Healthy Asian cuisine

Vegetarian Journal, July-August, 2004 by Nancy Berkoff

IT'S FUN TO GO OUT TO EAT ASIAN FOOD, BUT IT'S nice to stay home and prepare your own Asian meals, too. You don't even have to restock your kitchen. If you've got a deep-sided pot, a sharp knife and cutting board, tofu, chilies, rice, and a few other ingredients, you can create authentic Asian dishes.

In addition to tasting great, Asian cuisine can be very healthy. Studies have shown that the traditional Chinese and Thai diet is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than Western menus. The average traditional Chinese or Thai diet has 20 percent or fewer calories from fat. If you'd like to take a look at the Asian Food Guide Pyramid, you can visit <www.oldwayspt.org> and click on "Traditional Diet Pyramids." Although not vegetarian, there are many alternate foods offered to replace meat, fish, poultry, and dairy.

THE BASICS

To create Asian dishes in your own home, you should have the following ingredients in your kitchen: garlic, ginger, dried mushrooms (especially shiitake and oyster), green tea, and soy foods, such as soymilk, tofu, and soybeans. Fresh garlic cloves are preferable, but if that's not an option, stock some dried granulated garlic. Fresh gingerroot can keep for months in the refrigerator. If this isn't available, purchase some pickled ginger to keep in the refrigerator or dried ginger to keep on the shelf.

Dried mushrooms should be available at your local market. If not, check Asian markets or natural foods stores. They can last for many months if stored in a cool, dry place. Green tea, the same kind you'd use for drinking, may come loose or in tea bags. Chances are you've got some soy products in your kitchen. If you don't use soy regularly, aseptically-packaged soymilk and tofu can be kept unrefrigerated for longer than a year if you don't open them. Soy sauce is a convenient seasoning. If you are watching your salt intake, try the low- or reduced-salt soy sauces on the market. (These may still be too high in sodium for some people who are on low-sodium diets.)

There are other ingredients that can enhance your homemade Asian dishes. Date sugar adds sweetness to entrees and desserts; sesame oil and sesame seeds add authentic flavor. Soybean sprouts and water chestnuts add crunch. Fresh, frozen, or dried seaweed, such as the common nori variety, add color and flavor, and fresh or dried chilies add "heat."

If you'd like to go a little further with your Asian ingredient inventory, you can add rice products to your shopping cart. Popular varieties of the grain include glutinous short-grain (sushi) or long-grain rices. Rice vinegar has a subtle flavor and is available in different strengths. Rice wrappers can be turned into wonton, spring rolls, or salad toppings. Also, soba, udon, or whole wheat noodles add to an Asian meal. If they are not available, wheat or rice vermicelli will do.

For many of your dishes, you'll need vegetable stock or broth, which you can purchase in most stores. You can also make your own and freeze it. Simply chop vegetables, such as carrots, celery, onions, leeks, and mushrooms. Cover with water, bring to a boil, simmer, and strain. That's it! Don't add seasonings, such as pepper or garlic, though. You want your stock flavorful but not distinctive so it can become the basis of many dishes.

If you don't have time to make a formal stock, soak dried mushrooms in cool water for about 30 minutes. Drain the soaking liquid, and you've got instant, mushroom broth to use in cooking or as the base for soup. For example, you can use mushroom broth with bits of firm tofu and green onions to make a fast soup. The soaked mushrooms can be added to stir-fries, sliced into salads, or placed on top of rice later on.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

To begin, you can purchase specialty equipment or make do with what you have. You'll want something to grill on, either an outdoor barbecue or an indoor grill. If you don't have a wok, you can use a deep pot with high sides and a cover to stir-fry. The deep pot can double as a steamer, or you can invest in a conventional steamer.

Asian cooking techniques include stir-frying, steaming, toasting, and simmering. Make sure you've got a good pair of tongs to quickly stir-fry food and to grasp particular morsels. Most Asian recipes employ fast cooking methods, so plan on being by the stove while dinner is being prepared. However, you won't need the oven very much.

Asian cooking is all about preparation. The cooking part is the fastest and shortest part! To create a savory stir-fly, thinly slice some hard vegetables, such as carrots; some "medium" vegetables, such as celery, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers; and some "soft" vegetables, such as bean sprouts or tomatoes. Heat a wok, pour in a very small amount of oil (probably no more than a Tablespoon for a meal for three people), and allow oil to heat. Add vegetables according to their cooking times, stirring constantly, and season with soy sauce, shredded fresh ginger, minced fresh garlic, and even a bit of brewed green tea. Serve with steamed rice and you're ready to eat.