Chinese cuisine is full of unique flavours and taste experiences. The cooking style, methods and ingredients used can be quite different to Western cooking, so in this guide, you’ll be able to see the staple ingredients needed to create the delicious flavours of classic Chinese cuisine!
This is a collaborative post.
For the Cupboard
There are several sauces, seasonings and spices that are frequently used in Chinese cuisine, so if you are looking to create your own authentic Chinese dishes at home, then you will need to stock your cupboards with these items.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is the flavour foundation for many Asian dishes, acting as a vital ingredient in many recipes. Soy sauce offers quite a salty flavour and is typically used in place of salt. Chinese soy sauce is commonly used to add a bit of colour to noodles or rice, as well as being a flavouring.There are a few varieties of soy sauce, which can make choosing the right one tricky if you’re new to cooking these dishes. For this cuisine, you will want to pick a light soy sauce, which is most common for cooking in China. There is also a difference between Chinese and Japanese soy sauce; Japanese soy is sweeter and more balanced in flavour, whereas Chinese soy is saltier, thicker and darker.
Five Spice Powder
A staple for Chinese cooking, you must have five spice powder in your spice rack if you want to try out the cuisine. Five spice is used for marinating and braising ingredients for a really delicious and complex flavour. It adds depth to a meal, but remember that a little can go a long way with this spice!
Sichuan Peppercorns
If you would like to try Sichuan cuisine, then you will need to get your hands on these spicy peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns are different from the pepper used in Western cuisines, like black pepper or chilli pepper. Instead of making food hot or sharp like these peppers, Sichuan tastes slightly lemony and creates a tingling sensation in the mouth.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is used as a dip or drizzle for dishes, rather than as a frying oil. If used as a frying oil, it can burn easily, and make everything cooked taste overwhelmingly of sesame. Instead, a little can be sprinkled over a plated stir fry or used to dip dumplings into.
Chinkiang Vinegar
Also known as black vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar is a rice vinegar that is used for a wide variety of purposes in Chinese cuisine, including cooking stir-fries or as a dipping sauce for dumplings. The vinegar goes through a longer ageing process, which gives it the darker colouring.
Chilli Oil
Similar to sesame oil, chilli oil is not used for cooking food, but is instead used as a finishing touch seasoning. It can also be used as a dipping sauce.
Fresh Ingredients
There are a few fresh ingredients that you should have on hand to add flavour to a Chinese dish. These ingredients can be used to add aroma, flavour and colour to a dish. The most essential fresh flavours include:
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Scallions
Shaoxing Wine
Shaoxing wine is a cooking wine that is used for marinades, flavouring and sauces. Many supermarket versions of Shaoxing wine will contain salt, as it makes it easier to import and sell; however, an authentic Shaoxing wine does not use salt. If you want to use traditional Shaoxing wine, then seek out a Chinese supermarket.
Chinese Cookware
While you can cook your food with whatever utensils you have in your kitchen, for an authentic Chinese cooking experience, it can be a good idea to pick up some cookware essentials.
Wok – The most crucial aspect of Chinese cookware would be a wok, which is a multi-purpose item used for stir-frying, deep-frying, steaming, boiling, braising and stewing!
Chopsticks – As well as being used to eat food, in Chinese cuisine, chopsticks are also commonly used as a utensil for mixing ingredients, turning things in the wok and serving-up noodles.
Bamboo Steamer – Steaming is a common cooking method in Chinese recipes, and will be used to make buns, dumplings, vegetables and meat. Bamboo steamer baskets will be used to do this and can be stacked inside a wok.
Rice Cooker – While you can always cook rice in a pan of boiling water, if you’re serious about Chinese cuisine, then a rice cooker is a must-have! Rice is a staple for Chinese cuisine, and a rice cooker will make cooking easier and ensure the rice is perfect. Some rice cookers will also be able to steam egg or cook porridge, making it a multi-functional appliance.
Hopefully this guide has given you a good idea about what you’ll need to find before you get started with Chinese cookery. Which Chinese dishes will you be cooking first?
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post with Oriental Mart. This post has been pre-written.
