Ingredients

As far as possible, fresh ingredients are used in Asian cooking.

Some of the most common ingredients are fresh coriander leaves, red tomatoes, fresh red and green chillies, spring onions, fresh onions, shallots, fresh root ginger, fresh lemon grass, and garlic.

Among the dry ingredients, the most common are cumin seeds, cinnamon bark, star anise, cloves, mustard seeds, green cardamoms, cashew nuts, almond flakes, fennel seeds, lentil, and turmeric powder.

Coconut milk or cream is often used.

Sometimes fresh, thick yoghurt is used.

Tamarind paste/sauce, belacan (shrimp paste) dried prawns soy sauce and oyster sauce are also commonly used in Asian dishes.

Oils for cooking - mostly ghee (clarified butter) or unsalted butter. If using ordinary oils, peanut oil, vegetable oil or sunflower oil can be used, especially for deep frying.

Although many of the ingredients used in the recipes on this site are commonly available in the UK you may have difficulty with some, particularly if you live in an area without an Asian community.