5 Essential Ingredients to Cook Chinese New Year Foods

It’s super easy to prepare delightful Chinese dishes at home with these 5 Chinese condiments, the secret to Chinese cuisine which has been passed down from generation to generation. These Chinese seasonings bring real taste and aroma to Chinese foods perfect to cook up offerings to Chinese divines, deities, and ancestors during Chinese New Year. Let’s explore what 5 must-have Chinese condiments.

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Light soy sauce

It can’t be denied that “light soy sauce” is the first Chinese condiment that most people think of. The traditional way of making light soy sauce starts with fermenting soybeans until yielding transparent dark colored broth that delivers a salty flavor with slightly sweetness. Light soy sauce is a perfect condiment to balance the flavor to all braised, boiled, and steamed recipes.

Recommended Chinese New Year Dishes: Fish steamed in soy sauce, Shrimp wonton soup, Chinese-style fried noodles

Sesame oil

Add more delightful flavor and aroma to the dish using “sesame oil”, a versatile Chinese condiment perfect for marinating meat to make it melt in the mouth or adding to many different dishes. A drop of sesame oil can add savory aroma to the dish.

Recommended Chinese New Year Dishes: Baked shrimp with glass noodles, Stir-fried fish maw

Sour sauce

Also known as Xiang cu or rice vinegar (香醋 xiāng cù), this sour sauce is made from a combination of glutinous rice and 20 ingredients that result in a naturally sour flavor for cooking savory dishes. It’s also a perfect dipping sauce for dim sum, gyoza, and braised fish maw in red gravy.

Recommended Chinese New Year Dishes: Chinese sweet and sour ribs, Dipping sauce for dim sum and braised fish maw in red gravy

Fermented soybean paste

This Chinese condiment made from salt-fermented soybeans delivers savory flavor and meat-like textural attributes, making it perfect for vegetarian or vegan dishes. Not only does it add delicious flavor to Chinese dishes, “fermented soybean paste” also contains an essential nutrient like protein. So, this nutrient-dense seasoning is highly recommended.

Recommended Chinese New Year Dishes: Taochew rice noodles in gravy sauce, stir-fried vegetables in brown sauce

Yunnan chili oil

Try a little spice and celebrate Chinese New Year with “Yunnan chili oil”, a hot and spicy Chinese-style chili oil made with a combination of vegetable oil, la jiao chili, onions, and soybeans, then seasoned with salt and sugar. This condiment adds a kick to your food. You can also add it to sour sauce to make a dipping sauce that perfectly goes with drunken chicken or dim sum.

Recommended Chinese New Year Dishes: Chinese-style sukiyaki with Mala sauce, Sichuan wok-fried chicken

If you wish to cook savory dishes for Chinese New Year with these condiments, you can visit our Asian Flavors zone at all branches of Tops and Central Food Hall. However, if visiting the store is not quite convenient for you, Tops Online both website and application available 24 hours can be the ideal alternative where you can simply and conveniently order the items and have them delivered to your home. Click the link below to shop now.