Basic Chinese Ingredients
Bamboo shoots are the fresh shoots of the bamboo plant, which make an excellent vegetable. Fresh shoots taste better than canned, but must be peeled, sliced and boiled in water for about 20 minutes before using. Pre-cooked sliced bamboo shoots, packed in water, can be found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets and are convenient and ready to use. Canned bamboo shoots should be boiled for 5 minutes to refresh before using.
Black bean paste (tau cheo) is similar to Japanese miso but much saltier—made of soft, slightly fermented soybeans in a salty brown sauce with a distinctive tang. They are mashed and used to season fish, noodle and some vegetable dishes. They are sold in bottles in supermarkets.
Oyster sauce is a sauce that is soy-based with oyster extract. Vegetarians should look for a version sold as "mushroom oyster sauce".
Rice wine is used frequently in Chinese cooking. Japanese sake, mirin or a dry sherry may all be used as substitutes.
Sesame oil is extracted from sesame seeds that have been toasted, producing a dark, dense and highly aromatic oil that is used for marinades, sauces and soups, or as a table condiment. Its nutty, smokey flavor has become a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.
Black Chinese mushrooms have large caps with creamy gills. They are normally sold dried, but are also available fresh in many places (same as shiitake). The stems of the dried mushrooms are discarded because they are too tough to eat. Fresh shiitake stems are quite edible. Dried black mushrooms are often preferred because their flavor is stronger than fresh ones. They must be reconstituted by soaking in hot water for 20 minutes or longer (up to an hour if you've purchased the thicker, more expensive grade). Squeeze them gently to remove excess moisture, trim and discard the stems, but save the stems and the soaking water to add to your soup stock.
Black Chinese vinegar is made from rice, wheat and millet or sorghum. The best black vinegars are well-aged and have a complex, smoky flavor similar to balsamic, which may be substituted. Chinese cooks add black vinegar sparingly to sauces, dips and when braising meats.
Sichuan pepper is also known as fagara, Chinese pepper or flower pepper (hua jiao in Mandarin). It has a sharp pungence that tingles and slightly numbs the lips and tongue, an effect known in Chinese as ma la "numb hot".
Sichuan pepper-salt powder may be prepared by toasting 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns in a dry pan with 1 teaspoon of sea salt, then grinding the mixture to a fine powder. This makes an excellent table condiment.
Sesame paste is made from ground, roasted sesame seeds and comes in glass jars covered with oil. It is quite hard and needs to be mixed with a little sesame oil or water to make it into a smooth paste. If you can't find it, use Middle Eastern tahini mixed with some sesame oil to give it more flavor. Not to be confused with sweet sesame paste made from black sesame seeds which is used in some snacks and desserts.
White fungus is also known as white wood ears, and has a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet flavor. It is sold dried and must be soaked in water before using.
Wood ear fungus is a type of thin, crinkly mushroom added to dishes for its crunchy texture. It is available both fresh and dried. Wash well and discard any hard patch in the center. Soak dried wood ear fungus in water until soft before using.
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Soft tofu |
Tofu skin |
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Dried sweet tofu strips (tau kee) |
Firm tofu |
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Pressed tofu |
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Tofu or bean curd comes in various form. Soft tofu is silky and smooth but difficult to cook because it falls apart. Firm tofu holds its shape well when cut or cooked and has a strong, slightly sour taste. Pressed tofu (often confusingly labeled as firm tofu) is a type of firm tofu with much of the moisture extracted and is therefore much firmer in texture and excellent for stir-fries. Refrigerate fresh tofu closed in a plastic container submerged in water. Tofu skin is the dried skin that forms on top of boiling soy milk; it is dried and sold in sheets as a wrapper, or as tau fu kee a thick twisted skin added to meat or vegetable dishes. Dried sweet tofu strips are chewy and only slightly sweet. They are brown in color and are often used in vegetarian cooking as a meat substitute.
