ANNATTO SEEDS (hot dieu do): The dark red- dish-brown seed of the "lipstick plant" is com- monly used as a coloring agent. Usually seeds are fried in oil to extract a pale orange color, then discarded. Commonly available where Caribbean foods are sold.

BAMBOO SHOOTS (mang): Fresh, vinegared or dried (the most delicious), bamboo shoots are  eaten frequently in Vietnam. Fresh shoots,  which have a savory sweetness and crunchi-ness, should be peeled and boiled for about 30 minutes before using. Dried shoots should be soaked and boiled. Although it is difficult to find fresh shoots in the West, canned bamboo is readily available.

BANANA BLOSSOM (bap chuoi): This pointed pink bud, sliced finely and soaked in cold water, is used as garnish for noodle soup, and eaten raw in salads. It tastes like very tender wood shavings. Cabbage can be used as a substitute.

BANANA LEAVES (la chuoi): These are used  primarily for wrapping cakes, sausages and  pates. They preserve moisture, and impart a light green color and a mild flavor.

BEAN CURD SKIN (tau hu ky): The skin that forms on top of soybean milk when it is brought to a simmer is skimmed off and dried in thin sheets, later to be reconstituted in water. It is then deep fried, simmered or sauteed. Bean curd skin is sold fresh, frozen or dried, and is very high in protein. It is often used as a meat substitute.

BITTER MELON (kho qua): This hard gourd, fa­vored for its healthful benefits, looks like a fat, knobby cucumber. Green and firm, it has a very crisp texture and a strong, bitter flavor, and is often pickled. Before cooking, the seeds and inner membrane are removed and the outer shell is sliced into small, crescent-shaped pieces.

CHAYOTE (su hao): A type of squash that looks like a light green cucumber, having an oval shape and a small white seed. It is also known as mirliton or christophene. A good substitute is zucchini.
CHILIES (ot): Many red varieties are used. Whether sliced or finely chopped, the seeds are usually removed. Dried red chilies, whole or flakes, are good substitutes.

Herbs Used In Vietnamese Cooking

BASIL (rau que): Several different types of basil are used in Vietnamese cooking. The one most commonly used is similar to Eu-  ropean and American sweet basil. It is used liberally as a seasoning and sprigs are often added to platters of fresh, raw veg­etables. Similar, yet paler in color, and with a distinctive lemony fragrance, "lemon" basil is used in soups and salads.

CILANTRO (ngo): Fresh cilantro-which is the leaf of the coriander plant and is  often referred to as Chinese parsley - is a common garnish in Vietnamese cooking. In Vietnam, cilantro leaves are used almost exclusively as a garnish. Ital­ian parsley can be substituted, although the flavor is not at all the same.

PERILLA LEAF (la tia to): A wide, deep-veined, purple leaf from the mint family. It is similar to the Japanese shiso, and has a faint lemon mint flavor. Perilla leaf is part of the standard garnish, and is also used in salads and soups.

POLYGONUM (ran ram): This most im­portant of Vietnamese herbs is served with nearly every meal. Highly aro­matic, it has a pink stem and pointed, purplish leaves, which are used as a raw garnish. A combination of mint and cilantro is a good substitute. Also re­ferred to as Vietnamese mint.

RICE PADDY HERB (ngo om): Has very small, rounded, pale-green leaves that sprout at intervals along the stem, and a sharp, citrus flavor. It is used as a garnish for chicken curry and sour fish soup.
SAW-LEAF HERB (ngo gai): This leaf, which smells like cilantro, is part of the standard garnish of fresh herbs that are' served on the table with most Viet­namese meals. It has a long, serrated green leaf. Also called "long coriander."

WILD BETEL LEAVES (la lot): The spicy and highly nutritious leaf of a vine re­lated to the plant which produces black pepper. The large, round and crinkled leaf is used as a leafy green in soups, as an outer wrapping for spring rolls, and as part of the standard garnish. Grape leaves are a good substitute.

CHINESE LYCIUM {cao ky): A red, dried fruit available from Chinese herbalists, used in che and other sweet, healthy soups. Also known as boxthorn berries.

CHINESE SAUSAGES (lap xuong): These thin, sweet pork sausages are readily available in many countries, and a common sight on any food cart in Vietnam.

COCONUT MILK (nuoc cot dua): A thick coconut milk can be made for cooking by mixing grated coconut flesh with warm water, and ex­tracting two pressings. The first pressing is rich and creamy (resembling cow's milk), and can curdle if cooked on high heat. The second pressing is much thinner and imparts far less flavor. Canned coconut milk is now widely available.

DAIKON RADISH (cu cai trang): Resembles a large, white carrot. Also known to the Chinese as lobak.

DRIED SHRIMP (tom kho): Widely used in cook­ing - in the making of shrimp sauce and as a garnish for flavor - these whole, tiny shrimp, about V2 in long, are also ground into a coarse powder. Available in Asian markets.

FISH SAUCE (nuoc mam): The ubiquitous Vietnamese condiment used in cooking,
marinades, dressings and dipping sauces, as salt or soy sauce is used in other cuisines. In
its pure form, it has a very pungent, salty fla­vor, and is often combined with other in­gredients such as sugar, garlic and lime juice to reduce its intense flavor, and to make the various dipping sauces known as nuoc mam cham. Use sparingly.

FIVE-SPICE POWDER (ngu vi huong): A Chinese spice combination of star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cloves and cinnamon. This is a very strong seasoning and generally used in small amounts.

GALANGAL (rieng): A member of the ginger family, this rhizome is used in much the same way. The tough skin should always be peeled. The young, pinkish galangal is the most tender and imparts the best flavor. In certain parts of Vietnam, galangal is used as a complement for dog meat.
JACKFRUIT (mit): A large, green fruit with a tough, nubbly skin, which reveals a yellow, segmented flesh when opened. It has a taste that is naturally sweet. In Vietnam, the young jackfruit is used like a vegetable in cooking. Available canned in the West.

LEMONGRASS {xa): Also known as citronella, this intensely fragrant grass is used to impart a lemony flavor. The lower part of the stem is the edible portion. Discard the outer leaves until you reach the inner core, which should be moist and tender. When using the stalk, bruise it before cooking and discard before serving. Lemongrass is readily available fresh or frozen in many places.

LOOFAH (muop): A type of gourd with an earthy flavor, the loofah is often used in Viet­namese soups. The insides of certain varieties are dried and used as scrubbers. Any type of gourd can be substituted.

LOTUS (sen): The graceful lotus bloom, often protruding from dense mud, is the symbol of purity. The tumescent root is used as a veg- ' etable. Its seeds are used fresh (for sweet soup or che), or dried (in stews). The stem is stir-fried with pork or shrimp, and is also used fresh in salads.

MUNG BEANS (dau xanh): When green mung beans are watered, they develop into bean sprouts. Dried green mung beans with the green skin removed are known as yellow beans. Usually soaked in water, they have a subtle flavor and a slight crunchiness. In Viet­nam, yellow beans are used to make dipping sauces (yellow bean sauce) or other sauces to accompany vegetables. The starch from the beans is processed into cellophane noodles.

MUSHROOMS (nam): Delicate straw mush­rooms are the most commonly used fresh va­rieties. Wood or tree ear are the most com­monly used dried mushrooms - they have a crunchy texture and very little flavor, but make a fine filling. Other dried varieties are similar to the Chinese and Japanese, such as the shi­itake (also known as dried black) mushrooms.

OKRA (dau bap): A green, five-sided vegetable favored by Indians and Southeast Asians. Also known as lady's finger.

OYSTER SAUCE (dau hau): A thick sauce made from ground oysters, water, salt, cornstarch and caramel coloring, used primarily for stir-frying vegetables. It is more commonly used in Chi­nese than in Vietnamese cooking.

PALM SUGAR (duong the): A type of sugar made by boiling down the sap of various palm trees. It is used as a sweetener and also to help bal­ance saltiness in savory dishes. If unavailable, you can make your own caramelized sugar (adding a touch of maple syrup), as a reason­able substitute.

POMELO (buoi): The Vietnamese equivalent to grapefruit, the pomelo is drier, sweeter, has a much thicker and tougher peel. It is usually eaten dipped in a chili mix, or crumbled and served in salads. It is in­creasingly available in the West.

RICE PAPER (banh trang): Made from a batter of rice flour, water and salt, the paper is steamed and dried in the sun on bamboo racks, which leaves a crosshatched imprint. Used to wrap a wide variety of rolls, the paper must be moistened with a wet cloth before using, to allow greater flexibility. Available in many Asian food markets.

SAGO PEARLS (bot bang): The pith of the sago palm is ground into a paste that is very gluti­nous, but has little taste. Sago pearls are used in Vietnam to make desserts.

SESAME RICE CRACKERS (banh trang me): These are thin crackers made from rice flour, sprinkled with sesame seeds. They must be grilled or lightly baked before serv­ing and are used like a cracker for dipping. Shrimp crackers or puffed rice crackers may be used as a substitute.

SHRIMP CRACKERS (banh phong tom): Also called shrimp chips, these light, crisp crackers are made from finely ground shrimp, tapioca starch, and egg whites pressed together and dried. When fried in hot oil, they expand into light, crispy crackers that dissolve in your mouth, leaving a mild shrimp taste. Very pop­ular in Vietnam, particularly during Tet, they are often served as a snack with a dipping sauce, or as an accompaniment to a main course.

SHRIMP PASTE (mam ruoc): A dense mixture of fermented, ground shrimp found in mar­kets throughout Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia - piled in large, dark brown or muddy red mounds. It is used in small amounts, due to its strong flavor.

STAR ANISE (hoi). A star-shaped, eight-pointed pod from the flower of an evergreen tree grown in northern Vietnam, star anise has a pungent flavor of aniseed or licorice. Used most often in soups (pho, in particular) or other recipes requiring long simmering.

STARFRUIT (khe): Eaten raw and finely sliced, the young starfruit has a tart taste, and is often served on the Vietnamese vegetable platter along with unripe, sliced bananas. Delicious with grilled or fried foods

SUGAR CANE (mia): Fresh sugar cane juice -  the green liquid extracted from the stalks by a crushing machine - is a very popular drink in Vietnam. In addition to the familiar uses of sugar cane, the peeled stalks are also used as skewers in cooking.

TAMARIND (me): A large, brown pod with sev­eral seeds that is rich in vitamins. Tamarind has a tangy, acidic taste, and is one of the more pop­ular sour flavorings throughout the world. It can be bought fresh, dried, or in pulp form, and is most commonly sold in compressed blocks, with the seeds removed. The paste is used in hot and sour soups, and fresh crab dishes.

TAPIOCA STARCH (bot nang): This starch from the cassava root (khoai mi) is used as a thickening agent, and sometimes in the making of fresh rice papers. Combined with rice flour, it adds a translucent sheen and chewiness to pastries. Available in many Asian food markets.

TARO (khoai mon or khoai so): A barrel-shaped oval root, with hairy, brown skin and white flesh with purple/brown fibers, best eaten when these fibers are small and barely no­ticeable. Can be used as potato in soups. Cook at least 15 minutes, until soft and creamy.

TURMERIC (nghe): A bright yellow-orange tuber from the same family as ginger and galangal, with a more subtle flavor. Turmeric is used often in curries and as a coloring agent. It is also used for medicinal purposes and can be applied to wounds to diminish scarring.

WATER SPINACH (rau muong): Also referred to as morning glory or water convolvulus. Water spinach, with its arrowhead-shaped leaves and long, hollow stem, grows in swamps. Both the leaves and a portion of the stems are used. Not readily available.