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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This FAQ provides answers to questions about specific ingredients or cooking methods that are featured in this cookbook.

Question: What if I can't find certain ingredients in my supermarket? Can I substitute other ingredients for them?

Photograph of whole and cut ginger.Some recipes have ingredients that may not be available in every supermarket across the country or may cost more than you want to pay. Here are some suggestions for alternatives:

  • Fish sauce: For 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, use ½ tablespoon anchovy paste (see below), ½ teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon stock or broth.
  • Hoisin sauce: For 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce, substitute ½ tablespoon lite soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
  • Mirin: Substitute any sweet white wine or a generic white wine with a pinch of sugar.
  • Rice vinegar: Substitute white wine vinegar.
  • Asian hot chili sauce: Substitute regular chili sauce.
  • Green curry paste: For 1 tablespoon green curry paste, substitute ½ tablespoon yellow curry powder thinned with 1–2 teaspoons water.
  • Ginger root: For 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, substitute 1 teaspoon ginger powder. Fresh ginger root also can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year and grated as needed.
  • Anchovy paste: Use an equal amount of mashed canned anchovy fillets.

Question: What is the meaning of all the different product nutrient label claims?

One of the best ways to find heart healthy products is to check the food labels. Here are some terms to look for per labeled serving to find products lower in sodium, fat, cholesterol, and calories.

Sodium

  • Sodium-free: Less than 5 milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving
  • Very low sodium: 35 mg or less of sodium per serving
  • Low-sodium: 140 mg or less of sodium per serving
  • Low-sodium meal: 140 mg or less of sodium per 3½ ounces
  • Light (or lite) in sodium: At least 50 percent less sodium per serving than the regular version
  • Reduced or less sodium: At least 25 percent less sodium per serving than the regular version
  • Unsalted or no salt added: No salt added to the product during processing, but this is not necessarily a sodium-free food

If you can't find products labeled "low-sodium," compare the Nutrition Facts panels on available products to find the one with the lowest amount of sodium.

Cholesterol

  • Cholesterol-free: Less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol and less than 2 grams (g) of saturated fat per serving
  • Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less cholesterol and less than 2 g of saturated fat per serving
  • Reduced or less cholesterol: At least 25 percent less cholesterol than the regular version and less than 2 g of saturated fat per serving

Fat

  • Fat-free: Less than ½ gram (g) of fat per serving
  • Saturated fat-free: Less than ½ g of saturated fat and less than ½ g of trans fat per serving
  • Low-saturated fat: 1 g or less of saturated fat and 15 percent or less calories from saturated fat per serving
  • Low-fat: 3 g or less of fat per serving
  • Reduced fat: At least 25 percent less fat per serving than the regular version
  • Light in fat: Half the fat per serving (or less) than the regular version

Calories

  • Calorie-free: Less than 5 calories per serving
  • Low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving
  • Low-calorie meal: 120 calories (or less) per 3½ ounces
  • Reduced or less calories: At least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than the regular version
  • Light (or lite): Half the fat (or less) or a third of calories per serving of the regular version

Source: Food and Drug Administration, http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ FoodLabelingGuide/ucm064911.htm

Question: How do I cut meat across the grain?

Photograph of cutting meat against the grain.If you have ever wondered what it means to cut meat "against the grain," here is your answer.

Some cuts of meat have distinct fibers in them, which make the meat difficult to chew. Flank steak (typically used to make London broil), skirt steak, and brisket are good examples. Cutting through the fibers or grain in the meat makes it tender and easier to chew.

The picture at right shows the lines of the steak running from right to left down the length of the steak. If you slice this steak in the same direction as those lines, you'll have to chew through the fibers. Whereas if you cut across the lines or the grain, the knife will have already done that work before a bite reaches your mouth.

When slicing this type of meat, it is often recommended to slice thinly at a 45-degree angle, as shown.

Question: How do I zest a lemon or orange?

Zest is the colorful outer rind on a lemon or orange (not the white pith underneath, which is bitter). There are several ways to grate citrus peel:

  • Use a regular vegetable peeler to make thin, larger slices.
  • Use a citrus zester, which has a stainless-steel edge with a series of sharp-edged holes that cut off thin strips of the peel.
  • Use a microplane, or flat grater, which allows you to shred multiple small strips of peel faster and with less pressure than a regular grater or citrus zester.

Photograph of peeling a lemon. Photograph of zesting a lemon. Photograph of grating a lemon.

Peel

Zest

Grate

Question: What herbs can be used to substitute for an herb I don't have on hand?

Photograph of herbs.Although each herb has its own unique flavor, many herbs can be substituted for one another. Here are some fresh or dried herb alternatives to try:

  • For sage: Try savory, marjoram, or rosemary.
  • For basil: Try oregano or thyme.
  • For thyme: Try basil, marjoram, oregano, or savory.
  • For mint: Try basil, marjoram, or rosemary.
  • For rosemary: Try thyme, tarragon, or savory.
  • For cilantro: Try parsley or coriander.

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