One of the most successful exports of any cuisine has come from China. Chinese food is popular across the world, especially in the United States, the UK, Australia and Western Europe. Westerners tend to group the dishes together but there are many regional differences. Climatic conditions and ethnic make up have contributed to different traditions growing up in different areas. As China has influenced the West, it has worked in reverse too, with more and more fast food chains opening up in China, following a freer economy.

Chinese Food
The common idea, binding the regions together, is that meals should be pleasing to the eye, be healthily balanced and contain the best, fresh ingredients available. Traditionally, dishes are accompanied by drinking hot tea or hot water, to aid digestion. However, beer and soft drinks with meals has become commonplace in recent years. Meat is very often in the form of chicken and pork. Beef is used too and is sliced very thinly. Vegetables have always been a mainstay of Chinese food and there is a large variety to choose from. As the standard of living has improved, meat has become a larger part of working people’s everyday diet.

One of the most popular international menu choices is Sweet and Sour Pork. Beef is often cooked with noodles, black bean sauce or cashews. Chicken recipes include Lemon Chicken, Honey Chili Chicken or Chicken with Lychees. Chinese food dishes are normally served with bowls of rice or noodles, depending on the region. Vegetables are never overcooked and taste crisp and fresh. The most common vegetables in use include green beans, mung bean sprouts, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms. There is also Chinese cabbage, Chinese broccoli and bok choy.

Seafood also has a long tradition in the cuisine, particularly in coastal districts. Both freshwater and deep-sea fish dishes are popular in Chinese food. Prawns, crab, shark fin, squid and scallops are all favorite ingredients. Very often, meals include a steaming hot bowl of soup. Soup is especially welcome in the cold, Chinese winters and is a good way of using up leftovers. Stock is usually made from meat, chicken or vegetables. Sweet Corn Soup is a favorite in the West as is Szechwan Soup, made from ham, pork, mushrooms, red pepper, prawns and chicken stock. One of the most popular regional cuisines internationally, is Cantonese cuisine. These dishes are normally meat or poultry based but do include Shark Fin Soup and Steamed Sea Bass. Cantonese cooks like to stir fry, sauté, steam or deep fry. Chinese food uses soy sauce, rice vinegar or oyster sauce rather than spices to give flavor. More on Searches101.

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Expand your culinary expertise with Chinese cooking

Almost everyone includes Chinese food as a regular dining experience. Chinese dishes produce flavors, texture and a variety of combinations that you don’t find in typical Western cooking. However, few of us feel qualified to tackle Chinese cooking in our homes. If you love Chinese food and would like to try your hand, here are a few pointers to help you get started on learning this fascinating and delicious cuisine.

One main difference between Western and Chinese cooking is that Chinese dishes require that most of your ingredients be ready for the pan before you begin cooking. There can be a considerable number of ingredients to slice, dice, season or otherwise prepare. This may seem, at first glance, to be an inordinate amount of work. Don’t let this factor put you off. Once your ingredients are ready, the actual cooking time proceeds rapidly. In many cases, much of this work may be done ahead of time, which turns out to be a plus when preparing several dishes for a single meal.

Chinese recipes also emphasize fresh raw ingredients, which is part of the attractiveness, both in flavor and appearance, of the finished dish. Snow peas retain their bright green color, while a red bell pepper remains crisp and colorful, due to short cooking times. If your recipe calls for bean sprouts, do choose fresh sprouts over canned. The crunchy texture of a fresh sprout is far superior to the canned version.

Exotic mushroom varieties, hot peppers and fragrant seasonings are also signature ingredients in Chinese cuisine. You’d be surprised how a simple bowl of steamed rice is made special with just a sprinkling of Chinese five-spice, a combination of anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger, combined in specific proportions. If you try this single dish, you’ll certainly be inspired to learn a bit more about Chinese cooking.

A variety of prepared, fermented sauces are also key Chinese cooking ingredients. Hoison and fish sauce are just two common examples. Check out the Chinese ingredient aisle at the grocery for more exotic possibilities.

Chinese cooking is most often characterized by quick cooking over high heat. Meats and vegetables are often cut in thin slices and cooked rapidly in a small amount of oil in a hot wok, cooked through in just minutes. This helps retain juices and the natural flavors.

If you’d like to give Chinese cooking a shot, choose just one dish you’ve enjoyed at your favorite restaurant. Look up a recipe online, or check out a Chinese cookbook at the library. Follow the instructions carefully, as each step in the cooking process is important to the successful outcome of preparation. Remember that Chinese cooking requires different preparation techniques which may be unfamiliar. When you serve your dish, you’ll simply want to make another and another. Soon, you’ll have a good handle on Chinese cooking at home.

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