Duck Pancakes
Round wrappers, made with wheat flour, which are traditionally eaten with Peking duck.

Black Beans
They should be whole and dark and must be rinsed in cold water to get rid of excess saltiness. Chop the beans for a more robust flavour.

Choy Sum
Flowering Chinese cabbage with green stems and yellow flowers. This is often confused with gai laan (Chinese broccoli) which is similar in appearance but has white flowers. They are interchangeable in recipes.

Hoisin Sauce
A thick, reddish brown sauce, made from soy beans, garlic sugar and spices. It has a sweet, spicy flavor and is used in cooking and for dipping.

Hot Bean Paste
Made from fermented soy bean and chilli, this sauce can be very hot and should be used with care.

Oyster Sauce
A very thick dark sweet soy sauce. It is used in cooking as a seasoning, or as an ingredient in dipping sauces.

Mushrooms
Shiitake, oyster and straw are all types of mushroom used in Chinese cookery. They are available in cans and have a musty flavour.

Rice Wine (shao hsing)
A Chinese cooking wine that has been aged, this is amber-coloured and has a flavour similar to sherry, which can be used as a substitute. Do not confuse with wine vinegar.

Szechuan Pepper
Szechuan (Sichuan) pepper is tiny red berry not related to ordinary peppercorns. It is aromatic and is one of the ingredients in five spice powder.

Black Fungus
Also known as wood ear or cloud ear mushroom, it has a mushroom flavour and a chewy crunchy texture. Dried black fungus should be soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes before cooking.

Egg Noodles
Available thick or thin, or as a sheet or roll which can be cut to a desired width, these egg noodles are steamed and lightly oiled before packing, and so are ready to use. They must be brought to room temperature before use, as they harden during refrigeration.

Hokkien Noodles
These yellow, thick noodles are made from wheat flour and egg. They are pre-cooked and lightly oiled, so are ready to use. Refrigerate until ready to use, then break apart and add to the dish.

Basmati Rice
With long fragrant grains which remain separate when cooked, this rice is very aromatic and complements Asian flavours as well. Basmati Rice is grown on the foothills of the Himalayas and is now popular throughout the world.