Pantry Basics: Chinese Essentials

For the second post in my Pantry Basics series, I decided to tackle Chinese ingredients. I very rarely cook classical Chinese dishes, but always keep most of these spices and sauces on hand to temper my multi-culti experiments. I’ve consulted my dear friend Betty Lew who compiled this list based on her mother’s extensive pantry and her own culinary repertoire. Betty cooks primarily Cantonese dishes at home and uses all these ingredients to maintain a true balance of flavours—salty, sweet, hot and sour.

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FRESH INGREDIENTS

Ginger, ground to a paste (I peel and grind large quantities at a time in a food processor, store a small amount in the fridge for current use, and freeze the rest in small containers for later use.)

Garlic

Scallion 

AROMATICS & SPICES

White Sesame

Dry Red Chilli

Dried Orange Peel

Star Anise

White Peppercorn

Szechuan Peppercorn

Five-Spice Powder (This is a combination of ground Cassia or Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Anise, Szechuan Peppercorn, Ginger.)

Dried Shrimp

Dried Scallop

Fermented Soy Bean

Dried Shitake Mushroom

Black Tea

STARCHES

Long-Grain Rice (like Jasmine Rice)

Glutenous Rice (like Sushi Rice)

Glutenous Rice Flour

Egg Noodle

Rice Noodle 

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SAUCES, PASTES & OILS

Fermented Bean Curd
Soy Sauce
Plum Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Hot Bean Sauce
Chilli Oil
Vegetable Oil
Peanut Oil
Toasted Sesame Oil (for flavouring only)