).
Farmers' Markets offer a bounty of locally produced fruits and veggies.
If storing fruits and vegetables at room temperature, remove from packaging and leave loose.
Eat Perishable Produce First
Here are some examples:
Eat first: asparagus, corn, green beans, mushrooms
Second: arugula, eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini
Third: bell peppers, cauliflower, leeks, spinach, tomatoes
Last: cabbage, carrots, potatoes, winter squash
My son enjoys helping me in the kitchen with meal prep.
My Asian Pantry
These are tried-and-true Asian Ingredients that I always have on hand. Fortunately, many sauces and pastes are pretty similar across cultures, so I just buy one type Instead of having, say, both Japanese shoyu and Chinese soy sauce. I try to buy these essentials at an Asian market because they’re usually cheaper there, but some variation of all the Items listed should be available in the Asian/International aisle at your local supermarket If not you can also find them at a specialty market like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (or online). This section describes only a fraction of all the Ingredients used in Asian cooking. It would take whole volume to cover them all, so only the Ingredients used in this book are Included here.
CHINESE BLACK VINEGAR Also called Chinkiang black vinegar, this can be made from rice or other grains such as wheat, millet or sorghum. The best ones have a complex, smoky flavor developed over years of aging, reminiscent of a good Italian balsamic vinegar, which is a great substitute. My favorite brand, Gold Plum, is found in the bottled sauce aisle of the Asian market.
CHINESE COOKING WINE This aromatic cooking wine, also known as Shaoxing rice wine, is made by fermenting glutinous rice. I add it in moderation to marinades, braises and stir-fries for a little kick. I like LinChen's Michiu brand from California, but any additive-free brand will do. If I can't make it to the Asian store, I'll buy a bottle of pale dry sherry as a substitute. Because I don't have room for three different types types of cooking spirits, I also use it in recipes that call for mirin (adding a little sugar, because mirin is sweet) or sake.
Chilies
Chilies are a very important component of Asian cooking, adding both aroma and heat. Try to obtain a good balance of the two when selecting chilies, remembering that size and color are not good indicators of their potency. In all the recipes in this book, the amount of chilies you use is up to your discretion. The seeds are the most potent part of the chili, so remove them as desired. One caveat: Don't add so much chili that you cannot taste the sweet, salty and sour flavors that make up a dish.
DRIED RED CHILIES Dried chilies abound, but the small red ones used in Asian cooking tend to be arbol or Japanese chilies. Both are spicy, measuring no longer than 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm). Use them whole, ground, crushed or roasted, with or without their seeds. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
LONG RED CHILIES You'll find an assortment of long red chilies ranging in length from 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) at the Asian market. Most are nameless, and the only way to gauge their flavor is to try them. At the grocery store, you might find Fresno (sometimes called red jalapeno), cayenne, or Anaheim chilies; all are good choices. Use only the red, ripe fruits, not the immature green ones. Store them in a closed paper bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in plastic in the freezer for three months.
THAI CHILIES Thai chilies are only 1½ inches (4 cm) long, but these fiery little specimens pack a lot of heat into their little bodies. Extremely spicy, they can be used both fresh and dried and come in red, green and sometimes orange. When the green immature chilies ripen, they turn red. Keep in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze them fresh and they should keep well for up to three months. Arbol or Serrano chilies can be substituted if chilies are unavailable.
Long red chillies
Thai chillies
dried chillies
Asian Noodles
Chinese egg noodles
Rice vermicelli
Somen noodles
Cellophane noodles
Soba noodles
Lo mein egg noodles
Medium-width egg noodles
Thin flat rice noodles or sticks (for pho)
Stir-fry rice noodles (for pad Thai)
