| A high source of protein, some nuts, beans and seeds are important staples in oriental cooking. Pressed to make oils and butters, fermented to make sauces and pasties, they also play an important role in vegetarian cuisine.
Peanuts
Because of its mild nutty flavour it is popular in stir fries. Peanuts cooked in a pork or chicken broth are soft, sweet and a family favourite in some Chinese households. A vital ingredient in satay sauce it is sometimes added to stir fries for added crunch. Made into brittle with caramelized sugar it is a popular snack. 
Lotus Nuts
Regarded as a delicacy, lotus nuts are used as a sweet filling for Chinese and Japanese cakes and snacks. Sometimes the nut is boiled and added to sweet soups, often served up as an afternoon snack. Care must be taken to remove the little bitter shoot within the nut before serving.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds, both plain and toasted, are widely used in Chinese cooking. Added at the end of cooking it adds flavour and aroma to a cooked dish. The seeds are added to many savoury and sweet dishes; sesame brittle is made by combining the seeds with caramalized sugar. In the Middle East, sesame seeds are ground to make tahini, a healthy alternative to butter and a key ingredient of hummus. Here we show both plain and toasted sesame seeds.
Salted Black Beans
These are whole soya beans which have been fermented and preserved in salt (sometimes with ginger and orange peel) and dried. These salty black beans need to be soaked in water before use. Often bottled as a ready to use sauce it is a boon to the novice or busy cook. Sometimes black beans are mashed and combined with chilli, garlic and sugar to make a spicy bean paste.
Preserved Yellow Beans
Different from black beans which can be bought loose in packets, fermented yellow beans are sold in jars. The jars contain the beans which have been fermented in salt, sugar and flour together with the preserving liquor. Yellow beans can be added to hotpot, sauces and stir fries.
Red Aduki Beans
These beans are used in Chinese and Japanese sweets and snacks, in their whole or sweet pureed form. This sweet paste is used as a filling in buns, pancakes, pastries and Japanese moochi, a glutinous ball. It is often served as an afternoon snack, cooked in rock sugar and flavoured with pandanus leaves, available in paste forms in cans.
Green Mung Beans
A source of good dietry fibre, mung beans are more easily identified in their germinated state; bean sprouts.Countries from all over Asia use these beans, in whole or sprouted form, in many sweet and savoury dishes. These beans are also ground to make soft and slippery cellophane or glass noodles. In many Asian countries boiled mung beans are added to frozen ice lollies.
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