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My Chinese Kitchen Essentials
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items A curated collection of the Chinese kitchen tools, pantry staples and sauces I actually use for everyday cooking. From Cantonese steaming and stir-fries to simple family meals, these are the practical essentials I reach for again and again.
Sections
7
Chinese Sauces & Seasonings
Prep Tools I Use
Chinese Pantry Staples
Wok & Stir-Fry Essentials
Steaming Essentials
Everyday Kitchen Helpers
Chinese Sauces & Seasonings
The sauces and seasonings I reach for most often when cooking Chinese and Cantonese dishes at home. A few good staples can go a long way in building authentic flavour.
One of the most-used sauces in my Chinese kitchen. I use light soy sauce for everyday seasoning, marinades, stir-fries and dipping sauces.
LKK SOY SAUCE
I use dark soy sauce when I want deeper colour and a slightly richer flavour, especially in braised dishes and some stir-fries. A little goes a long way.
Kimlan Lou Chau Dark Soy Sauce - 20 oz.
A small drizzle adds so much aroma. I usually use sesame oil as a finishing seasoning rather than for high-heat cooking.
Kadoya sesame oil 327ml
A Chinese pantry staple I use in marinades, stir-fries and braised dishes. It adds that familiar depth of flavour found in so many Chinese recipes.
52USA Shaoxing Cooking Wine 21.64 Fl Oz (2)
One of my everyday Chinese cooking staples. Great for stir-fries, vegetables, noodles and quick sauces when you want an easy boost of savoury flavour.
Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce, 18 Oz
Prep Tools I Use
Practical kitchen tools I use for chopping, slicing, grating and prepping Chinese meals—from my cleaver to the little tools that make everyday cooking easier.
A generously sized cutting board makes Chinese meal prep much easier, especially when there are lots of vegetables, aromatics and meat to chop.
Acacia Wood Cutting Boards with Handles
One of those inexpensive tools I use constantly—especially for frying, noodles, eggs and handling food in a hot pan without getting too close to the heat.
4 Pairs Extra Long Cooking Chopsticks Set
Kitchen scissors are surprisingly useful in Chinese cooking. I use them for herbs, green onions, packaging and quick food prep when I don't need to pull out a knife.
MITSUMOTO SAKARI Detachable Kitchen Scissors
I use a fine grater whenever I want ginger or garlic to disappear into a marinade or sauce. Especially useful for ginger-scallion sauce.
Cuisinox GIN-128 Ginger/Garlic Grater
A Chinese cleaver is one of the most versatile tools in my kitchen. I use it for slicing meat and vegetables, crushing garlic and transferring chopped ingredients straight into the wok.
7 Inch Chinese Cleaver Knife with Rosewood Handle
Chinese Pantry Staples
A few versatile pantry staples I like to keep on hand for quick Chinese meals, soups, marinades and family-style cooking.
Rice is an everyday staple in my kitchen and the base for so many simple Chinese meals. I usually keep a good-quality white rice on hand at all times.
Golden Phoenix Thai Jasmine Rice 5lbs
I always like having bean thread noodles in the pantry. They're great in soups, hot pot, steamed dishes and quick meals because they cook so quickly.
Vermicelli (Bean Thread /8-ct)- 10.5oz (Pack of 1)
An inexpensive Chinese pantry essential. I use cornstarch for velveting meat, thickening sauces and getting that glossy texture in stir-fries.
Corn Starch - 16.01oz (Pack of 1)
Rock sugar is traditionally used in many Chinese soups, braises and desserts. It gives sweetness without dominating the other flavours.
黄冰糖 Lung Po Rock Crystals Candy Sugar 16oz
A little five-spice goes a very long way. I use it when I want those warm, aromatic notes of star anise, cinnamon and Chinese spices in marinades and braised dishes.
McCormick Gourmet Chinese Five Spice, 41g (2 Pack)
I always find dried shiitake worth keeping in the pantry. Once rehydrated, they add so much umami to soups, braises, steamed dishes and rice.
24K Shiitake Whole Dry 454g - Mushroom Flavor
Wok & Stir-Fry Essentials
My go-to tools for high-heat stir-fries, frying and everyday wok cooking. Simple, hardworking pieces that make cooking over high heat much easier.
Carbon steel is my preference for everyday stir-fries because it heats quickly and works beautifully over high heat. A wok around this size is very practical for home cooking.
YOSUKATA 34cm Blue Carbon Steel Wok Pan
A proper wok turner makes tossing and moving ingredients around a curved wok much easier than a regular spatula. Simple tool, but very useful if you stir-fry often.
ZWILLING Pro Wok Turner 37cm Stainless Steel
I use this style of strainer for noodles, dumplings, blanching vegetables and deep-frying. The long handle keeps your hand farther away from hot water and oil.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Spider Scoop
Steaming Essentials
Simple tools I use for Cantonese-style steaming—from whole chicken and fish to vegetables, buns and dim sum.
One of the simplest ways to turn a wok or large pot into a steamer. I like this setup for steaming dishes on plates, especially chicken, fish and vegetables.
Steaming Rack Stainless Steel Round 20x7cm
Very handy when steaming food directly on plates—the plate and steam are both extremely hot, and this makes lifting dishes out much safer and easier.
Stainless Steel Plate Lifter with Anti-Slip Base
Bamboo steamers are wonderful for dumplings, buns and smaller steamed dishes. The stackable layers are especially useful when you're steaming several things at once.
10-inch Bamboo Steamer Basket 2-Tier Set
Everyday Kitchen Helpers
A few hardworking kitchen essentials I rely on beyond the wok and steamer, including tools for rice, measuring, weighing and everyday meal prep.
A rice cooker is one appliance I genuinely think earns its counter space in an Asian kitchen. A smaller model is especially practical for everyday meals without making a huge batch.
Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup Stainless Rice Cooker
I use a kitchen scale whenever accuracy matters, especially for recipe testing and baking. It's also much easier than measuring certain ingredients by volume.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale
Good measuring cups are worth having when you cook and test recipes regularly. I prefer sturdy ones that are easy to level and clean.
OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
A small saucepan is one of those everyday workhorses—perfect for sauces, small portions of soup, reheating and quick cooking without pulling out a large pot.
Cuisinart 1 Qt Saucepan w/Cover, Chef's Classic
Cook with me
Want to cook more with me? My bilingual cookbook brings together 53 approachable recipes in English and Traditional Chinese, created for delicious everyday cooking at home.
My bilingual cookbook brings together 53 approachable recipes in English and Traditional Chinese. I created it for anyone who wants comforting, practical recipes they can actually make at home.
Cookbook - Christina Chan Makes