Your Sichuan Recipe Box Shopping List

The most important thing to remember about Chinese cooking is that we rarely use recipes. We believe in the art of feeling – knowing what’s right based on what we’ve seen our families do or even based on the mood that we’re in. So feel free to take your own liberties in each recipe. Feel free to add a new vegetable or increase the chili sauce for some extra kick. But be careful, there’s a lot of very spicy stuff here. Most of our recipes are portioned to 4 servings on the generous side, we are Lost Plate after all.

The shopping list below includes literally everything else you may need, apart from salt, pepper, sugar, and cooking oil. Speaking of cooking oil, it’s the most common question we get. In Chinese cuisine, we cook with pretty hot temperatures, so it’s important that you use an oil with a high smoking point. We almost always use canola oil, but peanut oil also works very well. Olive oil is not a good choice as it doesn’t do well with high temperatures, and coconut oil will add a not-so-authentic flavor.

If you are sensitive to spice, be careful. The majority of these recipes can be amended to suit allergies and dietary restrictions. Look for gluten-free soy sauce, use a plant-based meat substitute or very firm tofu, and make adjustments where necessary. There are hundreds of variants of each recipe where each chef has made it their own, now it’s your turn to do the same.

Meat + Protein

• 2 pounds or 1kg extra firm tofu/bean curd. NOT soft tofu.
• 1.7lb or 780g ground pork
• 4 medium boneless chicken breast (or piece of your choice), about 12oz or 340g

Fresh Produce:

• 10 inches of ginger
• 24 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch scallions or green onions, for garnish
• A handful of cilantro, for garnish
• Enough leafy greens for 4 servings of noodles; spinach, bok choy, or choy sum

Pantry:

• 2 cups of Stock (pork, chicken, or veg)
• Soy sauce (Dark + Light)
• White pepper powder
• Sesame oil
• Cornstarch
• Sesame seeds

For Dry Pot:

recommended amounts/meats/veggies but choose your favorites or mix/match with your heart:

• 400g or 14oz mix of your favorite meats
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 potato
• 1 lotus root
• 1 small head of broccoli
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 8 shitake mushrooms