A pictorial guide to Chinese cooking ingredients

[liuzhou]

I’ve often mumped and moaned about the lack of culinary spices in China. They have thousands of herbs and spices in TCM to simultaneously purge your tubes while curing your cancer and syphilis and making you more intelligent, but for your dinner, forget it.

 

So, I was pleasantly surprised today to find this.

 

多香果 (duō xiāng guǒ), Pimenta dioica, allspice. Of course, as I’m sure everyone knows, this is native to the Caribbean (especially Jamaica) and Mexico, but it has been introduced around the world, including Yunnan province, here. The Chinese name literally means 'many spices'.

 

Also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, this was named allspice in English in the 17th century, as it was considered a spice that combined the flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.

 

So, expect some Jamaican food from China in the near future! What the locals might do with it, I have no idea.

 

So-called Japanese allspice, actually from China where it is 蜡梅属 (là méi shǔ), Chimonanthus fragrans is completely unrelated. It is an early-flowering shrub introduced to Japan from China in 1766.

 

 

[liuzhou]

I'm so excited! After a thirty year search I have found it!

 

羊肝 (yáng gān)! 

 

 

 

Yes! Lamb's liver! Lamb leg meat has hitherto been the only ovine meat available. Generally, southern Chinese tends to avoid lamb / mutton, whereas northern and western China can't get enough. In fact, China has the largest number of domestic sheep in the world.

 

This southern aversion has been changing as street-side spicy grilled lamb skewers have spread across China. Yet, until now, no offal.

 

One supplier is carrying limited stock and urging customers to be quick as it is only available for a short time in the morning. So I got up early!

 

I have to buy the whole liver. No hardship! 800g for $8.50 USD.

 

 

Edited April 8 by liuzhou
changed image from supplier's to my own (log)

[liuzhou]

One thing that really confused me when I came to China was what I call syllable switching. For example, 蜜蜂 (mì fēng) and 蜂蜜 (fēng mì) honey, are each made up of the same two characters but with syllables switched. The two have different meanings and, for a very long time, I couldn’t remember which was which. 蜜蜂 (mì fēng) means ‘ 🐝 bee’ and 蜂蜜 (fēng mì) means ‘🍯honey’. There are many other such pairs, but they are not relevant here.

 

In a way, they're not so odd; they are the equivalent of us saying in English honey bee and bee honey. OK, we don’t usually use the latter, but we could.

 

For many years, as I’m sure most of you will know, Chinese honey has had a bad reputation internationally. However, newer detection methods and increased vigilance has reduced the level of fraudulent use of cheaper ingredients such as sugar syrup or, heaven help us, cØrn syrup. Also, it should be pointed out that such fraud isn’t only in China but worldwide.

 

I suspect attention focussed on China as the main offender for the amount of fakes exported, but that is possibly because China is the world’s largest producer of honey with 26% of the world production in 2020. The percentage of fraudulent honey produced in China could be the same as elsewhere. I can’t find any statistics giving that critical figure.

 

And yet, I still rarely buy honey here. When I lived in Hunan in the late 90s’, a colleague’s parents had a bee keeping business and each summer I’d see them packing the hives onto trucks and heading for the mountains to give the bees access to wild mountain flora. Their honey was delicious and, I’m sure, unadulterated.

 

Here, now in Guangxi, I have a friend whose parents are lychee and longan farmers but also keep bees, collecting honey mainly for their own use. Every now and again my friend sends my free jars of whichever they have at the time. When I have the lychee honey it’s my favourite, but when I have the longan honey, it’s my favourite. I am fickle.

 

Lychee Honey

 

Longan Honey

 

Every supermarket and small store carries industrially produced honey of varying provenance and price. Some are suspiciously cheap. Honey isn’t cheap to produce. Not that fraudsters are always dumb enough to make their offerings too cheap.

 

We also get imported honeys, particularly mānuka honey from New Zealand. Incidentally this honey also has counterfeits. In fact six times more New Zealand mānuka is sold internationally than NZ even makes.  I'm not suggesting the image below is of a fake one - I don't know..

 

 

We also get honeycomb, which I suspect is difficult to fake, but really don’t know.

 

Honeycomb

 

Recently there has been a trend for 蜂王浆 (fēng wáng jiāng), royal jelly among the fraudulent internet health morons influencers. Whether the jelly is fake, I can’t say. However the European Food Safety Authority has said there is no evidence of health benefits and the US FDA has taken legal action against companies promoting any such benefits.

 

Royal Jelly

 

"Caveat emptor", as Cæsar said.

 

 

Edited May 17 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

While on the internet today, I discovered that I can have live donkeys delivered to my home! As  you do.

 

I quite fancy getting a couple to keep in my spare bedroom (to keep the ostriches company). How I'll get them up to the 6th floor of my apartment building is a mystery. I don't think they'll fit in the escalator.

 

 

No. 6 looks meaty.

 

P.S. They come with a free hay cutter. I'll have to source some hay, too. 

 

 

Edited May 30 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

 

Part of my French heritage on my mother's side, means that I grew up regularly eating terrestrial gastropod molluscs, specifically escargot, snails. Love 'em.  

 

When I moved to Liuzhou, I didn’t know about the city’s deep affinity to snails. But was delighted to find out. The city’s signature dish, Luosifen is snail flavoured noodles. But I’ve never see terrestrial snails here. The rice noodle dish is made with aquatic snails, Margarya melanioides, a type in the family Viviparidae, the river snails. These are known as 螺蛳 (luó sī), hence 螺蛳粉 (luó sī fěn). They are widely consumed, not only as an ingredient in luosifen but several other dishes. The intact snails and their de-shelled meat are both sold in supermarkets.

 

螺蛳

 

螺蛳肉 - luosi meat

 

Another snail we see is Oncomelania hupensis guangxiensis, a species of very small tropical freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family, Pomatiopsidae. These are a local subspecies in a family native to east Asia.

 

These are completely overshadowed by 螺蛳 (luó sī) and are rarely seen; in fact when they are, they are always mislabelled – They are correctly 钉螺 (dīng luó), literally ‘nail snails’, due to their pointed nature. They are also prone to the schistosomiasis blood fluke parasite, and the paragonimus lung fluke parasites. The Chinese name for snail fever (bilharzia or schistosomiasis), disease caused by schistosome parasitic flatworm is 罗汉 病 (luó hàn bìng), literally ‘arhat sickness’, attributable to the Buddhist monks who fed on them. I avoid them. Parasite infested monks and snails!

 

Then we have sea snails (海螺 - hǎi luó). Again, there are multiple species. I have no idea which these are. Usually only found in seafood restaurants and seldom in supermarkets or wet markets. It’s actually easier to buy the empty shells than the meaty ones. Those are used in the decorative arts.

 

Sea Snails

 

 

🐌

 

 

Edited June 11 by liuzhou (log)

[Smithy]

I jsut realized that I've never knowingly eaten a snail, unless you want to count conch. Even then, it was a restaurant's treatment and not mine. How does one cook those snails? Steam? Boil? Bake? And how is the meat extracted from them? Some sort of pick, like a crabmeat pick?

[liuzhou]

9 hours ago, Smithy said:

I jsut realized that I've never knowingly eaten a snail, unless you want to count conch. Even then, it was a restaurant's treatment and not mine. How does one cook those snails? Steam? Boil? Bake? And how is the meat extracted from them? Some sort of pick, like a crabmeat pick?

 

The snails are usually stewed and, here, very spicy. You could use a crabmeat pick, but toothpicks are more commonly used. Most Chinese restaurants have toothpick dispensers on each table, whether they sell snails or not.

 

Conches are technically larger sea snails, although popular nomenclature distinguishes. 

 

 

Edited June 11 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

Although the 螺蛳 (luó sī) in the previous post are the most common in Liuzhou, they are not the most common across China. That duty falls upon 石螺 (shí luó), Sinotaia quadrata. The Chinese name means ‘stone snails’’, presumably because they resemble stones (?) I have found no common name in English but that’s not surprising as they are native to East and SE Asia, although they have been introduced in a couple of non-English speaking countries as invasive species.

 

"Stone Snails" 

 

They are found all over China and although they are eaten by humans, most go to aquaculture to feed farmed fish and crabs.

 

They are popular in Isan ‘(Thai: อีสาน) areas of north-eastern Thailand. I once had a wonderful curried snail dish in Udon Thani (Thai: อุดรธานี) which used them. Very popular here in Guangxi is this dish of stone snails with roast tilapia, usually served to groups of beer drinkers (including one depraved Scottish man).

 

There is a whole roasted tilapia under the sauce and toppings

 

Then we have 田螺 (tián luó), Pond snails, Lymnaeidae. As the name implies these live in ponds and rivers but the Chinese name means ‘field sails’ as they also like to hang out in rice fields / paddies, where they eat things which prey on the seedlings. They can also appear in the tilapia dish above.

 

 

Edited June 12 by liuzhou (log)

[BeeZee]

@liuzhou, do the snails have different tastes depending on where they were harvested? Having only had them drowned in garlic butter, I can't say I recall what they tasted like...

[liuzhou]

12 hours ago, BeeZee said:

@liuzhou, do the snails have different tastes depending on where they were harvested? Having only had them drowned in garlic butter, I can't say I recall what they tasted like...

 

They're all basically the same, but mild tasting, so are usually cooked with strongly flavoured sauces such as the garlic in French cuisine  or strong chilli flavours as here. I like both.

 

 

 

Edited June 13 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

干蝎子 (gān xiē zi), Dried Scorpions

 

 

Usually rehydrated and fried until crisp then served as beer food or maybe an appetizer. ¥38 / 50g . That's $5.30 USD. Taste like shrimp.

 

Enjoy!

[liuzhou]

When I lived in London in the 1980s, the local supermarkets all stocked frozen 兔肉 (tù ròu), Oryctolagus cuniculus meat, imported from China. Since then the picture has changed somewhat. The rising population in China and the increased popularity of the meat means that China is now the world’s largest importer of the creatures. In 2025, China is expected to import over 100,000 metric tons of rabbit meat.

 

🐰

 

Rabbit is still exported in limited quantities but far outweighed by the amount of imports.

 

 

The meat is widely available, but most popular in Sichuan province, where they have devised many recipes to highlight it. The most famous is probably the capital, Chengdu’s highly popular street food, 麻辣兔头 (má là tù tóu), braised rabbit head with mala ingredients (Sichuan peppercorns and chilli).

 

Mala Rabbit Head

 

Also popular dish is 冷吃兔丁 (lěng chī tù dīng), cold rabbit cubes. This simple sounding dish is anything but. Cubes of rabbit meat are fried in same mala ingredients.

 

Cold Rabbit Cubes

 

i also get these whole roasted rabbits from one supermarket.

 

 

Rabbit with Leeks and Porcini

 

Rabbit with Red Onion Jam

 

and many more

 

 

 

[Ddanno]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

When I lived in London in the 1980s, the local supermarkets all stocked frozen 兔肉 (tù ròu), Oryctolagus cuniculus meat, imported from China. Since then the picture has changed somewhat. The rising population in China and the increased popularity of the meat means that China is now the world’s largest importer of the creatures. In 2025, China is expected to import over 100,000 metric tons of rabbit meat.

 

🐰

 

Rabbit is still exported in limited quantities but far outweighed by the amount of imports.

 

 

The meat is widely available, but most popular in Sichuan province, where they have devised many recipes to highlight it. The most famous is probably the capital, Chengdu’s highly popular street food, 麻辣兔头 (má là tù tóu), braised rabbit head with mala ingredients (Sichuan peppercorns and chilli).

 

Mala Rabbit Head

 

Also popular dish is 冷吃兔丁 (lěng chī tù dīng), cold rabbit cubes. This simple sounding dish is anything but. Cubes of rabbit meat are fried in same mala ingredients.

 

Cold Rabbit Cubes

 

i also get these whole roasted rabbits from one supermarket.

 

 

Rabbit with Leeks and Porcini

 

Rabbit with Red Onion Jam

 

and many more

 

 

 

 

Is there much meat on the head? Just looking at it, it doesn't seem like you'd get much out of one

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, Ddanno said:

 

Is there much meat on the head? Just looking at it, it doesn't seem like you'd get much out of one

 

Not a great deal, but there is nothing the Chinese like more than gnawing on bones and sucking out the brains.

 

It's the same thing as them loving to gnaw on chicken's or duck's feet (although they don't have brains!)

 

Duck heads are popular, too.

[liuzhou]

Lepus sinensis - PD

 

 

China also has hares. Around this part of China these are Chinese hares, Lepus sinensis, only found in a small area of southern China (including Guangxi), a small northern part of our neighbour, Vietnam and Taiwan.

 

In Chinese thinking, hares are just big rabbits, despite them being a different (although) related species. So, hares are known as 野兔 (yě tù), literally ‘field rabbits’ on the few times they bother to distinguish.

 

One of my most memorable meals in China was a dish of hare from the nearby county of Lipu. I doubt you’ve heard of the place, but you almost certainly have some of its main export in your homes. It is the clothes hanger central of the world but is mostly rural. Lipu is also well known in China for its prized taro.

 

Anyway the dish I ate was made by my late sister-in-law who was a wonderful cook. It was spicy, almost curry-like and although the hare was a little gamey, not offensively so and tender. I couldn’t get enough.

 

I have never seen hare in any market or supermarket and it is not available on either the local delivery app or the main national online shopping portal. It seems the only way to get to hold of it is to find a local hunter!

 

I'll have to go hunting for a hunter!

 

 

Edited Sunday at 01:34 AM by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

Yakety Yak

Don’t look back

 

Another protein I’ve never seen in markets or supermarkets is Bos grunniens. I have however eaten it often, both in restaurants and at home. In fact there is a restaurant which specialises in it only 500 metres  / ⅓ of a mile from my door It is easily available online.

 

Image: pconline,com,cn

 

I’m talking about yak. I find most people associate yak with Tibet but their native habitat is much wider even extending to the Mongolias in the far north. In Tibetan, the source of the English name, it is འབྲི་གཡག (gyag); in Mongolian, сарлаг (sarlag) in Cyrillic but ᠸᠠᠨ ᠦᠬᠡᠷ᠃ traditional script; and in Chinese, 牦牛 (máo niú).

 

It is an essential part of life in the Himalayas supplying its labour, supplying fur for clothing etc, and supplying milk and meat. Their dung is dried and used as fuel on the treeless mountains.

 

Yak meat

The staple drink in Tibet is butter tea བོད་ཇ། (bod ja), made by mixing tea, yak butter, water, and salt. Pu-erh black tea is considered best. Of course, first they have to make the butter, གཡག་མར། (gyagmar). Yak milk is higher in butterfat than that from regular cattle, resulting in a richer butter. I often buy yak butter which has a soft cheesy texture

 

Yak Butter

 

The meat can be used in any way one can use beef. I’ve had it in hotpots, grilled, stir fried and braised.

 

Braised Yak

 

Yak Jerky

 

Yak Sausages