What is vinegar? Many of us are familiar with vinegar and its status as a fundamental ingredient in the kitchen, but have you ever questioned what exactly it is? Quite simply, the term “vinegar” is from the French term “vin aigre,” which means sour wine. Vinegar is made when you take a food source with sugar (think grapes, honey, or…
Don’t get me wrong I LOVE going to sushi bars but don’t always want to leave the house, or pay $50+ for sushi. Learning this sushi rice recipe has saved me from spending a ton of extra money at sushi restaurants. It’s not much harder than just making plain white rice really. As long as you have access to sushi…
Soy sauce is a celebrated cooking staple that was borne out of Eastern Asia. Over the years, soy sauce has spread to every country on the planet and some of these countries have even developed their own tasty alternatives. Today, I am going to talk to you about two such alternative options: tamari and coconut aminos. If you are unfamiliar with those two sauces, you’ve…
You may have heard of tofu in such dishes as mapo tofu of China, soon tofu of Korea, agedashi tofu of Japan, or dau sot ca chua (or the meat-filled version) of Vietnam. Tofu has made its way through Asia and down to southeast Asia eventually becoming important culinary staple throughout. In its many forms–silken, firm, tofu skin–cooked in many…
Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans and is considered to be a staple condiment in kitchens throughout the world. Nominally associated with Asian food, I’ve found that soy sauce can make a delicious addition to a wide array of dishes. Known for being brown and salty, this briny and fermented sauce first originated in China more than 1,000 years…
Fish sauce. The mere mention of this stuff strikes fear in the hearts of many. It’s an incredibly pungent, fishy concentrated liquid that even southeast Asian cooks knowingly handle with caution. A spilled bottle will undoubtedly leave a very stinky lasting impression. Like a lot of Asian foods in America, this potent flavor powerhouse suffers from the unfortunate stigma of…
