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Sunday, February 2, 2014

Essential Chinese Cooking Ingredients


Drained tinned bamboo shoots provide texture and flavor . Use them in stir-fries and soups. They are rarely available fresh buying .

Chile bean paste
Mostly used in Sichuan cuisine , this spicy , salty paste made ​​from fermented soy beans, dried chilli and other spices. Use with caution , as some varieties are extremely hot.

Chile Sauce
A spicy seasoning, chili sauce is a mixture of chili , sometimes mixed with garlic and vinegar. It is used as a dipping sauce as well as in the kitchen.

Dried Chile Flakes
These are made ​​from dried whole red chillies, including the seeds, which are crushed into flakes. Enter a fiery heat when added dishes.

Egg noodles (fresh / dried)
The most common type of noodles, egg noodles are made from egg yolks, flour and salt. You can find in various forms and strengths. Some are thin , some are rounded as spaghetti, some are flat, and some wrapped in a ball / nest. These are dried and fresh. Keep the fresh variety in the refrigerator for up to five days . Use egg noodles in soups, lo mein and chow mein dishes.

Five - spice powder
A mixture of cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns , fennel and star anise, give these five spices, the sour, bitter, spicy, sweet and salty flavors found in Chinese cuisine . This spice works very well with meat and marinades.

Glutinous Rice
Cultivated in southern China and Southeast Asia , which is a variety of short grain rice that is especially sticky when cooked (hence " sticky "). It does not contain gluten. The word " tacky " is used to describe its sticky nature. Use make it sticky rice desserts and savory rice dumplings .

Peanut oil
Won this pale oil from peanuts and has a subtle , nutty flavor. This oil can be heated to high temperatures without burning and is great to use in a salad dressing. As an alternative, use vegetable oil.

Jasmine Rice
This long grain rice white and silky comes from Thailand . The rice has a nutty fragrance jasmine and makes a great accompaniment to most dishes . As with most rice, rinse until the water runs clear to get rid of any excess starch before cooking. When cooked, the rice is soft, white and fluffy .

Rice vinegar
In China , vinegar widespread and there are many varieties . Rice vinegar is made ​​from fermented rice and there are two main types , plain and black.

Plain rice vinegar is clear and is better known used as black rice vinegar. Use it in dressings and for pickling . Deputy: Apple Cider Vinegar

Chinkiang black rice vinegar comes from Jiangsu, where it produces in the capital Nanjing. In fact, " Chinkiang " is the old name for " Zhenjiang " (known as a branch of the Yangtze River, which runs through the city of Zhenjiang ) . Therefore, this vinegar should be known as Zhenjiang black rice vinegar. The taste is soft and earthy. When cooked , there is a wonderful smoky flavor dishes . Deputy: balsamic vinegar

Shiitake mushrooms ( fresh and dried)
These large dark brown mushrooms are prized for their culinary and medicinal properties. You can also fresh or dried found by a good texture , are to dishes. They convey an earthy scent umami flavor to soups, stir-fries and casseroles . They are a staple food in China , Japan and most of Asia .

Sichuan peppercorns
Known as " Hua Jiao " in Mandarin, or " flower pepper ", these are not really peppercorns, but the outer pod of the tiny fruit. This ingredient is widely used throughout China and especially in Western China used . It can be fried in a wok , cooked in oil to his taste, or oil mixed with salt as a seasoning for all meat , fish or vegetable dish . It has a pungent lemony flavor.

Soy sauce ( light and dark)
One of the most familiar of Chinese main ingredients is soy sauce made ​​from fermented soybeans and wheat flour. Although most Western supermarkets lead the wort with " soy sauce " , there are actually many types of soy sauce in China and Japan, usually divided into light and dark varieties.

Light soy sauce is thinner and saltier than dark. It is used in China instead of salt , often in soups, stir-fries, braises and stews. Look for the labels "pure bean ", " light " or " thin".

Dark soy sauce is aged more than light and has a softer , less salty taste with a darker color and thicker texture. It is used to give flavor and color Chinese dishes. On the labels , look for the words "dark" or "black. "

Toasted sesame oil
Pressed from white and toasted sesame seeds , this oil is used as a flavoring and is not intended for use as a cooking oil because it burns easily . The taste is intense, so use sparingly.

Water chestnuts (canned )
These are the roots of an aquatic plant grows in freshwater ponds , lakes and slow-flowing rivers and streams. If unpeeled, they resemble a chestnut in shape and color . They have a firm, crunchy texture that is good in salads , soups and stir-fries . They can sometimes be found in vacuum packs , but are usually sold in cans.

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