Fermented bean curd, also called fermented tofu, bean cheese, or tofu cheese, comes in both a white variety and a red variety, and it’s pretty foreign to the average American home cook. Other names include preserved bean curd or wet bean curd. So what is this ingredient? To be upfront, this is one of those […]

The three main types of rice vinegar (mi cù, 米醋) used in Chinese cooking are white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar (or Chinkiang Vinegar), and red rice vinegar. In this article, we focus on Chinese black vinegar, also known as black rice vinegar, dark vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar, or Zhenjiang vinegar.  (For more info on the […]

Oyster sauce can be found in a variety of Chinese and Asian recipes, including many of the recipes on this site. It’s also included in our list of 10 Essential Chinese Pantry Ingredients, for good reason.  A sauce made from oysters may sound a little bit scary, but it is actually quite mild, and adds […]

Sesame oil is a key ingredient in our list of 10 Essential Chinese Pantry Ingredients. It’s one of those Asian staples that has made its way out into the mainstream. These days, even regular grocery stores stock it. It can quickly add that “Asian” twist to any recipe, and it’s an important flavor agent not […]

Shaoxing wine is perhaps the most common ingredient on The Woks of Life that you’ve never heard of. If you’ve ever wondered why your homemade Chinese food doesn’t taste like what you’d get at a restaurant, Shaoxing wine may be the key missing element! We call for Shaoxing wine in many recipes, from stir-fries to […]

Soy sauce is a familiar ingredient even to Western cooks these days. It holds a special place of importance in our list of 10 Essential Chinese Pantry Ingredients, and is truly essential to not just Chinese cooking, but Asian cooking in general. But some of our recipes call for “light soy sauce,” while others call […]

The three main types of rice vinegar (mi cù, 米醋) used in Chinese cooking are white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar (or Chinkiang Vinegar), and red rice vinegar.  In this article, we’ll be focusing on white rice vinegar.  (For more info on the other two types, check out their individual articles: Black Rice Vinegar & Red […]

The three main types of rice vinegar (mi cù, 米醋) used in Chinese cooking are white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar (or Chinkiang Vinegar), and red rice vinegar.  In this article, we’ll be focusing on Chinese red vinegar.  (For more info on the other two types, check out their individual articles: White Rice Vinegar & Chinese […]