Ground nut oil Best in the wok because it can be heated to high temperatures; the higher the heat, the quicker food is sealed and stops absorbing oil. Vegetable oil can be substituted.

Chinkiang black rice vinegar Vinegar is widely used in Chinese cooking and this strong but smokily mellow-tasting fermented rice vinegar is a favourite. You can use balsamic vinegar instead.

Dried chilli flakes Whole red chillies, seeds and all, dried and crushed.

Shao hsing rice wine Low alcohol and made from rice, millet and yeast and aged for three to five years. Dry sherry is a substitute.

Light soy sauce Not as thick as dark soy, but tastes saltier, unless you choose a low-sodium version. Made from fermented soya beans and wheat. Wheat-free soy sauce is called tamari.

Oyster sauce Originally a thick seasoning made from extract of oysters, but vegetarian varieties made from mushrooms and without monosodium glutamate are better. Very salty, so best used sparingly as a condiment rather than for cooking or marinading.

Toasted sesame oil A nutty-tasting oil used for flavouring. A little goes a long way.

Chilli oil Dried red chillies heated in groundnut oil to produce a hot, spicy oil. Use in sauces and at the end of cooking for a spicy hit.

Clear rice vinegar Sweet and subtle clear vinegar made from fermented rice, relatively low in acidity. More commonly used than black rice vinegar. Cider vinegar works instead.

Sichuan peppercorns Widely used in China, the dried reddish berries from a type of ash tree are used whole or ground to a powder. Pungent, peppery and citrusy, they can be devillishly hot. One of the components of Chinese five spice powder.

Important flavourings: Fresh root ginger, garlic, chillies, salt.

Other specialist ingredients: dried Chinese mushrooms; dried baby shrimps; dried tangerine peel; dried Sichuan chillies; cinnamon stick/bark; fennel; cloves; star anise; jasmine rice

花生油  用在炒菜鍋最佳的，因為它可以被加熱到高溫；熱度越高，食物越快被封閉并且停止吸收油。植物油可作替代。

鎮江黑米醋  醋廣泛應用于中國烹飪，這種強烈的，但散發醇厚美味的發酵米醋是讓人特別喜歡的。你可以用香醋來代替。

干辣椒片  整個的紅辣椒、辣椒籽和全部的，曬干并弄碎。

紹興黃酒  低度酒，由稻米、小米和酵母制成，并且陳化 3 至 5 年。干雪利酒是替代品。

生抽  不是老抽，但口味較咸，除非你選擇低鈉鹽的類型。是用發酵的大豆和小麥制成的。無小麥的醬油則被稱為醬油。

蠔油  是原本由牡蠣的提取物制成的一種濃稠的調味料，但由蘑菇制成的不帶味精的各種素食更好。很咸，所以，最好作為調味品節制地使用，而不是用于烹調或腌泡。

烤蔴油  一種堅果味道的油，用于調味。一點點就可大見其效。

辣椒油  干紅辣椒在花生油中加熱得到的一種辛辣油。用在醬料中和烹飪結束時，使得辣味濃郁。

白米醋  用發酵大米制成的甜味的和甚為清澈的醋，酸度較低。比黑米醋更常采用。可用蘋果醋代替。

四川花椒  在中國廣泛使用，是來自一種白蠟樹的帶紅色的干燥漿果，整粒使用或者磨成粉末。它的刺激性的、辛辣的和柑橘的味，可能讓你感到惡魔般地辣。中國五香粉的組成部分之一。

重要的調味品：新鮮根姜，蒜，辣椒，鹽。

其它的作料成份：中國干香菇；小蝦米；干桔皮；干川椒；桂枝/桂皮；茴香；丁香；八角茴香；茉莉米。