Dragon Palace offers two different kinds of luxurious family reunion dinner set menus. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
There are a lot of different ways of preparing food in Chinese cuisine. Whether you're quickly stir-frying a meal or slowly braising a complex dish, understanding key cooking verbs is essential for mastering Chinese cooking vocabulary.
Here's a guide to some common Chinese cooking verbs and how they're used in recipes.
10 Essential Chinese Verbs for Cooking
01. To Bake / Roast
Peking duck is synonymous with Beijing and is a must-try when visiting China's capital city. [Photo/CHINA DAILY]
In Chinese cuisine, the term 烤 (kǎo) refers to roasting and baking techniques, both of which use dry heat to cook food.
烤kǎoto roast
ICONIC DISHES
(北京) 烤鸭(Běi jīng) kǎo yā(Peking) roast duckPeking duck is seasoned, air-dried, and roasted until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
月饼yuè bǐngmooncakeMooncakes come in various flavors, including lotus seed paste, red bean paste, and salted egg yolk.
02. To Stir-fry
Stir-frying, a popular Chinese cooking technique, involves quickly cooking ingredients in a small amount of oil over high heat.
炒chǎoto stir-fry
ICONIC DISH
炒饭chǎo fànfried riceFried rice involves stir-frying cooked rice with various ingredients such as vegetables, eggs, meat, and seasonings.
03. To Deep Fry
炸 (zhá), or deep-frying, is a popular cooking technique in Chinese cuisine that creates dishes with a crispy, golden exterior and a tender interior.
炸zháto deep fry
Fried spring rolls. [Photo provided to China Daily]
ICONIC DISH
炸春卷zhá chūn juǎnfried spring rolls
Spring rolls are a popular appetizer made with thin pastry wrappers filled with a mixture of vegetables, meat, or seafood, then deep-fried until golden and crispy.
04. To Boil
Boiling involves cooking food in a liquid, typically water or broth, at or near its boiling point. This technique is used to cook a wide range of ingredients, from vegetables and meats to noodles and dumplings.
煮zhǔto boil
Fresh hand-sliced mutton hot pot. [Photo provided to China Daily]
ICONIC DISHES
火锅huǒ guōhot potA popular Chinese dining experience where diners cook a variety of ingredients in a communal pot of boiling broth at the table.
茶叶蛋chá yè dàntea egg A tea egg is a boiled egg that is cracked slightly and then boiled again in a mixture of tea, sauce, and spices. It's known as a marble egg due to the shell's cracked, marble-like appearance.
05. To Steam
蒸 (zhēng) is a cooking technique where food is placed in a steamer basket over boiling water, making the steam to gently cook it.
蒸zhēngto steam
ICONIC DISH
小笼包xiǎo lóng bāosteamed dumpling小笼包 (xiǎolóngbāo), or soup dumplings, are known for their delicate wrapper, flavorful filling, and piping-hot soup inside.
06. To Pan-fry
Pan-frying is a popular Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food in a small amount of oil over medium to high heat in a pan.
煎jiānto pan-fry
ICONIC DISH
煎饼jiān bingjianbing, a savory Chinese crêpe
Chinese savory pancakes are a beloved Chinese street food and breakfast item, they are made from a thin batter that is spread over a griddle and cooked until golden brown.
07. To Stew
Braising (炖 dùn) involves simmering ingredients in a covered pot with liquid, which can be water, broth, or sauce. This technique is used to cook tougher cuts of meat, or root vegetables, transforming them into tender, flavorful dishes.
炖dùnto stew
ICONIC DISH
红烧牛肉面hóng shāo niú ròu miànbraised beef noodles
Classic Chinese dish featuring chunks of pork belly braised in a savory-sweet sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and aromatics.
08. To Marinate
In Chinese culture, pickling or marinating preserves vegetables by soaking them in seasoned liquid. This method enhances flavor and tenderizes ingredients, making them more enjoyable to eat.
腌yānto marinate
ICONIC DISH
腌黄瓜yān huáng guāpickled cucumbersThis tangy, crunchy, and refreshing snack is not only easy to prepare but also versatile, making it a favorite in many households.
09. To Cold Toss
凉拌 (liáng bàn), or cold tossing, is a refreshing and flavorful technique in Chinese cuisine used to prepare salads and cold dishes. This method involves mixing raw or lightly cooked ingredients with various seasonings.
凉拌liáng bànto cold toss
ICONIC DISH
凉拌面liáng bàn miàncold noodlesNoodles tossed with vegetables, peanuts, and a tangy, spicy sauce.
10. To Season / Flavor
调味 (tiáo wèi), or seasoning can be done at various stages of cooking, from marinating ingredients to adding final touches before serving.
调味tiáo wèito season
Here are some frequently used seasonings and spices in Chinese cuisine:
姜 (jiāng) · ginger蒜 (suàn) · garlic醋 (cù) · vinegar酱油 (jiàng yóu) · soy sauce海鲜酱 (hǎi xiān jiàng) · hoisin sauce芝麻油 (zhī ma yóu) · sesame oil五香粉 (wǔ xiāng fěn) · five-spice powder
来源：That's Mandarin编辑：万月英