A CLOSER LOOK
How to recognize it
Mingfan (明矾) is food-use alum, a separate ingredient from cooking alkali. Food-use alum can be potassium aluminum sulfate or ammonium aluminum sulfate; the jiaoquan method does not identify which one.
In the kitchen
One Beijing jiaoquan method dissolves a little alum with salt and cooking alkali in warm water before mixing the dough and frying the rings.
Food-use alum can be potassium aluminum sulfate or ammonium aluminum sulfate. The Beijing jiaoquan method leaves the particular type unspecified.
Ask about this ingredient
这道菜里有明矾吗？
Does this dish contain Food-use alum (mingfan)?
A few dishes to explore
These examples use this ingredient in typical or optional preparations. Open the dish to see the distinction; a restaurant’s recipe can differ.
