Vegetables are to be stir-fried need to be cut so that as much of their surface area as possible is exposed to heat: that way they cook faster. The larger root vegetables should be cut into thin batons or sliced diagonally. Broccoli and cauliflower are best separated into small florets with the remaining thick stems sliced diagonally. Leafy vegetables should be finely shredded.

The most efficient order in which to add vegetables to the oil is: roots first, then florets, sliced pods, and beansprouts and leafy vegetables last, allowing a minute between each addition.

Add any liquid such as soy sauce with the leaf vegetables, then cover the wok to allow the vegetables to steam slightly.

** Asian Recipes **

Hash is traditionally a dish made of leftovers in which the vegetables are fried and served hot. Bubble and squeak, made from leftover potatoes re-fried with cooked cabbage, is a typical hash. Usually the mixture is stirred and turned in the frying pan to incorporate the crunchy browned bits but vegetables can also be formed into cakes and fried until the outside is crisp and brown.

Potatoes are good used in hashes as they help to bind the vegetables together, however, other carbohydrate foods such as rice or fresh breadcrumbs, perhaps with an egg too, can be used instead.

** Asian Recipes **

Starchy vegetables and roots such as potatoes, carrots and parsnip are best cooked in salted water to allow the salt to permeate the flesh during cooking, to add flavor. For green vegetables, where the cooking time is brief, it is more efficient to add salt after cooking, and you will probably find you use less, which is a healthy option.

There is no point in salting vegetables that are to be mashed or otherwise made into a puree, since it is much easier to judge the right amount by salting the mash later.

** Asian Recipes **

If you are cooking vegetables with minimal liquid, it is essential to keep them tightly covered to prevent them drying out and to allow the steam to build up in the pan and cook the vegetables. Green vegetables such as shredded cabbage or green beans can be cooked very quickly by plunging them into plenty of boiling water and leaving them uncovered so that the volatile acids which escape while they are cooking will not condense on the lid and fall back into the pan, as this can affect the flavor. This method conserves their color, flavor and texture.

Roots and tubers such as potatoes, which are submerged in water and cooked for a longer time, are best partially covered. Covering these vegetables uses less fuel and prevents a lowering of the water level, which could leave some of them above the water. To partially cover a saucepan, set the lid askew or place a wooden spoon across the pan and balance the lid on top.

** Asian Recipes **

Organic vegetables can seem much more expensive than conventionally grown vegetables, and yes, they do often look sad and tired, because they tend not to sell quickly. One of the best ways to buy certified organic produce is to contact an organic cooperative and for a fixed price they will make regular home deliveries of seasonal vegetables and fruit. Alternatively, buy from a shop with a regular turnover. Because it is not sprayed with fungicides, even organically grown produce deteriorates if it is left to sit around.

** Asian Recipes **

It is true that joints of veal are lean and fine-textured and, if they are not roasted carefully, tend to dry out. If you would like to serve roast veal, cook it at 160C for 35-40 minutes per kg and baste the meat often during cooking. Another useful way to keep a joint of veal moist is to marinate the meat first in a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice or white wine. Parsley, thyme and garlic can be added for extra flavor. The meat should be basted often with the marinade while cooking.

An easy alternative is to cook the veal joint gently in a heavy casserole dish by the moist, pot-roasting method. This will keep the joint tender and prevent the meat from drying out.

** Asian Recipes **

Veal escalopes taste tender and light without a coating and need only the simplest cooking methods. They should be pounded until they are about 5 mm thick, which ensures they cook quickly. If this has not been done when you buy them, place each escalope in turn between two sheets of plastic wrap and beat it with a rolling pin; as the pin touches the escalope, let it slide from the center to the side of the escalope to stretch the meat.

To cook the escalopes, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. When it is hot, add the escalopes, allowing each one plenty of room, and fry over a fairly high heat for about 3 minutes, turning once. Remove the escalopes and keep them warm while you deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of white wine, lemon juice or cream.

For a change from escalopes, you could try using veal chops. Marinate them for 1-2 hours, if liked, then fry over a medium heat for 8 minutes or so, turning once. Veal chops can be partnered by more robust flavors such as eggplant, mushrooms, red or green peppers and tomatoes.

** Delicious Recipes **

The strongest flavor is in the tiny seeds and the pulp surrounding them, so the pod should be split open and the seeds scraped out for adding to custards or ice creams. Infusing a vanilla pod in hot liquid is an economical way to extract the flavor, as the pod can then be rinsed, dried and used again, usually as many as two or three times.

A good way to store vanilla pods after use, particularly when they have been recycled a few times, is in a jar of caster sugar. The sugar can then absorb the flavor of the pods and they will keep almost indefinitely. Top up the sugar as you use it, for example in desserts, sprinkled over fruit such as fresh berries. You can also store used vanilla pods in a bottle of brandy or dark rum. The alcohol can then be used as a flavoring agent in cooking, folded into whipped cream or simply splashed over fruit salads or ice cream. However, very fresh vanilla pods, which are moist and supple, are best kept wrapped in cellophane bags or foil; storing them in caster sugar will dry them out.

Vanilla is the pod of a climbing orchid and widely grown in the tropics, especially Madagascar, the West Indies and Fiji. The bean pods are cured and turn black. The extract and essence are both made by soaking vanilla pods in alcohol to leech out the flavor, but vanilla essence, which often has syrup added, is more concentrated. Look for the word 'pure' on the label and avoid artificial vanilla, which is derived from clove oil.

Vanilla pods offer the best flavor of all, for they have subtlety; vanilla essence and extract can be rather overpowering when used with a heavy hand.

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is made from soy beans ground into a flour after their oil has been extracted. The flour is mixed with water, then extruded to heat and expand the dough. Air is added, which helps to give a fibrous, spongy texture. TVP can be bought dried as mince in leading health food shops. When unflavored, it tastes very bland, but is good to add other flavorings to.

Ever since TVP was introduced in the 1960s, it has been used as a meat extender by large caterers. TVP is also a common ingredient in many ready-made dishes such as vegetarian sausages and burgers. The vegetable protein is a good source of fiber, is fortified with vitamin B12 and is very low in fat.

To cook TVP, soak it in water or vegetable stock according to the packet instructions. Use it in well-flavored casseroles, pies, sauces or stews. Although it is similar to tofu, TVP is more processed.

** Delicious Recipes **

Turnips do not always need to be peeled or mashed. In early summer, when tiny turnips with their leaves attached are available, just wash the tender skin and boil the turnips quickly to conserve their peppery taste. Try finishing the turnips in a flavored butter, as in a herb-scented recipe, and serve with duck or guinea fowl, baked ham or lamb.

The pure white variety, or those with their tops flushed with pinky mauve, are an excellent choice to use in a variety of summer stews and casseroles, such as those made with lamb. Large winter turnips are yellowish white, sometimes with flashes of green. They are at their best when no larger than a tennis ball but do need to be peeled. They can be used in soups and stews.

You can cook and puree turnips with plenty of butter and pepper and combine them with potatoes or another root vegetable such as carrots. Alternatively, grate raw turnips and serve them with a dressing for winter salads, or slice large turnips, brush them with oil and grill until they are just tender.

Do not throw out the leaves of young turnips. They can be cooked in the same way as spinach and served as a vegetable in their own right, or incorporated into soup, or shredded and used as a garnish for vegetable dishes and salads.

** Asian Cooking **

As with all fish, look for firm flesh and shiny skin. The eyes should be clear and protruding, and the gills a bright red color. And it should smell fresh and not look muddy. Most experts agree that trout should not be washed but simply wipe with a cloth. Then remove the guts, gills and any weed from the mouth that might taste bitter.

Rainbow trout is a fish with silvery and multicolored skin, with a red stripe running lengthways along the sides of the male fish. The delicate white flesh is sometimes tinged pink. Normally it will feed one, although farmed trout can be larger. Brown trout, with greenish brown spotted skin, white flesh and a stronger flavor, is the wild trout found in rivers, and also at fish farms.

Ocean trout is the same species as brown trout, but looks different as it goes out to sea and returns to rivers to spawn. Because it looks rather like a small salmon, with silvery skin and pink flesh, it is sometimes called salmon trout.

** Delicious Recipes **

Left to themselves, tomatoes are a seasonal vegetable (or more accurately, fruit), but they are now very widely grown all year round. Consumer demand has resulted in the production of vine-ripened tomatoes, and these have more flavor then those picked under-ripe for long transportation to the market.

It is best to keep recipes that are dependent on good, fresh tomatoes for summer, when they are in season locally, and ripened on the vine before picking, so have a better flavor. In winter, some smaller varieties such as Tom Thumb or cherry tomatoes have enough flavor to contribute to a sandwich; for cooked winter dishes it is often better and cheaper to use canned tomatoes, a paste or concentrate, or sun-dried tomatoes.

To serve whole with a stuffing, use the biggest ripe tomatoes you can find to get the best flavor.

** Asian Recipes **

Cut the tofu skin up and cook it in soups, stews and casseroles just like meat, or soak it until soft to form the basis of many Chinese-style dishes. You can also use it to make delicate spring rolls quite unlike conventional wheat-flour rolls, which were created by Chinese cooks in Western countries when tofu skins were hard to come by.

To make them, sprinkle a savory spring-roll stuffing over the skins, then simply roll up and deep-fry them until crisp. The rolls are quite mild in flavor but are usually dipped in hot chili sauce as you eat them. Tofu skins dry out and crack in time. Test whether they are still good by pressing gently; they should be soft and not brittle.

** Asian Recipes **

Generally most Asian meals do not end with desserts. Sweet things tend to be eaten as snacks during the day and desserts, if served, are reserved for special occasions. Thai desserts are usually based on grains such as rice, sago and sweetcorn, as well as coconut milk and tropical fruits such as bananas, jackfruit and oranges.

Many Thai desserts are sweetened with palm sugar, also known as jaggery, or coconut sugar. This comes in hard cylinders that have to be grated, cakes that can be broken up, or as a thick treacle in tubs. If palm sugar is unavailable, use some demerara or dark brown sugar melted with a little water for this popular Thai dessert instead.

** Asian Desserts **

These are the leaves of a lime tree native to tropical Asia. The leaves are shaped like a figure eight, with two leaves held together from the tip to the base. The small fruit of the kaffir lime can also be purchased from Asian food stores. Imparting their full, fresh, citric flavor, both the aromatic leaves and the bitter rind are used in Thai cooking, primarily in chicken and fish dishes. To use, slice the kaffir lime leaves finely, which will give a stronger flavor, or crush them as you would bay leaves.

** Asian Recipes **

Galangal looks very much like its relative the ginger root, but has a paler pinkish color. It cannot be eaten raw and is usually ground up with other ingredients to make a paste. There are two varieties of galangal, the greater and the lesser galangal. Both are used a lot in Thai cooking but it is the lesser galangal that is the most flavorsome. Galangal is sometimes available in fresh produce markets and you can buy it in most Asian stores.

** Asian Recipes **

The juice of the pulp around the seeds of the tamarind, sometimes called the Indian date, is used to give a fruity, sour flavor to many Asian curries and spicy dishes. Those that do not contain coconut milk tend to be cooked in tamarind juice. Generally, tamarind is used with seafood while coconut accompanies meat and poultry dishes.

Tamarind is available in several forms, the most common being brown or black blocks of concentrated pulp, which must be soaked in hot water before using. When the liquid has reached the desired acidity, like very strong lime juice, it is strained and used for cooking. In Thailand, a sweeter variety of tamarind is eaten fresh as a snack.

Some Asian food shops sell bottled tamarind concentrate in a thick liquid form that needs no further straining. The concentrate is very tart and should be diluted in the proportion of one part tamarind concentrate to two parts water. If you cannot find any tamarind, you can substitute fresh lime juice instead.

** Thai Recipes **

There are two possible explanations. First check the state of your flan or tartlet tins: the surface of cheaper ones, even those labeled nonstick, may become scratched or pitted after a time and this can cause sticking. Good quality tins are a worthwhile investment. Second, don't allow tarts to cool in their tins for too long after removing them from the oven: they may stick if the pastry contains any sugar or fruit juice. Just leave the pastry case in the tin for a few minutes and, when it is firm enough, slip it out carefully and leave it on a wire tray to finish cooling.

Tapioca is a starch extracted from the root of the tropical cassava plant, also known as manioc.The starch has to be detoxified before the tapioca can be sold commercially as some fresh manioc roots contain a toxic substance that is destroyed by a heat process. Tapioca is sold either as granules or flakes; both can be hard to find but most good health food stores and larger supermarkets stock either one or the other.

Tapioca is a useful, easily digestible starch. Flaked, it has similar thickening properties to cornflour and arrowroot, so is good for thickening sauces. The grains are best used like rice or barley to bulk out soups and stews.

Many people associate the grains with a rather bland milk pudding, but tapioca pudding is anything but land when the milk is flavored with cinnamon and enriched with cream or coconut milk.

** Asian Recipes **

Crystallization, where syrup develops gritty particles, is a natural process which sometimes occurs after long storage at cool temperatures or even because of air bubbles in the syrup, but it is quite harmless. If you discover that your syrup has developed crystals that you think would spoil a dish, simply warm the can gently in a pan of hot water to dissolve them and then use as specified in the recipe.

While it is not necessary to store opened cans of golden syrup in a cool place, as long as the container is sealed, it is best to keep black treacle where it will stay cool.

Maple syrup is produced from sap tapped from maple trees in early spring, when their sap is rising. The fresh sap is then boiled to reduce it to sugar or a reddish-brown, relatively thin and very sweet syrup with a positive flavor. Pure maple syrup is quite expensive; some brands are blended with cheaper corn or cane syrup, so check the ingredients on the label.

Most maple syrup is imported from Canada, whose national emblem is the maple leaf; in North America it is typically served with pancakes and waffles. It may also be poured over thick plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream, or over puddings.

Corn syrup is a clear, thick, sweet syrup with little taste, derived from corn kernels. It is very useful in cooking, as its moisture-absorbing qualities help to keep cakes and other baked items very moist. There isn't really an exact substitute for corn syrup, which is widely used in the United States. There, it is available both in its clear form and with added coloring and flavoring to give it a flavor similar to molasses. In Australia, many of the larger supermarkets stock the clear version, but if you have difficulty finding it you could substitute golden syrup (although the flavor will be different) or glucose syrup.

** Asian Cooking **

No, they are not. Molasses is the syrup left over after sugar has been refined and crystallized from sugar cane. It is sold in several grades, from sweet and refined 'first' or light molasses, to thick, dark and slightly bitter blackstrap molasses. Treacle is a form of molasses, one that has been blended to produce a sweeter syrup which is less prone to becoming gritty. Golden syrup, which is sweeter than treacle, is made from refined white sugar.

Molasses has a dominating taste that gives a powerful flavor to sticky, moist cakes: gingerbread and fruit cakes are probably the best known. It is also used for making toffee and fudge, and its slightly bitter taste can enhance savory dishes such as pork and dried bean casseroles, gravies and American-style barbecue sauces. Golden syrup is used as a sweetener in baking, or as a topping for ice cream or steamed puddings.