Cooking Ingredients

Green leafy Vegetables such as bok choy and Chinese mustard greens used in cooking are from the cabbage family. Stir fried or cooked in soups for a short time so that they retain their bright colour, crispness and vitamins. Chinese cabbages are a good source of calcium.

Bamboo Shoots
Bamboo shoots are cream coloured and shaped like small pine cones. There are several kinds of bamboo shoots. I recommend the winter variety for its firm texture and flavour. They are cut into large pieces and canned in water. (kosher without supervision but it has to be canned without any preservatives or fresh)

Bean Curd
It is a pure Vegetable Product made from ground dried soya beans and water, to which a coagulant, gypsum powder is added to curdle the mixture. Bean curd, which the Chinese have eaten for centuries is a high quality, complete vegetable protein. It is totally free of cholesterol. It is available in supermarkets and Asian groceries. It texture can be soft and custard-like, medium firm, very firm or even grainy, depending on how is processed and how much water is retained. Many supermarket have them with rabbinical approval. Bean curd tends to spoil quickly, especially if it is not refrigerated; when it does, a strong sour odour and taste are apparent. To store loose bean curd, place it in a container, cover with cold water, top with an airtight lid and refrigerate. If you are keeping the bean curd more than a day or two, change the water daily. (kosher without supervision but it has to be bought in a commercially sealed packet and not the fresh store ones.)

Bean Sprouts
Bean sprouts are the tender shoots of the mung bean. They are long, pearly white sprouts with tiny yellow bean heads. When fresh they are crunchy and have a sweet taste. Prepare them promptly within a day or two because they lose flavour quickly. (kosher without supervision when bought fresh)

Bok Choy
Bok choy has a bright green leaf and a chalky white stalk with small yellow flowers. Some have short, thick stalks while others have long, narrow stalks, but they all have more or less the same shape. They are available throughout the year in Asian groceries and supermarkets. (kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh and checked for bugs.)

Chinese Cabbage (Napa Cabbage or Celery Cabbage) This pale green cabbage is available all year. There are two kinds: one long and narrow, and the other shorter and rounder. The Chinese prefer the shorter, rounder cabbage because it is sweeter and more tender, but the long, narrow one is more common in supermarkets. (kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh and checked for bugs.)

Chinese Mustard Greens
Sold only in Asian groceries, these greens have thick smooth stems with crisp swirling leaves and a strong, pungent, slightly bitter mustard flavour. They are delicious in soups or stir fried with meat.(kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh and checked for bugs.)

Daikon (Chinese Radish)
A large, long, tapered, sweet and juicy radish that can be eaten raw or cooked and is available in most markets.(kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh and checked for bugs.)

Fresh Hot Chilli Peppers
I used fresh Anaheim hot green peppers . They are long and narrow, about the size of a small parsnip, and slightly twisted; they can be mild or very hot. If it is not indicated, you can ask the grocer about their spiciness or you might taste one yourself.(kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh .)

Oriental Eggplant (Banana Eggplant)
Long and narrow, these eggplants are sweeter and have fewer seeds than the common thicker variety.(kosher without supervision but it has to be bought fresh )

Seasoned Pressed Bean Curd
Fresh bean curd is pressed to remove much of the water, then simmered in soy sauce and spices. (recipe found on the Chinese page)(kosher only with supervision or home-made.)

Snow Peas
Unlike peas that are shelled, these peas have thin, edible pods. They are delicious blanched or stir fried. Although thought to be Chinese in origin, there is some evidence that snow peas were first cultivated in Europe. The Cantonese name for them is ho man dow, or "Holland bean."(kosher without supervision .)

Taro Root
A starchy tuber, taro is often deep fried or cooked with duck because it absorbs the fat and flavour without becoming greasy. Shredded, it can be deep fried into the shape of a basket. It is dark brown, nappy, and barrel shaped with a faint chestnut-like flavour. Peel before using.(kosher without supervision .)

Water Chestnuts
Water chestnuts, available mostly in Asian markets, are not part of the chestnut family. They look like muddy little tulip bulbs, with black skin and crisp white sweet flesh, and taste almost like a crisp apple. They must be peeled before using. The canned are flavourless by comparison, so it is worth the expense and effort to use the fresh whenever possible. If you can't find the fresh, use the canned or substitute jicama, a tuber that also has a crisp white flesh and can be found in Asian and Latin markets and some supermarkets. Fresh water chestnuts bruise and spoil easily, so choose the very hard ones with no soft spots. Free of any blemishes, fresh water chestnuts will keep for weeks in the refrigerator vegetable compartment. Peeled, they can be frozen raw for a month or so.(kosher without supervision but is has to be canned without any preservatives.)

Winter Melon
A member of the squash family, this large melon has a hard outer light green skin that is coated with a chalky white powder. It is usually cooked in soup. The flesh becomes transparent and soft when cooked and has a subtle taste that is enriched with the flavour of chicken broth. It is found in Asian markets and sold by the pound in wedges. Store loosely wrapped in the refrigerator to prevent spoiling.(kosher without supervision .)

Dried Products

Most Chinese packaged dried products, such as plants or noodles, have been sun dried.

Agar agar
This gelatinous substance is derived from seaweed. It is a pure plant product and comes as a powder, in long rectangular blocks, or in thin sticks. Some of the powdered brands have rabbinical approval. The thin strips are soaked in cold water to soften and are used in salads. Agar agar dissolves in hot or boiling water and is used to make gelatin. Stored in a dry place, it will keep for months.(kosher without supervision .)

Black Mushrooms
Dried black mushrooms come in varying price depending on the quality. They have a distinctive, slightly earthy flavour and a chewy texture. The more expensive ones are thicker and have a richer, more intense flavour. You can store dried mushrooms indefinitely in a clean, dry, covered jar. Soak them in warm water until soft (about 30 minutes) before using. The thicker mushrooms require longer soaking than do the thin ones, so soak them the night before and refrigerate.(kosher without supervision .)

Cellophane Noodles (Bean Threads)
These dried thin noodles are made from mung bean flour. They become transparent when braised, hence the name cellophane. They become very crisp when deep fried.(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Glutinous Rice (Sweet Rice)
This round, short grain rice becomes sticky and somewhat gummy when cooked. It is used mostly for stuffing or fried rice. You can find it in Asian markets.(kosher without supervision .)

Rice
Chinese prefer long grain rice cooked plain either boiled or steamed and it is served with every meal. It is the staple of the southern Chinese diet, while in the north, because of the cold climate and shorter growing season, wheat is used more than rice. Fried Rice is made with leftover rice.(kosher without supervision .)

Rice Noodles
Thin, dried rice noodles are made from rice flour and can be found in Asian groceries. These noodles come in two thickness: one is the size of cellophane noodles and the other even thinner. You need only to soak them in water before stir frying with other foods. The noodles are sold in one pound packages separated into four bundles.(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Tiger Lily Buds
(Golden Needles) These dried, pale golden lily buds are delicate in flavour, used mostly for texture, and are often combined with tree ears. They must be soaked in boiling water before being added to a dish. They are good in steamed or stir fried dishes and in soups.(kosher without supervision .)

Tree Ears
They are also called black fungus, wood ears or cloud ears, depending on their size. When soaked in warm water, they triple in bulk. Tree ears should be washed thoroughly after soaking and any foreign matter removed. Like tiger lily buds, they are used mostly for texture.(kosher without supervision.)

Fresh Noodles and Wrappers

Egg Noodles Fresh or dried noodles are made from wheat flour, eggs and water. If fresh, they are kept in the refrigerated section of Chinese grocery stores or the produce section of supermarkets. They can be refrigerated for two days or frozen up to three weeks.(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Egg Roll Wrappers
These are large square sheets of fresh egg noodle dough, found in the refrigerated section of Chinese grocery stores. They can be refrigerated for two days or frozen for three weeks.(recipe found on the Chinese page)(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Rice Noodle Sheets
Fresh or dried rice noodles are made from ground rice and water spread on a flat surface and steamed into sheets. Rice noodle sheets are found in Chinese grocery stores; they must be kept refrigerated. (recipe found on the Chinese page)(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Spring Roll Wrappers
Fresh spring roll wrappers are thin wheat crepes found in the refrigerated section of Chinese grocery stores. They are much thinner than egg roll wrappers and can be refrigerated (for two days) or frozen (for three weeks).(recipe found on the Chinese page)(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)

Wonton Wrappers
These are small squares of fresh egg noodle dough found in the refrigerated section of Chinese grocery stores or in supermarkets. They must be refrigerated or frozen. (recipe found on the Chinese page)(kosher without supervision but is has to be made of plain ingredients like water salt, bisulphate's, rice or wheat .)