Some of my standard substitutions for Asian-food staples:
- Soy sauce = Maggi Seasoning (no soy, but wheat) never bothers my mild soy allergy.
- Soy sauce = Two friends recommend San-J Wheat-Free Tamari [1] (I’ve never used it – you know, the soy). Another friend recommends Bragg’s Liquid Aminos [2]
- Fish sauce = add a 1inchx2inch piece of cooked salmon (or raw if you’re making soup anyway)
- Fish sauce = add a 1inchx2inch piece of smoked salmon works too
- Fish sauce = (I know the above don’t help you if you have a fish allergy – for you I’d add a good dollop of salt, or perhaps some seaweed if that works) You might even try beef bouillon
- sesame oil = canola oil with a touch of Maggi or “soy sauce”
- sesame oil = canola oil with some spice added, try a grind or two of white pepper to get that “Asian spice flavor”, or a bit of Fenugreek to add the richness of sesame
- “seasoned” rice wine vinegar = usually is seasoned with sugar and salt. Judge for yourself whether it is worth the risk, we have no trouble with it
- rice wine vinegar = white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with a little sugar
- bean sprouts = julienned broccoli stems (crazy, right?!)
- Shiso leaf = peppermint leaf or basil leaf (it isn’t at all the same, but sometimes random weird ideas work)
- bean noodles = rice noodles