There are a lot of different ways of preparing food in Chinese cuisine. Whether you're quickly stir-frying a meal or slowly braising a complex dish, understanding key cooking verbs is essential for mastering Chinese cooking vocabulary.
中餐的烹饪方法多种多样。无论是快速翻炒还是慢炖复杂的菜肴，了解关键的烹饪动词对于掌握中餐烹饪词汇至关重要。
Here's a guide to some common Chinese cooking verbs and how they're used in recipes.
这里介绍一些常见的中餐烹饪动词以及它们在菜谱中的用法。
01. To Bake / Roast烤
In Chinese cuisine, the term kǎo refers to roasting and baking techniques, both of which use dry heat to cook food.
在中国菜中，“烤”是指烘烤和烘焙技术，两者都使用干热来烹饪食物。
ICONIC DISHES标志性菜肴
Peking roast duck北京烤鸭
Peking duck is seasoned, air-dried, and roasted until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
北京烤鸭经过调味、风干、烤制，直到皮脆、金黄。
Mooncake 月饼
Mooncakes come in various flavors, including lotus seed paste, red bean paste, and salted egg yolk.
月饼有各种口味，包括莲蓉月饼、豆沙月饼和咸蛋黄月饼。
02. To Stir-fry 炒
Stir-frying, a popular Chinese cooking technique, involves quickly cooking ingredients in a small amount of oil over high heat.
炒是一种流行的中国烹饪技术，即用少量油在大火上快速烹饪食材。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
fried rice炒饭
Fried rice involves stir-frying cooked rice with various ingredients
such as vegetables, eggs, meat, and seasonings.
炒饭是将煮熟的米饭与蔬菜、鸡蛋、肉类和调味料等各种食材一起翻炒。
03. To Deep Fry 炸
zhá, or deep-frying, is a popular cooking technique in Chinese cuisine that creates dishes with a crispy, golden exterior and a tender interior.
炸是中国菜中一种流行的烹饪技术，可以制作出外脆内嫩的菜肴。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
fried spring rolls炸春卷
Spring rolls are a popular appetizer made with thin pastry wrappers filled with a mixture of vegetables, meat, or seafood, then deep-fried until golden and crispy.
春卷是一种流行的开胃菜，由薄薄的酥皮制成，里面填充有蔬菜、肉类或海鲜混合物，然后油炸至金黄酥脆。
04. To Boil煮
Boiling involves cooking food in a liquid, typically water or broth, at or near its boiling point. This technique is used to cook a wide range of ingredients, from vegetables and meats to noodles and dumplings.
煮是指将食物放入液体（通常是水或肉汤）中，在沸点或接近沸点的温度下烹饪。这种烹饪方法可用于烹饪各种食材，从蔬菜和肉类到面条和饺子。
ICONIC DISHES标志性菜肴
hot pot火锅
A popular Chinese dining experience where diners cook a variety of ingredients in a communal pot of boiling broth at the table.
tea egg茶叶蛋
A tea egg is a boiled egg that is cracked slightly and then boiled again in a mixture of tea, sauce, and spices. It's known as a marble egg due to the shell's cracked, marble-like appearance.
茶叶蛋是煮熟的鸡蛋，稍微敲碎后再放入茶、酱汁和香料混合物中煮熟。由于蛋壳呈大理石状，所以又被称为大理石蛋。
05. To Steam 蒸
Steaming is a cooking technique where food is placed in a steamer basket over boiling water, making the steam to gently cook it.
蒸是一种烹饪技术，将食物放在蒸笼中，置于沸水上，用蒸汽慢慢煮熟。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
steamed dumpling小笼包
Steamed dumplings, or soup dumplings, are known for their delicate wrapper, flavorful filling, and piping-hot soup inside.
小笼包（xiǎolóngbāo）或汤饺，以其精致的皮、美味的馅料和热腾腾的汤而闻名。
06. To Pan-fry煎
Pan-frying is a popular Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food in a small amount of oil over medium to high heat in a pan.
煎是一种流行的中国烹饪技术，即在平底锅中用少量油以中高火烹饪食物。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
jianbing, a savory Chinese crepe 煎饼
Chinese savory pancakes are a beloved Chinese street food and breakfast item, they are made from a thin batter that is spread over a griddle and cooked until golden brown.
中式煎饼是深受喜爱的中国街头小吃和早餐，它们由薄面糊铺在扒炉上煎至金黄色制成。
07. To Stew炖
Braising (炖 dùn) involves simmering ingredients in a covered pot with liquid, which can be water, broth, or sauce. This technique is used to cook tougher cuts of meat, or root vegetables, transforming them into tender, flavorful dishes.
炖煮是指将食材放入有盖的锅中，加入液体（可以是水、肉汤或酱汁）煨煮。这种烹饪方法用于烹饪较硬的肉块或根茎类蔬菜，让它们变成鲜嫩可口的菜肴。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
braised beef noodles红烧牛肉面
Classic Chinese dish featuring chunks of pork belly braised in a savory-sweet sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and aromatics.
经典中国菜，大块五花肉在酱油、糖、米酒和香料制成的甜咸酱汁中炖制而成
08. To Marinate腌
In Chinese culture, pickling or marinating preserves vegetables by soaking them in seasoned liquid. This method enhances flavor and tenderizes ingredients, making them more enjoyable to eat.
在中国文化中，腌制是将蔬菜浸泡在调味液中以保存蔬菜。这种方法可以增强风味，使食材更嫩，让它们更美味。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
pickled cucumbers腌黄瓜
This tangy, crunchy, and refreshing snack is not only easy to prepare but also versatile, making it a favorite in many households.
这种酸甜香脆、清爽可口的小吃不仅易于制作而且用途广泛，深受许多家庭的喜爱。
09. To Cold Toss凉拌
凉拌 (liáng bàn), or cold tossing, is a refreshing and flavorful technique in Chinese cuisine used to prepare salads and cold dishes. This method involves mixing raw or lightly cooked ingredients with various seasonings.
凉拌是中餐中一种清爽可口的烹饪技巧，用于制作沙拉和凉菜。这种方法需要将生的或略微煮熟的食材与各种调味料混合。
ICONIC DISH标志性菜肴
cold noodles凉拌面
Noodles tossed with vegetables, peanuts, and a tangy, spicy sauce.
面条配上蔬菜、花生和浓郁的辣味酱汁。
10. To Season / Flavor调味
Tiáo wèi or seasoning can be done at various stages of cooking, from marinating ingredients to adding final touches before serving.
调味可以在烹饪的各个阶段进行，从腌制配料到食用前添加最后的配料。
Here are some frequently used seasonings and spices in Chinese cuisine:以下是中国菜中常用的一些调味品和香料：
姜 (jiāng) · ginger
蒜 (suàn) · garlic
醋 (cù) · vinegar
酱油 (jiàng yóu) · soy sauce
海鲜酱 (hǎi xiān jiàng) · hoisin sauce
芝麻油 (zhī ma yóu) · sesame oil
五香粉 (wǔ xiāng fěn) · five-spice powder
