Unusual Ingredients

As for special Chinese ingredients (listed below) one hardly ever needs more than 10 or 12 of them. They are all easily obtained in the Chinese stores and supermarkets that can now be found in many provincial towns. In London, of course, there are three or four dozen of them. With their help you can launch into Chinese cooking with the fullest confidence and produce typical (and authentic) Chinese dishes. 

• Soya Bean Products
• Dried Vegetables and Fungi
•  Canned Vegetables
• Dried Fish and Seafood
• Pickles
• Sauces, Pastes and Oils
• Rice and Noodles

Soya Bean Products

Soy Sauce
Used extensively for flavouring or as a condiment or dip. Light soy sauce has a more delicate flavour and delicately flavoured dished. When the colour is not specified in a recipe, this is the one to use Dark soy sauce imparts a rich colour to food and is used for red- cooking for dark stews and meats. 

Yellow bean paste or sauce
Available in jars or cans in Chinese food stores. Often used instead of soy sauce when a thicker sauce is required. 

Black bean paste or sauce
Similar to yellow bean paste, only darker. 

Salted black beans
These are very salty indeed and need to be soaked for 5-10 minutes before use. They are then usually mashed into the cooking oil or sauce over high heat. 

Hoisin sauce
(also called barbecue sauce) A thick soy-based sauce with a sweet, hot flavour. 

Bean curd
Also known as tofu. An almost tasteless substance made from pureed yellow soya beans, which are very high in protein. It looks like junket, and is sold in cakes about 7.5 cm (3 inches) square. 

Dried bean curd
Also sold in cake form. It can be cut into strips or slices and stewed, braised or fried. 

Bean curd cheese
(fermented bean curd) Made by fermenting bean curd cubes in rice wine or salt. Available in two forms - white, or the Southern China red, which is more strongly flavoured. Both are very salty and strong-tasting.