A pictorial guide to Chinese cooking ingredients

[liuzhou]

 

I guess 莲藕 (lián ǒu), lotus root is more familiar to people in the west than it was only a few years ago. However it usually comes in this form.

 

 

or sliced into lotus root coins.

 

 

 

 

It also comes in other forms

 

莲藕切条 (lián ǒu qiē tiáo), lotus root chips

 

 

莲藕尖 (lián ǒu jiān), lotus root spears

 

 

Edited May 26 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

I've mentioned dips here several times. They are routinely served with almost every meal here, at home or in restaurants. What I haven't mentioned is dry dips. These, too are very popular especially with bbq's / grilled meats or hotpots. Usually a mixture of salt, powdered cumin and chilli powder or flakes. I recently came across this tiny 3 gram sachet of 四川干碟 (sì chuān gān dié), Sichuan dry dip, with a bizarre ingredients list. My translation.

 

 

Dried chilli, rapeseed oil, white sesame, soybean, peanut, MSG. Edible salt, pepper (irradiated), sugar, chicken essence mixed with hemp material, spices (irradiated), flavor. 

 

On sale for an outageous ¥0.88 / 12 cents USD. I however had it delivered along with a heap of other stuff and they only charged ¥0.01 / $0.0014 USD. I guess that's as low as the system allows them to go.

 

Still a rip-off. I can mix it myself without all the crap for even less.

 

 

 

[KennethT]

7 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I've mentioned dips here several times. They are routinely served with almost every meal here, at home or in restaurants. What I haven't mentioned is dry dips. These, too are very popular especially with bbq's / grilled meats or hotpots. Usually a mixture of salt, powdered cumin and chilli powder or flakes. I recently came across this tiny 3 gram sachet of 四川干碟 (sì chuān gān dié), Sichuan dry dip, with a bizarre ingredients list. My translation.

 

 

Dried chilli, rapeseed oil, white sesame, soybean, peanut, MSG. Edible salt, pepper (irradiated), sugar, chicken essence mixed with hemp material, spices (irradiated), flavor. 

 

On sale for an outageous ¥0.88 / 12 cents USD. I however had it delivered along with a heap of other stuff and they only charged ¥0.01 / $0.0014 USD. I guess that's as low as the system allows them to go.

 

Still a rip-off. I can mix it myself without all the crap for even less.

 

 

 

I wonder why all the dried spices were irradiated?

[liuzhou]

5 minutes ago, KennethT said:

I wonder why all the dried spices were irradiated?

 

I don't know, sorry. First time I remember seeing that.

 

I do know that if they are, then there is a legal obligation to state so, though.

 

 

[liuzhou]

蟹黄酱(xiè huáng jiàng) Crab Sauce

 

蟹黄 (xiè huáng) actually means the ovaries, roe and digestive tract of the crab, but a look at the ingredients list tells me this only contains the roe. These are bulked out by ‘minced fish’ i.e. surimi, unspecified spices, sugar, MSG, artificial yellow colouring and preservatives.

 

Despite this, I quite like it with noodles or even pasta, usually linguine or spaghetti as a sort of alternative to pesto pasta.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

This is more of a winter thing in China, but I wanted them for something non-Chinese. That said they are essential in hotpots, malatang and luosifen here, so always easy to source. I bought a small bag of the three mixed together. 30 grams in total for ¥1 / 14 cents USD. This is less than a third.

 

 

We have 桂皮 (guì pí), cassia bark; 香叶 (xiāng yè), bay leaf; and 八角 (bā jiǎo), star anise. All grown locally. In fact, Guangxi grows 80% of the world’s star anise.

 

Here is one extraordinarily tiny star anise with my left hand for scale. It's smaller than my fingernail.

 

 

Edited June 8 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

One thing we’re not short of here is ginger. We get all sorts. Young ginger, regular ginger, old ginger. We get sand ginger which isn’t ginger but related. It is kaempferia galanga, a type of galangal. What is rare is ginger powder but I can find it in a few bakery supply stores and it’s imported. I scream when I see recipes on the internet for “Chinese” dishes claiming ground ginger is an essential ingredient in “authentic” Chinese cuisine.

 

Anyway, today I found a variation on the theme. 带泥嫩姜 (dài ní nèn jiāng), muddy ginger. This is what it says. The third character indicates that it is tender, which I take to mean it’s young ginger. They just haven’t washed it, presumably to prove it’s fresh, which of course it doesn’t. Bizarre.

 

 

 

Edited June 11 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

萝卜 (luó bo) means radish. By the far, the most common type found here are the large white variety known in the west as daikon radish, from the Japanese name (大根) or mooli from the Hindi (मूली). In fact these, in Mandarin are properly called 白萝卜 (bái luó bo) or just 白萝 (bái luó), meaning ‘white radish’ but so common are they, that this is just usually assumed.

 

 

However, with a little hunting I can find other types, including 小红萝卜 (xiǎo hóng luó bo), the small red ones used in the west in salads etc.

 

 

Slightly larger are these 葡萄萝卜 (pú tao luó bo) grape radishes.

 

 

Odder than most are these 西瓜萝卜 (xī guā luó bo), watermelon radishes.

 

 

 

Then today, I came across tjhese 青萝卜 (qīng luó bo), green radishes.

Finally, until I find another type we have 萝卜头 (luó bo tóu) which are pickled small radishes. Sliced daikon radish is also often sold pickled by street vendors.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

A recent topic discussing Japanese curry powders inspired me to look into what’s available here. A quick look at Wikipedia informed me that Chinese curry powder

 

Quote

is similar to Madras curry powder but with addition of star anise and cinnamon.

 

No. It. Isn’t. Hong Kong* curry powder is.

 

In the rest of China (99.99% of it), it is similar to Japanese. Here is an example.

 

Chinese 'Japanese' Curry Sauce

 

Star anise and cinnamon free. Anyway, there is little cinnamon in China (or America). Most is actually cassia.

 

We also get those Japanese style curry blocks, but made in China.

 

 

Thai curry pastes are easy to find (and to my taste) much better than the Japanese. Several varieties are available. Red, green, and more.

 

 

I can source Indian curry paste and curry paste (imported via Hong Kong) as well as garam masala and other ‘Indian’ spices from Pakistan. India and China do not have good relations and very little is imported.

 

 

*Hong Kong has many Indian restaurants. Some excellent. HK's famous Chungking Mansions of movie and travelogue fame has dozens. Mainland China has very few  and those only in the major cities.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 12 by liuzhou (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

43 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

is similar to Madras curry powder but with addition of star anise and cinnamon

When I made my Japanese Curry I made it completely from scratch even down to making my own Japanese curry powder. It seems like I pulled out every spice in my cabinet except cinnamon and star anise.

[liuzhou]

1 minute ago, Tropicalsenior said:

When I made my Japanese Curry I made it completely from scratch even down to making my own Japanese curry powder. It seems like I pulled out every spice in my cabinet except cinnamon and star anise.

 

When I made curries of any type in the past, I always made from scratch, too. "Curry powder" and "curry paste" were profane expressions. However, like you, I've had to make an exception here. Many of the spices I would use simply aren't available.

 

Even coriander seeds, I have to import. Although coriander leaf is their favourite herb, the Chinese just don't eat the seeds. Some of my friends (even professional cooks) have been astonished to discover they are not only edible but highly regarded across the world. I can buy hundredweight sacks from farmers'supply markets but even those are coated with chemical germination enhancers.

At least the import people let me buy them culinary grade and in 500 gram bags. Still a lot, but manageable.

 

Also, many of the herbs and spices I would want to make Thai or Burmese (my favourite 'curry') are simply unavailable.

 

 

[Tropicalsenior]

1 minute ago, liuzhou said:

Also, many of the herbs and spices I would want to make Thai or Burmese (my favourite 'curry') are simply unavailable.

I have the same problem here. And I can't even order these things by mail because they have a  law that if something isn't on the specific allowed import list they just pitch it when it comes in and send you a notice.

[liuzhou]

4 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I have the same problem here. And I can't even order these things by mail because they have a  law that if something isn't on the specific allowed import list they just pitch it when it comes in and send you a notice.

 

Yes. Many (most?)  spices are seeds and seeds are on many countries banned lists as they can carry invasive nasties.  

 

 

[liuzhou]

回香 (huí xiāng) Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

 

 

回香子 or 回香籽 (both - huí xiāng zǐ), Fennel seeds have been available here for longer than I’ve known them. They are one of the more common seeds in five spice and other powder mixes, so they are easily obtainable. In fact, most people don’t even bother saying or writing the final character meaning ‘seed’; it’s taken for granted.

 

However until very recently (by which I mean about two weeks ago) fennel bulbs (回香头 - huí xiāng tóu) or fennel leaf/fronds (回香菜 - huí xiāng cài) were totally unknown. Suddenly they popped up all over my food delivery app. I still haven’t seen them in any store or market.

 

 

Seeds are around $2 USD for 100 g; leaves are 70 cents for the same amount; whereas the bulbs $1.40 for 300 g. The bulbs are still the most difficult to find.

 

 

Edited June 15 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

Several times, I have expressed my predilection for the cooking and consumption of Equus asinus, the donkey. It is, in fact, my favourite red meat, just edging out its cousin the horse.

 

Unfortunately, the restaurant which sold me the meat (and in which I also often dined) closed about a year ago when the owner retired. Recently I found a new vendor, again a restaurant which also sells the meat for home cooking.

 

It comes in various forms. Most common, of course, is simply sold as 驴肉 (lǘ ròu), 'donkey meat'). Which part of the animal is not mentioned, though I suspect both tenderloin and rump are what I get, depending on the vendors stock at any one time. Leg however, is specified.

 

驴肉 (lǘ ròu) Donkey Meat

 

Then it gets more interesting. In random order:

 

驴腿 (lǘ tuǐ) Donkey Leg 

驴排骨 (lǘ pái gǔ) Donkey Ribs

 

驴尾 (lǘ wěi) Donkey Tail

 

驴肝 (lǘ gān) Donkey Liver

 

驴心 (lǘ xīn) Donkey Heart

 

驴杂 (lǘ zá) Donkey Mixed  Offal

 

驴肚 (lǘ dǔ) Donkey Tripe

 

驴皮 (lǘ pí) Donkey Skin

 

驴肠 (lǘ cháng) Donkey Intestines

 

驴脑花 (lǘ nǎo huā) Donkey Brain

 

驴血 (lǘ xuè) Donkey Blood

 

驴鞭 & 蛋 (lǘ biān & dàn) Mr. Donkey's Reproductive Equipment

 

All of these delights are prepared and served just like the same parts of other animals.

 

All images except the first are from Meituan food delivery service app. The first is mine.

 

 

 

Edited June 20 by liuzhou (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

This makes me kind of sad because growing up on the farm, one of my favorite animals was an old donkey that we had that was his docile as a kitten. It followed us around like a dog and we could climb up, over and around it anytime we wanted.

Now if you were to say mule, that's an entirely different thing. I never met a mule that I liked. As far as I'm concerned, you can eat all of those that you want.

[liuzhou]

On 6/14/2024 at 10:19 PM, Tropicalsenior said:

This makes me kind of sad because growing up on the farm, one of my favorite animals was an old donkey that we had that was his docile as a kitten.

 

You were lucky. The only donkey I ever got close and personal with was also an old one on my uncle's "farm". It was farmland, but he only bred horses for the riding of; not for eating. I spent a lot of time there from when I was a child until I was 18 and went to university in London. My mother says I could ride a horse before I could walk, but I take that with a pinch of fleur de sel, although I can't remember not being able to ride.

 

There were about 40 horses and this old donkey. One of my secret talents is that I am a certified. licenced (under British law) horse riding instructor. Haven't used it for over 50 years, though.

 

Anyway, that donkey was the meanest creature I've ever met (apart from some humans). It played passive then would very carefully stomp on your foot with its hooves. It also bit anything that moved, including children who tried to play with it. Much as I love to eat donkeys now, I'm sure that one's meat would have been tainted by its rancorous nature.

Donkey isn't that popular where I live in the south, but is big in central China, particularly Hebei province. 保定 (bǎo dìng), a city in Hebei is famous for 驴肉火烧 (lǘ ròu huǒ shāo), donkey burgers!

 

Here, horse is very popular in Guilin, an hour north of me. So tender it defines 'melt in the mouth' but donkey  is even more tender. There is a great horse restaurant near my home which has wonderful horse noodles and horse hotpot in the winter months.

 

That said, I first ate horse in France as a child. My maternal grandmother cooked it regularly. I don't remember any viande d’âne, though. I've only eaten that in China.

 

 

Edited August 24 by liuzhou (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

4 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

My mother says I could ride a horse before I could walk, but I take that with a pinch of fleur de sel, although I can't remember not being able to ride.

I believe it. When my oldest daughter was little we had friends that had a pony ring and they had tiny little saddles. Somewhere I have a picture of my oldest daughter at 6 months old riding on their smallest pony. She used to go riding out there all the time and we bought her her first pony when she was a year and a half.

[liuzhou]

I was asked earlier today (not here) what the difference is between jiaozi wrappers and wonton wrappers and thought I'd also put the answer here for anyone who doesn't know.

 

Easy really.

 

饺子皮 (jiǎo zi pí), jiaozi wrappers are round and slightly thicker than those for wontons. Around ¥3 / $0.41 USD per 250g

 

 

馄饨皮 (hún tun pí)  or 云吞皮 (yún tūn pí), wonton wrappers are square and slightly thinner than those for jiaozi. Around ¥4 / $0.55 USD per 250g

 

Both are often sold for less than ¥1 / $0.14 as a loss leader by stores that offer delivery. Most people use these rather than makng their own.

 

皮 (pí) means 'skin'; not wrapper.

 

 

Edited July 23 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

 

When I first arrived in China in 1996, asparagus was totally unavailable, to my distress. The eight and a half week long English asparagus season, traditionally between St George’s day on the 23rd of April through to the Summer Solstice on the 21st of June was the peak of my year before I moved. Still the best asparagus in the world. In London it is often known as ‘sprue*’, ‘grass’ or 'sprue grass' as well as its regular name, although when he was a child, my son insisted it was ‘sparrow grass’, a name which lingers in the family. We ate it almost every day when we could.

 

When asparagus arrived in China a few years ago, no one knew what it was, but they decided it looks a bit like bamboo shoots (they are very imaginative), so called it 芦笋 (lú sǔn) which literally means ‘reed bamboo shoot’. Many still think it is a type of bamboo.

 

At first, it was only available as fat, over-woody spears, but they learned to pick it earlier, although they still prefer the fatter ones. Pencil asparagus is rare in supermarkets but one vendor in my local wet market usually has it when in season. Still nowhere as good as English, though.

 

Only about a year ago, did I find white asparagus - spargel and that was online. It is still only available that way. Not that it bothers me; I’ve never seen the attraction, although one German woman who was living here called me, almost in hysterics, demanding to know where I found it after I posted a picture containing it on Chinese social media. I don’t get it it, but was happy to tell her.

 

 

 

The locals tend to stir fry it with garlic as they do with most green vegetables. I pan roast, steam or fry. Pencil asparagus I often eat raw.

 

Breakfast

 

* ‘Sprue was originally only used to describe low quality asparagus although by a process of linguistic amelioration is now used for all asparagus, at least in London.

 

 

[Tropicalsenior]

When I went to the store today I was happy to see that they had asparagus again. They didn't have it for a couple weeks and I was afraid it was going to be one of these things that was there for a while and once you got accustomed to it he never saw it again. Our high-end grocery store usually has it all the time but at about twice the price that I have paid for this and it usually looks like it came over on the Santa Maria with Christopher Columbus. I have seen it as much as $10 for six or eight scraggly spears. The ones that I have been buying are about $4 a package for 16 nice fresh spears.

Until recently, the only asparagus available here was in the cans which, fortunately, I do like. A little known fact is that  canned asparagus is very good for your kidneys and bladder. Drinking the juice from the can can ward off a mild bladder infection.

I have never seen white asparagus here, canned or fresh.

My weekly purchase of vegetables here. Not shown: a quarter of a watermelon and a package of fingerling bananas.

Edited June 16 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[liuzhou]

Here are some 小葱 (xiǎo cōng) or shallots I picked up this morning in the market.

 

 

The skin looks a bit frazzled but they are fine inside.

 

 

[liuzhou]

Here, for your edification, is what they call a 'donkey burger' around these parts, as mentioned above. Looks more like a bánh mì lừa (donkey banh mi) to me.

 

Image: Meituan Food Delivery App

 

 

Edited September 16 by liuzhou (log)

[KennethT]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

Here, for your edification, is what they call a 'donkey burger' around these parts, as mentioned above. Looks more like a bánh bì lừa (Donkey banh mi) to me.

Image: Meituan Food Delivery App

 

 

We really enjoyed the donkey burger in Beijing.  Very crispy bread with tender meat. I could make this a regular thing if it was around here.

[liuzhou]

9 hours ago, KennethT said:

We really enjoyed the donkey burger in Beijing.  Very crispy bread with tender meat. I could make this a regular thing if it was around here.

 

Yes, I remember that travelogue you did on your Beijing trip.

 

I'm now thinking that a Donkey Roujiamo might be on the cards soon. Never tried that but see no reason why not. First, I'll need to clear out the freezer a bit though; I can only buy the asinine meat in packs of 1 kg and freezer real estate isn't up to it at the moment.