There are a lot of spices now, but not in ancient times. What do you use to make delicious food?

In fact, rich condiment resources have long been discovered by our ancestors. Sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and salty flavors, after long-term accumulation and exploration, have created rich and diverse seasonings, which play an extremely important role in the formation of color, aroma and taste of meals.

Let's talk about salt first (there was no iodized salt in ancient times)

Salt, also known as table salt, sodium chloride in salt comes from salty taste, which can mainly regulate the osmotic balance between cells and the normal metabolism of water and salt. It is an indispensable component in human sweat and blood, and it can also increase food nutrition. It is one of the most important substances in human diet and the most commonly used seasoning in cooking. Salt was first used long ago. When did Spence call Yan Di? Su Sha is used for cooking salt. ? Ben Wei describes Yi Yin's cooking theory, including? Salty but not reduced? Said. "History? "Remember Ji Zi said at the end of Shang Dynasty, is there a HongFan? Moisten and become salty? What are salty, bitter, sour, spicy and sweet? Five flavors? Salt is one of them.

There was no monosodium glutamate and chicken essence in ancient times, but other condiments, such as plant spices, sugar, vinegar and salt, could be used to make all kinds of delicious food. Sometimes you don't use chicken essence monosodium glutamate, but use broth cooked in advance instead. Other ingredients will be added for freshness.

In ancient times, the poor did not pursue delicious food, as long as they could eat their stomachs. But the food eaten by some dignitaries must be delicious. There was no such thing as chicken essence and monosodium glutamate seasoning in ancient times. That is, some oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, in order to taste better, some will use the fresh fragrance of lotus leaves, all kinds of dried fruits can also be seasoned, and dried vegetables can also be made, that is, our current pickles, gray cabbage, cowpea, lentils and dried eggplant can all be made into dried vegetables.

In fact, since the Zhou dynasty, people have known the close relationship between spices and health in diet, so since then, they have had the habit of changing spices in time to cook and eat because of different seasons. It can be roughly divided into six categories.

First, cooking oil. There are: peanut oil, animal oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, pepper oil and safflower oil.

Second, fresh spices. There are: green onions, shallots, garlic, ginger and parsley. Spices and condiments: fennel, fennel, dill, edible dogwood, pepper, clove, cinnamon and pepper.

Fourthly, granular powder seasoning. There are: sugar, sesame powder, pepper powder, Chili powder, salt and pepper powder, Hu spicy powder and spiced powder.

Five, seasoning sauce. There are: soy sauce, soy sauce, shrimp oil, gutter oil, fish sauce, vinegar, wine, fermented milk, sweet noodle sauce, Chili sauce, spicy petal sauce, sand tea sauce, garlic sauce, honey osmanthus, sesame sauce, peanut butter, mushroom oil and bamboo shoot oil.

Sixth, flower seasoning. There are: osmanthus, chrysanthemum, jasmine, rose, cordate telosma and so on.

Seeing this, I have to say that these are the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancients!