Popular spices include cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns. Combined, they make a popular spice blend called Chinese five-spice. The Chinese employ unique sauces that characterize their cuisine. Sweet and slightly hot hoisin sauce is made of soybeans, with vinegar, garlic, sugar and chiles, and is often used in marinades. Oyster sauce, which adds body and a sweet-salty, slightly briny flavor, is used as an ingredient in cooking or as a condiment.
Many Asian dishes utilize soy sauce as a dipping condiment.
There is also a thick soy, which is not soy sauce at all, but more akin to molasses. Simplicity and elegance of presentation characterize Japanese cuisine. Gingerroot, sesame seed and hot pepper add flavor dimension. Japanese tend to grill, broil, pan fry, poach or simmer. For all meals, pickles made with gingerroot, daikon, cabbage and other vegetables perk up the taste buds.