Chinese Cuisine

 

 

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The outline

The History of Chinese Cuisine and Traditional  Chinese Food

Chinese Four Regional Cuisines

A Full Minco-Han Banquet

 

Chinese Culinary Culture

  China has a civilized history of 5,000 years and Chinese cuisine has evolved over time.  Its culinary techniques, preparation, serving and appreciation of food have been developed to the highest level. Cooking has occupied an important position in Chinese culture throughout its history. Chinese culture considers cooking an art and a science

Chinese Culinary Culture
 民以食为天

    Rich and poor, the Chinese people consider that delicious and nutritious food is a basic necessity. There is an old Chinese saying “Food is the first necessity of the people”.

Chinese Culinary Culture
Influence of
Confucianism & Taoism

v  The two dominant philosophies of Chinese culture both had extreme influences on the political and economic history of the country but it is less well known that they also influenced the development of the culinary arts.

Influence of Confucianism
 “live to eat”

Confucius emphasized the artistic and social aspects of cookery and eating. The Chinese don’t gather together without involving food - it is considered to be poor etiquette to invite friends to your home without providing appropriate food.

Influence of Taoism
“eat to live ”

v   On the other hand, Tao encouraged research into the nourishment aspects of food and cookery. Rather than concentrating on taste and appearance, Taoists were concerned with the nourishment of the body, prevention of disease and the search for longevity.

 

Traditional  food

Dumplings

Noodles

jiaozi (dumplings)

Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling) is a traditional Chinese Food, which is essential during holidays in Northern China, especially in Chinese New Year. Since the shape of Chinese dumplings is similar to ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots, they symbolize wealth. Traditionally, the members of a family get together to make dumplings during the New Year's Eve.

"China's five famous noodles"

  ★   Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles (热干面)

  ★   Shanxi Sliced Noodles (刀削面)

  ★    Guangxi and Guangdong Yifu noodles (伊府面)

  ★   Sichuan Dan Dan noodles (担担面)

  ★   Noodles with Soy Bean Paste (炸酱面)

  Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles (rè gān miàn 热干面)

 Hot and Dry Noodles is the most popular food for breakfast in Wuhan. It enjoys a high reputation for its low price and deliciou taste.Hot dry noodles are an essential part of the Wuhan diet, eaten by almost everyone daily at breakfast time.When in Wuhan, be sure to try a bowl of the hot dry noodles for just 2-3 Yuan. The noodles are truly delicious.

History

   Hot Dry Noodles is a traditional snack in Wuhan with a long history of 50 years. It was said that in early 1930s, there was a person named Libao in Hankou District of Wuhan, who sold Cool Power Noodles and Noodles in Soup. One day, it was hot and there were a lot of noodles left, he was afraid the noodles became mold and turned worse. So he boiled noodles left, took it out, dried it on the chopping board, But he splashed sesame oil over noodles because of carelessness. A good idea came to his mind that Libao mixed and stirred noodles with sesame oil, then cooled it.

Dan Dan Noodles-Classic Sichuan dish

v  Dan Dan Noodles (or Noodles, Sichuan Style/dàn dàn miàn 担担面) is another classic Sichuan dish that one shouldn’t miss out when you’re in Chengdu. This sack is a kind of hot-spiced noodles or spicy peanut noodles.It is favored with a sauce containing dried shrimp, shredded preserved vegetables,crushed roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, chilli oil,soy sauce,vinegar and garlic.

Origin of Dan Dan Noodles

   Dandan refers to shoulder poles（dan dan）. In the earliest time when a noodle peddler shoulder his pole, he usually carried two baskets on either side as he walked along streets. The baskets contained his noodles and sauce. He sold his noodles to passers-by and residents who lived on the streets. His noodles cost almost nothing, and gradually local people called it Dandan Noodle.

Zhajiang mian ("fried sauce noodles")

  Zhajiang mian ("fried sauce noodles") is a northern Chinese dish consisting of thick wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork stir-fried with fermented soybean paste. Some Chinese restaurants may refer to zhajiang mian as "brown meat sauce noodles," "noodles with fried bean and meat sauce," or the pinyin transliteration zhájiàngmiàn (sometimes zhàjiàngmiàn, with second tone on the first syllable, in southern China and Taiwan).

Chinese Four Regional Cuisine

China’s vast territory and long history have given birth to distinct regional cuisine over the centuries. Local  dishes with their own distinctiveness can be roughly divided into four regional cuisines.

Four Regional Cuisines

Shandong Cuisine

(鲁菜)

Sichuan Cuisine

(川菜)

Jiang-Zhe Cuisine

(江浙菜)

Cantonese Cuisine

(粤菜)

Shandong Cuisine

 The Shandong Cuisine is famous for its wide selection of materials, cooking methods, and seafood.

  It has been influenced by the “Confucius Family Dishes”（“孔府家肴”）, which are renowned for their taste, aroma, color and shape.

 

Bird’s Nest Soup

Yellow River Carp in sweet and Sour Sauce(糖醋黄河鲤鱼)

Stewed Sea Cucumber(烧海参)

Dezhou Braised Chicken
（德州扒鸡）

  It is known throughout the country. The chicken is so well cooked that the meat easily separates from the bone although the shape of the chicken is preserved.

Beijing Roast Duck

  The most representative of Shandong cuisine is, perhaps, Beijing Roast Duck. It is prepared from specially-bred Beijing crammed duck with a unique roasting process which gives it a perfect combination of color, aroma, taste, a crisp thin skin, and a delicious flavor.

Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea

Sichuan Cuisine

Sichuan Cuisine, both spicy and pungent, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world.

Pockmarked Woman’s Bean Curd

 Mapo tofu is the most famous and easiest kind of Sichuan food and the spicy taste also makes it very popular.

Kung Pao Chicken

   It is a typical traditional Sichuan dish made with diced chicken, peanuts and chili pepper.

  It is a very popular staple of North American Sichuan-style Chinese restaurants, and many recommend using it as a measure of the skills of a chef.

Five –Willow-leaf Fish

  Wuliu Fish or Five –Willow-leaf Fish  is a popular traditional dish of Sichuan Province. It is said to have been invented by Du Fu, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty.

Jiang-Zhe Cuisine

  It is characterized by the strictness in material selection, the emphasis of cleanliness and freshness of its ingredients, as well as the fine workmanship in cutting, matching, cooking and arranging.

  Its food features fresh fish and seafood dishes.

Sauteed Fish Fillet with Tomato Sauce

Fried Prawns with Pepper Salt

beggar’s Chicken
(叫化鸡)

Dongpo Meat

Cantonese Cuisine

   It is said that the people of Beijing are lovers of leisure pursuits; the Shanghainese are extravagant in dress; and the Cantonese are gourmets.

   Indeed, Guangdong may be said to have a greater variety of food than any other place in the world. There is also a saying among foreign visitors: The two Guangs eat practically everything that walks on the ground, swims in the water and flies in the air except CAAC.

Fresh Shrimp Meat in Oil
油泡鲜虾仁

Steamed Bass

White boiled shrimp
白灼虾

Crisp Spring Pigeon

石头宴The Stone Feast

  From each dish, based on the selected shape and colour on the table is a feast, but only ornament is not edible.