Same Building Blocks, Different Models

In the different regions of the world, one often finds similar pantries of ingredients that form the foundation of their cooking. This is true of Southeast Asia. It’s a factor of geography, topography, climate, and cultural interaction among indigenous peoples there. Similar pantries do not translate as similar cuisine. Both Mexican and Vietnamese cooking include cilantro, limes, black beans, garlic, chilies, and rice in their pantries, but their cuisines could not be more different. In this chapter you will learn what ingredients are, how they are made, how they are used, and some recommendations of how to buy and store them. Keeping a well-stocked larder of Southeast Asian ingredients will enable (and even encourage) you to whip up authentic meals. Many of the items in this section can be stored for weeks, months, or even years. If you stock the pantry early, you won’t find yourself running around for hours, seeking specialized ingredients from myriad markets.