Name: Cloves

From: Native to Indonesia
Type: Dry spice
Taste: Subtly spicy, aromatic and sweet
Smell: Spicy, warm, rich and woody. Smells like Christmas.
What is it?: Small dried flower buds of the evergreen clove tree
Use: In curries, marinades and desserts. It is also used to make five spice powder and garam masala. Used ground or whole for dishes but never eaten raw. 

Name: Dried Whole Sichuan Chilli Peppers

From: China
Type: Dried spice
Taste: Toasty flavour and warm heat
Smell: Sweet and slightly smoky
What is it?: A medium-hot, fragrant chilli pepper with a thin skin and citrus notes. 
Use: Hot pot, curries, stir fries, stews, dips, marinades and dressings. Used ground or whole for dishes.

 

Name: Sichuan Peppercorn

From: Native to China and Taiwan. Also found other parts of Asia

Type: Dried spice
Taste: Spicy, slightly citrusy, fragrant, tingling numbness
Smell: Aromatic, peppery, herbal, citrusy
What is it?: Dried berries of a evergreen prickly ash shrub – part of the citrus family

Use: Hot pot, stir frys, stews, dips, marinades and dressings. It is also one of the ingredients used to make five spice powder. Used ground or whole for dishes

Name: Asam Keping or asam gelugar. Also known as dried tamarind

From: Native to Malasia 

Type: Dried spice
Taste: Super sour and slightly citrusy
Smell: Slightly like a dried salted plum
What is it?: Sliced dried fruit of the asam gelugar
Use: Soak in a little warm water before using in a lot of sour dishes like stews, curries and soup

 

Name: Star Anis
From: Native of China and Vietnam

Type: Dried spice

Taste: Warm, spicy, sweet and mild liquorice flavour

Smell: Aromatic and liquorice like similar to aniseed

What is it?: Sun-dried fruit of the evergreen tree illicium verum

Use: Stews, braised dishes, stir fires and soups. It is also one of the ingredients used to make five spice powder. Used ground or whole for dishes but never eaten raw.

Name: Coriander Seeds

From: Native to regions spanning from southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. One of the oldest herb/spices in the world

Type: Dried spice
Taste: Earthy, tart, and sweet also has a lemony citrus flavour when crushed
Smell: Light lemony sweet smell until it is toasted – which releases a stronger floral aroma
What is it?: Small, light brown see of the coriander plant
Use: Curries, rice dishes, soups, pickling, marinades and bread

Name: Liquorice Root Slices

From: Native to Asia and Europe

Type: Dried herb
Taste: Slightly bitter, sweet and liquorice flavour
Smell: Mildly sweet, woody and liquorice like obviously
What is it?: 
Use: Medicine, tea, sweets, cakes, stews and soups. Possible use to ease digestive discomfort

 

Name: Dried Curry Leaves

From: Native to India and Asia

Type: Dried Herb
Taste: 
Smell: When dried the leaves don’t have any smell
What is it?: Leaves from curry leaf plant/tree
Use: Curries, stir fries and rice dishes

 

Name: Ginger (root ginger)

From: South East Asia

Type: Root vegetable
Taste: Fiery, warm, juicy, spicy and sharp
Smell: Fiery, warm and sharp
What is it?: Root of a ginger plant. The root has a thin skin that can be scraped off. The inside is juicy & fibrous. 
Use: Usually peeled then either thinly sliced, diced, julienne, grated or crushed. Perfect with seafood as it cuts out the fishy smell. Used in tea, stir fry, soups, stew, dips/sauces and candied.

Name: Preserved Black Beans

From: 

Type: 
Taste: Salty like soy sauce
Smell: 
What is it?: Dried yellow soy bean soaked in water, steamed and left to ferment in salted container for several months. Salt, rice wine and ginger are added resulting in a dry, dark and oily consistency. 
Use: Small amount used in stir fries, stews, braising and steamed dishes.

Name: Dried Lily Flower (dried lily buds or golden needles)

From: Origin China & Far East

Type: Dried Herb
Taste: Sweet, musky and earthy. Hard whilst dry. Soft after soaking.
Smell: Sweet and earthy
What is it?: Dried unopened flowers of the day lily plant
Use: Soak in boiling water for 2 hours, snip off hard stem and rinse before use. Usually used in stews and soups (eg hot and sour soup). Also used for medicinal purposes.

Name: Dried Shiitake Mushroom

From: Origin China

Type: Dried Vegetable
Taste: Woody, subtly sweet and pungent. Hard when dry. Spongy, juicy and fleshy texture after soaking – flavours will soak into the mushroom.
Smell: Woody, musty and sweet
What is it?: Mushroom grown naturally on decaying hardwood trees.
Use: Soak in boiling water for at least 20 minutes and rinse before use. 

Name: Dried Beancurd Knot

From: China

Type: Dried Soy
Taste: Slightly salty, sweet, chewy and cheesy
Smell: Slightly salty and cheesy
What is it?: The skin found from soy milk made from soya bean and removed to dried.
Use: Soak in boiling water for 20 minutes and drain before use. Used in stir fry, soups, stews and hotpots.  A meat substitute. 

Name: Dried Egg Noodles

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Name:  Dried Black Fungus

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Name:  Fermented Beancurd

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Name:  Chinese White Lump Sugar

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Name:  Chinese Rock Sugar

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Name:  Chinese Brown Sugar

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Name:  Bonito Flakes

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Name:  Hoisin Sauce

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Name: Chiu Chow Chilli Oil

From: China

Type: Sauce
Taste: Spicy, garlicky, salty, savoury, slightly sweet with bits of chillies 
Smell: Slightly savoury
What is it?: 
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Name: Toban Djan – Chilli Bean Paste

From: China

Type: Sauce
Taste: rich hot spicy, savoury beany taste
Smell: Strong pungent salty, sour, bitter beany
What is it?: Made from fermented broad beans, soy beans & chillies 
Use: Stews, stirfrys (like Mapo tofu & fish-fragrant aubergine) and hotpot

 

Name: Sichuan Toban Chilli Sauce

From: China

Type: China
Taste: Rich salty, hot spicy
Smell: Strong pungent, salty, bitter slightly mushroom
What is it?: 
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Name: Light Soy Sauce

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Name: Dark Soy Sauce

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Name: Sesame Oil

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Name: Shaoxing Wine

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Name: Fish Sauce

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Name: Oyster Sauce

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Name: Mushroom Vegetarian Sauce

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Name: Vegetarian Fish Sauce

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Name: Rice Vinegar

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Name: Chingkiang Vinegar

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Name: Sweet Soy Sauce

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Name: Shrimp Paste

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Name: Barbecue Sauce

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Name: Shallot Sauce

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Name: Mince Crab in Spice

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Name: Spicy Chilli Sauce

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Name: Pickled Cabbage

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Name: Braised Gluten

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Name: Vegetarian Mock Abalone

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Name: Vegetarian Roast Duck

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