What is the suggested starter pack of ingredients that could be used to make most Chinese dishes?

The following ingredients are the foundation of common dishes:

  • Sauces: Have on hand a bottle each of chili sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, yellow or black bean sauce and some sesame oil.
  • Canned Vegetables: Plan to stock a can each of bamboo shoots, black beans, straw mushrooms and some water chestnuts.
  • Seasonings: Keep a jar of five-spice powder, garlic (fresh or pureed), green ginger (fresh or pureed) and some sesame seeds.
  • Noodles and Rice: Stock packets of egg noodles, rice noodles and rice vermicelli, plus bags of fragrant Thai or basmati rice, and perhaps a bag of glutinous or sticky short-grain rice as well.


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