Common Terminology in Chinese Cooking Methods

There are so many specific techniques in Chinese cooking, apart from the more well known "stir-fry". Here are some common terms used in Chinese cooking process, which we have tried to put an English equivalent to. ut whenever we can!t, there!s an e"planation to the Chinese term. There are of course, more uncommon terms in the Chinese cooking world# if you do know of some other cooking methods you think should $e on here, please do share with us, $y sending us $oth the Chinese word and the English e"planation. (Note: Chinese pronunciation guide is based on PinYin standard.)

Chinese Pronunciation in Cooking English Equivalent Pin Yin Term

%hu 'ian Chao %heng %ha

Cook&$oil. (an-fry or shallow fry. )tir-fry. )team. *eep fry.

&

The technique of mi"ing sauces and oil into cooked noodle as seasoning, for e"ample dry wonton noodle. ,oodle is first $oiled in $oiling water, drained and an&+ao, when placed onto a plate where cooked oil and soya sauce said in Cantonese are added, then tossed and mi"ed well into the noodle. Can also mean tossing salad in its dressing, or adding sauce to rice. - very $asic technique especially in Cantonese cooking, where food .such as whole chicken or prawns/ is simply cooked in $oiling water or soup then drained and served. 0orks $est with fresh meat, not fro1en.

%huo

2ao 'u Hong )hao

3oast. ake, usually in foil or paper. ,ormal $aking or toasting process. raising technique which $egins with high heat, then

low to cook through, followed $y high heat again to reduce the sauce. 4n another conte"t5 6rill. *ou$le-$oil. 0here all the ingredients are placed with water .enough to cover all the ingredients or more/ in a covered ceramic casserole, which is then placed over $oiling water in another $igger pot to steam for several hours. 7sually used for delicacies such as $ird!s nest soup, her$al chicken soup, etc.

*un

+u

Cooking food .particularly meat and eggs/ in a stock made from various spices, ginger, sugar, dark soya sauce and light soya sauce, etc, on low heat for a few hours till the dark coloured stock is heavily a$sor$ed into the meat or egg. The stock can usually $e cooked and kept for a long time, and $e used over and over again# $ecause it!s $elieved that the aroma and taste get $etter over time. 6enerally used in preparing vegeta$les, where vegeta$les are lightly cooked in hot water or oil, drained then topped with sauce mi" such as oyster sauce and fragrant oils. 7sually treated as a snack or side dish. To marinate with salt or other seasonings.

8iang

9an

ao

- quick frying method, using less oil than deepfrying, to get food in crispy te"ture and not over cooked. :or e"ample the !$rowning! of meats and crispy onions. :ondue, or "steam$oat" in some -sian countries, where food is thinly sliced and cooked $y dipping it into $oiling soup, and to $e eaten on the spot. - stewing or $raising process, in which case the ingredients are fried with oil, then transferred into another pot .usually a clay pot/ to $e cooked on low heat, with the lid on. )tew. This technique is very close to the English stewing technique, $ut without using an oven. )moke, $y placing food on a stand in the pot over the stove, with smoking ingredients such as spices or tealeaves underneath the stand.

)hua

;en

0ei

<un

Hui +iu

-lso referred to as "$raise", $ut with starchy gravy. )tir-fry with starchy gravy.