Ginger: the most common Chinese food ingredient used as a spice for seasoning. It is usually used along with garlic in stir-fried dishes, when making soup, or in a dipping sauce.

Garlic: it is often used to season cooking oil along with ginger. It is used throughout Chinese cooking.

Chilies: green or red, fresh or dried, they are usually added to dishes as a seasoning to improve the taste, or used to make chili and other sauces

Spring onions: often used as a garnish, or added to stir-fries in a wok

Coriander: a popular herb with a strong flavor, it is used as garnish, or used to make a dipping sauce