| Chinese and Japanese cuisine are more about the | | | | found fresh or dried in your supermarket. The |
| overall meal than just one component. Chinese | | | | mushroom has a firm texture and can add a lot |
| cooking recipes like la mian use noodles to bring a | | | | of flavor and firmness to any broth. |
| heavier food with vegetables. There are many | | | | Bok Choy |
| vegetables that are distinctly Asian in nature and | | | | Bok choy is a cabbage or lettuce originating in |
| go well with any of the Japanese or Chinese | | | | China. It has a light sweet flavor and crisp texture. |
| cooking recipes. | | | | Many times a small handful of leaves are tossed |
| Ramen is a noodle soup that originated from | | | | into a soup to add the sweet flavor that offset |
| Chinese cooking recipes with la mian. Many of the | | | | the onions and mushrooms. They turn a dark |
| vegetables can be found in more than just one | | | | vibrant green as well when boiled for just a |
| recipe. The key to many of the ingredients is to | | | | moment and usually loose some of their crisp |
| keep them big enough to be picked up with chop | | | | texture. |
| sticks. Small vegetables such as corn kernels are | | | | Mung Bean Sprouts |
| seldom seen in Asian cuisine. | | | | Mung bean sprouts are sprout of the mung bean. |
| The Vegetables | | | | They are typically white and have a yellow edible |
| --1. Scallions/Green Onions | | | | seed on the end. They are very crisp and light |
| --2. Shiitake Mushrooms | | | | with a mild sweet flavor. They add color and |
| --3. Bok Choy | | | | texture to many dishes and should be added near |
| --4. Mung Bean Sprouts | | | | the end of cooking or they loose their light flavor |
| --5. Daikon/White Radish | | | | and crisp texture. |
| Scallions/Green Onions | | | | Daikon/White Radish |
| Scallions/green onions are long stem green | | | | Daikon is a white radish that has the shape of a |
| vegetables. They have an onion flavor but are | | | | carrot. It has a stronger flavor than round red |
| much more mild than a white onion. Their color | | | | radishes and is used in fresh dishes like salads. |
| and flavor bring a brightness to the dashi/soup of | | | | They are sliced thin and added to soups but loose |
| ramen dishes. | | | | some of their flavor to other flavors of the dish. |
| Shiitake Mushrooms | | | | Daikons are used more in Chinese cooking recipes |
| Shiitake mushrooms are know as the Japanese | | | | than Japanese cuisine but still bring flavor to |
| mushroom. They have a much more earthy | | | | ramen dishes. |
| flavor than white button mushrooms and can be | | | | |