Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cookbook. Katie Chin
blanched and then stir-fried.
Chinese Chives Also known as garlic chives, are earthy yet delicate. They are similar to Western chives, but are wider and more pungent. The less-common Chinese yellow chives are more delicate in flavor and taste more like an onion than a chive. The yellow variety is grown in the dark and deprived of sunlight, so the leaves are stripped of their green color.
Cloud Ears Also known as Chinese tree fungus, cloud ears come dried and should be soaked in warm water for 20 minutes before using; any hard portions should be trimmed and discarded. After soaking, they swell up to look like little clouds. Cloud ears have a mild smoky flavor.
Fish Sauce Though it’s best known as an ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking, fish sauce is not uncommon in Chinese cuisine. It is called “fish mist” in China, and is used by the Chiu Chow people in southern China. Made from fermented anchovies, fish sauce has a distinct fishy, briny aroma that dissipates upon cooking, lending a unique salty flavor to dishes.
Five-Spice Powder As the name suggests, this is a combination of five ground spices: star anise, Sichuan pepper, fennel, cloves and cinnamon. Pungent, complex and spicy with a hint of sweetness, five-spice powder can be found in Asian markets and some grocery stores.
Hoisin Sauce Hoisin sauce is traditionally made from red rice brewed with soybean paste, garlic, sugar, star anise, chili paste and other spices. It ranges in color from reddish brown to mahogany. It is an excellent marinade, glaze and dipping sauce. It has a very strong taste that can overpower other ingredients, however, so it should be added a little at a time until the desired flavor and heat is reached. Hoisin sauce is widely available at grocery stores and Asian markets. You can also make it from scratch; see the recipe on page 25.
Lotus Root This oblong beige vegetable is actually the root of the lotus flower. It contains a surprising system of baffles and chambers that, when the root is sliced, make a charming pattern of holes. Lotus root adds crunch in salads, soups and braised dishes; it can also be eaten raw or briefly stir-fried. It should be peeled and sliced before using. Lotus root can be bought at Asian grocery stores.
Lychees Mildly sweet in flavor with a floral smell, lychees are available fresh or canned. Fresh lychees, which consist of a berry-like fruit encased in a brown and pink shell, are becoming more common in Asian markets. The canned variety is widely available.
Plum Sauce At once both sweet and sour, plum sauce is used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls and other deep-fried dishes, as well as on barbecued meats. It is made from plums, sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger and chili peppers.
Chinese Rice Wine It lends an unmistakable flavor and fragrance to a variety of Chinese dishes, from dumplings and stir-fries to clay-pot dishes and marinades. Fragrant, amber-colored and slightly nutty, Chinese rice wine (also called Shaoxing wine) is made from fermented rice and yeast. It’s a staple in my pantry, and I find it indispensable. If you can’t find Chinese rice wine, then dry cooking sherry is fine as a substitute.
Sichuan Peppercorns These tiny crimson pods, integral to many Sichuan dishes, create a unique tingling sensation in the mouth. More lemony and exotic than spicy, Sichuan peppercorns are paired with chilies to achieve mala flavor, a key characteristic of Sichuan cooking.
Sesame Oil, Toasted or Dark Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted sesame seeds. It is used as a seasoning to enhance many Chinese dishes with its signature nutty sesame flavor. Only a few drops are needed to season a dish or enhance a marinade. Sesame oil can turn rancid pretty quickly, so it should be stored away from heat and light.
Soy Sauce It comes in three grades: light, medium and dark. Lighter kinds of soy sauce are commonly used for dipping, while dark soy sauce, also known as black soy sauce, tends to be used in cooking. Dark soy sauce is aged longer, making it slightly sweeter and thicker. Molasses or caramel may be added to deepen its color and thicken its consistency. Heating dark soy sauce releases its full, rich flavor in sauces and gravies; it is also used in stir-fries and noodle dishes.
Star Anise It is the seedpod of a small tree found throughout Asia. The star-shaped spice has a warm, rich and pungent aroma of licorice, cinnamon and clove. The actual seeds inside the pod are tiny and black, and have no flavor. Used whole, star anise adds a subtle aroma; or it may be ground for maximum flavor. It is a popular ingredient in soups, curries, sweets and teas. A substitute for star anise is a blend of ground cloves and cinnamon.
Straw Mushrooms These are so named because they are cultivated on beds of straw. They are actually shaped like little helmets, and have a delicate, sweet flavor. They are the most widely used mushroom in traditional Chinese cooking, and are added to soups, curries, stir-fries, and more. Fresh straw mushrooms can be hard to find in the United States, but the canned variety should be available at most Asian markets.
Water Chestnuts These are a vegetable that grows in Asian marshes. They have a delicate flavor, and add a nice crunchy texture to stir-fries and soups. Water chestnuts are available canned or fresh. An interesting alternative to water chestnuts is peeled jicama root.
Noodles Chinese cooking uses many types of noodles, from egg noodles and rice stick noodles to flat rice noodles and bean-thread noodles.
Egg Noodles are so versatile; they can be bought dried and kept on hand for a chow mein dish or a quick Chinese noodle soup. My mother’s homemade egg noodles were the best—her recipe, made with only eggs and flour, is on page 140. Rice Stick Noodles, a.k.a. rice vermicelli, are skinny dried noodles made from rice flour and water. Rice sticks can be used in soups and salads. To prepare, place rice sticks in a large bowl. Add hot water to cover. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. When deep-fried, they puff up to ten times their size! Flat Rice Noodles can be bought dried or fresh. They are also made of rice flour and water, and are thick and chewy—they’re the signature noodle used in Chow Fun dishes. Fresh flat rice noodles are white, with a shiny oil coating. When buying fresh flat rice noodles for the recipes in this book, make sure they’re pre-cut. Bean-Thread Noodles, a.k.a. cellophane noodles, are made from mung beans that have been mashed and strained, then formed into very thin white noodles. Bean-thread noodles need to be soaked in hot water for 10 minutes before using; they will turn clear with cellophane-like appearance. They are gluten-free.