Hello everyone. I’m Wang Gang.
In this video I’m going to share with you
uncommon spices
1. spices with “jiang” (ginger) in their names
which include sand ginger
lesser galangal
dried ginger
and turmeric
Sand ginger is divided into dried and fresh ones.
Lesser galangal is mainly used in master stock.
Dried sand ginger is used in hot pot base
ground for Jianghu dishes
or used in Zigong dishes to remove gamey taste and enhance aroma of chicken, duck, or fish
Dried ginger is fresh ginger dehydrated for long-term storage
Turmeric, although having "jiang" (ginger) in their Chinese name
is only used for adding color
commonly seen in salt baked chicken and curry paste
as a natural coloring
2. spices not normally seen in common households
which include sandalwood
betel nut slice
xinyi (flos magnoliae)
and wujiapi (Eleutherococcus gracilistylus)
Indian sandalwood is usually ground and burnt to eliminate unpleasant smell
and can also be used for cooking in small doses
Betel nut slice is mainly used for soy-based flavor profile
or making master stock
Xinyi is also called mulan
or maotao in catering industry
because of its peach-like shape
It is commonly used to remove gamey taste and enhance aroma in master stock.
Wujiapi is used to remove unpleasant smell and enhance aroma.
It smells milky
and gives a bitter taste when chewed
Only a few grams are needed for 1 kg of master stock
3. spices with special aroma
which include lemongrass, gan song(Nardostachys chinensis), ling xiang cao(Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance), and huo xiang stalk
Lemongrass has a lemon-y flavor
so is called “lemon” grass
Huo xiang leaves are commonly used as an ornament in douhua (tofu pudding) dipping sauce
The stalk can be sun-dried
and used as a spice to enhance aroma
The scent of gan song is distinctive and strong
It smells like stinky feet to most people
However, when it is used in common master stock, the smelly odor will disappear
and it can inhibit gamey taste
Ling xiang cao has a special light aroma
functioning in master stock to enhance aroma, fix color and prolong shelf life
4. Black and white pepper
The difference between black pepper and white pepper is that
white pepper is the ripe fruit
while black pepper is the unripe fruit
They are the same fruit in different stages
Black pepper tastes richer and less spicy than white pepper
and is mainly used in western cuisines
White pepper is used to remove gamey taste, enhance aroma and add spicy
and is mainly used in Chinese dishes
5. natural coloring spices
which can introduce red or yellow color
Under this category there are turmeric, red yeast rice, and gardenia
Turmeric adds yellow color
red yeast rice red, and gardenia orange
These color additives are widely used in food production
For example, in master stock
cakes
drinks and so on
6. confusing spices
I.e. cumin seed, rosemary, orange jasmine, and fennel seed
Orange jasmine looks like miniature sunflower seeds
Fennel seed looks like unripe paddy rice
Cumin seed stands out by its flavor
and is mainly used in BBQ sprinkle seasoning
Rosemary is thinner and longer than others
looks like tea leaves
Because of their similarity
these spices need to be clearly distinguished when cooking
For example, in BBQ sprinkle seasoning
none of the others can be a substitute for cumin seeds
There are some shelled spices look similar as well
Xiang guo (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort fruit), tsao-ko and betel nut look very much alike
and can only be distinguished when cut open
Betel nut has a black core inside
xiang guo has a white plump seed
And tsao-ko has many small seeds when cut open
7. Couple spices - male clove and female clove
Though are called couple spices
they differ in looks
Male clove is known as clove bud
while female clove refers to clove fruit
Male clove is most widely used
Because of its strong flavor
only a small amount is needed each time
8. Spices require use with cautious
The amount of hawthorn and dong quai (Chinese Angelica) used in cooking requires attention
Dong quai is used in master stock to remove unpleasant smell and enhance aroma
Hawthorn can stimulate appetite, refresh palate and promote digestion
Dong quai can improve blood circulation and transform stasis
so pregnant women should be careful
with food containing these two spices
9. Spices that add sweetness
include luo han guo (monk fruit) and licorice
Luo han guo will turn water into brown color
thus, when luo han guo presents, the color of master stock needs to be considered
Luo han guo and licorice can neutralize bitter and astringent tastes in master stock
I often make a luo han guo tea by steeping luo han guo in hot water
10. Largest price difference in spice - dried mandarin peel
Dried mandarin peel is like baijiu
the price of which increases with age
The price of dried mandarin peel can be more than one million yuan per jin (0.5kg)
while normal price is about 10 yuan per jin (0.5kg)
Lastly, I’m going to share with you Chinese five spice and five spice marinade ingredients
Ingredients in Chinese five spice are
red Sichuan peppercorn, clove, star anise, fennel seed, and cinnamon
Then the recipe of five spice marinade ingredients includes
bay leaf, licorice, tsao-ko, white cardamom,
gan song, clove, xiang guo, fennel seed, xiang pai cao,
baizhi, long pepper, Cardamom Seed, cinnamon, and star anise
This recipe is for either domestic or commercial use
Chinese five spice is a name
rather than naming the number of spices.
That is all for spice introduction. Applying spices in master stock is coming soon.