We're Nate Tate and Mary Kate Tate, a brother and sister cookbook author team obsessed with all things China. We create authentic and accessible Chinese recipes for home cooks. See more...
Top

Have you ever tried buying a Chinese ingredient but realized you had no idea what to look for? And to make things even more complicated, once you get to the Asian grocery store, there are ingredients with vaguely similar names to what you want but not exactly. Navigating the isles of a Asian grocery store can be daunting so we've created this visual ingredient glossary so can actually see what ingredients look like, see different packaging and brands, and see the different Chinese and English names the same ingredient is masquerading under. This glossary is a work in progress and we will be adding more photos and descriptions as we can. If you have a photo of an ingredient that you think should be included, by all means email it to us here. You can also use the comment section below each glossary entry to add your own thoughts, recipes, or whatever. Here's a great list of online stores selling ingredients and cooking supplies. Click on the links below to see each entry:

Alum 明矾 (míng fán)
Asian chili powder 辣椒粉 (là jiāo fěn)
Asian chili sauce 辣椒汁 (là jiāo zhī)
Asian eggplant 长茄子 (cháng qié zi)
Asian sesame paste 芝麻酱 (zhī ma jiàng)

Baby corn 玉米笋 (yù mǐ sǔn)
Bai jiu liquor 白酒 (bái jiǔ)
Bamboo shoots 竹笋 (zhú sǔn)
Banana leaves 香蕉叶 (xiāng jiāo yè)
Barley 大麦 (dà mài)
Bean thread noodles 粉丝 (fěn sī)
Black pickled rutabaga 玫瑰大头菜 (méi guì dà tóu cài)
Black rice vinegar 黑米醋 (hēi mǐ cù)
Black tree ear fungus 黑木耳 (hēi mù ěr)
Bok choy 小油菜 (xiǎo yóu cài)

Cardamom 小豆蔻籽 (xiǎo dòu kòu zǐ)
Chili bean sauce 豆瓣酱 (dòu bàn jiàng)
Chili oil 辣椒油 (là jiāo yóu)
Chinese black bean sauce 豆豉酱 (dòu chǐ jiàng)
Chinese dried black mushrooms 干香菇 (gān xiāng gū)
Chinese five-spice powder 五香粉 (wǔ xiāng fěn)
Chinese pickled mustard greens 酸菜 (suān cài)
Chinese sweet noodle sauce 甜面酱 (tián miàn jiàng)
Cilantro 香菜 (xiāng cài)
Cinnamon 肉桂 (ròu guì)
Clear rice vinegar 白米醋 (bái mǐ cù)
Coconut milk 椰子汁 (yē zi zhī)
Coriander seeds 香菜籽 (xiāng cài zǐ)
Crushed red chile flakes 干辣椒碎 (gān là jiāo suì)
Cumin 孜然 (zī rán)
Curry powder 咖喱粉 (gā lí fěn)

 

Daikon radish 白萝卜 (bái luó bo)
Dried red chiles 干辣椒 (gān là jiāo)
Dried tangerine peel 陈皮 (chén pí)
Dumpling wrappers 饺子皮 (jiǎo zi pí)

Edamame beans 毛豆 (máo dòu)

Fenugreek seeds 胡芦巴籽 (hú lú bā zǐ)
Fish sauce 鱼露 (yú lù)

Ginger 生姜 (shēng jiāng)
Glutinous rice flour 糯米粉 (nuò mǐ fěn)
Green onions 小葱 (xiǎo cōng)

Hoisin sauce 海鲜酱 (hǎi xiān jiàng)

Jujubes 干枣 (gān zǎo)

Leek flower sauce 韭菜花酱 (jiǔ cài huā jiàng)
Lemongrass 香茅草 (xiāng máo cǎo)
Lily buds 金针菜 (jīn zhēn cài) or 黄花菜 (huáng huā cài)
Lotus root 藕 (ǒu)
Lychee 荔枝 (lì zhī)



  

Mandarin pancakes 北京烤鸭面饼 (běi jīng kǎo yā miàn bǐng)
Matcha green tea powder 抹茶 (mǒ chá)
MSG 味精 (wèi jīng)
Mung bean flour 绿豆粉 (lü  dòu fěn)
Mung bean sprouts 绿豆芽 (lǜ dòu yá)

 

Napa cabbage 大白菜 (dà bái cài)
Noodles 面条 (miàn tiáo)

Oyster sauce 蚝油 (háo yóu)

Paprika 红辣椒粉 (hóng là jiāo fěn)
Peanut oil 花生油 (huā shēng yóu)
Pine nuts 松仁 (sōng rén)
Pork belly 五花肉 (wǔ huā ròu)

 

Red fermented bean curd 红腐乳 (hóng fǔ rǔ)

Sesame oil 香油 (xiāng yóu)
Sesame seeds 芝麻 (zhī ma)
Sha cha sauce 沙茶酱 (shā chá jiàng)
Shaoxing rice wine 绍兴酒 (Shào xīng jiˇu) or 黄酒 (huáng jiˇu)
Shiitake mushrooms (see Chinese dried black mushrooms) 鲜香菇 (xiān xiāng gū)
Shrimp paste 虾酱 (xiā jiàng)
Sichuan peppercorns 花椒 (huā jiāo)
SOY SAUCE
    Light soy sauce 生抽 (shēng chōu)
    Dark soy sauce 老抽 (lǎo chōu)
Spring roll wrappers 春卷皮 (chūn juaˇn pí)
Star anise 八角 (bā jiǎo)
Steamed bread 馒头 (mán tou)
Sweet red bean paste 红豆沙 (hóng dòu shā)

Tamarind concentrate 罗望子酱 (luó wàng zˇı jiàng)
Tofu 豆腐 (dòu fu)
Turmeric 姜黄 粉 (jiāng huáng fěn)

Water chestnuts 荸荠 (bí qí)
Winter melon 冬瓜 (dōng guā)
Wonton wrappers 馄饨皮 (hún tún pí)

yardlong green beans 长豇豆 (cháng jiāngdòu) or 绿豇豆 (lǜjiāngdòu)