Ingredients

Many of the ingredients that you will acquire can be used in future cooking. It is worthwhile to make a shopping list with all the basic ingredients, which you might also use, in Western recipes. The main ingredients are as follows:

SESAME SEED OIL.  Obtained from sesame seeds, it has a wonderful aroma. It is added at the end of the recipe.

STAR ANISE. a star-shaped spice with a stronger aroma than THE COMMON ANISE. It is used in small quantities. You can use cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon as an alternative.

BAMBOO SHOOTS. Tender tropical bamboo shoots. They are often served as vegetables, alone or mixed with other vegetables and meat. They are enjoyed because of their delicate texture and flavor. They are sold in cans. You could use celery sticks as an alternative.

CHICKEN BROTH. It is indispensable. Boil some thoroughly rinsed chicken bones with a piece of ginger and keep the broth in a handy place. Some people like to use more broth than indicated in the recipe to be able to obtain more sauce. It is also used to thin the sauce when it is too thick.

CHINESE PRAWNS. They are sold dried and it is necessary to soak them in water before using them; they have a fantastic flavor.

FIVE-FLAVOR PICKLED VEGETABLES. Includes five types of vegetables marinated in sugar and vinegar. It can be prepared at home.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE. Widely used in Chinese cookery. It enhances food’s flavor. Its trademark is AJI-NO-MOTO.

NATURAL RICE FLOUR (no mai). Soft flour that is used to make Iopac kou (turnip casserole) and other preparations, such as noodles.

POTATO FLOUR. This fine potato powder is used in Peruvian cooking. It is used for thickening sauces. It is very popular in China, however, in some places they use fine corn powder (cornstarch) instead, but it is more expensive. Chinese people always have it in the kitchen, dissolved in some water, in case it is suddenly needed to thicken a sauce. In the recipes we have considered as basic measurement a full teaspoon, however you might require more than one. Please note, that cornstarch is less thickening that potato flour; and thus, you might require a larger amount.

MUSHROOMS. There are a large variety of mushrooms: Tonku is sold dried and is the most popular, golden mushrooms and straw mushrooms come canned. The first one is round and the second ones are long, like noodles.

JOU SI. Dried oysters. They have to be soaked beforehand.

MAH-TAI. Water chestnuts. They are sold as conserves. Finely chopped, they are used with meatballs to obtain a crispy texture. They can be replaced with raw new potatoes or cabbage stems.

MENSI. Soybean paste is often used in casseroles. It is sold in cans.

MOC YI. A Chinese mushroom.

NAN YUI. A cheese made from red soybean. It has a strong flavor.

COOKING PASTE. The Chinese invented cooking paste. In our recipes we will use paste for Sui Kao: Round, thin and used to prepare steamed or fried canapés (dim sum). Pasta wonton: Fine sheets of egg and flour paste, approximately seven centimeters long. It is used to prepare Chinese fried ravioli, or can be cooked in soups. Thin fresh noodles: Very soft, used in Tam Tam noodles. Tou should be able to buy it in Chinatown, and it is easily frozen.
Paste for stir-fried noodles: Thin and comes in a package, it is better to use the special one. May fan: Dried, wide and made from rice. Fan si: Thin soy noodles. They have to be soaked in water to make the dim sum filling. Sajofan: a wide rice noodle that is quick to cook.

PEKING DUCK. A kind of duck, with less flesh than its Western counterpart but tastier. The traditional duck also exists in China, but is only used in certain preparations.

WHITE PEPPER. The only type used in Chinese cookery; it is hotter than the black one.

WILD PEPPER. (Fa chiu). An aromatic spice. Together with the star anise, is one of the five flavors of Chinese cooking, the Ma flavor.

FIVE-FLAVOURED POWDER. Known in Peru as Chinese cinnamon. It is a pleasant mixture of spices. It was a delicious sauce when mixed with lemon juice and salt. The five-flavored powder can be found in supermarkets.

CHINESE SAUSAGE. Smoked and preserved. It is sweet and salty at the same time. Can be replaced by a small sausage.

OYSTER SAUCE. One of the main, and oldest, sauces. It is prepared by boiling oysters in soy sauce and brine. It is sold in a jar and there are several brands.

SOY SAUCE. Peruvians know it by its Chinese name, sillao. It is the main ingredient in Chinese cooking, giving it a unique and characteristic flavor. There is clear and dark sillao. The recipes we include generally call for the dark version.

HOISIN SAUCE. Sweet tasting, it is made out of prunes and other spices. It goes well with dim sum preparations.

TAUSI. Black, salty soybeans partially fermented. It should be soaked for 10 minutes, finely chopped and fried with onion and garlic. A sauce with tausi is often, used, especially with seafood.

CHINESE BACON. It has a stronger flavor than its Western counterpart. It is eaten with marinated vegetables and people do enjoy it.

TOFU. Known as bean curd or soy cheese in the West. It is flavorless, taking on the taste of the other ingredients. It is sold fresh in the markets; you can also find it in packages. It is very popular in China.

RICE VINEGAR. Great aroma, you can eventually replace it with white vinegar.

DARK VINEGAR (chin kiang). Strongly flavor and very pleasant. Sauces come out deliciously when using it.

RICE WINE (FA DIU). Often used in meat marinades and sauces. It is aromatic and sweet. It is also used as a main drink at the table. You can use dry sherry or pisco, the Peruvian alcoholic drink, instead

WAN YI. A type of Chinese algae or seaweed. It is wrinkly, and usually called “small ear”