The Sichuan Pantry: Spices, Aromatics, and Pickles

Spices, Aromatics, and Pickles

Bay Leaves

Bay Leaves are a common spice added to soups and stir-fries. The leaves add a subtle aromatic flavor a little similar to a mild mint. Only whole dried bay leaves are used in Chinese cooking, and the leaves are not eaten. In western cuisine, bay leaves are often removed before the dish is served; however, in Chinese cuisine the leaves are usually left in the dish as a garnish.

Cardamom

Cardamom is an aromatic pod commonly used in stir-fries. There are two types of cardamom, green cardamom (also called true cardamom) and black cardamom. Since green cardamom is almost never used in China, the focus of this will be on black cardamom. Black cardamom is milder with a smoky, non-bitter, almost minty flavor.

Cape Jasmin Bulbs

Cape Jasmin Bulbs are not a common ingredient, but can be used as a special addition to chili oil, flavored oils, and flavored soy sauces. In China, cape jasmine bulbs are also used to make a delicious tea. The bulbs have a unique aroma, not quite flowery, but more like trail mix. It smells nutty, sweet, and a little fruity kind of like a mix of granola, nuts, and dried fruit.

Chongqing Pickled Mustard (Zhacai)

Zha Cai (榨菜) are sour, salty, and slightly tangy pickled mustard stems that are a popular snack all over China. However, these pickled mustard stems originated in Chongqing, which used to be part of Sichuan before becoming a municipality. Zha Cai can also be stir-fried with pork for a quick family meal. Many versions of Zha Cai come pre-cut into strips, making it perfect for 'rousi' dishes such as Stir-Fried Pork and Chongqing Pickles (榨菜肉丝). There are multiple flavors of Zha Cai, some are spicy and some normal. However, all forms are salty and sour. I recommend the 'light flavor' 清香 for cooking if unaccustomed to the flavor. However, any version can be used for cooking.

Cilantro

Cilantro, also known as coriander, should be called the Sichuan rose - it's such a beautiful addition to any dish. In fact many recipes rely on Cilantro to pack that aromatic punch to compliment the spiciness of red chilies. Cilantro is known as Xiang Cai (香菜) in Chinese meaning aromatic vegetable. Therefore, it's naturally an important part of any Fragrant Spicy (香辣) dish. In western countries just a few leaves are used, but in China the entire plant is used sometimes. The stems, leaves, and sometimes even a little bit of the roots are added, either whole or diced.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a common ingredient in soups and stir-fries as well as one of the main ingredients in Chinese Five Spice. In China, both traditional cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon (better known as cassia bark) are used interchangeably. While not a common ingredient for Chinese desserts, cinnamon is found in nearly everything else. It adds a fragrant sweet smell and subtle spiciness along with a burst of flavor. Usually only whole cinnamon sticks are used and cinnamon powder is quite uncommon.

Cloves

Cloves are the dried aromatic flowers of an evergreen tree and one of the ingredients in Chinese Five Spice. Generally, whole cloves are used for stir-fries and soups, and ground clove powder is never used. Like cinnamon cloves has an intense flavor with a subtle warmth and sweetness. It's flavor is strong so usually only a small amount is used when cooking.

Cumin

Cumin is a staple of savory dishes with it's deep, slightly smoky flavor. Both whole cumin seeds and ground cumin powder are commonly used in Chinese cooking. Cumin is usually used in stir-fries and especially in Chinese barbecue. It pairs well with spicy food and cilantro, so it's naturally in many fragrant spicy (香辣) dishes like this Fragrant Spicy Crispy-Fried Chicken (香辣干煸鸡).

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds are one of the ingredients in Chinese Five Spice. They're actually not seeds but 'fruits' of the fennel plant. The fennel fruits are commonly stir-fried and used in soups. They have a fragrant almost licorice-like flavor, and the flavor of fennel is similar to star anise and pairs well with it. If you've had Italian sausage, you probably know this flavor quite well.

Five Spice Powder

Five Spice Powder (五香粉) is usually a ground mixture of common Chinese spices. While the exact mixture can vary, the standard spices are Cinnamon, Cloves, Fennel Seeds, Sichuan Pepper, and Star Anise. In Sichuan cooking, Five Spice Powder is not commonly used. However, the actual five spices are often used either whole or freshly ground. If you would like to use Five Spice in your cooking, I suggest buying the actual spices, roasting them, and grinding them yourself. I have a simple recipe here for making your own: Chinese Five Spice Powder.

Garlic

Garlic is a staple ingredient and used in nearly every dish. While the flavor of garlic in Sichuan cuisine is not as intense as with other provinces such as Shandong, it's still integral to the flavor of most dishes. Sichuan chefs often balance the flavor of garlic with ginger and red chilies. Furthermore, fresh garlic cloves are always used and garlic powder is left on the store shelves where it belongs. The manner in which garlic is cut often depends on the dish. However, the garlic cloves are usually smashed with the side of a heavy cleaver before being peeled and chopped. Garlic can also be sliced, slivered, or finely diced.

Garlic Sprouts

Garlic Sprouts (蒜苗) are the green aromatic stalks found on young garlic. In China, garlic sprouts usually have either no bulb or a very small garlic bulb. This is because the focus is on the sprouts which are used like scallion. (In some western cuisine, the bulbs are used and not the leaves). Though garlic sprouts look similar to scallion, they have a mild garlic flavor and no onion flavor. Garlic sprouts are commonly stir-fried with thinly sliced cooked pork to make Twice-Cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts (蒜苗回锅肉).

Galangal Root

Galangal Root smells like incense - a little bit smoky and a little bit sweet. It has a citrusy, somewhat piney flavor. Fresh galangal looks similar to ginger but their flavor is vastly different. However, they can be used together add both flavors to stir-fries. Dried galangal root is a great addition to chili oil, flavored oils, and flavored soy sauces.

Ginger

Ginger, like garlic and red chilies, is found in nearly every dish. It's fragrant and spicy, and it pairs well with both sweet and savory ingredients. In fact, it's one of the most versatile ingredients. It can handle a high heat, so it's great for stir-fries. Ginger can release flavor gradually, so it's also great for soups and boiling over long periods of time. Many Sichuan soups and boiled dishes only use ginger and scallion for flavor and aroma.

Nuts and Seeds

Peanuts are the most common nut in Sichuan. It's used not only as a snack, but also in many stir-fry dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁). Peanuts are also chopped and added atop noodle dishes to give a pleasant contrasting crunch. When stir-fried with white sugar syrup, peanuts become frosted in sugar and taste amazing.

Sesame Seeds are the essential item for garnishing dishes. It can be added to nearly any dish to make it look more appetizing. While sesame seeds are often added atop noodles, they're also used in making chili oil and as a final ingredient in some stir-fries. The type of sesame seeds I prefer to use are roasted sesame seeds, which have slightly more flavor.

Walnuts are less commonly used in Sichuan cooking. However, they are a popular snack, especially when frosted. A large bowl are bag of walnuts, candy, and snacks can be found in most Sichuan homes for guests to snack on when they visit.

Onion

Onion is occasionally used in fragrant spicy dishes (香辣) for it's fragrance and flavor. However, it's not a common ingredient and though onion is used to flavor dishes it's not often eaten. Instead, onion is treated like garlic and ginger, used only for adding flavor. The common typea of onion used are yellow onion and red onions, which are readily available in most Chinese supermarkets.

Red Chilies

Red Chilies, along with garlic and ginger, form the Holy Trinity of Sichuan cooking. Nearly every recipe will require red chilies, garlic, and ginger. There are multiple types of red chilies used in Sichuan cooking including fresh, pickled, and dry. The fresh red chilies normally used in Sichuan cuisine are called Small Chilies (小米辣) or Heavenly Chilies (朝天椒) and are pretty spicy. These are also commonly pickled and used as Pickled Chilies (泡椒). Furthermore, there are also several types of Dry Red Chilies, which are commonly used for cooking and for making chili oil. These are:

• Heavenly Chilies (朝天椒) - These chilies are very spicy and fragrant with a classic red chili flavor.
• Warhead Chilies (弹头干) - These chilies have a decent spiciness and add a bright red color to any dish.
• Lantern Chilies (灯笼椒) - These chilies are a little spicy with a heat that grows gradually and a slightly tomato like flavor.
• Er Jing Tiao Chilies (二荆条) - These long chilies are very fragrant and just a little spicy.
• Seventh Star Chilies (七星椒) - These chilies are very spicy.

Scallion

Scallion, also known as green onion, is a common ingredient and garnish in many Chinese dishes. Scallion is sometimes referred to as spring onion, but this is poor nomenclature since spring onion is actually just a young onion with a small bulb. Spring onion is basically just a mild bulb of onion used in western cuisine whereas scallion is the green shoots used in Chinese cooking. In China, there are three main types of scallion and all can be used interchangeably.

• Small Scallion (小葱) - Like it's name suggests this is a thin, small version of scallion often used more like a garnish similar to chives. However, unlike chives, it can also be stir fried. Small scallion's flavor is stronger than chives, but weaker than Fragrant Scallion.
• Fragrant Scallion (香葱) - This is the standard scallion used in most Sichuan cuisine with its fragrant aroma and robust flavor.
• Big Scallion (大葱) - This is sometimes known as an Asian leek, because it's appearance resembles a leek. However, the flavor is more similar to scallion than to leek. It's a large scallion with a robust flavor. In Shandong cuisine this scallion is used a lot, but in Sichuan cuisine it's used more sparingly, primarily to flavor soups so that the strong flavor mellows.

Shallot

Shallot is used in Fragrant Spicy Dishes (香辣) to add fragrance and flavor. However, it's not commonly eaten but used in a similar manner to garlic and ginger. Shallot is also not commonly used in Sichuan cuisine, which tends to favor scallion. Pickled shallots are occasionally used as a specialty ingredient in fancier restaurants.

Sichuan Pepper

Sichuan Pepper (花椒) is like the not-so-secret secret ingredient of Sichuan cooking. A little spicier than black pepper, these tiny peppercorns leave behind a numbing or tingling sensation that dances on the tongue and lips. It's also quite aromatic and adds a slight citrus-like flavor to any dish. Ground Sichuan pepper powder (花椒粉) is commonly found in Chinese Five Spice. There are two types of Sichuan Pepper: Green and Red. Green Sichuan Pepper has a very strong flavor and sizzling sensation whereas Red Sichuan Pepper still has a good fragrance but has less sizzling sensation. It's important to find extremely flavorful and aromatic Sichuan pepper. When you first open the package, you should smell the spiciness. I recommend buying Sichuan pepper in a resealable bag as the flavor will dissipate if exposed to open air for more than a day.

Sichuan Pickles (Pao Cai)

Sichuan Pickles (泡菜) are a staple ingredient of Sichuan cooking. Good Sichuan pickles are not merely sour and spicy, but also extremely aromatic and full of flavor. Aromatic ingredients such as star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves are commonly added during the pickling process to add numerous layers of flavor. The common Sichuan pickles are Ginger, Garlic, Red Chilies, Daikon White Radish, Carrot, and Mustard Greens. Though requiring a lengthy time to pickle, Sichuan Paocai is quite easy to make and vital for many Sichuan dishes. Check out this detailed guide for more information: Sichuan Pickles.

Star Anise

Star Anise is one of the ingredients in Chinese Five Spice and commonly used in stir-fries, soups, and stews. Star anise has a licorice-like flavor and intense flavor. Usually, the whole star-shaped fruits are used but occasionally these are broken in half when only a small amount of the flavor is needed. Star anise is native to Vietnam and Southwest China. Since Sichuan is located in Southwest China, star anise is found in many dishes.

White Pepper

White Pepper comes from the same tree as black pepper. The difference between white pepper and black pepper is the time at which the peppercorns are harvested. White pepper is picked at peak ripeness. The peppercorns are soaked in water and the outer hull is removed. Because of this, white pepper has a much milder flavor than black pepper. White pepper is used in most dishes either in the marinade or the final seasoning.

Yibin Pickles (Yibin Yacai)

Yibin Pickles (宜宾芽菜) - These salty, sour pickled mustard greens come from a city called Yibin in Sichuan. Yibin is my wife's hometown and one of my favorite places to visit. The pickled mustard greens are often stir-fried with ground pork and are essential for noodle dishes like Yibin Ranmian. They can also be used with steamed pork belly dishes to offset the oily flavor of the meat.

 

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