Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking (46 page)

GLOSSARY

Chinese seasonings and dried goods are stocked in increasing numbers and varieties by mainstream supermarkets and health food shops. Those that aren’t can be found in Chinese groceries. A few Chinese vegetables—such as bok choy and choy sum—can be found in mainstream supermarkets and I hope more will become available in future. Meanwhile, Chinese supermarkets stock a wonderful and ever-expanding array of Chinese vegetables.

You will need ginger, garlic and spring onions to make many recipes in this book, so keep them in stock. Most other ingredients here are needed only for specific recipes.

TOFU

豆腐

Tofu
(
dou fu
)

Tofu is made from dried yellow soy beans that are soaked, ground with water, strained to make soy milk, heated, then curdled with a coagulant (usually gypsum or mineral salts). This basic tofu can be used as it is, or pressed into a more solid form, which in turn can be spiced, smoked or fermented. There are many types; the following are used in this book:

1 | 豆花

Silken tofu
(
dou hua
)

Known as flower tofu, or bean flower (
dou hua
) in Chinese, this very light tofu is not pressed and has a consistency reminiscent of pannacotta or crème caramel. It can be eaten hot or cold and with sweet or savory seasonings. You will find it in Chinese and Japanese supermarkets and in health food shops.

2 | 豆腐

Plain white tofu
(
dou fu
)

Most tofu is pressed to extract water, so it holds its shape and can be cut with a knife. Its consistency varies depending on how much water has drained away. In this book, plain white tofu refers to the semi-pressed tofu that is the most basic and ubiquitous form. It is ge nerally packaged with water and sold in Chinese groceries, health food shops and mainstream supermarkets. This kind is used mostly in soups and braises. It can also be shallow- or deep-fried until puffy and golden before cooking with other ingredients and seasonings. Most Chinese cooks blanch it in salted water before cooking, to refresh its flavor.

3 | 豆腐乾

Firm tofu
(
dou fu gan
)

As more water is pressed out of it, tofu acquires a firmer texture reminiscent of mozzarella, or even Edam. It can be used in cold dishes, or stir-fried. It is stocked by many Chinese supermarkets.

4 | 香乾

Smoked tofu
(
xiang gan
)

Made from firm tofu that has been smoked, this is a rich caramel brown on the outside and has a wonderful, aromatic flavor. Like spiced tofu (see below), it can be used in cold dishes or stir-fries and is often sold in health food shops, as well as some Chinese supermarkets. Unopened, it keeps well in the fridge.

5 | 五香豆腐乾

Spiced tofu
(
wu xiang dou fu gan
)

This is firm tofu, simmered in aromatic broth. Darker than plain firm tofu, it is sold in Chinese supermarkets and health food shops.

6 | 腐竹

Dried bean milk sticks, or tofu “bamboo”
(
fu zhu
)

Made from protein-rich skins that gather on the surface of simmering soy milk, which are crumpled and rolled into sand-colored sticks before drying. Soak in hot water for an hour until supple, cut, then toss into cold dishes, simmer with seasonings, or add to a soup or stew. Bean milk skin is also sold in knots, which may be added to stews, such as
Red-braised Beef
.

LEAFY GREENS

1 | 芥藍

Chinese broccoli
(
jie lan
)

This beautiful, deep green vegetable has a delicious flavor with a hint of bitterness. Dark green leaves grow around its juicy stems and green flower buds. It is commonly eaten in the Cantonese south of China and widely available in Chinese groceries. It is particularly good blanched, then stir-fried with ginger. The Cantonese call it gai lan, which is how it is often sold in Chinese supermarkets.

2 | 芹菜

Chinese celery
(
qin cai
)

Chinese celery has stems more slender than those of Western celery, and abundant leaves. Its stems can be a little fibrous, but they have a wonderful herby flavor and are often used in stir-fries and cold dishes, or as a garnish. The leaves may be chopped and used as a fragrant garnish for soups and noodle dishes.

3 | 百菜，大白菜

Chinese leaf cabbage
(
bai cai, da bai cai
)

Chinese leaf or celery cabbage is sold in most mainstream supermarkets. It has a light, slightly mustardy flavor and a very crisp texture, and is one of the most important vegetables in northern China. With the right treatment, it is juicy and delicious. Most Chinese people pickle it, stir-fry it with a variety of seasonings, or cook it in soups and stews.

4 | 菜心

Choy sum
(
cai xin
)

“Vegetable hearts” in Chinese, this is a favorite Cantonese vegetable with deep green leaves, thin, juicy stems and little yellow flowers. It has a delicate, sweet flavor and is beautiful either blanched or stir-fried. In my opinion, the simple
Blanched Choy Sum with Sizzling Oil
is one of the loveliest recipes in this book. The photograph opposite shows two varieties of choy sum.

5 | 芥菜

Mustard greens
(
jie cai
)

This variety of cabbage has broad, mid-green leaves. It is usually pickled, but can also be stir-fried or made into soups (tap
here
). The Cantonese call it
gai choy
, which is the name by which it is often sold in the West.

6 | 小白菜

Bok choy
(
xiao bai cai
)

Bok choy is now widely available in mainstream supermarkets as well as in Chinese shops. You are likely to come across three main types: regular bok choy (i), which has white midribs blooming out into dark green leaves; baby bok choy (ii), which is the same but smaller and generally tastier; and Shanghai green bok choy (iii), which is grass-green throughout (I find it more interesting in flavor than regular bok choy). They are usually stir-fried, blanched or used in soups.

7 | 豆苗

Pea shoots
(
dou miao
)

Pea shoots are a delicate vegetable that was until recently used mainly in banquet cooking. Their slender stalks, leaves and tendrils have a delightful pea flavor. Currently fashionable among Western chefs, they are now available in smarter supermarkets. In Chinese shops, you can recognize them from their small round leaves and snaking tendrils. In Chinese cooking, pea shoots are generally stir-fried, often with garlic, or used as a colorful garnish in clear soups.

8 | 莧菜

Purple amaranth
(
xian cai
)

This vegetable (
Amaranth tricolor
), common in southern China and available from time to time in larger Chinese or Vietnamese supermarkets, has thin stems with a profusion of small purple-hearted leaves. It is generally used in soups or in stir-fries, which it delicately colors with pink juices. Try to buy it when young and tender and discard any fibrous stems.

9 | 空心菜，筒菜

Water spinach
(
kong xin cai,
tong cai)

Deep green water spinach, known also as “morning glory,” has crisp, tubular stems and long, pointed leaves. It is almost always stir-fried, usually with garlic or fermented tofu, but can also be used in soups. The Cantonese sell it as
ong choy
.

GARLIC, CHIVES AND OTHER AROMATICS

1 | 韭菜

Chinese chives
(
jiu cai
)

Also known as garlic chives, these have deep green, spear-like leaves and a wonderfully punchy garlicky taste and fragrance. They are used mostly in stir-fries and in dumpling stuffings. They can be bought in many Chinese supermarkets. The photograph shows two varieties: the delicate chives favored in mainland China; and the coarser chives grown in Thailand and exported.

2 | 香菜

Cilantro
(
xiang cai
)

One of the few fresh herbs in common use in China. It can be stir-fried or mixed into salads, but is most commonly used as a garnish, especially for ingredients that are considered to have strong “fishy” aspects to their flavors, such as beef, lamb and paddy eels.

3 | 韭菜花

Flowering chives
(
jiu cai hua
)

These long, fine stems, topped with little flower buds that should be nipped off and discarded before cooking, have a fantastic garlicky flavor. The stems are normally stir-fried and are particularly delicious with a little pork or bacon.

4 | 大蒜

Garlic
(
da suan
)

This needs little explanation, except to say that larger garlic cloves are easier to slice.

5 | 蒜薹，蒜苗，蒜心

Garlic stems
(
suan miao,
suan tai,
suan xin
)

Look out for bundles of these long, pale green stems in Chinese fresh produce shops: they are particularly delicious when stir-fried with a little bacon or with mushrooms.

6 | 姜，生姜

Ginger
(
jiang,
sheng jiang
)

Try to find plump, smooth-skinned ginger with a strong fragrance that is heavy for its size, indicating that it is full of juice and has not dried out. You may snap off a piece to check that it’s not too fibrous: a clean break is a good sign, hair-like fibers sticking out of the break are not. But don’t throw away pieces of ginger that are fibrous or drying out: smack them with the side of your cleaver or a rolling pin and use them in stocks and marinades.

7 | 蔥

Spring onions
(
cong
)

Chinese green onions, which are normally described in English as spring onions or scallions, resemble long spring onions, without their characteristic swollen bulbs. They are used to refine the flavors of meat and fish ingredients and to give an appetizing fragrance and taste to all kinds of dishes. In southern China there are two common types of spring onion: “small spring onions” (
xiao cong
), which are very slender and almost chive-like; and “large spring onions” (
da cong
), which are longer and thicker. The former are normally finely chopped for a garnish, while the latter are used in marinades and in cooking. The most commonly available spring onions in the West are something between these two Chinese varieties, which is why I generally suggest using the green parts for garnishes and the thicker, more pungent whites in marinades and stews. (In northern China, they use another type of onion, confusingly also known as
da cong
, which is something between a spring onion and a leek: it is leek sized, but has a more delicate texture and can be eaten raw. This kind of
da cong
is one of the traditional garnishes for Peking duck.)

8 | 韭黃

Yellow chives
(
jiu huang
)

Yellow or hothouse chives are grown in darkness, like chicory and forced rhubarb, so they have a very pale color and a wonderful aroma. They can be found from time to time in Chinese supermarkets and are usually wrapped in thin paper. They are absolutely delicious but also fragile and they don’t keep well, so snap them up when you find them and use them quickly.

蒜苗，大蒜，青蒜

Chinese garlic leaves
(
suan miao,
da suan
or
qing suan
, not pictured
)