The Chinese have always been a great influence in our culture–from our traditions, practices, and, still evident today, our food. In our kitchens, we’re sure to have most of these Filipino-Chinese ingredients. If you don’t, then you might a well get to know these must-have products to flavor your everyday dishes.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce enriches the flavor of dishes and adds a salty-savory taste to mixes, dips, marinades, soups, and stir-fries. It’s also fantastic on braised dishes, grilled meats, roasts, and stews.
There are two kinds of soy sauce in general: light and dark. Regular or light soy sauce has a milder taste. This is often used for pancit, inihaw marinades, and dipping sauces like toyomansi. Dark soy sauce, on the other hand, is richer and carries a depth of flavor, perfect for dishes like Beef Pares, meat-based adobo, and humba. It also gives them a darker and more savory color. The variation of soy sauce is also expansive, ranging from sweet to smoky and even a hint of bitterness.
Try these recipes cooked with soy sauce:
Five Spice Powder
Star anise, cloves, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppers, and cinnamon are the components of a five-spice powder blend. Each ingredient corresponds to the five traditional Chinese elements in cooking: sweet, sour, spicy, savory, and salty. Since the five-spice mix is potent in aroma and taste, it is often added to dishes with fatty proteins such as duck, goose, and pork. It’s sometimes used as a spice rub and added to breading for fried foods. A popular Pinoy dish that uses five-spice powder is Ngohiong, a Cebuano fried spring roll made of pork, shrimp, and heart of palm.
Try these recipes cooked with five-spice powder:
Shaoxing Wine
This special cooking liquid is one of the most used ingredients in Chinese cuisine. It is made from rice, fermented and processed extensively, resulting in its complex and sweet taste. It is used to season and add depth to soups, stews, broths, and sauces. While it may be considered wine, its function is just for cooking and not for drinking.
Try these recipes cooked with shaoxing wine:
Black Vinegar
Compared to white distilled vinegar, black vinegar brings a different kind of sourness and complexity to the dishes it is used in. It has hints of licorice and malt, a certain kind of umami, and an aroma that elevates a dish. One popular use of black vinegar is as a dipping sauce with ginger shreds for Xiao Long Bao. For Pinoy dishes, use it for marinades, sauces, barbecues, and braised dishes like paksiw.
Try these recipes cooked with Chinese black vinegar:
Sesame Oil
With a low smoking point, this edible oil is not really for frying but rather a great addition before and after cooking. Sesame oil is your best friend for stir-fries, marinades, dressings, and cold appetizers. It has a distinct nutty fragrance and comes in toasted and non-toasted varieties. Drizzle it over chicken or beef mami, noodles, vegetable stir-fries, dim sum, and steamed fish. Due to its pungency, it’s best to measure its use; otherwise, the sesame oil might overpower the dish.
Try these recipes with sesame oil:
MSG
MSG or monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, a common amino acid, which can be naturally found in umami-rich food like tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms. This flavor enhancer is the secret ingredient of many restaurants, and when used wisely, it can effectively elevate even the simplest of food. Unfortunately, its use in Chinese cuisine is still surrounded by unfounded and dated misconceptions. In truth, the correct usage of the MSG is encouraged. A little amount goes a long way, so if you want to add some oomph to your savory sauces, stocks, stews, soups, and stir-fries, then sprinkle a bit of MSG for a much-needed flavor boost.
Try these recipes with MSG:
Wonton Wrappers
If you prefer convenience when making dumplings, go for ready-made wonton wrappers that are easily available in groceries and supermarkets. Like homemade wrappers, they’re versatile and can be boiled, steamed, and fried. Take note, though: Molo wrappers are entirely different since they’re thinner and cut into squares, so look for the ones that are a bit thicker and round.
Try these recipes cooked with wonton wrappers:
Hoisin Sauce
If you often order Peking duck or assorted cold cuts, it is often accompanied by hoisin sauce. This sweet, fragrant condiment is mainly made from fermented soybeans with the addition of other ingredients like sweet potato, sugar, wheat, rice, pepper, vinegar, spices, and preservatives. It is a nice dipping sauce for steamed and fried items and can also be used as a glaze for roasted meat and grilled food.
Try these recipes cooked with hoisin sauce:
Baking Soda
Ever wonder why the beef, pork, and chicken slices on Chinese stir-fries remain tender and moist even after being cooked on high heat? The secret is baking soda. Velveting is a tried-and-tested cooking technique in which a mixture of baking soda, egg whites, cornstarch, and oil is marinated in the meat to soften its fibers and keep it juicy while being cooked. Just remember to rinse off the mixture before cooking the meat.
Try these recipes cooked with baking soda:
Dried Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are flavor-filled, so drying them intensifies their earthy-savoriness, making them into natural umami bombs. After hydrating them in hot water, you can use the liquid to boost the flavor of stocks and soups and even use it as a base liquid in cooking rice. The rehydrated mushrooms can be then be sliced and added to glass noodles, soups, fried rice, and stir-fries.
Try these recipes cooked with dried mushrooms:
Oyster Sauce
Salty, thick, sweet, and bursting with umami, oyster sauce is an important flavoring in Asian cooking, bringing a unique savoriness to the dishes it cooks into. Made from oyster juices and additional seasonings, it works wonders on thick-stemmed vegetables, is a great addition to braised meats and long stews, and is a secret addition in marinades and dumpling mixtures. Pinoy cooking is a crucial ingredient to pancit dishes and Chop Suey.
Try these recipes cooked oyster sauce:
What other Filipino-Chinese ingredients should everyone have in their kitchen? Let us know!
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