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I have briefly introduced two most classic and expensive Chinese
cooking ingredients (shark fins and bird’s nest) in my previous
article. Here I’ll continue to introduce some other special
ingredients that are more regularly used in our daily cooking.
They are far more affordable. Not like shark fins and bird’s
nest, people can only dream about in China unless you have
plenty of money and don’t know where to spend.

Jellyfish Jellyfish is preserved in salt and alum. Large,
thin and translucent ones are especially good served as
appetizer. It is produced in the South Seas and along seaboards
of China, Korea and Japan. The South Seas product is considered
to be of the best quality.

Method of Preparation

Soak jellyfish over night, change water and soak for one more
day.

Roll the jellyfish up and shred

Dip in boiling water for a few seconds and quickly rinse in cold
water and drain.

Season with vinegar, salt and sugar. Serve

Note: There are many other ways to cook jellyfish

Preserved Eggs Duck eggs thickly coated with a mixture of
salt, lime and rice husks are preserved in a cool, dark place
for about three months. The interior becomes brownish black in
color due to fermentation. Remove lime crust and shell, rinse
clean, cut lengthwise into six pieces and serve wit shredded
ginger, vinegar and soy sauce as an appetizer.

Dried Bche-De-Mer The best bche-de-mer or sea cucumber
when dried is black in color, as that produced in Hokkaido,
Japan. It may be sautéed, stewed or braised.

To soften: Wash, cover with water and bring to
boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Slit the middle
lengthwise and clean inside. Rinse, cover with water and bring
to boil again. remove from heat, place on lid, and let stand for
three days.

Dried Shrimps Dried shrimps after soaking in warm water
for about 10 minutes may be used in soups and sautéed dishes, or
served cold as an appetizer.

Dried Scallops Dried scallops have a delicate flavor and
after softening in hot water, may be used in soups or other
dishes as with dried shrimps.

Preserved Szechwan (SiChuan, in mandarin) Vegetable This
vegetable is the bulb of mustard green preserved in chili, salt
and spices, produced in Szechwan, China, and has a unique
flavor. It may be used in soups, sautéed dishes or simply sliced
and served as an appetizer. People from north of China normally
eat it along with rice congee as breakfast.

Cloud Ears There are black and white varieties of cloud
ears and the white variety being much more expensive, is used
only in special dishes. Most of the Japanese product is either
black or dark brown in color. Softened in warm water, it may be
used in soups and sautéed or braised dishes.

Bean Thread - Chinese Vermicelli Chinese vermicelli made
from bean starch is translucent in appearance and does not melt
under long cooking. It may be used in soups or braised dishes
after softening in warm water.

Variegated Mushrooms The top of this mushroom is
variegated with cracks resembling that of a turtle shell. This
flavorful mushroom is used in many of the delicate dishes, and
may also be served deep fried.

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