Zhima Jiang: A Field Guide for Curious Eaters
Zhima Jiang: A Field Guide for Curious Eaters Zhima jiang (芝麻酱, pronounced roughly “jrr-maa jyang”) is…
-
-
Doubanjiang: The Fermented Chili-Bean Paste at the Heart of Sichuan Cooking
Photo: Wikimedia Commons Doubanjiang: The Fermented Chili-Bean Paste at the Heart of Sichuan Cooking If I…
-
Chinese Vegetables: A Visual Field Guide
Greens, gourds, roots, and fungus you will meet in China: what bok choy, gai lan, bitter melon, and lotus root taste like and exactly how they are cooked.
-
Chinese Spices: What They Are and What They Do
A field guide to Chinese spices: Sichuan pepper, dried chilies, star anise and cassia, cumin, the blends, and how to buy, toast, and store them.
-
Chinese Sauces Explained
The Chinese sauce shelf explained: light and dark soy, oyster sauce, doubanjiang, XO and shacha, and how each sauce enters a wok or a braise.
-
Chinese Rice Dishes: From Claypot to Congee
Fried rice, congee, claypot rice, rice noodles, sticky parcels, and Hainan chicken rice: how China turns the humble grain into the main event of the meal.
-
Chinese Pickles: Suan Cai, Pao Cai, and the Pantry Jars
Chinese pickles like suan cai and pao cai are a structural ingredient, not just a relish. Here are the families, their uses, and how to bring them home.
-
Chinese Fruits You Won’t See at Home
Lychee, longan, dragon fruit, Xinjiang grapes, Hami melon, persimmon, and yangmei: what they taste like, when they peak, and exactly where to find them.
-
Chinese Fermented Foods: Soy Sauce, Vinegar, and Furu
Chinese fermentation runs the pantry: soy sauce, grain vinegar, doubanjiang, and fermented tofu. Here is what each is and how it flavors your food at home.
-
Chinese Condiments: The Building Blocks
A practical guide to Chinese condiments: soy sauces, doubanjiang, fermented beans, vinegars, and chili oil, what each does, and what to buy first.
