View source for Substitutions in Chinese Cooking

Here are some food substitution suggestions for ingredients commonly used in Chinese cooking. 
From "Catsrecipes Y-Group"<ref>"Catsrecipes Y-Group" http://Groups.Yahoo.Com/Group/Catsrecipes/ Catsrecipes Y-Group</ref>

== Substitutions ==

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
|-style="background:#921817; color:white;"
! Ingredient 
! Substitute
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| [[Agar-agar]] (An Asian gelatin substitute that doesn't require refrigeration) || [[Gelatin]]
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| [[Bamboo shoots]] || [[White cabbage]]
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| [[Bok choy]] || [[celery]] or [[Swiss chard]]
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| [[Chili sauce]] || 1 cup [[tomato sauce]], ¼ cup [[brown sugar]], 2 tbsp [[vinegar]], ¼ tsp [[cinnamon]], dash of ground [[cloves]] and [[allspice]]
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| [[Chinese five-spice powder]] || Equal amounts [[cinnamon]], [[star anise]], [[cloves]], [[fennel seed|fennel]], and [[Szechuan peppercorn]]
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| [[Szechuan peppercorn]] || If Szechuan peppercorns aren't available, use freshly ground [[black peppercorn]]s
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| [[Cilantro]] or coriander (Chinese parsley) || [[Parsley]] (for decoration only, not taste) Can add dash [[lemon juice]]
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| [[Coconut milk]] || whole [[milk]] in equal amounts, if possible with [[coconut extract]]. 
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| [[Coconut cream]] || [[half and half]] or [[whipping cream]] (with [[coconut extract]] if possible).
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| [[Galangal]] (used in Thai cooking) || Fresh [[ginger]]
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| Fresh [[ginger]] || [[crystallized ginger|Candied ginger]]
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| Garlic cloves || ⅛ tsp [[garlic powder]]
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| [[Hoisin sauce]] || Equal amounts [[ketchup]] and [[molasses]]. Also, sweet bean sauce.
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| [[thai chile|Hot red chili]]  || [[Crushed red pepper]]
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| [[Lemon grass]] (used in Thai cooking) || [[lemon peel|Zest of a lemon]]
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| Lotus root flour || [[Cornstarch]] (Cornflour)
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| Mushrooms ([[straw mushroom|straw]], [[cloud ear mushroom|clouds ear]]) || Fresh mushrooms (the taste will be different)
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| [[Oyster sauce]] || [[Soy sauce ]]
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| Rice wine vinegar (also called rice vinegar)  || Dry [[sherry]], [[white wine vinegar]], or [[malt vinegar]]
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| [[Sesame oil]]  || 1 tbsp [[sesame seeds]] fried in ½ cup [[vegetable oil]]
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| Soy sauce  || Japanese [[tamari]] or [[Worcestershire sauce]]
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| [[Water chestnut]]  || [[Jicama]] (commonly found in the Southern United States)
|}

[[Category:North American cuisine]]
[[Category:Substitute Recipes]]
[[Category:Cantonese cuisine]]
[[Category:Reference]]