Kitchen basics

Chinese five spice is a warm, aromatic spice blend made from star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and fennel

Chinkiang vinegar, also called black vinegar, is a dark, malty Chinese rice vinegar with a deep, slightly smoky, mellow sourness,

Doenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste, similar in role to Japanese miso but with a stronger, funkier, more pungent

Glutinous rice, also called sticky or sweet rice, is cooked by soaking then steaming rather than boiling like regular rice,

Doubanjiang is a salty, savoury Chinese fermented broad bean and chilli paste, most associated with Sichuan cuisine, where it forms

Black rice, sometimes called forbidden rice, cooks the same way as brown rice: simmered in around two and a half

Soba noodles cook in 4 to 5 minutes in boiling water, then need a cold-water rinse straight after to wash

Furikake is a dry Japanese seasoning sprinkled over rice, usually a mix of sesame seeds, dried seaweed (nori), salt, sugar,

Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine used in cooking to marinate meat and seafood, deglaze a wok, and add

Ponzu is a Japanese citrus and soy sauce, made by mixing soy sauce with rice vinegar and the juice of