Pandan leaves
Many people in Singapore love to grow their own pandan plant in their garden so that they have pandan leaves when they need it. The blades of the pandan leaves…
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Cinnamon
This spice needs no introduction. A whiff of it conjures the most delicious baked goods for us–cinnamon buns, apple pies, pumpkin pies, cookies and Christmas. In these desserts we usually…
Snow Fungus
It looks like sponge but this is a fungi–snow fungus, or bai mu er . When reconstituted and soaked it looks beautiful, as shown below. Snow fungus, also sold as…
Curry powder
Curry powder is not one spice but a blend and mixture of several spices including galangal, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cardamom, star anise, chili and fennel. In…
Candlenut
Candlenut, or buah keras, is used to thicken sauce. It has no identifiable flavor. Candlenuts look almost identical with macadamian nuts, which can be use as a substitute. In Singapore…
Galangal
Similar to ginger, galangal has a sweeter fragrance and is not as spicy. Ginger is hot and more pungent flavor. They look identical but the galangal flesh is whiter, while…
Turmeric
An orange rhizome that is about the size of a finger, it is the spice that gives curry its rich color. A member of the ginger family, this root has…