Videos about food, China

A taste of China at home : basic essentials

Essential Chinese Sauces, Spices and Oils for your kitchen cupboard:

  1. Soy Sauce (酱油, Jiàngyóu): Soy sauce is perhaps the most essential condiment in Chinese cooking. It adds saltiness, depth, and umami flavor to dishes. There are different varieties of soy sauce, including light soy sauce (生抽, Shēngchōu) and dark soy sauce (老抽, Lǎochōu), each with its own flavor profile and usage.
  2. Oyster Sauce (蚝油, Háoyóu): Oyster sauce is a thick, savory sauce made from oyster extracts, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings. It has a rich, umami flavor and is commonly used as a seasoning and flavor enhancer in stir-fries, marinades, and dipping sauces.
  3. Sesame Oil (麻油, Máyóu): Sesame oil is a fragrant oil made from toasted sesame seeds. It has a nutty flavor and adds depth and aroma to dishes. Sesame oil is often used as a finishing oil, added at the end of cooking for its distinct flavor. It is commonly used in stir-fries, marinades, dressings, and dipping sauces. Try the toasted version.
  4. Rice Vinegar (米醋, Mǐcù): Rice vinegar is a mild, slightly sweet vinegar made from fermented rice. It adds acidity and brightness to dishes and is commonly used in marinades, dressings, dipping sauces, and pickling.
  5. Chili Bean Paste (豆瓣酱, Dòubànjiàng): Chili bean paste, also known as doubanjiang or Toban Djan, is a spicy and savory paste made from fermented broad beans, chili peppers, and soybeans. It has a complex flavor with a balance of saltiness, sweetness, and heat. Chili bean paste is a key ingredient in Sichuan cuisine and is used in dishes such as Mapo Tofu and Twice-cooked Pork.
  6. Shaoxing Wine (绍兴酒, Shàoxīngjiǔ): Shaoxing wine is a type of Chinese rice wine made from fermented glutinous rice. It adds depth of flavor and aroma to dishes and is commonly used in marinades, braises, and stir-fries. Shaoxing wine is a staple ingredient in Chinese cuisine and is often referred to as the "cooking wine" in Chinese recipes.
  7. Chili Oil (辣椒油, Làjiāoyóu): Chili oil is a spicy and aromatic oil made by infusing hot oil with dried chili peppers and other aromatics. It adds heat and flavor to dishes and is commonly used as a condiment in noodle soups, stir-fries, dumplings, and dipping sauces.
  8. Hoisin Sauce (海鲜酱, Hǎixiānjiàng): Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet and savory sauce made from soybeans, sugar, vinegar, garlic, and various spices. It has a complex flavor with notes of sweetness, saltiness, and umami. Hoisin sauce is commonly used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, a glaze for roasted meats, and a flavoring agent in stir-fries and marinades.
  9. Five-Spice Powder (五香粉, Wǔxiāngfěn): Five-spice powder is a blend of ground spices commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It typically includes star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon (cassia), Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Five-spice powder adds a warm, aromatic flavor to dishes and is often used in marinades, rubs, braises, and stir-fries.

These essential Chinese sauces, spices, and oils add depth, flavor, and complexity to a wide range of Chinese dishes. Experimenting with these ingredients can help you create authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine at home!

We have recipes for Chili Oil and HoiSin Sauce but by all means try those from your Chinese supermarket first.

A taste of China at home : HoiSin sauce

Introduction:

Hoisin sauce is a thick, flavorful condiment commonly used in Chinese cuisine as a dipping sauce, marinade, or glaze for meat dishes. While store-bought hoisin sauce is readily available, making it at home allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavor to your taste preferences. This DIY hoisin sauce recipe is simple to prepare and uses easily sourced ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter (smooth)
  • 1 tablespoon honey or molasses
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili oil or paste, or sriracha or other chili sauce (optional, for heat)

Method:

  1. Combine Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, honey or molasses, rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, Chinese five-spice powder, black pepper, and chili paste (if using). Mix until smooth and well combined.
  2. Adjust Consistency: If the hoisin sauce is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water or additional soy sauce. If it's too thin, you can add more peanut butter or honey to thicken it to your desired consistency.
  3. Taste and Adjust: Taste the hoisin sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more soy sauce for saltiness, honey for sweetness, vinegar for acidity, or chili paste for heat, according to your taste preferences.
  4. Store: Transfer the homemade hoisin sauce to a clean, airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Allow the flavors to meld together for at least an hour before using the sauce.

Usage Tips:

  • Use homemade hoisin sauce as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, dumplings, or roasted meats.
  • Brush it on grilled chicken, pork, or tofu as a flavorful marinade or glaze.
  • Stir it into stir-fries or noodle dishes for added depth of flavor.
  • Adjust the sweetness, saltiness, and spiciness of the hoisin sauce to suit your taste preferences.

Enjoy your homemade hoisin sauce in your favorite Chinese dishes!

Hoisin sauce is commonly used as a condiment for Peking Duck. Peking Duck is a famous dish from Beijing (formerly known as Peking), where roasted duck is served with thin pancakes, along with condiments such as hoisin sauce, sliced scallions, and cucumber.

When enjoying Peking Duck, diners typically spread hoisin sauce onto a pancake, then add slices of roasted duck, along with some sliced scallions and cucumber. The pancake is then rolled up and eaten as a delicious and flavorful wrap.

Hoisin sauce complements the rich, savory flavor of the roasted duck with its sweet, salty, and umami notes. It adds depth and complexity to each bite and enhances the overall dining experience.

While hoisin sauce is a key component of Peking Duck, you can also use it as a condiment for other dishes, such as stir-fries, grilled meats, spring rolls, and more. Its versatility makes it a popular choice in Chinese cuisine.

A taste of China at home : Chilli Oil

Introduction:

Chili oil is a versatile and flavorful condiment widely used in Chinese cuisine, particularly in SiChuan and HuNan dishes. It adds heat, depth and aroma to a variety of dishes, from noodles and stir-fries to dumplings and marinades. Making chili oil at home allows you to customize the flavors and heat level to your preference, and it's surprisingly simple to prepare, with just a few key ingredients.

Ingredients:

  1. A neutral Oil: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola oil, grape-seed oil, or peanut oil. This will serve as the base for the chili oil and carry the flavors of the aromatics and spices.
  2. Dried Chilies: Use dried chili peppers of your choice, such as Chinese facing-heaven chilies, Thai bird's eye chilies, or arbol chilies; but any will be fine. Adjust the quantity based on your preferred level of heat. If whole dried chilies, crumble into flakes. Some sliced fresh chilis can also be included.
  3. Sichuan Peppercorns: Optional but highly recommended for authentic Sichuan flavor. Sichuan peppercorns add a citrusy, floral aroma and a distinctive numbing sensation to the chili oil. Can be bought at a Chinese grocery store or online.
  4. Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and scallions are common aromatics used in chili oil. They add depth and complexity to the flavor profile.
  5. Spices: Optional spices such as star anise and cloves can be added for additional flavor and complexity.
  6. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor of the chili oil.

Method:

  1. Prepare the Ingredients: If using whole dried chilies, remove the stems and cut or tear them into smaller pieces. Peel and slice the garlic and ginger. Cut the scallions into small pieces.
  2. Infuse the oil: In a saucepan or skillet, heat the neutral oil over low to medium heat. Add the dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), garlic, ginger, plus any optional spices. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the aromatics are fragrant and slightly golden, about 10-15 minutes.
  3. Cool the oil: Remove the pan from the heat and let the oil cool. This allows the flavors to infuse into the oil.
  4. Strain the oil: Once the oil has cooled, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container.
  5. Storage: In an airtight container, store the chili oil in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.

Tips:

  • Adjust the quantity of dried chilies and SiChuan peppercorns to your preferred level of heat and numbing sensation.
  • Experiment with different aromatics and spices to customize the flavor of your chili oil.
  • A little sesame oil can be added at the end to further enhance the flavor and aroma of the chili oil. Toasted sesame oil, in particular, adds a rich, nutty flavor that complements the spices and aromatics.
  • Be careful not to overheat the oil, as this can cause the aromatics and spices to burn and develop off-flavors.

Enjoy your homemade chili oil drizzled over noodles, stir-fries, dumplings, or any dish that could use a spicy kick and aromatic depth! Give some to your friends and relatives : )

A month in China : Food : tour suggestion from BeiJingBuzzz

4-Week Food Tour of China

This itinerary covers a diverse range of regional cuisines in China, from the hearty flavors of Northern cuisine to the fiery spice of SiChuan, the delicate dishes of JiangSu, and the fresh seafood of Cantonese cuisine.

Week 1: Beijing and Northern Cuisine

  • Sample Beijing's famous Peking Duck at renowned restaurants such as Quanjude or Da Dong.
  • Explore the bustling Wangfujing Snack Street and try local street food delicacies like jianbing (savory Chinese crepes) and lamb skewers.
  • Indulge in traditional Beijing snacks like zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste), douzhi (fermented mung bean soup), and tanghulu (candied fruit skewers).

Week 2: Sichuan Province and Spicy Cuisine

  • Experience the bold and spicy flavors of Sichuan cuisine with dishes like mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, and hot pot.
  • Visit Chengdu's famous food streets, such as Jinli Ancient Street and Kuanzhai Alley, to sample a variety of Sichuan snacks and street foods.
  • Explore local markets like Jinli and Wuhou, where you can taste authentic Sichuan specialties and shop for spices and ingredients.

Week 3: Shanghai and Jiangsu Cuisine

  • Enjoy Shanghai's vibrant food scene with a mix of classic dishes like xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), shengjianbao (pan-fried pork buns), and hairy crab.
  • Explore traditional Shanghainese restaurants and local eateries in areas like Yuyuan Garden, Xintiandi, and Tianzifang.
  • Sample Jiangsu cuisine specialties like braised pork belly, sweet and sour spare ribs, and freshwater delicacies from the nearby Yangtze River.

Week 4: Guangdong Province and Cantonese Cuisine

  • Discover the diverse flavors of Cantonese cuisine in Guangzhou, known for its fresh seafood, roasted meats, and dim sum.
  • Explore local markets like Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street and Guangzhou's Wholesale Food Market to taste a wide range of Cantonese dishes and snacks.
  • Indulge in iconic Cantonese dishes such as roast duck, steamed fish, BBQ pork, and shrimp dumplings.

Spicy SiChuan hot-pot

Video : China : Spicy SiChuan hot-pot

With Trevor / The Food Ranger ...

Mandarin fruit

Video : China : Mandarin fruit

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

Intermittent fasting - time restricted eating - why we need it

Video : China : Intermittent fasting - time restricted eating - why we need it

At root, the point is to balance energy storage and building the body, with using that stored energy and repairing the body. 1) Try to have a minimum of twelve hours a day not eating (the longer the better); 2) eat real food, not processed food. This is important for everyone, but especially for diabetes / pre-diabetes (and that's almost the majority now). With Dr. Jason Fung ...

Reunion dinner for Chinese New Year (YunNan)

Video : China : Reunion dinner for Chinese New Year (YunNan)

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

Cabbage in Chinese cooking

Video : China : Cabbage in Chinese cooking

With LongMeiMei ...

Real food vs fake food - real health vs symptom management (10 videos)

Video : China : Real food vs fake food - real health vs symptom management (10 videos)

Night food market in ShangHai

Video : China : Night food market in ShangHai

With Wei's Travel ...

Jalapeno chilli peppers

Video : China : Jalapeno chilli peppers

With LongMeiMei ...

Chinese coconuts

Video : China : Chinese coconuts

With Wild Girl ...

Chinese plums

Video : China : Chinese plums

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

Tomatoes and sauerkraut

Video : China : Tomatoes and sauerkraut

With ErMi ChuiYan ...

Chinese cooking with Chilies

Video : China : Chinese cooking with Chilies

With LongMeiMei in GuiZhou ... Bonus film - veggie feast with all the vegetables in the yard ...

Tea in Chinese cooking

Video : China : Tea in Chinese cooking

With Wild Girl in GuiZhou ... Bonus film - peaches ...

Grapes in traditional Chinese cooking

Video : China : Grapes in traditional Chinese cooking

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

A home-made fire pit for cooking

Video : China : A home-made fire pit for cooking

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

YunNan vegetable feast

Video : China : YunNan vegetable feast

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

Ethnic cuisine and culture

Video : China : Ethnic cuisine and culture

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

The pineapple and tomato in Chinese cooking

Video : China : The pineapple and tomato in Chinese cooking

With Wild Girl ...

SiChuan pepper

Video : China : SiChuan pepper

With ErMi ChuiYan ...

Chinese cabbage

Video : China : Chinese cabbage

With ErMi ChuiYan ... Bonus film - kiwi wine ...

The importance of fasting - and eating real food

Video : China : The importance of fasting - and eating real food

Has eating become an addiction ? Simplest, and very effective, method is called daily fasting - don't eat 3-4 hours before sleep, or 3-4 hours after waking. This will put the body's build / repair phases back in balance.

Quinoa feast in YunNan province

Video : China : Quinoa feast in YunNan province

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

YunNan food cooking tour

Video : China : YunNan food cooking tour

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

Evening, dinner-time walk in ShangHai

Video : China : Evening, dinner-time walk in ShangHai

With Wei's Travel ... Bonus film - with Walk East - Bund night walk, looking across the HuangPu river to PuDong ... Bonus film 2 - with Gecko Walks - LuJiaZui ...

Good foods and bad foods

Video : China : Good foods and bad foods

With Dr. Sten Ekberg ... BB's summary : Variety, natural, and not too much. Would have been nice to have a discussion on what vegans or vegetarians should be careful about, the importance of gut bacteria / the microbiome, the timing (limited window for eating), and how people are not all the same, but it is generally correct. Bonus film ...

Cooking with the Sweet Potato

Video : China : Cooking with the Sweet Potato

With Ermi ChuiYan ...

Chrysanthemum, tea and delicacy

Video : China : Chrysanthemum, tea and delicacy

把豆腐切成菊花,考驗刀功的中國菜餚. With ErMiChuiYan ... Bonus film - on bamboo shoots ... On the Lily flower ...

Chicken and chili dish

Video : China : Chicken and chili dish

With Wild Girl ...

Red wine from grapes

Video : China : Red wine from grapes

With ErMi ChuiYan ... Bonus film - red wine with LongMeiMei ... Gourd containers DIY ...

On the Chinese Onion

Video : China : On the Chinese Onion

With DianXi XiaoGe ... Bonus film - wasabi ... Bonus film - cherries ... Bonus film - taro flowers ...

Beautiful YangShuo, plus Pot Stickers

Video : China : Beautiful YangShuo, plus Pot Stickers

With Living Asian ... Bonus film - Kids Park, ChengDu ...

The lemon and coconut in Chinese cooking

Video : China : The lemon and coconut in Chinese cooking

With DianXi XiaoGe ... Bonus film - wild bamboo shoots - with Wild Girl ...

Eat to beat disease - with Dr. William Li

Video : China : Eat to beat disease - with Dr. William Li

His health and nutrition masterclass ...

Cook at home - MaPo DoFu and Kung Pao Chicken

Video : China : Cook at home - MaPo DoFu and Kung Pao Chicken

With Souped Up Recipes ... Bonus film - the most essential everyday ingredients / flavorings ...

Autumn pomelos

Video : China : Autumn pomelos

A citrus fruit native to east asia that is related to the grapefruit. With DianXi XiaoGe ... Bonus film - the versatile Chinese onion ...

Traditional potato feast

Video : China : Traditional potato feast

With DianXi XiaoGe ...

DimSum lunch buffet

Video : China : DimSum lunch buffet

With Luca & Rachele 路卡和瑞丽 ...

The life of potatoes, cucumbers and peas, with LiZiQi

Video : China : The life of potatoes, cucumbers and peas, with LiZiQi

Mangoes, oranges, mulberries, loquat and tomatoes in Chinese cuisine

Video : China : Mangoes, oranges, mulberries, loquat and tomatoes in Chinese cuisine

With Wild Girl 野小妹 ... Bonus films - on mulberries ... On tomatoes ... On citrus fruits (mandarins) ... On loquat ...

DIY bread oven and home-made burgers

Video : China : DIY bread oven and home-made burgers

With DianXi XiaoGe ... Bonus films - village tour ... Home rebuild ...

LiZiQi on ... salt

Video : China : LiZiQi on ... salt

Firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea 柴米油盐酱醋茶. Apollo (YT) : The main focus of this video is salt. It is perhaps the most essential of the seven items important to Chinese culinary life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. LiZiQi shows how salt is refined traditionally in SiChuan, an inland province of China : salt water is extracted from a well, concentrated by boiling in a big pot with firewood, purified by adding soybean milk to remove colored impurities (which float to the top and are skimmed off), and further concentrated to give salt crystals. She then used the salt to prepare/cook a variety of food, including PiDan (a kind of preserved duck egg with a very unique flavor), hand-beaten beef ball (so elastic that it could bounce like a Ping-Pong ball), potato, stewed beef, and more ... Bonus film - LiZiQi, on white radish ... A garden within a garden : )

From treating disease to promoting health - food is the best medicine

Video : China : From treating disease to promoting health - food is the best medicine

Dr. Mark Hyman & Dr. William Li. "I never get tired of saying it: real food heals. Food has the power to prevent and reverse disease, and the more we know about it, the more power we have to curate a targeted diet to help us reach our health goals. The catch is that we have to choose the right foods, the ones that elevate us, and simultaneously ditch the poor-quality ones that harm us. There are powerful compounds in foods— like curcumin, genistein, catechins, lycopene, resveratrol, quercetin — that have medicinal impacts on the body. That’s why I call the grocery store the drug store; we can literally eat our medicine at every meal. My guest this week on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. William Li, is here to tell us all about eating to beat disease and making the idea that food is medicine second nature. You may also be surprised to find out that angiogenesis, or how the body forms blood vessels, is a common denominator in creating optimal health. William Li, MD, is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. He is best known for leading the Angiogenesis Foundation." Bonus film - Can we eat to starve cancer? (Angiogenesis) - Dr. William Li ... Bonus film 2 - more about diet and cancer - Dr. Mark Hyman talks with Dr. Jason Fung ... Bonus film 3 - on cognitive decline and the real causes - Dr. Mark Hyman talks with Dr. Dale Bredesen ... Bonus film 4 - GI health (IBS, etc.) plus the differences between standard and functional medicine - Dr. Hyman talks with Dr. Todd LePine ... Lastly (for now), Dr. William Li discusses the amazing power of plant nutrition and health ...

Tea - not just a drink, but a lifestyle

Video : China : Tea - not just a drink, but a lifestyle

喝的是茶,过的是生活 Thousands of years ago, a magic leaf traveled worldwide from China. And this year, around Grain Rain, I went tea picking before the best season is gone. Then I roasted green tea and scented some with flowers! For me, drinking tea is as much of high art as everyday life-- that's the essence of inclusiveness. 【李子柒 LiZiQi】 A beautiful film by LiZiQi - don't miss it ...

Hot and sour soup - make at home recipe

Video : China : Hot and sour soup - make at home recipe

With shiitake mushrooms, soft dofu (tofu), eggs, sliced bamboo shoots, thin sliced red pepper, thin sliced carrots, chopped spring onion, rice vinegar, soy sauce, white pepper powder, chopped / minced ginger and a little corn starch - delicious ...

Preparing decorations and snacks for Chinese New Year

Video : China : Preparing decorations and snacks for Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year’s decorations, goods and snacks! 明日除夕,挂灯笼、贴对联、备好年货过大年啦! A masterclass with LiZiQi (pure genius). Don't miss it ...

White radish 白萝卜 - growing, pickling and cooking

Video : China : White radish 白萝卜 - growing, pickling and cooking

A mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, napiform root. It is similar in appearance to fresh horseradish but packs a lighter peppery punch similar to watercress. Unlike other radishes, it is as good cooked as it is raw. A very beautiful film and culinary masterclass with LiZiQi 李子柒. Dishes include SiChuan pickles, NorthEast sauerkraut and several types of XianCai, salty side-dish, and SuanCai, sour cabbage, with spice and without. Similar to Korean kimchi - Korean is one of the 56 ethnic groups in China. Don't miss it ... Rimo Z : 0:23 Rapeseed flowers 2:50 White Radish 3:37 Carrot 4:31 Chinese Cabbage 6:03 Mustard, then dehydrate the vegetables 7:58 Smear chilli sauce 8:28 Sealed for 1 month 8:51 Pine leaves for smoking the meat (Bacon) 9:03 Orange or clementine 9:10 Pomelo on the tree 9:22 Start smoking the sausage and meat 9:30 Add the pomelo and orange peel to enrich the flavor 10:16 Add salt and chilli powder, start pickling the dehydrated radish and carrots 10:36 Dried fish 11:58 put the dried fish, sausage and meat (or bacon) for boiling before eating or further cooking, this step helps to clean the food and reduce the salt 12:47 stir fry with ginger and then start stewing with green onion and orange peel 13:34 Fermented pickle cabbage (non-spicy) 13:49 Fermented pickle cabbage (spicy) 14:06 Minced meat with oil, spice powder, green onions, soy sauce, ginger and 14:14 hot oil to increase the aroma 14:26 Chop the pickle Chinese cabbage 14:38 Mix the minced meat and pickled cabbage, start making dumplings 15:53 Cut the salted meat, stir fry with green onion and stew with the dried vegetables 15:52 Add spicy pickled cabbages 16:16 Add some hot oil on top of the pickle dishes to excite the fragrance 16:42 Cut the boiled sausage, salted meat etc. 17:49 Looks like rose tea 17:55 Just white congee 米老鼠 : Kimchi first appeared in the book of songs. It was interpreted as sauerkraut in China. Korean kimchi originated in the Tang Dynasty. Tang Dynasty general Xue Rengui was assigned to Korea (today's Korea) by the government to settle down in Korea. Many of his entourage were from Jiangbei County, Chongqing, who could make kimchi in his hometown. Since then, Chongqing kimchi has entered Korea. Several wars in Korea have brought this kind of dish into Korean civilian families. Kimchi went through several stages before it became the real Korean kimchi. The first stage is the Three Kingdoms period, when the pickled dishes or radish, cucumber, etc., introduced to South Korea after adding leeks and other fresh vegetables. In the second stage, in the Korean period, the production methods began to be enriched, and the raw materials were added to the base. The third stage is that cabbage has become the main raw material, which is what we eat now.

Beansprouts 豆芽 - growing and cooking

Video : China : Beansprouts 豆芽 - growing and cooking

YunNan coffee on a winter day

Video : China : YunNan coffee on a winter day

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