All About China: Cuisine

Maeve Story SRHS Chinese II 12/14/11

Eight Culinary Traditions of China

There are 8 famous types of cuisine: Anhui Guangdong Fujian Hunan Jiangsu Shandong Sichuan Zhejiang

Anhui Cuisine
Originates from the Yangtze River, Huai River, and southern Anhui regions. Known for its use of wild herbs Simple preparation Frying and stir-frying are popular methods Example dishes: Luzhou Roast Duck Sanhe Shrimp Paste (rice flour and small white shrimp
soaked with leeks and soy sauce; salty) Dynasty)

Wushan Imperial Goose (salty; dates back to the Tang

Guangdong (Cantonese Cuisine)

Originates from the Guangdong Province in southern China Wide variety of ingredients Common methods: cooking in wine or salt, baking in a pan, and soft-frying Example traditional dishes: Sweet and sour pork Steamed frog legs on lotus leaf Blanched vegetables with oyster sauce

Fujian Cuisine
Originates from the Fujian Province Seafood and mountain delicacies and soups and broths are commonly used Exquisite and delicate procession including fine slicing techniques Famous for light, refreshing, and slightly sweet and sour tastes Example dishes: *Fo Tiao Qiang / Buddha Jumps Over Wall* Hongcao Chicken (red yeast rice chicken) Oyster Omelette

Hunan Cuisine
Originates from cuisines of the Xiang River region, Dongting Lake and Western Hunan Province. Known for having hot, spicy flavors. Chili peppers, shallots and garlic are used. Common methods: Stewing, frying, potroasting, braising, and smoking. Example dishes: Maos braised pork Stir-fried meat with douchi and chili peppers Home-style bean curd

Jiangsu Cuisine
Originates from a mixture of cooking styles known to the Jiangsu region Light, mellow, and refreshing tastes Soft texture Strict selection of ingredients according to the season Example dishes: Jinling salted dried duck Clear crab-shell meatballs (pork meatballs in crab shell
powder, fatty, yet fresh)

Crystal meat (pork heals in a bright, brown sauce)

Shandong Cuisine
Originates from Shandong, an eastern coastal province. Corn, peanuts, grains, staple vegetables, vinegar, scallops, squid, birds, etc are commonly used. Bao (quick frying), Liu (quick frying with corn flour), Pa (stewing), roasting, boiling, using sugar to make fruit, crystallizing with honey Crisp, tender, greasy, and salty are the main characteristics. Example dishes: Basi digua (pull-out silk sweet potato) Zha jinchan (deep fried golden cicada) Baochao yaohua (stir-fried kidneys)

Sichuan Cuisine
Originates from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Garlic, beef, chili peppers, peanuts, sesame seeds, and ginger are the main ingredients Cooking methods: stir frying, steaming, braising, and 20 other methods. Example dishes: Kung pao chicken Spicy deep-fried chicken Tea smoked duck

Zhejiang Cuisine
Originates from the native cooking styles of the Zhejiang region Fresh, crispy, tender Quick-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, simmering, steaming, maintaining natural flavor. Example dishes: Dongpo pork (Fried pork belly stewed in soy sauce and wine) Beggars chicken West Lake fish in vinegar

Staple Foods
Chopsticks are the utensils Rice: major food in China and is used with many dishes. Noodles, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, herbs, seasonings Tea/ herbal teas Desserts: Candies, Gao, ices, jellies/gelatins Bing- Example: Moon cakes, sun cakes, etc.

Sources
http://www.chinatraveldepot.com/C4Chinese-Food-and-Drink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cuisine# Yue_.28Hong_Kong_and_Guangdong.29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_dessert s

*Details about Buddha Jumps Over Wall*

Over 30 ingredients: shark's fin, abalone, sea slug, dried scallops, duck, chicken breast, pig's trotters, mushrooms, pigeon eggs and other ingredients. Legend: After the dish is cooked the aroma lingers, and that after smelling the aroma, a monk forgot his vegetarian vows and leapt over the wall to acquire some.