Chinese Culture >> Chinese Food Articles >> Cooking Chinese Meals
Background to Cooking Chinese Meals
The rich and varied cuisine of China has
developed over thousands of years, and the different regions of China have each
contributed its own distinctive style. The main ones are Peking, home of
world-famous dishes such as
Peking Duck and Spring Rolls,
Szechuan, where the
use of local hot peppers led to the development of fiery, fragrant sauces; and Kwantung, the home of Cantonese cooking - the style of
Chinese cooking with
which Westerners are most familiar.
Rice is the staple food in most areas of China and so forms the basis of many
Chinese meals. Pork, chicken and duck are the most common meats, and seafood of
all kinds is very popular. There is a wide range of Chinese vegetables including
bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, snow peas and water chestnuts. Most of these are
now available, fresh or canned, all over the world.
Common flavorings for Chinese dishes are soy sauce, fresh ginger (available at
markets and greengrocers), garlic, sesame oil, 5-spice powder (a Chinese spice
available at supermarkets and specialty stores) and of course, monosodium
glutamate. There are many more delicious sauces and dried and canned ingredients
available, and if you enjoy Chinese
cooking you'll want to build up a
collection.
In preparing
Chinese food, a great deal of chopping is usually needed, as all
pieces must be small enough to be eaten with
chopsticks and to cook quickly and
evenly. A sharp knife is therefore essential. A wok is an ideal cooking pan, but
you can substitute a heavy frying pan, a cast iron casserole or an electric fry
pan if necessary. The Chinese take great care not to over-cook their food -
vegetables are just tender, retaining a delicious suggestion of crispness, most
of their vitamin and mineral content as well as their color and shape. Rice is
cooked perfectly by the absorption method.
A Chinese dinner party menu could begin with one or more appetizers. The next
course could be soup, though the Chinese often serve it last. The plain boiled
rice would then be put on the table, in front of each person, with the meat and
vegetable dishes, chosen to complement and contrast with one another, and
including, perhaps, a prawn dish, a chicken dish and a pork dish, in the center.
Each diner would place a little rice and meat or vegetable in his bowl, and eat
with chopsticks. The number of dishes served depends on the cook, and the
importance of the occasion. At the end of the meal fresh fruit, for example,
melon, fresh lychees, or strawberries, may be served. Chinese tea, such as
jasmine tea, is usually served throughout a Chinese meal, though beer or a
light, chilled white wine also goes well.
About the Author:
Under the pseudonym of The Good Cook, the author maintains several blogs of recipes and related topics. To visit her blog of easy Chinese recipes, click here.