WCIF fresh herbs and spices?

[Dragonbones]

If you find it please tell us. It's in Trinity's pdf list, and I'll be there within a few days, so I'll try to remember to check that for you.

INDIAN WHOLE SPICES at Trinity acc. to pdf list emailed to me awhile back:

CUMIN SEEDS 200 GM
CORIANDER SEEDS 200 GM
FENUGREEK SEEDS 100 GM
FENNEL SEEDS 200 GM
CLOVES 100 GM
GREEN CARDAMOM SEEDS 50 GM
BLACK CARDAMOM SEEDS 100 GM
BLACK CARDAMOM SEEDS 400 GM
BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS 100 GM
YELLOW MUSTARD SEEDS 100 GM
BLACK PEEPER SEEDS 100 GM
CINNAMON STICKS 50 GM
DRIED RED CHILLI -WHOLE 100 GM
BAY LEAVES 50 GM
ASHOKA KASURI METHI 25 GM
KASURI METHI 100 GM
AJWAIN SEEDS 100 GM
KALONJI SEEDS 200 GM
TAMARIND 454 GM
CURRY LEAVES 30 GM
MIXED MASALA WHOLE 250 GM
NUTMEG SEED 50 GM
SESAME SEEDS

[J.Wu]

oi, this place saves me. They even supply fresh rockett.
yeah!

http://www.pnpfood.com/

[Dragonbones]

Yeah, but be aware that many of their (P&P's) items are available by special order. Also, not everything for sale is on display. It's not a normal shop. If you go down there as a walk-in, don't be afraid to ask for anything under the sun you might need. They may have it, or may be able to order it. They also have a catalog (again, not everything in it is in stock, but they can get it). Contact them or PM me your email address if you want a copy. And it's best not to ask them to cut small slivers of things (like cheeses). They get testy. They're a wholesaler and restaurant supply, not a deli.

They do have saffron.

[Dragonbones]

Yes, Trinity has whole nutmeg, about $10NT per.

M/s. Trinity Super Stores,
2 / F, NO : 137, Zhongxiao East Road,
Sec 5, Taipei,Taiwan.

MRT station : Taipei City Hall MRT Station,Exit # 4, Two Minutes straight walking.

TEL: + 886 2 27567992 , FAX :+ 886 2 27568042

Email : jobi@trinityworldwide.com
URL : http://www.trinityworldwide.com

[thisisxnecessary]

ahh fantastic! thanks!

[urodacus]

candlenuts?

curry leaves?

laksa leaves?

can you tell I like Malay food?

[Dragonbones]

Trinity has curry leaves. They have quite a wide selection, so although I didn't check on the other two you mention, they might have them. You can easily email or ring them to check.

[lostinasia]

I was pleasantly shocked to find laksa leaves in Vancouver this summer - it's the first time I've seen them anywhere. I've failed to find them here. (Laksa leaf is also called Vietnamese mint, Vietnamese coriander, and Vietnamese cilantro; a few Vietnamese places have told me "Taiwan meiyou" when I've asked if they have "Yuenan xiangcai", but I don't think I've ever tried with the Vietnamese name - rau răm, according to Wikipedia.)

Curry leaves: I've seen these around - I believe City Super may have them in their house-brand jars.

Candlenuts: I don't know. I think I asked about these in another thread, and someone suggested one of the Burmese or Thai districts, somewhere on the Nanxiao line. I've yet to get there.

Malay food: do you know any good restaurants? I was so excited when the Little Penang (?) place opened in Taipei Main Station - their menu looks brilliant, but the food... oh well.

[urodacus]

menu looks brilliant, but the food... oh well.

That's too often the case.

Vietnamese mint should grow simply unstoppably in Taiwan, but I rarely see any for sale. Vietnamese restaurants I have eaten at tend to use Thai basil or something else as a substitute, but it's just not the same in goi cuon, for example. But is laksa leaf exactly the same as Vietnamese mint? I think it's simlar but might be another strain, a bit like the many kinds of basil out there.

Candlenuts can be substituted for with macadamia nuts, crushed, but it doesn't thicken a rendang up all that well.

[lostinasia]

But is laksa leaf exactly the same as Vietnamese mint? I think it's simlar but might be another strain, a bit like the many kinds of basil out there.

Wikipedia, Australian Women's Weekly, and James Oseland (in "Cradle of Flavor") all have them as identical. From Oseland: "Vietnamese basil, which is also known as daun laksa, daun kesum, polyganum (its Latin name), and rau ram (its true Vietnamese name)..."

I wouldn't trust Wikipedia alone, but Oseland seems to know what he's talking about.

(One of these days I'll be able to properly review "Cradle of Flavor" - a lovely cookbook to drool and reminisce over, but I've yet to actually try cooking with it.)