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Weekly food writer Pat Tanimuhardja found her inspiration for a new iPhone app in the same place she found inspiration for her recent book: grandma. The book, out last year, was The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens. Now the Asian Ingredients 101 app harnesses much of its insight on the fly. Think of it as knowledgeable little ace grandmama chef in your pocket. (Go to http://itunes.apple.com/app/asian-ingredients-101/id380591381?mt=8# to download.)

Here's Tanimuhardja's pitch:

"Have you ever tried cooking pad Thai or beef rendang but just couldn’t make heads or tails of the recipe? Or have you wandered around an Asian market aimlessly searching for an ingredient you can't even pronounce? Fret no more.

"Asian Ingredients 101 is a comprehensive guide to East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian ingredients at your fingertips. Whether you are shopping at an Asian market or traveling in Asia, this app will help you to identify over 100 ingredients ranging from spices to herbs to sauces using color photographs as well as their common names in different languages.

"It also tells you where to find the ingredients at the market (i.e. frozen or dried goods section) and offers little tidbits on selection and preparation."

Smart and easy—which is tasty.