Animal Ingredients in Chinese Seasonings: From Stock Bases to Fermented Tofu

Seasonings Worth a Closer Look

• Stock bases: Concentrated broth bases, chicken bouillon powder, and some instant noodle seasoning packets often contain meat extracts
• Shrimp oil and shrimp paste: A common flavor booster in Fujian and Cantonese cooking, its animal origin is right there in the name
• Certain fermented tofu and broad bean pastes (doubanjiang): A few brands add a small amount of meat or animal fat for aroma, so check the ingredient list to be sure
• XO sauce: The traditional recipe usually contains dried scallops and dried shrimp; vegetarian versions are fairly uncommon

How to Check

Look for the words "vegetarian" or "fasting food" (su or zhai, as printed on Chinese packaging) on the label, or check the ingredient list directly. For stock products you're unsure about, you can simply switch to a homemade vegetarian stock simmered from kombu and shiitake mushrooms.

A Note for Beginners

The pitfalls in Chinese seasonings tend to hide in the step where flavor gets boosted. Once you've got a handle on these few things to check, you'll have covered most everyday seasoning situations. If your household regularly uses a particular brand of sauce, it's worth spending a few minutes checking that brand's website or contacting customer service to ask whether they have a vegetarian ingredient statement. Plenty of long-established brands have actually released vegetarian versions; the packaging just isn't prominent enough, so it's easy to miss. Once this becomes a habit, you'll find that far more of the condiments in your kitchen are safe to use than you expected. Often the vegetarian option already exists; the information is just tucked away, waiting for you to dig a little.