On 8/19/2023 at 10:43 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:
You stole my question!
I wouldn't go so far as to say common, but certainly not unknown. Ginger and garlic are in almost everything, but hot pots and slow cooked dishes such as ribs frequenty also include bay leaves. Not stir fries though. Bay leaves are noted for being used in many Sichuan dishes.
The Chinese for bay leaf is 香叶 (xiāng yè) which literally translates as 'savoury leaf'. And they are real bay leaves from the bay laurel plant, unlike many elsewhere.
