SAUCES

Soy sauce is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain ,water and salt. Soy sauce is widely used as a particularly important flavoring in Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Korean cuisine . However, it is important to note that despite its rather similar appearance, soy sauces produced in different cultures and regions are very different in taste, consistency, and fragrance.
* light soy sauce
light in colour but generally quite salty.
* dark soy sauce
used for colour as well as flavour.
* kecap manis
Indonesian sweet soy sauce, which has a thick, almost syrupy consistency and a pronounced sweet, treacle-like flavour.

Fish sauce is often made from anchovies , salt and water, and is often used in moderation because it is intensely flavoured. The variety from Vietnam is generally called nu?c m?m , and similar condiments from Thailand and Myanmar are called nam pla and ngan byar yay respectively.

Rice wine is the most widely used cooking wine in Chinese cuisine. The wine of Shaoxing in eastern Zheijiang Province is the best quality rice wine. This yellow rice wine is used in marinades and for braising. Sherry and Japanese sake is a possible substitute, but is quite different in flavour.

Sake an alcoholic liquid made from fermented cooked rice. It has a clean, dry flavour, and comes in various grades for either drinking, cooking or marinating and as part of dipping sauces. Can be served warmed or chilled.

Mirin a pale gold spirit-based rice liquid, also known as sweet rice wine. Made for cooking, not drinking, and used in sauces, dressing and stews.

Rice vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented rice or rice wine in China, Korea, and Japan.

Japanese rice vinegar is very mild and mellow and ranges in colour from colourless to pale yellow. There are two distinct types of Japanese vinegar: one is made from fermented rice and the other, known as Seasoned Rice Vinegar is made by adding sake. Seasoned rice vinegar is used in sushi and in salad dressing varieties popular in the west, such as ginger or sesame dressing.

Chinese rice vinegars are stronger than Japanese ones, and range in colour from clear to various shades of red and brown. * white rice vinegar
colourless to pale yellow liquid, higher in vinegar content and more similar to Western vinegars, but still less acidic and milder in flavour. * black rice vinegar
made with glutinous rice (sticky rice), it is dark in colour, and has a deep, almost smoky flavour. * Red rice vinegar
darker than white rice vinegar, and paler than black rice vinegar, with a distinctive red colour from Red yeast rice, this vinegar has a distinctive flavour of its own due to the red mold.

Chilli oil is intensely hot in flavour. There are two type of this fiery oil, neither is used for cooking but as a dressing or a dip. The most common chilli oil is the dark red one, this is made from an infusion of dried red chillies and seasonings in vegetables oil. Sichuan chilli oil is also red in colour but it has no additional seasonings and the chillies have usually been removed.

Sesame oil is made from from roasted, crushed, white sesame seed. It is amber in colour and highly aromatic. This oil is rarely cooked, but should be added just before the dish is served or incorporated into cold dishes.