 From the Song period , works such as Dongjing Meng Hua Lu ( Dreams of Splendor of the Eastern Capital ) preserve lists of names for entrées and food dishes in customer menus for restaurants and taverns , as well as for feasts at banquets , festivals and carnivals , and modest dining . Many of the peculiar names for these dishes do not provide clues as to what types of food ingredients were used . However , judging from the listed seasonings they used for these dishes , such as pepper , ginger , soya sauce , oil , salt , and vinegar , Song era cuisine is perhaps not too different from the Chinese cuisine of today . Other additional seasonings and ingredients included walnuts , turnips , crushed Chinese <unk> kernels , <unk> , olives , ginkgo nuts , citrus zest , and sesame oil . 
