Chinese food gives a high reputation in the world not only for their exquisite, but for its
smell, taste, appearance and texture. It is due to the diversity of the climate, products and
customs that there are a variety of different food tastes in many regions. In history
cuisine has played an important role and it is part of the nation's traditional culture.
Based on a specific region, there are eight different chinese cuisines: Shandong, Sichuan,
Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Anhui. As well as minority cuisines
such as Hui and Tibetan. Chinese food is based on different factors which makes each
region different. Among factors are topics that are important such as symbolic meanings,
specific table manners, proper use of chopsticks, festive dishes, religion culture, herbs
and spices.
All chefs of the Chinese kitchens, professional or in the home, strive for harmony of sight, smell, taste, texture, so that each individual dish has it's unique features highlighted; contrasted and balanced if it is a dinner of many dishes, be it 3, 6, 9 or 12. The flavors must not overpower, yet subtle enough to meet the tastes of those dining. Complex or simple dishes may be prepared quickly or much longer, but the ultimate goal is to share with the guests the play on the eaters' real and imagined visions of the dishes and its ingredients.
It is not easy to brief the civilization of Chinese Food in a short message,
it is because, there are more than 56 folks inside the Mainland China, and the
large area causes difference dining habits among the difference districts.
First of all, we need to know that, the old China was developed in a faming society,
and most of the dining habits and meals culture are based on this factor.
China covers a large territory and has many nationalities;
hence there is a wide variety of Chinese foods, each with quite
different but fantastic and mouthwatering flavors. Because China's
local dishes have their own typical characteristics, Chinese food
can be divided into eight regional cuisines, the distinction of
which is now widely accepted. Certainly, there are many other local
cuisines that are famous, such as Beijing Cuisine and Shanghai Cuisine.
Consisting of Jinan cuisine and Jiaodong cuisine, Shandong cuisine, clean, pure and not greasy, is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. Shallots and garlic are frequently used as seasonings so Shandong dishes taste pungent. Soups are given much emphasis in Shandong cuisine. Thin soups are clear and fresh while creamy soups are thick and taste strong. Jinan chefs are adept at deep-frying, grilling, pan-frying and stir-frying while Jiaodong chefs are famous for cooking seafood with a fresh and light taste. A few typical Shandong dishes are Bird's Nest Soup, Yellow River Carp in Sweet and Sour sauce
Sichuan Cuisine, known more commonly in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavors, Sichuan cuisine, with a myriad of tastes, emphasizes the use of chili. Pepper and prickly ash are always in accompaniment, producing the typical exciting tastes. Garlic, ginger and fermented soybean are also used in the cooking process. Wild vegetables and meats such as are often chosen as ingredients, while frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising are used as basic cooking techniques. It can be said that one who doesn't experience Sichuan food has never reached China. Some typical Sichuan dishes are Hot Pot, Smoked Duck, Kung Pao Chicken, Twice Cooked Pork, Mapo Dofu
Tasting clean, light, crisp and fresh, Guangdong cuisine, familiar to Westerners, usually has fowl and other meats that produce its unique dishes. The basic cooking techniques include roasting, stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, braising, stewing and steaming. Steaming and stir-frying are most frequently used to preserve the ingredients' natural flavors. Guangdong chefs also pay much attention to the artistic presentation of their dishes. Some typical menu items are Shark Fin Soup, Steamed Sea Bass, and Roasted Piglet
Combining Fuzhou Cuisine, Quanzhou Cuisine and Xiamen Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine is renowned for its choice seafood, beautiful color and magical tastes of sweet, sour, salt and savory. The most distinct feature is their "pickled taste". Some typical Fujian dishes are Buddha Jumping Over the Wall, Snow Chicken, Prawn with Dragon's Body and Phoenix's tail
Jiangsu Cuisine, also called Huaiyang Cuisine, is popular in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Using fish and crustaceans as the main ingredients, it stresses their freshness. Its carving techniques are delicate, of which the melon carving technique is especially well known. Cooking techniques consist of stewing, braising, roasting, and simmering. The flavor of Huaiyang Cuisine is light, fresh and sweet and its presentation is delicately elegant. Some typical Jiangsu dishes are Stewed Crab with Clear Soup, Long-boiled and Dry-shredded Meat, Duck Triplet, Crystal Meat, Squirrel with Mandarin Fish, and Liangxi Crisp Eel
Comprising local cuisines of Hanzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing, Zhejiang Cuisine is not greasy. It wins its reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness, and smoothness of its dishes with their mellow fragrance. Hangzhou Cuisine is the most famous one of the three. Some typical Zhejiang items are Sour West Lake Fish, Longjing Shelled Shrimp, Beggar's Chicken
Hunan cuisine consists of local cuisines of Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and Xiangxi coteau areas. It is characterized by thick and pungent flavors. Chili, pepper and shallot are usually necessities in this variation. Some typical menu items of Hunan are Dongan Chicken; Peppery and Hot Chicken
Anhui Cuisine chefs focus much more attention on the temperature in cooking and are good at braising and stewing. Often ham will be added to improve taste and candied sugar added to gain freshness. Some typical Anhui dishes are Stewed Snapper and Huangshan Braised Pigeon
The Hui minority likes to eat ruminant vegetarian animals and poultry, which must be butchered by Muslim priest, called Ahong in Chinese. Meat from pigs, mules, horses and donkeys and blood are all considered taboo. The Hui Minority's cuisine includes steamed lamb, lamb eaten with hands, fried beef, grilled mutton kebab, deep-fried food and so on. The Hui cuisine enjoys strong reputation in China due to the delicious taste of their food. Usually, Hui add Sanxian soup (a soup extracted made of beef, mutton and chicken) to their food. Hui Cuisine, called Qingzhen (pure and true), can be found almost in every city in China.
Tibetan cuisine is divided into two types: those of the pastoral and farming areas. The pastoral nomads basically consume meat and milk, mutton and other types of meat, which is sometimes dried and eaten in winter, while yogurt and cheese are eaten in summer. These foods are rich in protein and calories. Greasy green tea is usually drunk Tibetan meals. The farming population is fond of Zamba (roasted Qingke barley flour), Qingke wine, pork and potatoes. Tibetans have mild palates. Salt, garlic and green Chinese onion are the only seasonings they use. Of course, if guests like spicy food, the versatile Tibetan chefs can satisfy their appetites. There are more than 60 varieties of typical Tibetan dishes, such as rice with milk and meat dumplings in sparerib soup. Tibetan snacks include yak blood cubes, which are made by the drawing 0.25 kg of blood from the veins of a yak. It is then poured into a pan and boiled on a slow fire until the blood solidifies, cut it into cubes. Hot butter is poured on them and white sugar is added.
Chinese medicinal cuisine is unique in China and has a long history.
Based on traditional Chinese herbal medicine practice, it combines strictly
processed traditional Chinese medicine with traditional culinary materials to
produce delicious food with health restoring qualities. In China, people contend
that food tonic is much better than medicine tonic in fortifying one's health.
To cook medicinal food, one has a large variety of fine materials to choose from
and each material has its own unique flavor. Generally, processed herbal materials
are more commonly used in order to avoid strong odors. However, individuals of
different physical status need to select different herbs. The selection of herbs
will depend on each individual's condition of health. Due to its herbal nature, it
is better to take medicinal food according to the doctor's prescription.
In the cooking of medicinal food, slow cooking methods such as stewing, braising
and simmering are usually used in order to extract more of the herbs' healing properties.
Some typical medicine cuisine are Baby Pigeon Stewed with Gouqi (Medlar)
and Huangqi (Membranous Milk Vetch),Pork Simmered with Lotus Seed and lily,Pig's
Kidney Stewed with Eucommia Bark
Buddhism and Tao is the main religions in Mainland China,
and, it is must more simple to know that vegetarian diets becomes
the main food to the people whose cult as monk and nun, as well as
Taoist. There are so many vegetarian diets made looked like meat as pork,
beef, fish, cuttlefish, etc. It is so funny and tasty, and healthy.
Islam is one of the large religion in Mainland China, but it is well-known
that, the Muslins never eat Pork, and their famous recipe is BBQ Lamb.
Because of the poor and hard lifestyle character of a farming society,
the Chinese farming families would have food which were being get from the
farming field, such as, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetable, sweet corn, mushrooms,
etc. So, the Chinese will have many dishes of meat recipes like Chicken, Pork,
Fish that they do not have in the normal days. The are some special snack, or to
be said, festival food will be made during the Chinese festivals, Such as Sweet-Stick
Cake and Turnip Pastry in Lunar New Year, Glutinous Rice Tamale in Dragon
Boat Festival, Moon Cake in Middle Autumn Festival, etc, and Steamed Buns to
the Birthday person.
There is a big difference about the diets between Northern and
Southern China, that is, the dishes made by Northern Chefs are in
heavier taste and those are comparably light in Southern Chefs’ recipes,
sometimes, we say it is tasty as sweet and fresh in Southern Chinese food.
In the Northern and Western Provinces of China like Lingxia, hebei, Sichuan,
Shenxi, and Yunnan, the diets are made in hot and spicy, because of the humid
cold weather and high altitude, Chinese people wonder that to perspire is a good
method for preventing diseases caused by humidity and cold.
There are not popular to use herds and spices in Chinese Food,
perhaps Chinese chefs will use some parsley, aniseed, fennel, cloves,
Sichuan peppercorn, red chili pasty……however, they mostly use light and
dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar and oyster sauce as the main
seasoning and sauce. Chinese chefs usually like to use the preserved and
salty Ingredients like preserved eggs, potherb and pickled mustard, dried
shrimps, bean curd cheese, dry and salty pork, salty duck, meat sausage-- it is a
long and traditional habit since the ancient hard and poor farming society.
In China, foods are given different meanings, so that in certain occasion
a kind of food, can only be eaten by some specific individuals, or a kind of
food must be eaten in specific occasion.
- Usually, an honored guest will be served a snapper's head or shell to hail him and show warmly welcome in some districts.
- Long noodle is the symbol of longevity in China, so that youngsters or seniors all will have a bowl of Long Life Noodle to expect a healthy life.
- In Central China, if a baby is born, his father will send Red Boiled Egg to announce the news. An even number, usually six or eight, of Red Boiled Egg with a black point dotted on one end will be delivered for a boy, and an odd number, usually five or seven without black point for a girl.
- Fish is always served to symbolize prosperity and wealth accumulation in the New Year's Eve.
- There are other foods and snacks symbolizing good wishes under special circumstances, such as duck, chicken and melon seeds.
Not same to the people living in western area, Chinese used to have
their dinner together with all the family members, sitting around a table
and each person will have one set of dining tool in front of them, including
two bowls which one for rice and another for soup, one pairs of chopsticks
and one plate for meat / vegetable. They will share the food dishes which were
made and put into the central of table, diners will only pick up the food from
the dished which who want to eat. He will pick it and places it into the small
plate in front of him. There are 2 special habits, one is, Chinese diners never
pick up rice from the bowl but will handle the bowl towards their lips then poke
the rice into their mouths by the chopsticks. The other one is, Chinese always have
soup during or after dining.
Chinese simply choose chopsticks as their tableware rather than knife
and fork since Chinese people, under cultivation of Confucianism, consider
knife and fork bearing sort of violence, like cold weapons. However, chopsticks
reflect gentleness and benevolence, the main moral teaching of Confucianism.
Chinese food seems to taste better eaten with chopsticks which are the
special utensil Chinese use to dine. It will be an awkward experience for
foreigners to use chopsticks to have a meal. Fortunately, learning to eat with
chopsticks is not difficult.
Chinese Food Culture, http://www.artandculture.net/chinese-food-culture.shtml
Chinese Index: Culture, business, travel, http://www.index-china.com
Chinese food index: food and tea culture, recipe and pictures, http://www.index-china-food.com/
Chinese Food, http://china.9c9c.com/Culture/food_culture/topic_369.html
The China Experience: China Culture Index(Chinavista.com), http://www.chinavista.com/experience