a bunch of chinese food sitting on top of a wooden table

International Students

Essential Chinese cooking ingredients

By SanctuarySocial 17 May 2022

The hidden gems of Chinese cooking and where to find them in the UK

As anyone who's from (or been to) China will tell you, there's so much more to Chinese food than what you'd find at your local takeaway.

In terms of size, China is almost as big as Europe. So when you think how much cuisine changes across European countries, it's much the same across the different regions of China. From the simple staple of congee—a traditional rice-based dish, a bit like porridge but can be served with meat, fish, and vegetables—to the delicacy of duck tongues.

Often the best way to have the most authentic Chinese food is to cook it at home, and to do that you'll need some authentic ingredients. Luckily the UK is well stocked in top quality Chinese products.

To find out more we spoke to Manna Ash resident Xinyi, who gave us the inside scoop.

Xinyi is from Guangdong province in China. She lives in London and coming to university here is her first time in the UK.

1. Soybean Sauce

We use this to add more flavour to meat dishes. I found these in Chinese supermarkets in Chinatown.

2. Oyster Sauce

Although this is made from oysters, it doesn’t taste fishy at all! It’s more of a mushroom type taste. We use it a lot in stir fry dishes.

3. Sweet bean paste

This is also used in noodle dishes. It has a very sweet flavour and I found it in the Chinese supermarket not far from where I live.

4. Bean paste

This tastes sweet and spicy and adds loads of flavour to a meal. I was surprised to find this in Sainsbury’s.

Your local Chinese supermarket can be a fantastic source of fresh authentic ingredients to help you create some amazing dishes. Why not have a go using some of these ingredients in your own cooking?