I’m going to surprise many readers today… But I have full confidence that the information I’m going to impart is authentic and unimpeachable. A trusted compatriot of mine has revealed that most Asian home cooks use supermarket shortcuts!
A typical ‘sauces’ aisle in an Asian grocery store: Dozens of brands, hundreds of flavours…
I never thought I’d see the day. But it came a few weeks ago, and I’ve since checked out the story from a number of angles. A young lady with whom I went to culinary school was back in touch re-cently. And she asked me why I so often recommended making Asian dishes with complex flavour profiles from scratch…
‘Chef secrets’
I came back with my stock answer: “That’s how they’ve been made for centuries in Asia – and with the freshest, herbs and spices available, for optimal flavour.”
My Qingdao (formerly Tsingtao)-born friend chuckled and whispered, conspiratorially: “I gotta come clean with you. Most home cooks in the old country just use prepared cooking bases out of a jar!”
I strongly dislike the overused – thus linguistically ruined – phrase ‘my jaw dropped’. But there’s no other term that would describe my reaction as adequately or accurately.
“You’re kidding, of course,” I stammered.
“Of course NOT!” she insisted.”Who’s got the time to measure out all those fiddly bits of spices and things? And who’s got the money to buy them all in the first place?”
Just like us
It turns out ‘modern’ Asian home cooks are ‘just like the rest of us’ when it comes to their busy lives. And their cash-strapped food budgets.
And why would big Asian food companies make all the bottled and jarred cooking sauces, spice blends, and masala pastes that have crept into the ‘Asian’ aisles of our supermarkets JUST for the export market?
What I’ve gathered, in subsequent research, is that the retail prices of spices – some especially – have soared in recent years, even near their Asian sources. The traditional Asian spice markets haven’t yet felt a huge impact. But folks who used to buy their fave delicacies from street vendors or restaurants are now making them at home to save a few Yuan.
And the jarred stuff, apparently, tastes just as good to most folks there as true ‘homemade’.
A few exceptions
Also just like us, many Asian home cooks have kept up their tradition of using fresh veggies in their dishes. Especially flavour leaders such as garlic and coriander leaves (cilantro).
Otherwise, they’re just as apt as not to toss a jar of prepared cooking sauce into a pan to ‘finish’ a medely of fried meats and veggies they’ll serve over (usually) plain white rice.
Related ‘secrets’
And therein lie are a couple of other ‘modern Asian home cook’ kitchen secrets…
In contrast to the so-called old ways, I’m told, many recent-generation Chinese women have opted to take jobs outside the home. A few have even dared to seek actual ‘careers’. And their time is at a premium. Because few Chinese men have yet to embrace the idea of gender equality when it comes to child-rearing and housework – especially cooking.
As well, no actual Asian kitchen – even today – is complete without an automatic rice cooker. Asians traditionally eat plain white rice in some guise or another two or three times day. Very few fuss with cooking it the old, ‘by hand’ way. And I’m reliably informed, the automatic cookers turn out a pretty good version of traditional steamed rice!
My take
So that, dear readers, is the story behind why I’ve been loosening my formerly staunch grip on the authentic and traditional a bit in recent weeks. Especially when it comes to Asian dishes and techniques. What was once unthinkable is now the rule for many younger Asian home cooks. Why should we, who share with them so many modern life complications, not take advantage of the conveniences they take for granted?
~ Maggie J.