Basic Introduction to the Chinese Cuisines in English
Chinese Cuisines
1 Three main criteria: color, aroma, taste
Color refers not only to the match of beautiful colors of the food, but also the layout and design of the dishes.
Aroma implies not only the appetizing smell of the dish, but also the freshness of the materials and the blending of seasoning.
Taste involves proper seasoning and fine cooking techniques.
2 Yin-yang principles & medicinal function
1) Characteristics
yin foods: thin, cooling and low in calories
yang foods: rich, spicy, warming and high in calories.
2) Types of foods
plants, roots, herbs, fungus and seeds
3) Cooking methods
Boiling, poaching, steaming makes foods yin.
Frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, roasting makes them yang.
Boiling makes foods more yin while frying makes them more yang.
In this sense, yin foods could be enhanced the property of yang by means of the corresponding cooking methods and vice versa.
4) Five major tastes based on yin-yang philosophy
·sourness （yin taste)
·sweetness （yang taste)
·bitterness （yin)
·pungency （yang)
·saltiness （yin)
5) Food and health
Yin and yang are not opposing forces but a complementary pair.
Yin-yang principle could be applied in both TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) and daily diet.
Taking proper food taste helps to realize the yin-yang balance in the internal organs.
Physical health could be achieved by the balance of yin-yang principle.
Yin-yang philosophy and dietary therapy
· keep the foods in balance
· food tonic is better than medicine
Medicinal cuisine: combines traditional Chinese medicine with traditional culinary materials with different characteristics
·TCM holds that herbal medicine and food share a common origin.
·The dietary therapy has been developed on the basis of the practice of TCM.
THE ADVANTAGES OF DIETARY THERAPY
·Applied to deal with diseases for a poor-condition individual
·Taken to improve the physical health for the common people
·Yin means the dark area occluded by the bulk of a mountain.
·Yang means the brightly lit part of a mountain.
3 Chinese culinary culture
Shang and Zhou Dynasty: pork, beef and mutton, thistle, royal fern, and smartweed
Han Dynasty: more sophisticated, hallmark of a stable and affluent society
Song Dynasty: take a new direction
Qing Dynasty: reach its zenith, Ming and Qing Dynasties--eight cuisines of China
4 Eight cuisines of China
1) Broadly speaking
Hui: Anhui
Yue: Guangdong
Min: Fujian
Xiang: Hunan (including Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and Xiangxi styles)
Su (Huaiyang Cuisine): Jiangsu (Yangzhou, Suzhou and Zhejiang dishes)
Lu: Shangdong (Jinan, Jiaodong styles, etc)
Chuan: Sichuan
Zhe: Zhejiang (including Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing styles)
2) Generally speaking
Hui
preserve the most of the original taste and nutrition of the ingredients; slightly spicy and salty
similar to Jiangsu cuisine, but less emphasis on seafood,and more on a wide variety of local herbs and vegetables
Anhui province is particularly endowed with fresh bamboo and mushroom crops
Ham and sugar are often added to improve the taste and enhance freshness
braising, stewing
Yue
combines the variety of dim sum dishes with the drinking of tea
Cantonese cuisine originated in the Han Dynasty
dim sum literally "touch your heart" is a Cantonese term for small hearty dishes
These bite-sized portions are prepared
using traditional cooking methods such as frying, steaming, stewing and baking
specialities: rich rolls, lotus leaf rice, turnip cakes, buns, shuijiao-style dumplings, stir-fried green vegetables, congee porridge, soups, etc.
Min
noted for its light taste and sweet and sour flavor
orginated from Fujian coastal region
Woodland delicacies such as edible mushrooms and bamboo shoots are also utilized
Slicing techniques are valued in the cuisine and are utilized to enhance the flavor, aroma and texture of seafood and other foods
often served in a broth or soup
braising, stewing, steaming and boiling
Xiang
hot spicy flavor, fresh aroma and deep color;chili,pepper and shallot are necessities in this cuisine
stewing, frying, pot-roasting, braising and smoking
local people eat hot peppers to fight dampness and cold
frequent use of preserved meat in cooking
Due to the high argicultural output of the region, there are varied ingredients for Hunan dishes
Su
Jinling Salted dried duck,crystal meat,clear crab shell meatballs, Yangzhou steamed Jerky strips
popular in the lower reach of the Yangtze River
Lu
emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness and the use of minimal fat; shallots and garlic frequently used as seasonings.
Bird's nest soup, Sweet and sour Yellow River carp
Chuan
bold flavors-the pungency and spiciness
resulting from liberal use of garlic and chili peppers as well as the unique flavor of the Sichuan peppercorn and Facing heaven pepper
other ingredients: peanuts, sesame paste, fermented soybean and ginger
frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising
Sichuan pickles with its appealing aroma are crisp, tender, salty, sour, hot and sweet
Zhe
originates from different cities of the province; Hangzhou style, Ningbo style, Shanghai style; retains the natural flavor and taste of the food.
not greasy, having but instead a fresh soft flavor with a mellow fragrance
Hangzhou style: characterized by rich variations and the use of bamboo shoots
Shaoxing style: specializing in poultry and freshwater fish
Ningbo style: specializing in seafood
Shanghai style: a combination of different Zhe styles, dimsum
quick-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, simmering and steaming