they plump up and have a delicious meaty taste and texture. If you can’t find dried black mushrooms, dried shiitake mushrooms can be substituted.
Bok Choy A crisp vegetable shaped rather like a celery plant, bok choy has whitish stalks and deep-green leaves. The smaller the head of bok choy, the more tender it will be. Baby bok choy, the smallest kind, is the most expensive. Bok choy is available in most supermarkets. Shanghai Bok Choy, which can be found in many Asian markets, is dark green in color and slightly bitter, and is highly prized. Bok choy is very nutrient-dense—so you can enjoy this tasty vegetable and load up on folic acid and vita-mins A and C while you’re at it.
Brown Bean Paste It is the ground version of brown beans used in sauces; it is used throughout northern China. A thick, salty and rich cousin of black bean sauce, it can be purchased in a jar and stored indefinitely. A little of this savory paste goes a long way, so use it sparingly. You can find brown bean paste at Asian markets and online resources.
Chilies, Dried Red These dried red peppers are usually very hot. They are an essential ingredient in many Sichuan dishes, and can be used to season oil. Used whole, they impart a lovely chili flavor without the heat. Chiles de árbol can be substituted if you can’t find dried Chinese chilies.
Chili Garlic Sauce It is the perfect combination of zesty chilies and fragrant garlic. It’s very versatile, and can be used for marinating, as a dipping sauce and for whenever you want to add a kick in the pants to a stir-fry dish. I prefer the Lee Kum Kee brand. Sambal Oelek is an acceptable substitute.
Chili Paste Also known as chili bean sauce, is made from crushed fresh red chilies, soybeans, salt and garlic. It varies from being hot to very hot. Sold in jars, it is rich, spicy and earthy; it is used both as a condiment and as a seasoning for sauces and stir-fries.
Chinese Black Vinegar Often labeled as “Chinkiang vinegar,” is made from fermented rice, wheat, barley or sorghum. It is a tart and smoky dark vinegar that is used as a dipping sauce and in cooking.
Chinese Broccoli (Gailan/Kalian) This leafy vegetable, also known as Chinese kale, has thick, flat glossy leaves and thick stems. Sweet and slightly bitter, Chinese Broccoli is a versatile vegetable that’s a great addition to many stir-fry dishes and a delicious side dish drizzled with oyster sauce. Chinese broccoli is a nutrient-dense food, and is an excellent source of folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K.
Chinese Long Beans Also known as yard-long beans, Chinese long beans really can grow that long! To be used as a vegetable, though, the bean pods are picked before they reach maturity. Chinese long beans can be found coiled or tied into bunches at Asian markets and some grocery stores. They are typically 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
