Latest / Learn Cantonese with Fexingo / Cantonese Kitchen: Washing and Peeling Veggies
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to another episode of Learn Cantonese with Fexingo. I am Lucas. Luna: And I am Luna. Hi everyone. We are finally back in the kitchen. Lucas: Yes. Last time we talked about stir-frying. But before you can fry anything, you have to prep your ingredients. Luna: Right. You cannot just throw raw dirt-covered potatoes into the wok. That would be a disaster. Lucas: Exactly. So today we are going to talk about washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables. Luna: Oh, this is practical. I always struggle with the prep work. It feels so tedious. Lucas: It is tedious if you do not have the right words. Once you know the verbs, it becomes a rhythm. Luna: Okay. Let us start with the first step. The washing. Lucas: Good. The phrase for washing vegetables is 洗菜. Luna: 洗菜. Okay. Xi Cai. Lucas: Let me say that slowly. 洗菜. Luna: 洗菜. Got it. Lucas: Now normally. 洗菜. Luna: 洗菜. To wash vegetables. Lucas: Perfect. Imagine you are at the sink. You turn on the water. You rinse the lettuce. Luna: So I would say, 'I am washing vegetables.' That is 我洗菜. Lucas: Yes. Or if someone asks what you are doing, you just say 洗菜. Luna: 洗菜. Simple. Effective. What about when they are actually clean? Lucas: Ah, good question. The word for clean is 乾淨. Luna: 乾淨. Gan Jing. Lucas: Let me say that slowly. 乾淨. Luna: 乾淨. Lucas: Now normally. 乾淨. Luna: 乾淨. Clean. Lucas: So if the vegetables are clean, you say 菜係乾淨嘅. Luna: The vegetables are clean. Oh, that sounds satisfying. 乾淨. Lucas: It does. Especially after scrubbing them under cold water. Luna: Okay, next step. Some vegetables need their skin removed. Like potatoes or carrots. Lucas: Yes. The verb for peeling is 削皮. Luna: 削皮. Xue Pi. Lucas: Let me say that slowly. 削皮. Luna: 削皮. Lucas: Now normally. 削皮. Luna: 削皮. To peel skin. Lucas: Correct. You take a potato. You hold the peeler. You go down the side. Luna: 削皮. I hope I do not cut my finger. This requires focus. Lucas: Carefully. 削皮. Then once they are peeled, you might cut them up. Luna: How do you say chopped or ready to cook? Lucas: We use the phrase 切好. Luna: 切好. Cut good? Or cut finished? Lucas: Literally cut done. It means the cutting is complete. Let me say it slowly. 切好. Luna: 切好. Lucas: Now normally. 切好. Luna: 切好. All the veggies are chopped. Lucas: Exactly. And finally, when everything is washed, peeled, and chopped, it is all prepared. Luna: What is the word for prepared or ready? Lucas: The word is 備妥. Luna: 備妥. Bei Tao. Lucas: Let me say that slowly. 備妥. Luna: 備妥. Lucas: Now normally. 備妥. Luna: 備妥. Everything is ready. Lucas: Yes. So the full process is: wash the veg, peel the skin, cut it well, and keep it clean. Luna: 洗菜. 削皮. 切好. 乾淨. 備妥. Lucas: Beautiful repetition. Before we continue with our cooking demo, I want to mention something important. Luna: Oh? What is it? Lucas: If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language, your support keeps this show ad-free and growing. Luna: Yeah. It really helps us create these episodes for you. Lucas: You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Thanks for listening. Now back to the kitchen. Lucas: Right. Let us put it all together in a scene. Luna: Okay. I am in the kitchen. It is Sunday night. Lucas: You walk to the sink. You see a pile of dirty broccoli. Luna: I look at the broccoli. I say, 'I need to wash the vegetables.' Lucas: In Cantonese, you say 我要洗菜. Luna: 我要洗菜. I turn on the tap. I rinse them until they are clean. Lucas: You check and say 菜係乾淨嘅. Luna: 菜係乾淨嘅. Good. Now I take a carrot. It needs peeling. Lucas: You pick up the peeler. You say 我要削皮. Luna: 我要削皮. Down comes the skin. Smooth orange carrot underneath. Lucas: Then you take the knife. You slice it into pieces. Luna: I finish cutting and say 切好了. Lucas: 切好了. Perfect cuts. Luna: Finally, I put them in a bowl. I tell my partner, 'Everything is prepared.' Lucas: You say 全部備妥了. Luna: 全部備妥了. Ready to stir-fry! Lucas: Excellent. Let us review the phrases one more time. Luna: Yes. First, 洗菜. Wash vegetables. Lucas: 洗菜. Second, 乾淨. Clean. Luna: 乾淨. Third, 削皮. Peel skin. Lucas: 削皮. Fourth, 切好. Chopped/Finished cutting. Luna: 切好. And fifth, 備妥. Prepared/Ready. Lucas: 備妥. Try saying them all in order. Luna: 洗菜. 乾淨. 削皮. 切好. 備妥. Lucas: Spot on. You are building a real routine now. Luna: It feels much less scary than just guessing words. Lucas: That is the power of specific vocabulary. It gives you control. Luna: True. Next time we will actually cook something with these veggies. Lucas: Maybe. Or maybe we will talk about ordering them at a restaurant. Luna: Either way, I will practice these phrases. Lucas: Do that. Keep them fresh in your mind. Luna: 洗菜. 削皮. 切好. 乾淨. 備妥. Lucas: See you next time. Bye. Luna: Bye.