Ingredient |
Explanation |
Bamboo Shoots
(Juk Suhn) |
Young edible shoots of tropical bamboo, pale yellow with a crunchy texture. They are available canned. Look for Winter Bamboo
Shoots as they are milder and more tender. To store after opening, rinse, place in a covered jar filled with water. Change water daily and they will keep up to two weeks |
Bean Curd
(Dow Foo) |
It is made by grinding soaked soy beans with water into a milk which then coagulates into a soft cake. Bean curd is sold
in two forms: Solid firm cakes, used for stir frying, braising and poaching and soft cakes which are used in soups. It may also be purchased dried. To store cover with water in an open jar and refrigerate. Will keep two weeks if
water is changed daily. |
Beans, black
(Dow See) |
Small black soybeans. Preserved with spices and salt. Comes canned or in plastic bags. They must be rinsed well before using.
They are very salty and are used generally as a seasoning mashed or chopped with garlic or ginger. To store transfer canned beans with liquid into a sealed jar and refrigerate. Store dry beans in sealed jars in the pantry. Both
keep indefinitely. |
Beans, red
(Hung Dow Sah) |
A thick sweet paste made from red soy beans, used primarily for deserts. Refrigerate covered. |
Bean Sprouts
(Ngah Choi) |
Mung bean sprouts. Obtainable canned or fresh in most supermarkets. |
Bean Thread
(Fun See) |
Cellophane like, translucent very thin noodles. Soak in cold water before using. |
Broccoli, Chinese
(Gai Lan)
|
Similar in texture but not in taste to European broccoli. Available seasonal at oriental supermarkets. Normal broccoli may be
substituted. |
Celery Cabbage
(Sieu Choi) |
Now grown in Europe as well and available in most supermarkets. May be eaten raw. Closed head cabbage may be substituted. |
Chinese Cabbage
(Bak Choi) |
Long succulent celery like stems with dark green leaves. Cannot be eaten raw. |
Citrus Peel, dried |
Dried orange and tangerine peel are frequently used in Chinese cooking. They may be purchased at oriental shops or you can dry
your own. Thread strips of peel on a string and let dry slowly in a warm dry room or prepare them quickly in a 50oC oven. |
Clouds Ears
(Wun Yee) |
Dried black or dark brown fungus which grows on trees. Expands to several times its size when soaked. Used for its crisp and
crunchy texture. |
Chilies |
Chilies are used extensively in western China and obtainable fresh, dried and ground.
Fresh:
Small and elongated. The red is generally milder than the green. To prepare: rinse in cold water. Slit lengthwise, remove and discard seeds. Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Dried:
Small (1 cm) long red chilies. Normally prepared whole with tips removed and seeds left in. They are blackened in the hot oil and left in during cooking. They are extremely hot and it is advisable that you use the lowest number suggested in the recipe the first time. Wash hands with soap and water after handling fresh or dried chilies.
Chili Powder (Cayenne Pepper): Potency ranges from hot to very hot. |
Cornstarch / Cornflour
(Dow Fun)
|
Used to thicken sauces, tenderize meat and make crispier deep fried coatings. Mix with cold water to form a thin paste before
adding to hot sauce as thickener. |
Five Spice Powder
(Ng Heung Fun) |
A ground mixture of cinnamon, clove, fennel seed, star anise and Szechwan pepper. |
Garlic
(Seun Tao) |
Garlic has been used in China for thousands of years. It is used mostly to add flavor to oil in stir frying or mashed with brown
or black beans for seasoning. |
Ginger |
Fresh ginger root is used extensively in
Chinese cooking it adds a delicate pungency to food and neutralizes the fishy smell in seafood dishes.
Powdered Chinese ginger
has a very distinctive flavor and cannot be substituted for fresh ginger or by western ground ginger.
Preserved ginger, chunks of ginger root, preserved in sugar syrup. Used in desserts.
Candied ginger,
crystallized ginger. Eaten as candy and in desserts.
Ginger Sherry
is used as seasoning in many dishes. To prepare: place ginger root in a small jar cover with a medium sherry seal and leave to infuse. Top up with sherry after each use. It is also a good method of preserving fresh ginger for cooking.
|
Golden Needle
(Gum Jum) |
Also known as lily buds. From 5 - 8 cm long it resembles dried Tiger Lily. Should be softend in water before cooking |
Hoisin Sauce
(Barbecue Sauce)
|
Thick sweet brownish red sauce made from soybeans, sugar, flour and spices. May be stored in sealed jar in refrigerator. |
Mushrooms |
Dried black mushrooms (Dung Goo):
There are several varieties ranging in color from black to brown. Those with large cracks, called Flower Mushrooms are the most flavorful and most expensive and the best for use in soups. To prepare: Wash and rinse mushrooms, soak in hot water for 25 - 30 minutes or preferably in cold water overnight. Squeeze out excess water and remove inedible stems. They are now ready for cooking.
Straw mushrooms: Have a delicate flavor and a smooth texture. They resemble half open umbrellas and can be purchased canned. Drain and rinse before using. |
Oyster Sauce
(Ho Yao) |
A thick brownish sauce made from a concentrate of oysters cooked in soy sauce and brine. It is used for dipping and stir frying.
Store in refrigerator. |
Plum Sauce
(Suhn Mui Jeung)
|
Thick reddish brown sauce with a sweet & sour flavor it is made from plums, apricots, chili, vinegar and sugar. Used as a
dip. |
Sausages, Chinese
(Lop Cheong)
|
12 cm long thin dried sausages made from pork meat or duck or pork liver. They must be cooked before eating. |
Sesame Oil
(Gee Mah Yao) |
Thick rich amber colored oil made from roasted sesame seeds. It has a very distinctive nutty flavor and aroma. |
Sesame Paste |
A thick rich creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. If unavailable you may substitute peanut butter. |
Soy Sauce
(See Yao) |
An essential ingredient to Chinese cooking, it is made from fermented soybeans, wheat flour, salt, yeast and water.
Light Soy: Though lighter in color and slightly thinner than the dark soy, light soy is saltier and therefore used for flavoring. Referred to as Superior Soy.
Dark Soy:
Darker and slightly thicker it is better for stews, coloring and dips. Referred to as Soy Superior Sauce (Epais). |
Star Anise
(Bat Gok) |
A licorice flavored spice which is shaped like an eight pointed star. A small amount of anise powder may be used as a
substitute. |
Szechwan Pepper
(Fagara) |
Reddish-brown with an extremely hot flavor. They are actually the dried berries of a citrus shrub and not peppercorns. They are
generally roasted before grinding to bring out their full flavor. To Roast: heat a wok or heavy fry pan to a medium heat. Add peppercorns and stir fry several minutes till they start to brown and smoke slightly. Remove pan from
heat and let cool. Grind using a pepper mill or mortar and pestle or leave whole till needed. Store in a tightly sealed container. |
Spring Roll Skins
(Chen Guin Pae)
|
Paper thin pastry wrappers approximately 20 cm square made from water and flour. May be purchased ready made and kept frozen..
|
Water Chestnuts
(Mah Tai) |
A dark brown bulb of about the size of a walnut. In China they are peeled and eaten like fruit either raw or cooked in sugar
water. Canned cooked water chestnuts are easily obtainable in most grocery stores. They don't have the taste of fresh ones but do retain their crunchy texture. Rinse before using and store covered in water in a sealed container.
If water is changed daily they will keep in refrigerator for several weeks. |
Won Ton Skins
(Won Ton Pae)
|
7,5 cm square or round pastry skins made from water, flour and egg. They will be filled with meat, seafood and/or vegetables and
steamed, boiled or deep-fried. They may be used to make mini-spring rolls for appetizers |
