Chinese Food Culture - The world of seasoning - Condiments

Turning ingredients into seasonings

Star Anise

Whenever you see the word ‘卤’(stew) in Chinese dishes, you know that you will get the taste of star anise. Star anise is a star-shaped, spicy fruit with a hint of sweetness. Being an indispensable component of Five Spices Powder, it enhances the flavour of many food ingredients. By adding a couple pieces of the fruit, the taste of your stewed meat or stir-fried vegetables will be highly enriched.

Fermented Soy Bean

Fermented soy bean is one of the Chinese seasonings with the longest history. Mild and salty in taste and rich in aroma, it complements well a variety of ingredients. With fermented soy bean as its main ingredient, the dish ‘tempeh dace’ (Fried Dace with salted black beans) is the favourite of many Guangdong people. When made into Black Bean Chilli Sauce, it carries a taste of Guizhou.

Chilli Pepper

With only 200 years history in China, Chilli peppers have become very popular amongst those who love spice. Peppers come in various species with different characteristics and levels of spiciness, winning the hearts of food lovers throughout China.

Sichuan Peppercorn

Sichuan Peppercorn is a unique spice from China with a special ‘mouth-numbing’ characteristic, which augments well with the spiciness of chillies. It has its roots in the signature dish Ma Po Tofu which has claimed its fame in Chinese Cuisines.

Dried Tangerine Peel

Fresh tangerine peels are preserved over time just like wine, their flavours enhancing with age. The tangerine peel often becomes thinner during preservation, resulting in a rich sweet and sour taste coming forth, ensuring that dried tangerine peels complement a variety of Chinese dishes well.