Seasonings come in a wide variety, but can be broadly categorized by flavor as follows:
Salty seasonings: including refined salt, soy sauce, sauces (such as broad bean paste, sweet bean sauce), fermented black beans, etc.
Umami seasonings: including MSG, chicken bouillon, chicken broth, yeast extract (YE), oyster sauce, shrimp oil, shrimp paste, fish sauce, etc.
Sour seasonings: including tomato sauce, vinegars (such as white vinegar, black vinegar), lemon juice, orange juice, apple juice, etc.
Sweet seasonings: including white sugar, rock sugar, granulated sugar, honey, jam, brown sugar, etc.
Spices: including red chili peppers, pepper (black pepper, white pepper), ginger, scallions, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, fennel seeds, dried tangerine peel, turmeric powder, perilla leaves, mint, cardamom, amomum tsao-ko, onions, etc.
In addition, there are compound seasonings, such as five-spice powder, thirteen-spice powder, curry powder, and seven-spice powder, as well as liquid seasonings such as braising liquid and XO sauce. Each of these seasonings has a unique flavor and use, making our dishes more delicious and diverse!
