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