For centuries, Chinese people have believed that the key to life depends on seven pantry essentials—wood, rice, vinegar, salt, soy sauce, oil and tea—also known as the “seven staples that run our lives.”
Chinese culinary heritage shares a similar philosophy of balance—“our essentials help shape who we are, and in return we strive for more to cover the basics.” To honour the significance of these pantry staples, seven of Hong Kong’s best Chinese chefs present their ideal ways to showcase the unique characteristics of each ingredient.
1. Wood
There’s a good reason wood tops the list of pantry essentials—no heat means no cooking. From the discovery of fire, food has never been the same. While technology nowadays usually means the use of gas or electric stoves, wood-based fire cooking maintains a significant role, as Lee Man-Sing of Hong Kong’s Mott 32 attests. “We wouldn’t be able to roast our Peking duck without some good old firewood,” explains the restaurant’s executive Chinese chef. “There used to be a time where wood was the only source for fire and heat used for cooking. Now it facilitates the process of a better roast. We use applewood; when the wood chips burn, the smoke they generate permeates through the skin and cavity into the meat, adding a smoky yet fruity aroma—not to mention a wonderful tan to the glossy finish of the duck.”