Chinese Black Vinegar
The favored vinegar for Chinese cooking is black vinegar which is from Chinkiang, a city in Jiangsu province. It has a rich, smoky flavor which can be substituted by a…
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Sugar
In Chinese and many Southeast Asian sweet snacks and desserts, we prefer to use rock sugar or palm sugar instead of regular granulated white or brown sugar. Ping Tong, or…
Kaffir leaves
Kaffir leaves or kaffir lime leaves are easily identifiable by its double, figure 8 shaped leaves. Used for its delicate, fragrant, lemony flavor, it’s their perfume you smell in Thai…
Thai red curry paste
The paste for Thai red curry is made by blending fresh chili, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal combined with ground cumin, cardomom and coriander seed. Use it as…
Sesame paste
Sesame Paste or zhi ma jiang, made from roasted sesame seed, is used to make sauce for Liang Mian cold noodles.
Oyster sauce
A good, basic seasoning sauce for stir frying and braising, it can also be used directly on blanched vegetables or tofu. Oyster sauce is more expensive than oyster-flavored sauce.
Soy sauce, dark
There are two kinds. Dark soy sauce that is liquid like regular soy sauce but aged, and darker in color. (Third from left in photo.) And thick, dark soy sauce that…