China food travel guide

The Travelers essential

F o o d g u i d e

C H I N A

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Copyright 2014 WhichMeal Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Foreword

About

This publication is not a cookbook.

WhichMeal food guides are designed to escort you through your food journey. It is a food advisor on the go for world travellers interested in culinary experimentations; a reliable fellow to help you take the best of a new cuisine you are exploring, whether it is from the comfort of your own kitchen, the ethnic restaurant next door or wandering in far away lands.

We believe cuisines of the world are astounding and meant to be shared and enjoyed by all. WhichMeal guides are just a way to see clearer, and help you discover the greatest dishes world cuisine has to offer.

We hope you like it.

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About Chinese food

Introduction to Chinese cuisine

Steeped in tradition and mystique, the Chinese ways have always intrigued people the world over. One of the earliest hubs of socialization and civilization, China has reigned supreme in the Asian continent where food and its hearty appreciation are concerned! According to philosopher Yin Yutang, the Chinese soul loves to delve deep into the subtle intricacies of flavor and aroma and bursts into joyous celebration at the sight of a burgeoning platter.

Chinese cuisine is diverse and because of the Silk Route has over time assimilated foreign influences to give birth to the eclectic plethora of dishes that is associated with it. China and thus its food has benefited greatly from the Confucian principle of balance and most of the dishes are a panoply of color, texture and flavors- sweet, sour, hot and salty. Pork, shrimp, duck, shallots, red chilies, sesame oil, bean curd, fish sauce and tofu are some of the staples complementing rice and the other starches to create the perfect Chinese meal. Even though the cuisine of the country which was known to the Western World as the Land of the Golden Throne boasts of several thousand unique dishes, there are 8 main regions which can be identified as the culinary heartland of China- Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Szechuan and Zhejiang. An old saying that very succinctly states the pre-dominant flavors of the country can be used by adventurous travelers as a one line guide to the fireworks they can expect on their palate as they traverse the length and breadth of the vast and utterly captivating nation and goes something like: The East is sweet, the South's salty, the West is sour, the North is hot (, , , ).

No matter what you decide to sample, you will be charmed by the clean bold flavors and the varied textures that have come to characterize Chinese cuisine. Just dont forget the soy and the chopsticks!

Influences that shaped today's Chinese food

China is a country that is well known in the Western realms of the world for two things- the dedication and immense capacity of hard work its people display and the size of the nation! China is huge- 9596960 square kilometers across. And with a population of 1.3 billion human beings, it is no wonder that Chinese cuisine is a melting pot of cultural and ethnic influences from far and wide. The first notable influence on the eclectic meals of China is of the terrain. Being a country with vastly different climes in different parts, the people cooking with local produce made do with what was easily and abundantly available.

The Chinese culinary tradition dictates that food be compartmentalized into two main components- the starch or carbohydrate () and the meat, fish or vegetable portion (), stressing on the tenets of Confucian principles which mandate balance in everything including meals and nutrition. No matter how poor a home, Chinese food is always rich in colors, flavor and texture. To please the palate as well as the senses! Another reason for this approach is the population of the country which has always posed a problem. By 1000 AD the nation was severely overpopulated and near starvation was commonplace for many. Thus adding small portions of meat with cheaply available rice or noodles was the practice. Chilies, soy sauce, ginger and shallots served as garnish to better the taste. If we investigate the popular dishes of the present, these same flavors and ingredients form the foundation of the food.

Regional cuisines in China

The Eastern region of the country with its fertile soil has been home to many grazing animals and varied crops. Thus meals hailing from the east are pre-dominantly hearty with good helpings of vegetables and proteins with noodles or buns providing the carbohydrate quotient.

The Western region, by contrast is rugged and hilly. It is strongly influenced by Tibetan cuisine which thrives on the use of Yak milk and often meat from the sturdy animal. Thus even if Chinese food is still relatively shy of dairy products, the western dishes feature Yak milk.

China boasts a long coastline and seafood is the crown jewel of the Chinese culinary tradition. Everything from plump coral prawns to whitefish to the vibrantly orange cuttlefish to the majestic fish heads used in the curries form a staple of the Chinese diet. Pigs have roamed the country for as long as history can stand testament and thus pork features royally in most schools of Chinese cuisine- be it the braised pork or sticky pork ribs.

Of late, another factor is contributing to the rapid evolution of Chinese food and culture. That is the power of the allure of the lifestyle of the west. More and more talented young people are receiving their education abroad and they are learning to meld and blend the Western influences with their most popular dishes to give birth to a whole new school of sumptuous food which is just as flavorsome and succulent but a touch more robust and less alien to the Western palate.