Other Preserved

Preserved Asian ingredients are where a good pantry becomes a great one — the salted, dried and fermented things that add depth no fresh ingredient can. This collection gathers the ones that defy neat categorisation, from salted duck eggs to bonito flakes.

Salted duck eggs are the classic: rich, orange yolks cured in brine, ready-cooked and ready to crumble over congee, fold into mooncake-style pastries or toss through stir-fried greens. Fermented bean curd — the cube of preserved tofu sometimes called Chinese cheese — turns a bowl of rice or a stir-fry of morning glory into something deeply savoury. Fried dace with salted black beans is the Cantonese tinned classic, and katsuobushi bonito flakes are the soul of Japanese dashi, swaying atop okonomiyaki and tofu.

On the sweeter and textural side: tapioca pearls and sago for bubble tea and puddings, rice cakes for stir-frying, nata de coco for desserts, sushi ginger and inari tofu pockets for home sushi nights, and nori for wrapping it all up.

Preserved Asian ingredients keep for months, which is their great virtue — a shelf of them means interesting cooking is always possible. Everything is delivered UK-wide from our Manchester store, with free delivery on orders over £75.