Calamondin or calamansi limes are small, thin skinned fruit that have a tart flavour with hints of bitter. They are a very common ingredient all across South East Asia. What is Calamondin? Is it an orange, or is it a lime? It’s both, depending on which part of the world you’re in! Citrus × microcarpa (also Citrus × mitis), […]

Candlenuts, or Buah Keras as it is known in Malay, is an essential ingredient in some parts of South East Asia, used for its thickening and enriching qualities. What are Candlenuts? Candlenuts is the name for Buah Keras in English. They are from the flowering tree, Aleurites moluccanus, which grows to a massive height of […]

Lemongrass is known as serai in Malay, sereh in Indonesian and Dakrai (or takrai) in Thai. It is an incredibly aromatic herb with sharp, citrusy, sweet and pine-like aroma and flavour. What is Lemongrass? Lemongrass is, as its name suggests, a type of grass. Edible grass. There are many, many types of lemongrass, all in […]

Galangal is a highly aromatic ingredient used extensively in many parts of South East Asia, and is often, a natural accompaniment to lemongrass. What is Galangal? Galangal is a tuberous root that is used both for culinary as well as medicinal purposes. It may belong to the ginger family, but apart from them both being […]

Tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used as a souring agent in many cuisines around the world. What is Tamarind? Tamarind is a fruit for starters, and grows on the tamarind tree as bean pods that contain many seeds encased in a moist, sticky brown pulp. It is this pulp that is prized for […]