Sugar

Is sugar Vegan? 

Well, it depends. 

Some sugar comes from sugar cane and some comes from sugar beets. Unlike beet sugar, cane sugar is sometimes processed using a charcoal filtration method, which sometimes uses charcoal made from animal bones, a.k.a. "bone char". When you purchase most kinds of sugar, it is unclear whether or not that sugar is beet sugar or cane sugar and whether or not it was processed using bone char. For some vegans, that means conventional sugar is off limits. Others maintain that cane sugar does not actually include animal products and is still vegan. Whether or not conventional sugar is ok for vegans is really up to the vegan in question.

Luckily, I live near a grocery store that actually packages the beet sugar and cane sugar separately, so I just go ahead and buy beet sugar since it's an option for me. If you don't live near such a grocery store, you can often find vegan cane sugar from natural food stores (if that kind of thing is an issue for you.)

Vegetable Broth

Vegetable broth comes in many different forms, from powders to cubes to pastes. You can even make your own using leftover vegetable clippings.

It also comes in cartons, but I don't recommend using that kind. For some reason, cartons of vegetable broth always end up being very weak tasting by comparison. They're also expensive.

If I don't use cartons, don't I have to prepare it ahead of time?

Nope! Not usually, at least. Often broth is used in soups, sauces and other situations where you're already boiling some liquid. When a recipe calls for vegetable broth, I just add water instead, along with the necessary amount of bullion cubes/powder/paste/etc. The cubes/powder/paste dissolve on their own and get mixed in with the rest of the ingredients as the recipe cooks. Neat trick, huh?

Brands we use

• Frontier (powder found in bulk)
• Rapunzel (bullion cubes)
• Better Than Bullion (paste)

Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar is just what it sounds like - vinegar made from fermented rice. Be careful not to buy seasoned rice vinegar, which can contain a lot of things you don't want, like salt and corn syrup.

Where do I find rice vinegar? 

Rice vinegar can be tricky to find, depending on what your grocery store is like. If it's not with the rest of the vinegars, check the international section, or just pick it up at an Asian market. 

Chili Paste

The purpose of chili paste is to add spice to a dish, so you can use more or less than what the recipe calls for depending on your spice tolerance. I prefer any of the Huy Fong chili pastes (they always have a green cap and a rooster on the front) but there are many, many different brands to choose from. For the best selection of chili pastes, visit an Asian market or the international foods section of your grocery.

Toasted Sesame Oil

Toasted (or dark) sesame oil has a very strong aroma and flavor, and it can be overwhelming if used in too generous quantities. It shouldn't be confused with regular sesame oil, which has a much milder taste and lighter color.

Where do I find Toasted Sesame Oil?

Toasted sesame oil can be found in natural food stores and Asian markets, or any place that has a large selection of oils available. 

Sake

Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice. Although it is often used as a cooking ingredient, it is also delicious to drink on its own when either heated or chilled.

Where do I find Sake?

Sake can be found in most places that sell beer and wine.

Substitutions

If you prefer, you can substitute cooking sherry in place of sake. Or, if you don't want to cook with alcohol, you can use apple juice/cider, vegetable broth or water.

Tofu

Tofu is a product made from soy milk curds. It comes in many different forms and varieties of textures and has a long history in Asian cuisine. 

Where do I find tofu?

Tofu can be found in natural food stores as well as many conventional grocery stores. It is kept in a refrigerated area, often near the produce section. 

How do I store it? 

You'll notice that when you buy tofu, it comes vacuum packed and submerged in water. If you have uncooked tofu left over, keep it refrigerated in an airtight container full of water.

Brands we use

• Soy Boy
• Nasoya
• 365 Organic

Is tofu bad for you because it has estrogen? 

There has been a lot of misinformation floating around lately about estrogen in soy products. Read more about it here.