Chinese Cuisine Craftsman key terms

The smoky, seared aroma and flavor created when food hits a very hot wok, driven by high heat, rapid tossing, and brief contact with the metal so moisture flashes off and browning begins without burning.

A fast cooking method using a small amount of hot oil in a wok or pan, constant tossing, and short exposure to high heat so ingredients stay crisp and juices are sealed in rather than stewed.

A preparation technique that coats sliced meat or seafood with egg white, cornstarch, and sometimes wine or salt, then briefly blanches or oil-blanches it so the surface stays silky and tender during a hot stir-fry.

A slow, moist cooking method in which soy sauce, sugar, and often caramel or dark soy create a reddish-brown glaze, applied to pork, fish, or tofu and simmered until the sauce clings and the meat is tender.

A gentle method where a sealed jar or bowl of ingredients and liquid sits inside a larger pot of simmering water, so heat arrives indirectly and the contents never boil hard, preserving clarity and delicate flavor.

Cooking food over boiling water in a closed environment so steam transfers heat evenly and gently, keeping moisture in and letting delicate items like fish or dumplings set without agitation or added fat.

The deliberate management of flame size, pan temperature, and timing through a dish, from fierce wok blasts to low simmers, so each ingredient reaches the right texture and color at the right moment.

A seasoned, repeatedly reused braising liquid of soy, rock sugar, spices, and aromatics that builds depth over many batches of meat or tofu, maintained by skimming, reheating, and topping up between uses.

Setting up every ingredient, tool, and container before cooking begins, so a fast wok station never stalls: items are cut to size, sauces mixed, and components staged in order of use.

The trained use of cleavers and knives to cut ingredients to consistent size, shape, and thickness, which controls cooking time, texture, and presentation and protects the cook from slips.

Cutting ingredients into thin, uniform matchsticks of consistent length and width, so they cook at the same rate and sit neatly in stir-fries, salads, and garnishes.

Cutting food into cubes of a defined size, usually by first slicing into slabs and then into strips before cross-cutting, giving even pieces that brown and soften at the same pace.

A broad, rectangular blade used for slicing, chopping, crushing, and scooping, where the flat side carries ingredients to the wok and the spine can be used for tenderizing or crushing aromatics.

A widely used grouping of regional Chinese cooking traditions, including Sichuan, Cantonese, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, and Anhui, each shaped by local climate, produce, and history.

A southwestern regional style known for layered heat and numbing sensation, built on chili, Sichuan peppercorn, fermented bean paste, and pickles, with dishes ranging from fiery stir-fries to gentle braises.

A southern coastal style that prizes fresh, mild flavors, delicate steaming, and roasted meats, with an emphasis on ingredient quality and light seasoning rather than heavy spice or strong sauces.

A combined sensory effect of chili-driven burning heat and Sichuan peppercorn-induced tingling numbness, produced when both are heated in oil so their aromas bloom and coat the palate.

A fermented broad-bean and chili paste, traditionally from Sichuan, that is fried in oil to release color and umami before liquid is added, forming the base of many mala and braised dishes.

Categories of soy sauce distinguished by brewing method and use, such as light soy for saltiness and freshness, dark soy for color and body, and reduced or double-fermented styles for dipping and finishing.

Controlled microbial transformation of foods such as soybeans, rice, cabbage, or fish, producing stable, deeply savory ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, and pickles whose flavors cannot be replicated by simple seasoning.

A Cantonese tradition of small, freshly made dishes served with tea, including steamed dumplings, buns, and rolls, where timing, steam, and consistent pleating and shaping are central to quality.

A savory taste driven by glutamate and nucleotides, abundant in soy sauce, dried seafood, mushrooms, and aged meats, used in Chinese cooking to build depth without relying on added salt or fat.

A clarified or rich cooking liquid simmered from bones, poultry, or dried seafood with aromatics, used as the flavor foundation for soups, braises, and sauces instead of plain water.

A preventive food safety system that identifies biological, chemical, and physical hazards at each step, sets critical control points, and monitors limits such as cooking temperature, cooling time, and cold storage.

The temperature range, roughly 5 to 60 degrees Celsius, in which bacteria multiply fastest, so hot food is held above it and cold food below it, with rapid cooling and reheating required.

Transfer of harmful microbes from raw food, hands, boards, or utensils to ready-to-eat food, prevented by color-coded boards, separate storage, handwashing, and cleaning between tasks.

Managing ingredients that trigger immune reactions, such as shellfish, peanuts, soy, wheat, egg, and sesame, through accurate menu labeling, separate tools, and clear communication from kitchen to service staff.

Analyzing each dish by sales volume and profit margin to classify it, then adjusting placement, pricing, or recipe to promote high-margin favorites and fix or remove weak items.

The ratio of a dish's ingredient cost to its selling price, used to judge pricing health and control waste, with targets set per operation and checked against actual purchases and inventory.

Standardizing the amount of each ingredient per serving using scales, scoops, and written recipes, so cost, nutrition, and taste stay consistent across cooks and service periods.

A written specification of ingredients, exact quantities, method, yield, and plating for a dish, forming the basis for training, costing, and consistent output in a professional kitchen.

Composing meals so energy, protein, vegetables, and fats are proportioned sensibly, using Chinese principles such as a grain base with varied vegetable and protein dishes shared across the table.

Arranging cooked food on the plate for visual appeal and practical eating, using height, negative space, sauce placement, and garnish so the dish reads clearly and stays hot.

A small edible or decorative element added at service to give color, contrast, or aroma, chosen to match the dish's flavor and never to add cost or waste without purpose.

Choosing ingredients at their natural peak of availability and quality, which lowers cost and transport impact, supports local producers, and gives dishes better flavor and texture.

Running a kitchen so resources last: reducing food waste, using whole ingredients, sourcing responsibly, managing energy and water, and choosing packaging and seafood with regard to long-term supply.

The accumulated techniques, recipes, and food customs passed down within regions and families, which a professional respects by learning traditional methods accurately before adapting or modernizing them.

Contemporary cooking that keeps Chinese technique and flavor logic while applying new ingredients, equipment, and presentation, often lightening sauces or reworking classics for current tastes.