What is the difference between condiments and seasonings？

China has a long history and rich knowledge of developing and consuming condiments, and there are many varieties of condiments. Among them there are condiments belonging to the Eastern tradition, as well as introduced condiments and emerging condiment varieties. The classification of condiments is still inconclusive, and different classifications of condiments can be made from different perspectives：

According to the nature of condiment products

1, according to the commodity nature of condiments and different business habits, we can divide the current Chinese consumers often contact and use of condiments into six categories:

(1) Brewing type condiments: Brewing type condiments are mainly made of grains rich in protein and starch, which are treated and fermented, that is, they are transformed into various complex organic substances through a series of biochemical changes by the action of enzymes of relevant microorganisms, such condiments mainly include: soy sauce, vinegar, sauce, tempeh, tofu milk, etc.

(2) pickle type condiments: pickle type condiments are vegetables salted, through the role of microorganisms and enzymes in the cells of fresh vegetables, the vegetables in the body of protein and some carbohydrates into amino acids, sugar, aroma and pigments, with special flavor. Some of them add light brine dipping cannon fermentation and wet pickles, some by dehydration, salting fermentation and semi-wet pickles. Such seasoning bubble fermentation from wet state pickles, some by dehydration, salting fermentation from semi-wet state pickles. Such seasonings mainly include: squash, sprouts, winter vegetables, dried plum vegetables, pickled snow peas, pickled ginger, pickled peppers, etc. 

 

(3) fresh vegetable condiments: fresh vegetable condiments are mainly fresh plants. Such condiments mainly include: onion, garlic, ginger, chili, coriander, horseradish, parsley, etc. 

(4) Dried condiments: Dried condiments are mostly roots, stems and fruits dried, containing special spicy or pungent flavor. Such condiments mainly include: pepper, pepper, dried chili, star anise, cumin, mustard, cinnamon, ginger, ginger powder, herb nuts, etc. 

(5) aquatic condiments: aquatic condiments aquatic products in some of the animals and plants, dried or processed, containing a high protein content, with a special fresh taste, customary for seasoning food. Such condiments mainly include: fish sauce, shrimp, shrimp skin, shrimp roe, shrimp paste, shrimp oil, oyster sauce, crab products, tamari, nori, etc. 

(6) Other condiments: Condiments that do not belong to the previous categories, mainly including: salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, rice wine, curry powder, five-spice powder, sesame oil, sesame paste, peanut butter, sand tea sauce, silver shrimp paste, tomato paste Sauce, tomato sauce, jam, tomato juice, Guilin sauce, chili oil chili sauce, sesame chili sauce, peanut chili sauce, pastry sauce, chili sauce, chili oil, fragrant grains, red grains, mushroom oil, etc. 

2, By shape of finished condiment

According to the shape of the finished condiments, it can be divided into sauce categories (sand tea sauce, soy sauce, sour plum sauce, XO sauce, etc.), soy sauce (soy sauce king, fresh shrimp oil, soy sauce king, straw mushroom sauce, etc.), juice Classes (barbecue juice, brine juice, glutinous rice juice, OK juice, etc.), flavor powders (pepper powder, sand ginger powder, garlic powder, chicken powder, etc.), solids (sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, tempeh, etc.).

3, According to the taste of the seasoning

According to the taste sensation of condiments can be divided into salty condiments (salt, soy sauce, tempeh, etc.), sweet condiments (concubine sugar, honey, syrup, etc.), bitter condiments (peel, tea juice, bitter almonds, etc.), spicy condiments (chili, pepper, mustard, etc.); sour condiments (vinegar, ketchup, hawthorn sauce, etc.), fresh condiments (monosodium glutamate, chicken essence, shrimp oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, etc.), aroma condiments (pepper (pepper, star anise, cooking wine, onion, garlic, etc.). In addition to the above single-flavor-based condiments, a large number of condiments are compound flavors and efficient seasonings, such as oil curry, sweet noodle sauce, milk tofu juice, pepper salt, etc.

4, Other subdivision

There are other ways to classify condiments, such as local flavors, including Cantonese-style seasonings, Sichuan-style seasonings, Hong Kong-style seasonings, Western-style seasonings, etc. Fried seasonings, steamed seasonings, and some special seasonings, such as mutton shabu-shabu seasonings; hot pot seasonings, bad goods seasonings, etc.; according to the seasoning brands, there are joint ventures such as Desly Foods, Sauce Grandmaster, Wei Kemei, Lee Kum Kee, Kraft, etc. Overseas brands, in addition to some special brands, such as Li Pai Ji Sauce, Japanese Swastika Soy Sauce, Hong Kong Youhao Chicken Powder, Indian Curry Oil, Japanese Spicy Mustard, etc.

In addition, there are many types of condiments, some of which have their own specific classification standards. For example, in China, soy sauce can be divided into brewed soy sauce and prepared soy sauce.