Leek flower sauce 韭菜花酱 (jiǔ cài huā jiàng)

A dark green condiment made from the Chinese leek flower plant (Chinese chives), this sauce has a strong garlicky flavor and should be used in small quantities so that it doesn’t overpower a dish. You can find it in jars at Asian grocery stores.

Lemongrass 香茅草 (xiāng máo cǎo)

The long, thin green stalks of the lemongrass plant are used to flavor Yunnanese and Southeast Asian cuisine. True to its name, it has a lemony fresh flavor. Most of the stalk is rough and woody, so only the tender lower 4 inches are used in cooking. Lemongrass stalks can be found fresh at most specialty grocery stores next to other fresh herbs.

Jujubes 干枣 (gān zǎo)

These fruits are sometimes called Chinese dates or red dates. Fresh jujubes resemble small red apples and are often eaten as a snack with tea or added to soups for flavor. They have a sweet and tangy flavor and are sometimes used medicinally to reduce stress and soothe a sore throat. Dried jujubes are sold in bags and can be found at most Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find them, substitute dried dates.

Hoisin sauce 海鲜酱 (hǎi xiān jiàng)

A Chinese condiment similar to barbeque sauce, it has a sweet, tangy, mildly fruity flavor and is made with fermented soybeans, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. While it is often thought to be the sauce eaten with Peking duck, Beijingers actually eat that dish with sweet noodle sauce. Hoisin sauce is readily available in the Asian food aisle of the supermarket.

Green onions 小葱 (xiǎo cōng)

These onions have small white bulbs and long green stalks. To prepare them for cooking, slice off the bottom 1 inch of the root and discard. Some recipes call for the white parts and green parts to be added at separate times during cooking because they cook at different rates. They are very similar to scallions and can be used interchangeably.