Ginger (姜, jiang), scallion (葱, cong), and garlic (蒜, suan) are the three foundational aromatics of Chinese cooking — present, in varying combinations and proportions, in virtually every savoury Chinese preparation. They constitute the flavour base of the qiang guo (aromatic bloom) at the start of a stir-fry, the marinade for protein, the aromatics for stocks and braises, and the finishing garnish for cold dishes. The specific ratio and form — whether the aromatics are minced, sliced, left whole, or bruised — determines the specific character of each dish and each regional tradition.
Ginger (jiang) forms: Fresh ginger (sheng jiang, 生姜) — the standard for most cooking. Old ginger (lao jiang, 老姜) — drier, more pungent, with more fibre; preferred for stock-making and long braises. Ginger juice (jiang zhi, 姜汁) — pressed from grated ginger through cheesecloth; used in marinades and batters where the fibres are not wanted. Pickled ginger (pao jiang, 泡姜) — Sichuan-style, mild and slightly sour; used in pao cai preparations. Scallion (cong) forms: The white part (cong bai, 葱白) — more pungent, used in cooking. The green part (cong lu, 葱绿) — more delicate, used as a finishing garnish. Whole scallion stalks — used in stocks and braising liquids. Shredded scallion — used as a garnish for steamed fish and cold dishes. Da cong (大葱) — the large Chinese green onion or Welsh onion, used in northern Chinese cooking as a primary aromatic. Garlic (suan) forms: Whole unpeeled cloves — for long braises and stocks. Sliced — for stir-fries where pieces of garlic are a desired textural element. Minced — for sauces, dressings, and the aromatic base. Fermented black garlic (hei suan, 黑蒜) — aged garlic with a complex sweet-savoury flavour.
Irene Kuo, The Key to Chinese Cooking (1977); Fuchsia Dunlop, Every Grain of Rice (2012)