Chinese Cuisine

Water Chestnuts

A knobby vegetable with papery brown skin, it is an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes. Indigenous to Southeast Asia, the water chestnut is valued both for its sweetness and its ability to maintain a crisp texture when cooked.

Oyster Sauce

A rich sauce made from boiled oysters and seasonings, it does not have a fishy taste. Its savory flavor is used in meat and vegetable dishes, and is an important ingredient in Cantonese cooking.

Roll-cutting

For carrots, zucchini, and other cylindrical vegetables, hold the knife perpendicular to the board and slice down on a diagonal angle, then roll the vegetable a quarter turn and slice at the same angle; keep rolling and slicing a quarter turn at a time.

Chrysanthemums

Fresh white chrysanthemum petals are edible. They are used as a garnish for a number of banquet dishes or dried and used for tea. Chrysanthemum tea is popular with Cantonese people when eating dim sum and it is often sweetened with rock sugar. As with all edible flowers, they should not be exposed to pesticides.

Hair Vegetable (Facai)

Freshwater algae, with the appearance of course, dull, black human hair. Valued in vegetarian cuisine.

Sesame Seed Paste

Roasted sesame seeds ground to a thick aromatic paste.

Agar-Agar

A Japanese seaweed product sold in the form of 8-inch long bars with 1-inch- square cross section or thin sticks ⅛ inch in diameter. Usually colorless but sometimes dyed a deep red, it is used much like clear gelatin, but has a different texture. While gelatin gels are resilient, gels made of agar-agar liquid break cleanly on the bite. For best results, pass the boiled agar-agar liquid through a sieve to remove the undissolved particles before gelling. Agar-agar sticks, cut into 2-inch lengths, are often mixed with fresh cucumber shreds and soy sauce in a northern Chinese salad. A favorite agar-agar dessert is almond bean curd, which is agar-agar gel flavored with milk, sugar, and almond essence, but no bean curd.

Five-Spice Powder

A common ingredient in Chinese cooking, this delicious mixture of five ground spices usually consists of equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns.

Wood Ear Mushroom

A distant relative of the cloud ear fungus. Larger and somewhat tougher, they lack the delicate taste of cloud ears. They can be soaked in cold instead of warm water.

Crushing

A fast, easy way to smash ginger, garlic, and lemongrass, place the knife flat on the ingredient with the blade facing away and press down hard on the blade with the palm of your hand.

Hot Mustard

A popular condiment served with Chinese appetizers; you'll also often find it added to sauces in Japanese dishes. It is made by mixing dry mustard powder with water, causing a chemical reaction that produces a sharp, hot taste.

Cornstarch (Cornflour)

A powdery "flour," nearly all starch, obtained from the endosperm of corn. Mixed with water to form a paste, it is often added to stir-fries as a thickening agent near the final cooking stages, as overcooked cornstarch loses its power as a thickener. If necessary, cornstarch can be used as a substitute for tapioca starch.

Duck, Preserved (Laya, Winter-Preserved Duck)

A salted whole duck, flattened into a roughly circular disc and dried. The best ones come from Nanan in Jiangxi Province, just north of the border with Guangdong. Preserved duck from Nanking is called banya (board duck).

Oil (Dipping) Poaching

A technique used to give the meat a more tender texture, oil poaching (also called velveting) seals the meat.

Hoisin Sauce

A thick sauce valued for its unique combination of sweet and spicy flavors. It is made from soybean paste and flavored with garlic, sugar, chiles, and other spices and ingredients.

Bean Cheese

Also called fermented bean cake, or furu. A fermented soybean product in the form of tiny yellow bricks, it is soft, salty, and pungent. It is used to accompany congee and oil-strips for breakfast. Subtle-tasting red bean cheese (nanru) is used extensively to flavor pork dishes and Cantonese snacks.

Straw Mushrooms

Delicate meaty texture and fine flavor, used for many soups and vegetable dishes.

Red Cooking

Similar to Western braising, the cooking liquid is a soy sauce-based liquid.

Mincing

Slice or dice the ingredient into small pieces, then using the tip of the knife as a pivot, move only the lower blade in a chopping motion, from side to side across the ingredient until it is finely minced.

Hua Diao ("Flower-Engraved")

The best yellow wine from Xiaoxing Province.

Shark's Fin

The pale yellow, translucent ligaments within the fins of the shark.

Dragon Well Tea

This is the most well-known green tea, grown in Hangzhou Province near Dragon Well Spring, the water of which is almost as famous.

Rice Vinegar

Chinese rice vinegars are milder and less acidic than regular vinegar (as are Japanese vinegars). There are three basic types—black, red, and white—as well as sweetened black vinegars. The black variety is somewhat similar to balsamic vinegar, while red vinegar has both a sweet and tart taste. White vinegar is the closest in acidity and flavor to cider vinegar. There are no hard and fast rules, but black vinegar is generally recommended for braised dishes and as a dipping sauce; red vinegar for soups, noodle, and seafood dishes; and white for sweet and sour dishes and for pickling. In recipes, rice vinegar is sometimes also called rice wine vinegar.

Sugar, Rock

Comes in chunks that look like crystals, has a subtle taste, and is used in most braised or "red-cooked" dishes.

Chestnuts

Considered one of the best companions to chicken, available fresh or dried. The Chinese chestnut is easy to peel and has a smooth surface. Dried chestnuts should be soaked for hours before use. Chestnut paste is used commonly in North China for cakes and fillings of pastries or puddings.

Mushrooms, Chinese Black

Dried mushrooms. The name is a bit of a misnomer, since Chinese black mushrooms can be light brown, dark brown, and even gray. They are frequently speckled. Chinese black mushrooms (also known as shiitake mushrooms) range in price from moderate to quite expensive. The more costly are often called flower mushrooms because they have a thick cap and a nice curl. The drying process gives them a stronger flavor. Before use, soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, and remove the stems.

Blackfish Roe

Dried roe of the blackfish (wu fish); thin slices are roasted and consumed as a snack in Fujian and Taiwan.

Cellophane Noodles (Fensi, Flour Threads, Bean Threads)

Dried white threads made of the flour of the mung bean, they turn translucent and resilient when cooked, and are important in country cooking. A related product is fenpi (flour skin), which is a platter-size sheet of the same material.

Eggs, Thousand-Year-Old

Duck eggs that have been preserved in potash, they acquire a blue- black yolk and a translucent brown egg white.

Fish Lips and Fish Maws

Fish lips are the meaty part of the shark near the mouth and fins. Fish maws are dried, deep-fried bladders of a large fish, usually cod.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is a thin, salty liquid used in place of salt as a seasoning in many Asian recipes. It is also used as a dipping sauce. Chinese brands are often labeled "fish gravy" or "fish sauce," while it is called nuoc mam in Vietnam and nam pla in Thailand. However, they are all basically the same product, although the Thai and Vietnamese brands are considered superior.

Szechuan (Sichuan) Peppercorn

Also called anise pepper, brown peppercorn, Chinese aromatic pepper, Chinese pepper, flower pepper, sancho, Japanese pepper, Japan pepper, wild pepper, and fagara pepper. Reddish-brown peppercorns, native to Szechuan Province. Much stronger and more fragrant than black peppercorns. These aren't true peppercorns, but rather dried flower buds.

Dates, Chinese Red

Also called jujube dates, these are sold in dried form. They are used in soups, steamed chicken as garnish, and also as a filling for pastries.

Lychee Nuts

Also called litchi nut, lichee nut, lichi nut, and leechee nut. These are sun-dried litchis. The outer shells are brown and the meat inside looks like a large raisin.

Lychee

Also called litchi, lichee, lichi, leeched, and laichee. Popular Chinese fruit about the size of a walnut, with a bumpy red shell encasing white translucent pulp that's similar in texture to a grape. The flavor is sweet, exotic, and very juicy.

Bitter Melon or Foo Gwa

Also known as balsam pear, this is a very strange-looking gourd, shaped something like a cucumber with a rough, pockmarked skin. The flavor is unusual as well; like cilantro, it's an acquired taste.

Dried Lily Buds

Also known as golden needles and tiger lilies, dried lily buds are the unopened flowers of day lilies. Dried lily buds are yellow-gold in color, with a musky or earthy taste. Before using, cut off about ¼ inch at the bottom to get rid of the woody stem. Like many other "woodsy" Chinese vegetables, lily buds must be soaked in warm water before use, for about 30 minutes.

Snow Peas

Also known as mangetout, French for "eat it all." The French name comes from the fact that the whole pea including the pod is eaten.

Chinese White Radish or Lo Bak

Also known simply as white radish and in Japan as daikon, this popular Asian vegetable has no resemblance to the round red radishes. Chinese cooks use it for soups and stir-fries.

Sesame Oil

Amber-colored, aromatic oil, made from pressed and toasted sesame seeds. Not for use as a cooking oil. Has an intense flavor and very low smoke point.

Cilantro or Chinese Parsley

An aromatic herb with flat leaves, cilantro is the leaf of the coriander plant. Featured prominently in Asian and Latin cuisines, Chinese cooks use cilantro in soups, stir-fries, and frequently as a garnish. Although a member of the parsley family, cilantro has a much stronger flavor, which its detractors have described as "soapy."

Green Onion, Spring Onion, or Scallion

An immature onion with a white base (not yet a bulb) and long green leaves. Both parts are edible.

Fennel

An important ingredient in five-spice powder and in lu, the south China simmering sauce. Aniseed is often substituted.

Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo plants propagate by issuing shoots from below the ground. The texture of the shoots changes with the seasons. Winter shoots, stubby and firm, have a meatlike chewiness; spring shoots are slender and tender; most commonly available are summer shoots, looser in texture, succulent, though inclined to be bitter. In North America fresh shoots are a rarity and the quality of canned shoots varies greatly with the brand. Winter and spring shoots are so specified on cans; unspecified ones are

Congee

Boiled rice porridge. Plain congee with oil-strips, bean cheese, and pickles is a standard breakfast for many Chinese. Common in South China is congee with meat, chicken, roast duck, animal organs, and/or peanuts.

Chile Pepper Products

Chile pepper oil is red and very hot. It is a common table condiment and comes in two types: those made of ground chiles are orange red, somewhat like Tabasco sauce, but are thicker in consistency and are not vinegary; those made of crushed chiles often contain added ingredients such as ginger, fermented black beans, and shallots. Dried

Brown Sugar

Chinese brown sugar comes in slabs like an elongated domino. Each slab looks like a sandwich, brown and solid top and bottom, and lightly yellow and powdery in between. Common brown sugar serves the same purpose except for the appearance.

White-Cooking

A typical Cantonese technique to cook a whole fowl or fish by immersing it in boiling water. The heat is then turned off and the pot is covered until the item is done. The word for "white" in Chinese means "plain."

Broad Beans (Fava Beans)

A very common vegetable, especially in north China. The pods are poisonous and must be removed. Served as a vegetable in stir-fries, in soups, as a paste, or as a snack.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

A white crystalline compound used to enhance flavor. Note that MSG may not be suitable for everyone.

Chives, Chinese and Yellow

Chinese chives, often called Chinese leeks, have the shape of chives and the odor of leeks. They are used for stir-frying, for making egg pancakes, and for stuffing dumplings in north China cuisine. Yellow chives are grown in the dark; they are pale yellow and tender. Both Chinese chives and yellow chives are available in large Western Chinatowns.

Lotus root

Grows underwater. It is starchy when cooked, but crispy and refreshing when raw. Slices of the lotus root have a beautiful pattern. Substitute water chestnuts or jicama.

Slicing

Hold the knife vertical or horizontal to the cutting board and cut straight across the ingredient.

Marinade

In Chinese cooking the primary reason meat is marinated before cooking is to improve flavor. The amount of marinade should be just sufficient to coat the meat or fish. Red meat is typically marinated with a little oil to prevent them from becoming dry and sticking

Lo Mein

In this dish, boiled and drained noodles are added to the other ingredients and stir- fried briefly during the final stages of cooking. This gives the noodles more flavor than is the case with chow mein, where the meat and vegetables are served over noodles that have been cooked separately.

Soy Sauce

Invented by the Chinese approximately 3,000 years ago, soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, wheat flour, water, and salt. The two main types of soy sauce are light and dark. As the name implies, light soy sauce is lighter in color, and also sweeter than dark soy sauce. Aged for a longer period of time, dark soy sauce is thicker and blacker in color. It is also less salty than light soy. It is used in certain recipes to add color, and as a dipping sauce.

Rice Wine

Known colloquially as yellow wine, rice wine is a rich-flavored liquid made from fermented glutinous rice or millet and has a relatively low alcohol content. Aged for ten years or more, rice wine is used both in drinking and cooking. Pale dry sherry is the most acceptable substitute.

Fuzzy Melon (Mo Gwa)

Looks like a zucchini covered with fuzz. While zucchini is a type of squash, fuzzy melon is a gourd, related to winter melon. Peel off the skin or scrub well to remove the fuzz before using.

Dried Shrimps

Made from small shrimp tails, usually sun-dried.

Dried Bean Curd Sticks

Made from soybeans and water, bean curd sticks resemble long yellowish icicles. They feel like thin plastic and break apart quite easily. They must be soaked overnight in cold water before use, or boiled for 20 minutes, or soaked in warm water for 1-2 hours.

Tapioca

Made from the starch of the cassava root, tapioca comes in several forms, including granules and flour, as well as the pellets that are called pearl tapioca. Tapioca starch is often used to make dumpling dough, or as a thickening agent.

Wonton Wrappers

Made of flour, water, salt, and eggs; sold fresh or frozen. The dough is cut in 3½ inch (8.75 cm) squares.

Dicing

Make the julienne sticks above, line the sticks up perpendicular to the knife blade, and cut straight down to get the size cubes called for in your recipe, usually ¼ -to ½ -inch (.6 to 1.2 cm).

Bacon, Chinese

Meat from the belly of the pig, with lean and fat layers interlaced and skin attached, is called five-flower meat in China, and is used extensively, especially in braised dishes in which ¼ -inch-thick slices are separated by slices of starchy vegetables, such as taro. Winter-preserved meat (laro), often called Chinese bacon, also uses this cut, and is marinated first, then dried in the winter sun.

Bird's Nest

Nests formed on sheer cliffs made of dried swallow saliva, found in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The best ones are crystalline white, sometimes tinged with pink. Lower grades may be gray with adhered swallow down. Very expensive and getting rarer every year.

Chinese Almonds

Not really almonds at all, Chinese almonds are seeds of the apricot, and come in two varieties. Southern almonds are mild, interchangeable in taste with American almonds; northern almonds are more bitter. A soup recipe may call for both types. American almonds are known to the herbist as flatpeach seed.

Bamboo Fungi

Often mistakenly thought to be the lining of the hollow bamboo stem, these are a relative of the North American stinkhorn. The unique crisp texture is similar to bamboo shoots. This is one of the most expensive edible fungi in China, often three times more the price of French truffles.

Winter Melon (Dong Gua)

Resembles a large watermelon with dark green skin. The flesh inside is white, looking much like it has been lightly covered with snow, and the seeds are white as well. Winter melon has a very mild, sweet taste. It is used in soups and stir-fries, where it absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with.

Cloud Ear, Black

Ruffle-edged, thin, black mushrooms. Cloud ears are similar in appearance to wood ears except wood ears are black with a brownish-tan inner color, whereas cloud ears are black with a slightly lighter shade of black as their inner color. Cloud ears have a more delicate, milder flavor and are much smaller than wood ears. Cloud ears reconstitute to a puffy, soft, smooth texture and delicate flavor.

Aniseeds

Seeds from the anise plant, similar to fennel in both taste and appearance.

Chinese Cabbage (Sui Choy) or Napa Cabbage

Several types of Chinese cabbage exist. The variety most commonly associated with Chinese cabbage is Napa cabbage, the large-headed cabbage with firmly packed, pale green leaves. It is also known as Peking cabbage and celery cabbage. Lining a bamboo steamer with cabbage helps prevent food from sticking to the bottom.

Chinese Sausage or Lop Cheong

Smaller (up to 6 inches in length) and thinner than western sausages, these are usually made from pork or liver. The taste varies somewhat depending on the ingredients used, but they generally have a sweet-salty flavor.

Dried Tangerine Peel

Soak the tangerine peel in warm water to soften it before using.

Mushroom Soy Sauce

Soy sauce that has been infused with the flavor of straw mushrooms.

Bean Sprouts

Sprouts from both soybeans and mung beans are used extensively in Chinese cooking. Mung bean sprouts have a fresh taste and a crisp, almost crystalline texture. This is true also of the stems of soybean sprouts. However, the large, yellow head of the latter is chewy and meatlike.

Wok

The most important piece of Chinese cooking equipment, a wok can be used for stir- frying, deep-frying, steaming, and roasting. While a frying pan can be used in place of a wok for stir-frying (cast iron is particularly good), a wok has numerous advantages in shape, design, and material. It distributes heat more evenly, and requires less oil to cook with. There are two instruments traditionally used for cooking with a wok: a long-handled spoon and a long-handled perforated scoop with a slightly rounded edge.

Bean Curd

The process of making bean curd from soybeans has much in common with making cheese. Known as doufu in China and tofu in Japan and commonly called "meat without bones," it is extremely high in protein. Although quite bland in taste, it absorbs the flavors of the food it is cooked with and is used in a number of dishes, from soups and sauces to stir-fries. It is offered in three texture grades; Soft—Soft and smooth, used mostly for soups and steamed dishes; Semi-soft;and Hard—More substantial, used mostly for cutting into slices and cubes, or pressed and then shredded.

Ginger

The roots of the ginger plant, an indispensable ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Valued for its clean, sharp flavor, ginger is used in soups, stir-fries, and marinades. It is especially good with seafood, as it can cover up strong fish odors.

Snow Pea Shoots

The tips of the vines and the top set of leaves of the pea plant are an Oriental delicacy. They can be served raw in salads, quickly cooked in stir-fries, or blanched and used in soups.

Black Beans, Fermented

These beans come already cooked, fermented, and seasoned with salt and ginger. They are widely used in stir-frying and steaming in country cooking all over south China.

Caul or Lace Fat (Wangyou, "Net-fat")

This is a net of stringy fat that forms a casing, used for wrapping food before cooking for a self-braising effect, to improve external appearance, and to add special chewiness.

Bird Chiles

Tiny chiles, extremely hot.

Cassia Blossoms, Preserved (Guihua)

Tiny yellow flowers of the osmanthus preserved in sugar or salt. They are used extensively in east and north China for their sweet fragrance in dumplings, pastries, and sauces.

Julienne and Shredding

To get narrow strips, slice the ingredient into pieces of roughly ⅛ inch (.3 cm) thickness, stack two or three of these pieces, and cut them again into ⅛ -inch (.3 cm) sticks.

Gingko Nuts or White Nuts

Typically used in desserts and stir-fries. Substitute blanched almonds or pine nuts.

Star Anise

Whole star anise looks like an eight-pointed star about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. It gives a licorice flavor to savory dishes, particularly those with pork and poultry.

Amaranth

Young leaves and stems of this decorative plant are a common vegetable (xiancai) in east and south China. Salt-preserved amaranth stems, thick as a thumb, is an east China specialty.