Vegetables Oil - See Oil
Vinegar - See rice vinegar
Walnut - One of the most important nuts used in Chinese cooking beside chestnuts. It is widely used in salt dishes and as part of desserts.
Ward-long bean - Also known as Chinese long bean, long bean or asparagus bean, it is a very thin legume that resembles the green bean with a more pliable pod and less sweet flavor. Ward-long beans can be
found year-round in most Asian markets and some supermarkets. Choose those that are small and very flexible. They can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to five days. Yard-long beans are most often cut into 2-inch lengths and stir-fried. Overcooking will make them mushy.
Water Caltrop -
This is the real name of "Ram Horn Nut". In Mandarin, it's called "Ling Jiao"; in Cantonese, it's called "Ling Gok". It also has a nickname "Peanut in Water". It's a plant grows in water. You can cook them in the shell or peel them first. Either way is fine but they'll need to be shelled before eating. They are not as sweet or crunchy as common water chestnuts, many find them tasteless on their own so they're good to chop and add to dishes much the same way as common water chestnuts are used. Many Asians boil or steam them in the shell as a snack. You can also roast them and they taste quite similar to chestnuts.
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Water chestnuts - Known as Chinese water chestnut or "ma tai" or "mah tai" in China, has a dark-brown skin, ivory flesh, crisp texture, and slightly sweet, nutty flavor. It has been consumed since ancient times and continues to play an important role in Chinese cooking especially in stir-fried dishes. Usually available canned though can be found fresh or dried from Chinese or oriental provision stores, or larger supermarkets. Store leftover canned chestnuts in a screw-top container, immersed in water , in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to one month, providing the water is changed daily. Fresh water chestnuts can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag, for up to a week
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Watercress - Watercress has small, crisp, dark-green leaves and a strong, peppery, slightly bitter flavor; available year-round and customarily sold in small bunches. Look for crisp leaves with deep, vibrant color. Avoid leaves that are yellowing or wilting. Refrigerate in a plastic bag or stems-down in a glass of water covered with a plastic bag for up to five days. Wash and shake dry just before using. Watercress may be used in Chinese stir fry dishes and soups.
Watermelon - They are called 'Xi Kua' by the Chinese; translated to 'west -melon' because they were introduced from the extreme west of China. Now they are grown almost everywhere in China. Besides eating melons as a special eating party, you can use the rind of watermelons for a stir fried dish.
Wheat Flour Noodles - Made with wheat flour, water and salt, and sometimes eggs, Chinese wheat noodles can be white or yellow, they are available fresh or dried, thin or thick. The thinner varieties are often used in light soups, while the thicker ones work well in thicker soups and stir-fries. Boil before using. Chinese egg noodles is one of the varieties.
White Pepper - Asians prefer ground white pepper because of its penetrating, potent flavor.
White rice - Rice stripped of its husk, bran and germ. White rice is a good source of starch and has a mild flavor and aroma; also known as polished rice. It is the main food of a meal in China . See here for more.
White Tree Ear Fungus - See Snow Fungus
Winter pickle - Chinese cabbage preserved in salt and garlic, this vegetable is usually used to flavor a dish. Sold in earthenware jars and need a quick rinse before use.
Wolfberry - Wolfberry is a wild bush found in the north west of China. Because of its nutrient value and pleasant taste, Chinese people have been growing this magic herb for hundreds of years. The Chinese use wolfberry fruit to make tea, soup, stew and wine or chewed them like raisins.
Wonton - A small Chinese dumpling made from egg-noodle dough dusted with cornstarch and filled with a mixture of seafood, meat or vegetables. Wontons may be boiled, deep-fried or steamed, and eaten in soups or as appetizers.
Wonton wrappers or wonton skins - see Potsticker wrapper
Wood ear fungi - a popular ingredient in Szechuan cooking, wood ear, is also known as the tree ear, Jew's ear or cloud ear mushroom. It owes that name to its flat earlike shape. Its translucent brownish beige flesh
is gelatinous but firm, crunchy and relatively tasteless. They absorb the liquid in which they are cooked and take on the taste of the other ingredients. Wood ears are often sold fresh in Asian specialty food stores. They are also available dried. Store fresh wood ears unwashed in the refrigerator. Although they keep for up to a month, it is best to use them within a week. To prepare for use in recipes, wash the fresh mushrooms quickly in cold water and remove the sticky parts. As for dried wood ears, soak them in warm water for ten minutes. Drain them, change the water, and let them soak for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until soft. They will expand to up to five times their initial dry size. Then rinse off any dirt carefully.
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