Clever Alternatives : how to substitute cooking ingredients

Do not fret is you realize you did not have an ingredient while cooking and it is inconvenient to rush to the store.

The glossary would be useful to some who are allergic to certain foods to find easy substitutes without compromising on taste.

Vegetables and Fruits

Beansprout -- shredded cucumber -- radish

Celery -- fresh fennel (aniseed) -- Chinese celery or parsley

Chives -- spring onions

Green Mango -- Granny Smith Apple

Waterchestnut -- yam bean -- Jerusalem artichoke

Saffron -- tumeric

Meat, Poultry, Fish

Bacon -- Ham

Beef or pork mince -- boiled lentils

Chicken -- Pork -- Tofu

Fish -- tofu wrap in seaweed -- konyaku+kelp

Prosciutto -- Chorizo

Flour

Thickening : Sweet potato starch -- corn flour -- flour -- tapioca flour

Self raising flour -- all purpose flour+baking powder+pinch of salt

Spices, seasoning and gravy

Allspice -- cinnamon+nutmeg

Candlenut (for curry) -- cashew or macadamia nut

Castor sugar -- blend coarse white sugar in a food processor

Hoisin sauce -- mashed salty black bean + sugar -- oyster sauce

Palm sugar -- raw or brown sugar+coconut cream

Brown sugar -- caramelised onions -- caramelised white sugar

Tahini -- Sesame oil + peanut butter

Wasabi -- English mustard paste -- Dijon mustard

Wattle seed -- instant coffee

Liquid and Dairy

Beer (in a batter) -- Soda water

Buttermilk -- Yoghurt -- milk+lemon juice

Brandy -- rum -- Ginger beer

Cream -- whip milk with melted unsalted butter

Coffee paste -- reduced strong instant coffee+sugar -- wattle seed powder

Egg -- add water and mix with egg white / egg yolk powder

Rose wine -- rose water+rice wine

Sour cream -- yoghurt

White Wine -- Apple Juice

Molasses -- honey+corn syrup+brown sugar

Baking

Butter -- shortening+olive oil --- macadamia oil

Cake flour (low gluten) -- 70% of all purpose flour

Cocoa -- carob powder

Cream of tartar -- teaspoon of vinegar -- lemon juice

Double acting baking powder -- baking soda+cream of tartar

Milk -- milk powder+water

Royal icing -- egg white+icing sugar -- melamine powder+water

Unsweetened chocolate -- cocoa powder + fat

* Please ensure that the consumer has no specific allergy issues with any of the substitute ingredients or other health related concerns.

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Exotic Lotus Tea

Most tea lovers would have tasted herbal tea that boasts of health benefits and are caffeine free. But lotus tea not only sounds exotic but tastes heavenly. Brewed with dried lotus seeds and lotus flowers, it is refreshing to the senses. Available at Nan Tian Temple, Wollongong. You might want to try this at home but be sure to rinse the flowers and seeds with with warm water of any pesticides and discard before brewing for food safety reasons.

Japanese Chasu Ramen

Ramen is an all-time favourite in summer and cold weather.

If fresh noodles are not available, I prefer to use dried organic ramen from Japan than frozen ramen that could be watery and may yield the desired consistency.

Chasu is made using fillet pork. I learnt this after attending a demonstration by an award winning Japanese chef who used to work at a fine-dining restaurant that churns out traditional and modern fusion dishes that are not available in most Japanese family restaurants. The key to making chasu is getting the right amount of soy sauce, mirin, sugar and ginger to dissolve in a pot. The pork is preferably bundled with cotton string to stabilize its shape while cooking. It takes about an hour of turning and tossing to ensure that the meat is evenly seasoned and cooked. When cooled, slice thinly.

The soup stock determines the success of the ramen. One could have shoyu (soy sauce), miso (bean paste) with dashi (seaweed and tuna flakes) or pork rib stock. If not making from scratch, try to use ready seasoning pack that has less or no MSG.

The other ingredients that go into the ramen are sweet corn, shallot, leek, mushroom, half boiled egg, sliced fish cake, bamboo shoots and any other vegetables you like.

Steamed scallop with clear noodle in spicy XO sauce

This is an easy and delicious recipe :

You'd need some fresh scallop on shell. Rinse away the sand and impurites and drain off excess water.

You could either get ready made bottled XO sauce or prepare your own by frying mashed dried shrimp, dried scallop, chopped garlic and ground dried chilli (add last) in vegetable or chilli oil.

Soak a small bundle of glass noodle (mung bean vermicelli) in lukewarm water. Cut into smaller strands.

Arrange vermicelli on each scallop. Steam over medium heat covered for 7 minutes.

Remove lid and spoon XO sauce on each scallop. Drizzle some soy sauce and sesame oil on the scallops. Sprinkle chopped spring onion and fried shallot. Steam for another 2 minutes.

Tip : Ensure that water on the cover does not get into the scallops.

The Perfect Dhal - delicious lentils

There are many types of dhal (lentils) which can be cooked in many different ways. One could use chana (Bengalese gram) or tardka (spelt), or mix them with green, blue and red to give a combination soft, crunchy and chewy sensation.

The following is the result of countless experiments, food tasting and tips given by North Indian friends.

Firstly, stir fry chopped garlic and onions in vegetable oil. Add diced potato, pumpkin, zucchini or marrow. Then set aside.

In a pot, boil the lentils in water (just enough to cover the beans). Keep stirring the mixture while cooking to prevent sticky and lumpy consistency. Add chicken stock and sundried or fresh sliced tomatoes when the lentils are almost soft.

Throw in some curry powder, chilli powder (to taste), grated ginger root, ground tumeric, coriander and mint leaves, green chillies, prior fried garlic and onions. Viola! It's ready to serve.

The secrets lie in the root spices that give a balance to the cooling and wind giving effect of beans; the stock (good quality MSG free granule or liquid vegetable or chicken stock) to bring out the taste of the otherwise bland dhal; and garnishing that differentiates ordinary from refined cooking.

Even non-vegetarians give their thumbs up.