A Look into Chinese Cuisine

Do you like this post?

China is a land buried deep in tradition and culture. The cuisine of this diverse urban mass has a long luxurious history; it is in fact regarded as a national treasure.

Studies show that the cuisine of China dates back 1.36 million years. It is recorded that the first use of fire as a cooking medium goes back 1.27 million years.

Chinese cuisine has a wonderful reputation in all corners of the globe for its unique charm and charisma.

It is amazing how the whole cuisine has been centred on the use of two sticks, the very mere fact of the matter is that chopsticks have determined the way in which dishes are prepared and presented.

The main cooking methods used in the production of dishes are; boiling, stewing, steaming, roasting, barbequing, baking and simmering.

There are countless dishes available this day and age; ranging from local specialties and snacks to household favorites.

It is a cuisine composed of numerous regional cuisines. Namely;

Shandong, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Beijing, Dongbei, Uygur, Hubei, Hui and Tibetan.

In forthcoming articles for this very section within the blog you can expect to find postings that will provide a more detailed analysis of the individual regional cuisines.

Ingredients Utilised in Chinese Cuisine

The following list is by no means exhaustive. It is only intended as a reference resource

Vegetables:

Chilli, Winter Melon, Bean Sprouts, Turnip, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Celery, Chinese Celery, Bok Choy, Bamboo Shoot, Eggplant, Garlic, Ginger, Chive, Choy Sum, Pumpkin, Onion, Taro, Spinach, Mushroom, Corn, Leek, Coriander, Lotus Root, Bitter Melon, Cucumber, Black Fungus, Sweet Potato, Green Bean, Snow Pea, Potato, Tomato, Cauliflower, Bell Pepper, Radish, Broccoli, Lettuce Root, Yam, Long Bean

Legumes:

Green Pea, Red Pea, Soy Bean, Horse Bean

Nuts and Seeds:

Almond, Peanut, Sesame Seed, Chestnut, Pine nut, Sunflower Seeds, Almond, Cashew Nut, Pumpkin Seed, Melon Seed, Pistachio Nut

Herbs (Dried and Fresh):

Aniseed, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, White Pepper, Saffron, Cumin, Fennel
Dry Chilli, Sichuan Pepper, Angelica, Bay Leaf, Clove, Orange Skin, Mustard Seeds, Five Spice, Saffron

Vinegars:

Rice Vinegar, Black Vinegar, Red Rice Vinegar, Mature Vinegar, Brown Rice Vinegar, Sticky Rice Vinegar

Seasonings -Oils:

Green Pepper Oil, Sesame Oil, Five Spice Oil, Peanut Oil, Mustard Oil, Chili Oil
Soy Sauce, Sesame Paste, Chili Paste, Black Bean Paste, Oyster Sauce, Shrimp Sauce, Salted Bean Curd, Pickled Chilli, Salted Black Bean

Fruit:
Apple, Apricot, Banana, Cherry, Chinese Date, Chinese Gooseberry, Coconut Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Plum, Pomegranate, Pomelo, Kiwi Longon, Lychee, Mango, Mangosteen, Rambutton, Strawberry

Meat:

Pork, Beef, Lamb, Deer, Frog, Rabbit

Poultry:

Chicken, Duck, Goose, Pigeon, Sparrow, Ostrich

Fish:

Salmon, Trout, Tuna, Eel, Shark, Sole, Cod, Sturgeon, Grouper, Wrasse, Mandarin Fish, Carp, Cat Fish, Belt Fish

Seafood:

Sea Cucumber, Abalone, Crab, Shrimp, Prawn, Squid, Clam, Oyster, Scallop, Lobster, Octopus, Dry Shrimp, Mussel, Cuttle Fish, Sea Urchin, Ark Shell, Salmon Roe

The following are a few dishes that you may expect to find on a Chinese menu of today:

Chinese Classical Dish

Mapo Bean Curd (Sichuan)

Beijing Style Roasted Duck

Shanghai Style Stewed Pork Meat Balls

North East China Style Sautéed Vegetables

Nanjing Style Salted Duck

“Chrysanthemum” Fish (Jiangshu)

Stir-fried Shrimp with Longjing Tea (Zhejiang)

Steamed Grouper with Soy Fish Sauce (Guangdong)

Deep-fried Pork Dice with Sweet and Sour Sauce (Hujian)

Stir-fried Lamb Slice with Leek (Beijing)