There are wide variety of ingredients in Chinese cooking. The
ingredients that we normally see can be divided into two major
kinds: vegetable and animal. Vegetable ingredients can be
further divided into vegetables, beans, fresh fruits, dried
fruits, seasonings, vegetable fat, etc. Animal ingredients can
be further divided into meat, internal organs (not everyone
likes them), poltry, aquatic product, egg product. There are
also a selection of special ingredients that we don't often use
in our daily cooking. They are either rare and expensive that we
only see them in high class hotels or restuarants, or we use
them for special occasions, or from time to time when we want
something different for a change. Some of these inexpensive
special ingredients are getting more popular nowadays due to
their nutritional values and unique tastes.
In this chapter I'll introduce the two finest and most expensive
ingredients in Chinese cooking.
Shark Fins
Shark fins are one of the finest
delicacies in Chinese food. They are dried in one of two forms -
whole or shredded and formed into a square. The best are from
Africa.
Method for preparation: - Wash
shark fins and boil for 30 minutes - Soak in cold water
for 2 hours and remove rough skin. - Simmer for another 3
hours and soak 4 hours in cold water. - Remove soft
bones, be careful not to break shark fin pieces. Change water
and simmer for 3 hours. - Soak again in cold water until
soft - Boil with fresh ginger for 1 ~ 2 times to remove
smell from shark fins. Place in deep casserole, add chicken soup
stock and steam for 1 hour. Do not use iron pot as shark fins
will turn dark in color.
Bird's
Nest
Bird's nest, one of the most delicate
ingredients in Chinese cooking, is produced in Annam, Thailand
and Singapore regions. The Annam bird's nest is considered to be
the best in both quality and color.
Method for preparation: - Soak
bird's nest for 3 ~ 4 hours in cold water, remove pinfeathers
and foreign particles with a pincette, rinse well and soften in
hot water. - Place softened bird's nest in soup stock
seasoned with salt and cooking wine, steam for about 30 minutes
and serve.
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About the author:
Jacklyn Chen - Webmaster of news-blogs.com, satellite info, and
emobile-news.com. She
is a full time mom who works very hard to make living with
multiple web sites. She will be pursuing singing career in
China.
