Culinary Herbs in Traditional Chinese Dishes
Fresh and Dried Herbs Used in Chinese Cookery
Oct 4, 2009
A number of herbs are used in Chinese cooking. The herbs are used to impart flavor into various dishes and for their health benefits. Traditional herbs used in Chinese cuisine include Chinese five spice powder, ginger, hot mustard and Sichuan peppercorns.
History of Chinese Culinary Herbs
Herbs were first used for their flavor, and later for medicinal purposes, in Chinese culture. According to the article "Chinese Cooking Herbs," the Chinese believe in a mythical persona of the nation’s first herbalist, known as Shennong. As legend has it, Shennong tried all of the Chinese herbs and sang the praises of their health benefits and adverse affects. After time, a manual known as the “Shennong Bencaojing” was put together, which detailed 252 herbal medicines. Therefore, it was the herbs' culinary uses that led to the birth of Chinese herbal medicine.
Chinese Herbs Used for Cooking
Traditionally, the Chinese use the entire herb in cooking -- including the stem, seeds, flowers, leaves and bark. The herbs are commonly found in the herbs and spices aisle of most supermarkets, as well as in Asian grocery stores. In addition, ginger is available fresh in the produce department of most grocery stores.
Chinese Five Spice Powder a Combination of Five Primary Flavors
Chinese five spice powder is a dry mixture of fennel, cloves, Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. The five spice blend combines the five primary flavors of cooking: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, and salty. In Chinese culture, the number five has special healing powers, which is one theory for why the Chinese use five spices in the five spice powder.
Hot Mustard Adds Tangy Heat to Chinese Cooking
Chinese hot mustard is available in a liquid and powdered form, and adds a pungent, tangy-hot taste to dishes. A little goes a long way, so unless you are used to it, use small amounts when cooking or it will be too overpowering.
Sichuan Peppercorns for a Lemonlike Flavor
Sichuan peppercorns are reddish brown in color and have a woody scent. To use them in Chinese cuisine, toast them in a skillet under low heat, then add them to food at the end of cooking for a spicy lemon-like flavor.
Fresh Ginger Makes Chinese Dishes Sweet and Healthy
Fresh ginger has been used in Chinese cuisine for decades. The knobby, hand shaped herb offers spice, a sweet taste and scent to dishes, as well as health benefits including treating nausea and digestive problems. Use the back of a spoon to scrape off the bark, and then slice the ginger with a knife.
 |
