Sugar

Brown sugar slabs: This type of sugar is layered and semi-refined, having been compressed into flat slabs and cut to resemble caramel sweets. It has the flavour of good brown sugar.

Rock or yellow lump sugar: I particularly like to use rock sugar, which I find to have a richer, more subtle flavour than that of refined granulated sugar. It also gives a good lustre or glaze to braised ‘red-cooked’ Chinese dishes. It imparts translucence to glazes and sauces. You may need to break the lumps into smaller pieces with a wooden mallet or rolling pin.