CHINESE CUISINE
CHINESE CUISINE
Introduction
As one travels around the world today, one cannot help
being impressed by the extent to which Chinese food and cooking has
been established in-almost every corner of the earth. The popularisation of
Chinese cuisine lies in the unique traditions and techniques of Chinese
cooking, and in the inherent appeal of Chinese food and flavours to the palate,
and also Chinese food can be extremely economical as well as being highly
nutritious, because, most ingredients are cut into small pieces, then quickly
cooked so as to retain their natural goodness.
Chinese culinary' art has gone through thousands of
years of refinement and develop pment, but the Chinese unique way of cooking
and preparing food, remains basically unchanged. Archaeological finds of the
Bronze Age (around 1850 BC) indicate that the Chinese had utensils such as
bronze Cleavers for cutting up foods into small pieces and cooking them in
animal fat, using a bronze pot not dissimilar to the modern wok. There is data
to prove that as long ago as the ZHOU dynasty (12 C BC) the Chinese used Soya sauce,
vinegar, rice wine, fruit jam and spices as seasoning for their cooking and
that elaborate and complicated cooking methods were already being employed.
By the time of China's greatest sage CONFUCIUS (551 -
479 BC) who was an acknowledged gourmet recorded that the importance of heat
application and blending of different flavours were emphasized in Chinese
cooking; and the uses of high, moderate or low heat, the blending of sour,
piquant, salty, bitter or sweet flavours were all given their correct application
in order to achieve a harmonious whole. This theory of harmony is one of the
main characteristics of Chinese cuisine to this day.
Today, Chinese cuisine is generally considered along,
with the French as one
of the two greatest cuisines. It is simple,
highly adaptable to the taste of the other countries and best of all it can be
prepared by anyone, possessed of a little patience. Tai See Foo - or Master
Chef is a much-disciplined man, no where is the Tai See Foo in such importance
as in China, where, in relation to the Chinese philosophy of life, his
profession over the centuries has been looked upon with the greatest respect in
the community.
The Chinese value food highly and rarely wastes any,
many recipes require the use of leftovers and cooking ahead is standard
practice. The basic flavours are six – Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Spicy (sharp)
Pungent and Salty. Their distribution, proportion and use must be controlled
for proper blending. Meat has always been a major item in Chinese diet; however
the meat ration per person was small. Efficient utilisation, proper colour
arrangements and palatability often
required highly imaginative combinations. Often the meat could only be
flavouring for a dish rather than the main ingredient.
China‘s economy has seldom been able to afford such
animals as the cow and the lamb, inadequate pastureland for cattle has made raising these animals difficult. Pork is therefore China‘s most common meat. In the
north, mutton is commonly used, particularly by the Chinese Muslims. Many
Chinese Buddhist for religious reasons, will eat only vegetable, the cooking of
which was developed to a high degree. The scientific study of vegetable became
a part of Taoism and its devotees devised a highly nutritional vegetarian diet,
an art so refined that their vegetarian dishes resemble meat in taste as well
as in texture.
The elements that contribute to the wide sensual
appeal of Chinese food, which make it so acceptable to all people world over are:
1)
Chinese meals are communal meals and communal dishes
served on the table are of necessity, bigger and fuller than the average
dishes, they are therefore bound to create a greater visual impact and are more
sumptuous in appearance. The exoticism of size and variety is further enhanced
by the Chinese use of heat as an integral part of flavour - the use of heat to
induce, ignite, and set ablaze all the latent desires in our appetites. Hence
in a well-served Chinese meal, the time-lapse between the food leaving the hot
pan and its arrival on the table is measured not in minutes but in seconds.
2)
Chinese dinner is a multi-dish or multi-course meal.
3)
The frequent and deliberate exploitation of changing
textures both the harmony and contrast of textures are exploited.
4)
The bulk intake of rice produces the ultimate physical
satisfaction in eating along with several soups.
4) The use of
soya beans and their by-products - soya sauce, soya paste, soya-cheese, soya
bean curd, etc. are able to seduce our palate and taste buds.
The basic
purpose of cooking is primarily to render food edible, and secondly to render
it more enjoyable to eat. To achieve these purposes two methods are generally
employed, heating and flavouring.
HEATING:
Take the heating of food, which is basically capable
of only a limited number of variations such as heating by air, baking,
roasting, heating by fire or radiation, grilling, barbequing, heating through
the medium of water or by oil or heating by conduction. By combining the
different methods, by varying the pace of heating (Fire - Power), by varying
the speed or lengthiness (time) of treatment by varying the stability of
mobility (stir frying) of food while being heated the Chinese have developed
some forty different accepted heating methods, each with its well defined and
established terms of reference and conception.
FLAVORING
In the case of flavouring the Chinese have developed
and advanced even farther than in heating (cooking). This is due to the normal
Chinese practice of cross cooking different types of food which results of large
scale cross blending of flavours. Although not all Chinese dishes are mixed
dishes - some consists of only one ingredient cooked in the simplest way. The
seasoning materials and sauces are often applied at the last stage of cooking.
The flavouring of Chinese cooking is achieved through a multi layer process
i.e. Through the use of -supplementary ingredients for cross cooking to provide
variety and difference in texture and material, the use of flavouring
ingredients, seasonings and sauces to further enhance the taste and flavour and
finally through the serving of table condiments to provide the individual
diners with the opportunity to do their own personal "touch-ups"
before consumption.
In order to reduce confusion, it is normal practice
in Chinese kitchens to divide the
job of cooking into two clear
stages: Preparation and
actual cooking. The
task of preparation and the task
of cooking are usually carried out by two different persons. The preparations
and portioning of the principal and supplementary ingredients are usually
carried out by the assistant cook, while the chef attends to the firing
(control of the heating) and all the work over the stove including flavouring
and the application of all the sauces and seasonings.
THE MAIN CHARACTERISTIC
OF CHINESE CUISINE
Actually, Chinese cooking is often simple, even for
beginners provided you follow a few firm rules. The first thing to remember is
that preparation and cooking are separate procedures;
all preliminaries must be completed before actual cooking begins. Chinese
foods must often be cooked quickly and at very high temperatures. Chinese use
oil in their cooking - usually vegetable oil. With this oil one can get the
high temperatures needed to seal in the flavour and original colour of the
foods and also to preserve the all-important crispness and vitamins of
vegetables. They do not use butter and many other dairy products either
vegetables rather than meat predominate. Soups play various parts in the
symphony of a well composed meal - not only is there one as a light appetizer
but clear soups are often used between courses as palate cleansers. Richer
soups like velvet corn, may however be served as a separate course.
There exists a certain 'uniqueness' that
distinguishes Chinese cooking from other food cultures. There is the Chinese
division when preparing and serving food between TAN' (grain & other starch
food) and 'CAT (meat and vegetable dishes) Grains in various forms of rice or
wheat flours (bread, pancakes, noodles or dumplings), make up the FAN half of
the meal. Vegetables and meat (including poultry, meat and fish) cut up and
mixed in various combinations into individual dishes constitute the CAI half. A
balanced meal must have an appropriate amount of both FAN & CAI. It is combining'
various ingredients and the lending of different flavours for the preparation
of CAI that lies the fine art and skill of Chinese cuisine.
The other distinctive feature of Chinese cuisine is
the harmonious blending of colours, aromas, flavours, shapes and textures in
one single CAI dish. The principle of blending complimentary or contrasting
colours and flavours is a fundamental one - the different ingredients must not
be mixed indiscriminately. The matching of flavours should follow a set pattern
and is controlled and not casual. The cutting of ingredients is another
important element of Chinese cooking in order to achieve the proper effect.
Slices are matched with slices, shreds with shreds, cubes with cubes, chunks
with chunks and so on.
This is not only for the sake of appearance but also
because ingredients of the same size and shape require about the same amount of
time in cooking. This complexity of interrelated elements of colours, flavours
and shapes in- Chinese cooking is reinforced by yet another feature: TEXTURE. A
dish may have just one or several textures, such as tenderness, crispiness,
crunchiness, smoothness and softness. The textures to be avoided are:
sogginess, stringiness and hardness. The selection
of different textures
in one single dish is an integral part of blending of flavours and colours. The desired
texture or textures in any dish can only be achieved by the right cooking
methods. In all different methods of cooking the correct degree of heat and
duration of cooking time are of vital importance.
REGIONAL
COOKING STYLES.
China is a vast country and as such is exposed to
extremes of both geography and climate. This naturally results in the growth of
different agricultural products, so it is of little wonder that cuisines vary
from province to province. Looking at the map
of China, it is not difficult to understand why there should be such a
rich variety of different styles, throughout the land. Even though there is no
official classification of various regional cuisines in China, but it is
generally agreed SICHUAN in the west. SHANDONG in the north, CANTON in the
south and JIANGSU in the east represents the four major regional cooking styles
of China. In addition, four more
provinces ZHEJIANG, FUKIEN, ANHUI in the east and HUNAN in the west are usually
included in the role of honour while one talks of the "Big Eight"
distinguished schools of cuisine in China.
Northern
School
Archaeological evidence shows that in about 5000 BC,
the inhabitants of North China had begun to farm, settle down and make painted
pottery, eating and cooking vessels. Some of the most conspicuous traces of
early Chinese culture have been found at sites that lie along the valley of the
Yellow River, which is why this area is sometimes described as the "Cradle
of Chinese Civilization‖. Two ancient capitals of LUOYANG and KEIFENG are both
situated just south of the Yellow
River in Hunan province ("HU" is the Chinese word for
"river" and 'NAN" means "south"). The noblemen and the
imperial families live in such luxury that their chefs invented and perfected
many of the Chinese classic dishes. These recipes were passed down through the
centuries, and were moved to the capital, Peking and beyond.
China‘s North has two very long and distinct seasons
(winter and summer) with short transitional periods in between. Winters are dry
and cold, with temperatures often below freezing. Summers provide intense heat
and rain. Its diverse terrain (hills, valleys and rivers) give variety to the
region‘s agriculture.
Due to the extremely dichotomous climate, the land‘s
produce is hearty: mainstays of wheat and corn, especially important to the
Northern China economy, dominate the northerner‘s dietary needs. Crops are then
manufactured into wheat-flour for use in common cuisine: noodles, stuffed buns,
dumplings and steamed bread are just a few of the wheat products consumed in
the provinces of this region. Although little rice is grown in this region,
other hardy plants such as barley, millet, soybeans, cabbage, squash and apples
predominately appear in northern Chinese agriculture and cooking
In the northern school the staple food is not rice
but wheat flour, from which are made many noodle, dishes, steamed bread and
dumplings. Northern food tends to be lighter than that of other provinces. From
Peking (meaning northern capital) and its neighbouring districts come notable
dishes prepared with wine stock. Northern cooking includes pungent sweet and
sour dishes and more subtle, delicately seasoned foods. The use of garlic and spring
onions is also characteristic.
Much of the north is bordered by Mongolia where
people eat a lot of mutton. Food from Inner Mongolia and Shantung forms the
backbone of northern cuisine.
Now Peking cuisine is quite a different matter, it is
not a separate regional school, but rather the combination of all China's
regional style of cooking. Being the capital of China for many centuries Peking
(or Beijing as it is now called) occupies a unique position in the development
of Chinese culinary art. Peking cuisine has been defined by the eminent Chinese
gourmet Kenneth Lo as "The crystallization of many inventions and
performance of the generations of imperial chefs of different dynasties winch
have ruled in Peking for nearly a millennium, and the local dishes of the
people of Shandon and Hubet which have been in the habit of preparing together
with all the culinary contributions which over the years have established their reputation in the old capital‖ Peking
cooking is in short, the top table
of Chinese culinary art. Peking cooking exhibits the greatest
ingenuity and inventiveness.
Notable flavours and dishes
Beijing is known for jiaozi, the traditional Chinese
dumpling, and Peking duck. Jiaozi dumplings are often filled with pork and
vegetables, but variations may include sweet fruits (dates) or chestnuts.
Peking duck is a traditional delicacy perfected during the Qing Dynasty and
served to important and wealthy individuals throughout history. The duck and
its skin (a delicacy) are served
with Hoisin (Peking)
sauce in flat-bread wrappers.. Northern cuisine includes the Henan (north
of the river) region. Strikingly unique from other northern flavours is the
Shaolin vegetarian cuisine. Chinese Buddhist belief has for centuries
prohibited the eating of animal flesh, and the monks here have spent an age
perfecting the cooking of all types of vegetarian food. This cuisine is very
nutritious and healthy.
The western school
The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally
distinct area in the central western of part of China, a province known as
Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the
Shang Dynasty, during the 15th century. However, it was also the climate of the
area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from
Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine.
The province from which the cuisine that the world
knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid, and this contributed to this
necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other
regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy
dishes, though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces
rich and strong in flavour.
Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is
based upon bringing together five fundamental taste sensations – sweet, sour,
pungent, salty and bitter. The balance of these particular elements in any one
dish or regional cuisine can vary, according to need and desire, especially as
influenced by climate, culture and food availability.
In Szechuan cuisine, there are a variety of
ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These
include a variety of chilli peppers, peppercorns over various types, Sichuan
peppers, which are in reality a type of fruit, not pepper, and produce a
numbing effect in addition to their
warm flavour. Sichuan peppers, also called flower pepper and mountain pepper,
are a traditional part of the Chinese five spice powder, or at least of those
that are modelled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations
common to regional Chinese cooking.
Other ingredients used commonly in Szechuan cuisine
to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of
sugars, such as beet root sugar and cane sugar, as well as local fruits for
sweetness. The sour comes from pickled vegetables and different varieties of
vinegar. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of
bitterness that complements other flavours. Other spices and flavours include
dried orange peel, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and bean paste. Salt is important
to Szechuan cuisine, and the area produces uniquely flavoured salts that help
to distinguish authentic Szechuan cuisine from the other regional cuisines from China.
Szechuan cuisine is marked by its rich traditional
flavours, which stem from a culture of hundreds of years and are in part shaped
by the natural forces of climate. Authentic Szechuan cuisine offers a unique
dining experience made up of adventurous and creative taste sensations.
Specialities
Hunan (south of the river) cuisine: Renowned for its
soups, is one of the oldest and richest also noted for its spicy, pungent and
flavourful dishes. Hunanes are especially fond of using chillies, sweet peppers
and shallots in cooking. Sichuan (Szechuan) cuisine: hot, spicy chillies, ma po
doufu, hot pot Famous for its heat and distinct flavours, Sichuan cooking
mastered the light cooking techniques of stir-frying, sautéing, and
dry-braising. One of the region‘s most famous recipes is ma po doufu, a spicy
bean-curd and vegetable dish cooked with some of the most powerful chillies in
the world. In traditional Chinese
medicine and nutrition, hot chilli peppers are considered helpful in reducing the ―internal dampness‖. The humid climate
also compels a creativity and variety in food preservation, including
techniques such as picking, salting, drying and smoking. lnland cooking also makes much use of the fungus called
Cloud ear or, Tree ear.
Tea smoked duck, Chicken chilly, Liver Paste Soup,
Hot & Sour Soup, Beans A La Szechwan, Dong An Chicken, Fried crab, Soy
Braised duck, sliced Hoi sin Pork, Bean curd, Spiced Turnip etc., are some of
the famous dishes of this region.
The
Eastern School
The Yangtze, China‘s longest river which traverses
the width of China from west to east flows through China's leading agricultural
regions-Sichuan and Hunan (on the upper ) Hubei and Jiangxi (on the middle)
Jiangsu and Zianzgi (on the lower),which contains some of the most fertile land
in China. :
Both wheat and rice are grown here, as well as other
crops which include — barley, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and soya beans.
Fisheries abound in the multitude of lakes and other tributaries and deep sea
fishing has long been established in the coastal province of Jiangsu and
Zhejiang The areas that cover the middle and lower regions of the Yangtze are
traditionally referred to as "Land of Fish and Rice', and is collectively
known as Jiangnan ("JIANG" means "great river' referring to the,
Yangtze and 'NAN" referring to the south), and it boasts a number of
distinctive cooking styles.
The Yangtze River delta has its own cooking style
known as HYAIYANG with the culinary centre in Shanghai that is China's largest
city which lies on the Yangtze estuary. South East China has always been
regarded as the most culturally developed and economically prosperous region.
Both Nanjing in Jiangsu and Hangzhou in Zhejiang have been China's capital of
several dynasties; other culinary centres are to be located in YANGZHOU
(Yangchow), SUZHOU and ZHENJIANG. Yangchow fried rice, chow mien (open fried
noodles), wantons, spring rolls, dumplings and many other Cantonese dim sum
dishes have all originated from here.
South of Zhejiang is the province FUJI AN (FUKIEN)
which is sometimes grouped in the Eastern School, but its cooking style is more
influenced by its southern neighbour Canton, so very often Fukien cuisine is
included with Cantonese in the Southern school.
Taken as a whole, Eastern cuisine is rich, decorative
and rather on the sweet side; unlike Peking food, garlic is used sparingly, if
at all. The area as a whole is renowned for certain products and dishes: the
specially cured Chinhua ham, with its pinkish red flesh and succulently savoury-sweet
taste, the rich dark Chinkiang vinegar and the amber-coloured Shdaohsing rice
wine. Classic dishes include Crisp stir-fried shrimp, Eel cooked in oil,
Yangchow fried rice, Lion's head and fish from the West Lake with a sweet and
sour sauce.
One special cooking technique of the region has been
adopted nationally. This is hung- shao the red-braising method of cooking,
whereby the ingredients (mainly meat, poultry and fish) are cooked slowly in an
aromatic mixture of thick dark soy sauce and rice wine. When, at the end of
cooking,' the sauce is reduced and spooned over the main ingredient, the
resulting taste is both rich and fragrant.
Shanghai cuisine is the least known outside China.
Its oiliness and sweetness are perhaps less appealing to the Western palate,
and because it is decorative, it tends to be labour-intensive. Moreover, it
depends largely on fresh local produce; the famous Shanghai crabs, studded with
yellow roe in the autumn, have no counterpart elsewhere and for the delicate
taste of the famous West Lake fish one has to go to Hangchow.
The staple food of this region is rice. The cooks on
the coast use more soya sauce and sugar and specialise in salty and gravy-laden
dishes. Fish and shell fish from the many rivers and the neighbouring sea are
popular ingredients. These are gently spiced concoctions of meat, chicken, duck
and sea food with, of course lots of vegetables. Fukien produces the best soy
sauce and therefore its cuisine has a good deal of stewing in this sauce or
"red cooking" as it is called because of the colour the sauce
imparts. The soups are clear and light. The Fukienese excels in their soft
spring rolls and sea food. Fukien is also famous for its pork and chicken
dishes made with sweet-tasting and fermented rice paste.
Speciality and Popular
dishes:
Yangchow fried rice, Chow mien, Spring rolls, Dim
sums, White cut pork, lion‘s head (pork meat balls with cabbage - the alarming
name of this dish refers to the pork meat balls which are supposed to resemble
the shape of a lion's head and the cabbage which is supposed to look like its
mane), Squirrel fish.
The
Southern School
The Pearl River delta, with Canton as a provincial capital
of GUANGDONG (KWANGTUNG), is undoubtedly the home of the most famous of all
Chinese cooking styles. Unfortunately the reputation of Cantonese cuisine has
been badly damaged by a so called 'chop suey' food outside China. Authentic
Cantonese food has no rival and has a greater variety of food than any other
school because Canton was the first Chinese port open for trade, therefore
foreign influence are particularly stronger in its cooking There are many pig
and poultry farms and fish ponds. High, quality tea is a special product of
Fukien, while all along the coast fish and sea food
- crabs, cray fish, shrimps, prawns, scallops, clams - are plentiful.
This wealth of ingredients has helped to make Cantonese cooking the most
versatile and varied of Chinese cuisines. Cantonese food is not highly
seasoned, instead a harmonious blending of different flavours is sought in
order to bring out the best of the ingredients. Cantonese cooks are at their
most skilful when they stir-fry dishes. Red-braised dishes are an eastern
contribution to the Chinese gastronomy but southern stir-fry dishes reign
supreme nationwide. Their 'wok fragrance‘ a term used to describe the aroma so
desirable in stir-fry dishes is matchless.
Southern cooking is subtle and the least greasy of
all the regional styles. The cooks excel in stir-frying. At its best, the
cuisine tends to be more costly than the others because the cooks use highly
concentrated chicken bouillon as the basis of their soups and general cooking:
They like to use nuts and mushrooms in their dishes. They prepare many
varieties of sea food and lots of roasted and grilled pork and poultry. Steamed
dishes are also featured.
Fisheries play a major role
in the economy,
Guangdong contributes about
one fourth of
China's fish catch
(over 20% of
the fish caught
here are fresh
water fish). Rice
is a dominant
food grain; the
other crops are
tea, tobacco, peanut,
sugarcane and sub tropical
fruits such as
bananas, pineapples, oranges,
tangerines and lychees.
HAINAN Island is the only truly tropical area of
China and produces coconuts, coffee, natural rubber and figs..; The Southern
School consists of three distinct styles of cooking: CANTON, CHAOCHOW.
(Sv.atow), and DONGJIANG (also known as HAKKA), which means 'family
of guest', which refers to the immigrants from North China who settled
in the South during the Song
Dynasty after the invasion of Mongols in the 13th Century. So it was the
Hakka's who introduced noodles, wantons and dumplings etc, into the Contonese
diet.
There was a mass immigration overseas after the 17th
century both by the Cantonese and the Hakka. When Swanton was opened to foreign
trade in 1858, it became a major port for Chinese immigration to South East
Asia, America and Europe. That is why; the first Chinese restaurant to open
abroad introduced only Cantonese cooking to the outside world. Schools of
cooking there are two other schools, though not regional in character,
nevertheless should be included here among China's various styles of Schools of
Cooking, namely the Moslem and Vegetarian School.
Specialized and popular dishes
Dim-sum, Shao-mi, Cantonese roast duck, Sweet &
Sour Pork. Pork Goose, Ducks webs in oyster sauce, Stuffed green peppers, Shark's
fin soup, Turtle soup etc. are very famous.
The
Moslem School
The Chinese Moslem known as "HUI‖ though Chinese
speaking are distinguished from the
Chinese by their affiliation with the Sunni branch of Islam. One theory is that
they are descendants of the Moslems who settled in China in the 13 century and
adopted the Chinese language and culture.
There are nearly 5 million Hui widely distributed
throughout almost every province in China, but their traditional areas of
settlement is in the North-West with heavy concentration in Hunan, Shanki,
Hubei and Shangdong. They form the Chinese Moslem school, together with two
other national minorities: the UYGOR group in XINJIANG (4 million, virtually
all Moslems), and about 1.5 million MONGOLS who are traditionally nomadic, and
therefore, like the Moslem, do not eat pork. Their daily diet consists of beef,
mutton, milk and butter, items an average Chinese has no taste for.
The Vegetarian School
Chinese vegetarians are not allowed anything remotely
associated with animal including egg and milk. They obtain their proteins
mainly from soya beans and its byproducts such as bean curd (tofu), nuts and
fungi.
Chinese vegetarian has a long history; its origin can
be traced to as far back as around 500 BC, when the TAOIST SCHOOL of THOUGHT
developed the hygienic and nutritional science of fruit and vegetables. Some
centuries later when Buddhism which abhors the killing of any living creature
and the eating of flesh in any form was introduced into China from India, this
philosophy was readily grafted into TAOIST school of Cooking and a new form of
vegetarianism was born.
Apart from the extensive use of fresh and dehydrated
vegetables the vegetarian chefs have developed a new art by creating food that
has become known as imitation meats. This imitation pork, chicken, fish and
prawns and so on bare an amazing resemblance to their fleshy counterpart in
form and texture, though not quite in flavour.
EQUIPMENTS & UTENSILS
The Chinese batterie de cuisine consists of very few
basic implements unlike the western kitchen. To start with .only four of the
most rudimentary implements are essential to cook Chinese food, i.e. Cleaver,
chopping block, wok and stirrer. The Chinese cooking utensils are ancient
designs, they are made-of basic and inexpensive materials and they have been in
continuous use for several thousand years. As for the rest of the cooking
utensils such as sieves, spatula, strainer, casserole, steamers you will find
the western version to be less effective. The other tools which are used in the
Chinese kitchen are cooking chopsticks, bamboo steamers, strainers, Mongolian
fire pot ladles, fish slices, wok-brush, wok scoop, bamboo mat, etc."
CLEAVER
The Chinese cleaver is an all purpose cook's knife
that is used for slicing, shredding, peeling, pounding, crushing, chopping and
even for transporting cut food from the chopping board or to a plate directly
to the wok. At the first site, a Chinese cleaver may appear to be hefty,
gleaming ominously sharp but in reality it is quite light, steady and not at
all dangerous to use provided you handle it correctly and with care. Cleavers
are available in a variety of materials and weight. They all have a blade of
about 8-9 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. The heaviest weighing almost a kg
called CHOPPER is really meant for the professionals and is excellent for
chopping bones such as drumsticks, pork spare ribs etc. The smaller and much
lighter SLICER with a thinner and sharper blade is convenient for slicing, meat
and vegetables. But most Chinese cooks prefer a medium weight, dual purpose
cleaver known as the CIVIL and MILITARY Knife (wen-wu-dao in Chinese ).The
lighter front have of the blade is used for slicing, shredding, and scoring
etc. and the heavier rear half of the blade is used for chopping and so on. The
back of the blade is used as a pounder and tenderizer and the flat side is used
for crushing and transporting. The end of the handle acts as a pestle for
grinding spices etc. The blades of a cleaver should be made of tempered carbon
steel with a wooden handle. Stainless steel cleavers with metal handles may
look good but require more frequent sharpening, also the handle gets slippery.
therefore they are less satisfactory for both safety and steadiness. Always
keep the cleaver blade sharp and clean. To prevent it from rusting and getting
it stained wipe it dry with cloth or kitchen paper after use. Sharpen it
frequently on a fine grained whet stone. Try to get a whetstone that has two
different' grades of surface. Use a rough grain only if the blade has become
blunt and the finer grained surface for a sharp finish to the edge. Lubricate
the stone with vegetable oil or water and then put a damp cloth beneath it for
stability. A cleaver of medium weight
made of carbon or stainless steel is ideal for general use.
CHOPPING
BLOCK
The traditional Chinese chopping block is a cross
section of a tree trunk. Made of hard wood they range from about 12. inches in
diameter and 2 inches thick, to giant ones up to 20 inches by 6-8 inches .The
ideal size should be about 16 inches in diameter and at least 3-4 inches thick
to be of any real use. To prevent it from splitting, season a new block with a
liberal dose of vegetable oil on both sides. Let the wood absorb as much oil as
it will take and sponge the block with salt and water and dry it thoroughly.
Never soak the block in water nor wash it with any detergent - after each use.,
just scrape it clean with the blade of a cleaver then wipe the surface with a
sponge or cloth wrung out in plain hot water. Always stand the block on its
side when not in use. Never cut raw ingredients and cooked food on the same surface.
Use different block or board for the two types of food for hygienic reasons.
Use one side for chopping only then the other side should remain smooth enough
for pastry making.
WOK
The Chinese cooking utensil known as "WOK"
is the POT or PAN the correct translation should be GOU. The wok was designed
with a rounded bottom to fit snugly over a traditional Chinese brazier or oven
which burned wood, charcoal or coal. It conducts and retains heat evenly and because
of its shape the food always returns to the centre of the wok where the heat is
most intense that is why it is ideally suited for quick stir frying .Of course
the wok is far more versatile than just a frying pan, it is also ideal for deep
frying , its conical shape requires far less oil than a fiat bottomed deep
fryer, and has more depth which means more heat and more frying surface, which
means that more food can be cooked more quickly at one go .Furthermore since
the wok has a large capacity on the upper end as the oil level rises when the
raw ingredients are added to it, there is a little chance for the oil to
overflow and catch fire as often is the case with the conventional deep fryer.
Now days a metal collar or ring purchased with the wok adapts it neatly to any
gas or electric range.
Besides being a frying pan (deep or shallow) , a wok
is also used for braising, steaming, boiling, and even smoking in other words
the whole spectrum of Chinese cooking methods can be executed in one single use
utensil. Basically there are only two different types of wok- the DOUBLE HANDED WOK with two handles on
two opposite sides and the frying pan type SINGLE
HANDED WOK both types are usually made of light weight iron or carbonized
steel, and the diameter ranges from about 12-18 inches. The single handed wok
may appear to be unsteady and slightly tipped to one side, but in fact it is
quite safe and much easier to handle particularly for quick stir frying since
it offers you plenty of leverage of tilting and tossing. the disadvantages of
using a double handed wok is that you need strong wrist and oven gloves to lift
it, as the metal handles get very hot even if they are reinforced with heat
resistant plastic or wood. A dome shaped lid would be another useful item for certain braising
and steaming dishes.
Wok lids are usually made of light metal such as aluminium with a wooden
or plastic knob on top as a handle. The dome shaped allows the cooking of a whole chicken or duck in a wok and
the natural curve will guide the condensation inside the lid sliding down along
the edge rather than dropping down directly onto the food that is being cooked.
STIRRER '
Some wok sets often consist of a pair of stirrers in
the shape of a ladle and a spatula, made of iron and stainless steel; both have
a long handle with wooden tip. Of the two, the ladle or scooper is more
versatile. It is an indispensable
utensil in the professional kitchen, since it is used for adding ingredients
and seasonings to the wok besides being a stirrer and scooper during cooking as
well as transferring food from the wok to the serving dish or bowl. It is also a measure for the cook, as the
standard ladle will hold 6 fi oz (180 ml or 2/3 cup) liquid, slightly smaller
than the rice bowl. The spatula or shovel has a rounded end to match the
contours of the wok therefore it can be very useful for scraping and lifting
fried food the bottom of the wok such as when cooking a whole fish etc.
Sometimes it is used in conjunction with the ladle for stir frying, rather like
when you are mixing or tossing a salad with a pair of spoon and fork.
INITIAL PREPARATIONS
Cutting Techniques.
The cutting of various ingredients into different
sizes, thickness and shapes is an important element in Chinese cuisine .As
mentioned earlier, the Chinese always cut their food into small neat pieces
before cooking, partly because of fuel conservation, small pieces of food can
be cooked quickly before the sticks of fire wood burn out and partly because,
small pieces of food are easier to be served and eaten with chopsticks, since
knives and carvers have never been used on Chinese tables. The fact that small
pieces of food only require a short time for cooking
,thus retain much of the natural flavours and nutritious value is an
added bonus in Chinese cooking ,which must be regarded as an incidental
discovery..
When it comes to the actual cooking, the two most
important factors are the degree of heat and the duration of cooking. These two
factors are so closely related to each other that it is very difficult to give
a precise cooking time in most recipes, since much depends on the size and
condition of the ingredients, and above all, on the type of the stove and
cooking utensils used.
All in all, there are well over 50 different distinct methods of cooking
in Chinese cooking. They fall roughly into the following four categories: -
1. WATER COOKING: : Boiling,
Poaching, and Simmering
2 OIL COOKING : Deep frying, shallow frying, stir frying, braising.
3. FIRE COOKING : Roasting, Baking and Barbecuing
4. STEAM COOKING: Steaming.
COOKING METHODS.
The Chinese divide the temperature of heat into
"Military"(high or fierce and • medium) and 'civil' (low or gentle
and weak) And proper control of temperature and cooking time is the key to
success.
High or fierce heat is usually used for quick cooking
for and tender foods. Different kinds of frying, .steaming, instant boiling etc
and call for a high heat.
Medium or
moderate heat can be used for quick -braising, steaming, and boiling.
Low or gentle heat is used for slow cooking allowing the flavours to
penetrate through all the ingredients such as roasting and simmering.
Weak heat is used for long cooking turning hard ingredients soft. It is
used for simmering, braising and stewing.
Here are some 25 commonly used methods in Chinese cooking .One dish may
require one ,two or three methods each will produce a different effect.
1. CHAO (Stir
frying.) - By far the most common method of Chinese cooking .Practically all
vegetables will be cooked this way. Here a wok is most useful Heat the wok
first then add the oil until it smokes add the ingredients, stir and toss
.constantly no more than 2-3 minutes. In other
way stir fry the ingredients in a little hot oil over a very high heat. This
method is widely used and has many variations.
a.
Pure stir frying: the raw ingredients are not
marinated nor coated with a batter, they are just stir fried in hot oil and
seasonings are added towards the end of cooking .Most vegetables are cooked in
this way.
b.
Braising stir frying: The main and supplementary
ingredients are cooked in this separately .at first and then brought together
with the addition of seasoning and stock or a
thickening agent (usually of corn flour mixed with water) and braised very
quickly over high heat.
c.
Twice cooked stir frying: One ingredient has been
previously cooked and is here cut into smaller pieces and stir fried with other
ingredients and seasonings.
d.
2. ZHA (Deep
fry in hot oil over a high heat.)
Food is fried
in a large quantity of oil over a high or medium heat. There are different
variations of deep frying
a.
Neat deep frying: the raw ingredients are not coated with batter or flour.
b.
Dry deep frying: Raw ingredients are coated with dry flour or breadcrumbs.
c.
Soft deep frying: Raw ingredients are coated with
batter, first and then deep fried for crispness.
3. JIAN. (Shallow
frying over a moderate heat.) Similar to tire western way except that in some
cases stock or water is added at the last minute forming a gravy .A flat
bottomed pan is used . a little oil and medium or low heat .Seasonings are
added when food is half done. The pan should be turned from time to time during
cooking so that the heat is evenly distributed.
4. BAO. (Rapid
frying literally means to explode). It takes
an even shorter time Than stir frying using very high heat .Rapid stir frying
is another form of stir frying , the ingredient or ingredients have been deep
fried or rapid boiled first, they are then quickly stir fried over very high
heat for a short period of time. Variations in this method include rapid stir
frying in oil rapid stir frying in bean sauce and rapid stir frying with spring onions,
5. SHAO.( Braising
literally meaning to burn or in this case to cook.) The ingredients are first
fried in a little oil over a moderate heat, then simmered in stock until very
little liquid or juice is Ieft. Red cooking In this widely used method of cooking the meat is cut into small chunks then deep fried or par boiled or
steamed until half done .Seasonings (Soya sauce, wine vinegar sugar etc ) stock
or water are added to it ,the whole thing is brought to a boil and simmered
until done.
6.
MEN. (Stewing, it
is very similar to braising except that it usually takes longer over a low
heat) Slow braising- the food must be fried first (light brown) then all the
ingredients (seasonings etc.) are put in a tightly covered pot and simmered
over a very low heat slowly like a casserole.
8. ZHU. (Boiling
over moderate heat). Boil the ingredients directly in water over low heat.
9.
CHUAN. (Rapid or
fierce boiling over high heat for a very short period of time). This simple
cooking is often used for making soups Bring the water or stock boil over-high
heat add the ingredients and seasonings, serve as soon as the soup re-boils. No
thickening agents added and the vegetables will be crisp and fresh.
10. ZHENG. (Steaming
needs no explanation) .Traditionally the Chinese use bamboo steamers which sits
in the wok .Another widely used in China not only for cooking .but also for
treating raw ingredients before cooking by other methods , or to keep food warm
after they have been cooked.
11.
LU. (Stewing in
stock made of Soya sauce five spice powder and sugar over low heat.) Soya
stewing- a Soya-gravy is made first the ingredients are stewed in this gravy
over a low heat.
12. HUI. (Another
form of braising - literally means "Assembly) Normally a number of ingredients, some cooked, some semi
cooked are blended together for the final stage of cooking in a gravy using a
high to moderate heat. A method of cooking a dish that consists of several
different ingredients. Stir fry the ingredients first add stock or water and
seasonings, boil over high heat for a short while, then thicken the gravy
before serving .Alternately prepare the gravy first then add the partly cooked
ingredients (deep fried or steamed ), cook over low heat .thicken the gravy and serve.
13.
KAO.(Roasting) which hardly needs explanation, except that in China most kitchens are not
equipped with ovens , therefore most of the roasting is done as barbecuing in a
restaurant. The ingredients are first marinated or treated then either cooked
in an oven or over an open fire like barbecuing
14. BAN. (Mixing) raw
food or salad or-cold dishes which are mixed together with a dressing. Mixing
salads. This method does not actually involve cooking, but simply calls for
cutting the raw or cooked ingredients and dressing it with seasonings.
15.
SHAUN. (Instant
boiling or rinsing thinly sliced ingredients) are dipped into boiling water for
a second or two, and then served with a sauce. This cooking method keeps the
ingredients fresh and tender.
17. QIAND (Hot
salads). Here the raw ingredients are parboiled or blanched first,
then dressed with seasonings. The difference between cold salad and hot salad
dressings is as follows:-
Cold salad
dressing- Soya sauce, vinegar, and sesame seed oil.
Hot salad
dressing: Ginger shreds, Sichuan pepper corn, salt, sugar and sesame seed oil.
18. YAN (Pickling-) Pickle the food with salt and sugar or with salt and wine
.Dishes prepared this way has a subtle fragrance and is crisp.
19. TA (Pan
frying-) The ingredients are coated with batter fried in a small
amount of oil on both sides over a low heat until done. The ingredients may be
deep fried first, and then finished off by pan frying .Seasonings and sauce is
added towards the end of cooking.
20. TIE-PAN.(Sticking frying.) This is basically a form of shallow frying, but only
one side is fried, the food is not turned over, so that one side is golden
brown and the other side is soft and tender.
21.
LIU (sauté) This is a
special technique which involves two stages of cooking .First deep fry , quick
or rapid boil steam or boil the ingredients until done, then mix with
seasonings to make a sauce.
a.
Dark brown sauté Pour the sauce over the cooked foods and serve.
b.
Slippery sauté
Stir fry the
raw ingredients and
pour the sauce
over half way
through cooking, stirring constantly until done.
c.
Soft sauté Steam or boil the ingredients and
then, while they are still hot add a thin and delicate sauce.
22. PENG. (Quick
braising). This is one of the important cooking techniques and is always
used with deep frying .The ingredients are cut into small pieces and deep fried
first, then taken out of the oil and a sauce is added .While the sauce is hot
stir fry over high heat and remove the wok from heat and continue stirring for
few more times before serving.
23 .JIANG: (A soya braising. )The
difference between soya stewing and soya braising is that the ingredients are
marinated first in the sauce in which it is cooked, with the additional stock
and water. The sauce is reduced or thickened and is served with dish.
24 .PA ( Braising in sauce). In this
method, a little oil is first flavoured with spring onions and or ginger root;
the ingredients are then placed in the wok or pot and simmered until done.
25. SHUN (Smoking.) Cooking
with heat and smoke from burning materials such as saw dust, tea leaves,
cypress branches, bamboo leaves or granulated sugar.
The Chinese menu
Chinese menu bears no resemblance to western menus
which are course wise. The Chinese cooking tradition makes for a greater harmony
of living, an aspect of Chinese cuisine which has often been over looked. There
is a great feeling of togetherness in the way the Chinese eat. They gather
around a table and partake all the dishes which are placed on the table in a
communal style. Nobody is served just an individual portion in the western way.
The chop-sticks are used not only as eating implements but also to help others
to a choice piece especially from a particular dish this is usually an
expression of respect and affection.
Due to the multi course nature of the Chinese meal,
eating and dinning have always been very much a family or communal event and
Chinese food is best eaten this way, for only then can you enjoy a variety of
dishes. An informal Chinese dinner served at home is essentially a buffet style
affair, with more hot dishes then cold served on the table at the same time, to
be shared by everyone.
A Chinese meal is served absolutely ready to eat
there is neither last minute carving on the table, nor dishing out separate item
such as meat, vegetables, gravy or sauce and no long prelude when you wait for
everybody to be served before you start. At a Chinese meal, as soon as the first dish or course
of dishes is placed on the table the host will raise his glass and say ―Gan
bei‖ or cheers
or bon
appettite........
A SAMPLE MENU
Prawns in garlic sauce
Wonton soup
Stir fried pork
Apple toffee
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