Regional cuisines
A number of different styles contribute to Chinese cuisine, but perhaps the best known and most influential are
Guangdong (Cantonese) cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine and Sichuan cuisine.[2][3][4]climate, geography, history, These styles are distinctive from one another due to factors such as available resources, cooking techniques and lifestyle. One style may favour the use of lots of garlic and
shallots over lots of chilli and spices, while another may favour preparing
seafood over other meats and
fowl. Jiangsu cuisine favours cooking techniques such as
braising and
stewing, while Sichuan cuisine employs
baking, just to name a few.
[2] Hairy
crab is a highly sought after local delicacy in
Shanghai, as it can be found in lakes within the region.
Beijing Roast Duck (otherwise known as 'Peking Duck') is another popular dish that's well known outside of China.
[2] Based on the raw materials and ingredients used, the method of preparation, and
cultural differences, a variety of foods with different flavours and textures are prepared in different regions of the country. Many traditional regional cuisines rely on basic methods of
preservation such as
drying,
salting,
pickling and
fermentation.
[5]
Chuan (Sichuan)
Szechuan cuisine, also called Sichuan cuisine, is a style of Chinese cuisine originating in the
Sichuan Province of southwestern China famed for bold flavors, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of
garlic and
chili peppers, as well as the unique flavour of the
Sichuan peppercorn (花椒, huājiāo) and
zhitianjiao(指天椒, zhǐtiānjiāo).
Peanuts,
sesame paste and
ginger are also prominent ingredients in Szechuan cooking.
Hui (Anhui)
Main article:
Anhui cuisineAnhui cuisine (Chinese: 徽菜 or 安徽菜, Ānhuīcài) is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China. It is derived from the native cooking styles of the Huangshan Mountains region in China and is similar to Jiangsu cuisine, but has less emphasis on seafood, and more on a wide variety of local herbs and vegetables. Anhui province is particularly endowed with fresh bamboo and mushroom crops.
Lu (Shandong)
Shandong Cuisine is commonly and simply known as Lu cuisine. With a long history, Shandong Cuisine once formed an important part of the imperial cuisine and was widely promoted in the north China. However it isn't so popular in south China and even in the all-embracing Shanghai.
Shandong Cuisine is featured by a variety of cooking techniques and seafood. The typical dishes on local menu are braised abalone, braised trepang, sweet and sour carp, Jiuzhuan Dachang and Dezhou Chicken. Various Shandong snacks are also worth trying.
Min (Fujian)
A bowl of Fujian thick soup, or
geng (羹, gēng)
Main article:
Fujian cuisineFujian cuisine is a traditional Chinese cuisine.
[1] Many diverse seafoods are used, including hundreds of types of fish, shellfish and turtles, provided by the Fujian coastal region.
[1] Woodland delicacies such as
edible mushrooms and
bamboo shoots are also utilized.
[1] Slicing techniques are valued in the cuisine, and utilized to enhance the flavor, aroma and texture of seafood and other foods.
[1] Fujian cuisine is often served in a broth or soup, and cooking techniques include braising, stewing, steaming and boiling.
[1]
Su (Jiangsu, Huaiyang cuisine)
Jiangsu cuisine, also known as Su (Cai) Cuisine for short, is one of the major components of Chinese cuisine, and consists of the styles of Yangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Zhenjiang dishes. It is very famous in the whole world for its distinctive style and taste. It is especially popular in the lower reach of the Yangtze River.
Typical courses of Jiangsu cuisine are Jinling salted dried duck (Nanjing's most famous dish), crystal meat (pork heels in a bright, brown sauce), clear crab shell meatballs (pork meatballs in crab shell powder, fatty, yet fresh), Yangzhou steamed Jerky strips (dried tofu, chicken, ham and pea leaves), triple combo duck, dried duck, and Farewell My Concubine (soft-shelled turtle stewed with many other ingredients such as chicken, mushrooms and wine).
Yue (Hong Kong and Guangdong)
Dim sum, literally "touch your heart", is a
Cantonese term for small hearty dishes.
[2] These bite-sized portions are prepared using traditional cooking methods such as frying, steaming, stewing and baking. It is designed so that one person may taste a variety of different dishes. Some of these may include
rice rolls,
lotus leaf rice,
turnip cakes, buns, shui
jiao-style dumplings,
stir-fried green vegetables,
congee porridge, soups, etc. The Cantonese style of dining,
yum cha, combines the variety of dim sum dishes with the drinking of
tea. Yum cha literally means 'drink tea'.
[2] Cantonese style is the unique and charm dishes, possess reputation abroad or in the domestic. Long, long history. It is common with other parts of the diet and cuisine in Chinese food culture. Back in ancient times, and the Central Plains on Lingnan Yue Chu family has close contacts. With the historical changes and the changes of dynasty, many people escaped the war and crossed the Central Plains, the increasing integration of the two communities. Central Plains culture gradually moved to the south, their food production techniques, cookware, utensils and property turned into a rich combination of Agriculture, and this is the origin of Cantonese food. Cantonese cuisine originated in the Han.(a paragraph published in a recognized scientific journal)
Xiang (Hunan)
Main article:
Hunan cuisineHunan cuisine is well known for its hot spicy flavor,
[6] fresh aroma and deep color. Common cooking techniques include stewing, frying, pot-roasting, braising, and smoking. Due to the high agricultural output of the region, ingredients for Hunan dishes are many and varied.
Xinjiang
The cuisine of Xinjiang reflects the region's
many ethnic groups, and refers particularly to
Uyghur cuisine. Signature ingredients include roast
mutton,
kebabs, roast fish and rice.
[7] Because of the Islamic population, the food is predominantly
halal.
Zhe (Zhejiang)
Zhejiang cuisine (Chinese: 浙菜 or 浙江菜, Zhèjiāngcài), one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China, derives from the native cooking styles of the Zhejiang region. The dishes are not greasy, having but instead have a fresh, soft flavor with a mellow fragrance.
The cuisine consists of at least three styles. These a each originate from a different city in the province:
- Hangzhou style, characterized by rich variations and the use of bamboo shoots
- Shaoxing style, specializing in poultry and freshwater fish
- Ningbo style, specializing in seafood
Staple foods
Rice
Rice is a major
staple food for people from rice farming areas in southern China.
[citation needed] It is most commonly eaten in the form of
steamed rice. Rice is also used to produce
beers,
wines and vinegars.
Noodles
Chinese noodles come dry or fresh in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures and are often served in soups or fried as toppings. Some varieties, such as
Shou Mian (寿面, literally noodles of longevity), are symbolic of long life and good health according to Chinese tradition.
[2]
Soybeans
Tofu, made of
soybeans, is another popular product that supplies protein.
[5]
Wheat
In wheat farming areas in Northern China, people largely rely on flour based food such as
noodles,
breads,
dumplings and
steamed buns.
[2]
Vegetables
Some common
vegetables used in Chinese cuisine include
bok choy (Chinese cabbage), Chinese Spinach (dao-mieu), On Choy, Yu Choy, and
gailan (guy-lahn).
Herbs
Herbs were important to the Chinese people, especially during the
Han Dynasty.
[citation needed]
Seasonings
When it comes to
sauces, China is home to
soy sauce, which is made from fermented soya beans and
wheat.
Oyster sauce, transparent
rice vinegar, Chinkiang black rice vinegar, fish sauce and
fermented tofu (furu) are also widely used. A number of sauces are based on fermented soybeans, including
Hoisin sauce, ground bean sauce and yellow bean sauce.
Spices and
seasonings such as fresh root
ginger,
garlic,
spring onion,
white pepper,
sesame oil are widely used in many regional cuisines.
Sichuan peppercorns,
star anise,
cinnamon,
fennel,
cloves.
[8] To provide extra flavors to dishes, many Chinese cuisines also contain dried Chinese mushrooms, dried baby shrimps, dried tangerine peel,
[9] dried Sichuan chillies as well.
Desserts
Chinese desserts are sweet foods and dishes that are served with
tea, along with meals
[10] or at the end of meals in Chinese cuisine.
[citation needed] Bings are baked wheat flour based confections, and include
moon cake Red bean paste pancake and
sun cakes. Chinese candies and sweets, called
táng[10] are usually made with cane sugar, malt sugar, honey, nuts and fruit.
Gao or Guo are rice based snacks that are typically steamed
[10] and may be made from glutinous or normal rice.
Ice cream is commonly available throughout China.
[10] Another cold dessert is called
baobing, which is
shaved ice with sweet syrup.
[10] Chinese jellies are known collectively in the language as
ices. Many jelly desserts are traditionally set with agar and are flavored with fruits, though
gelatin based jellies are also common in contemporary desserts. Chinese dessert soups typically consist of sweet and usually hot soups
[10] and custards.
