Chinese food recipes at home. Chinese cuisine: a detailed guide. Meat and fish dishes in China

Chinese cuisine is popular almost all over the world. It typically tastes sweet, sour and spicy. You may have tried it while outside of China, in one of the Chinese restaurants. However, it may taste different; for example, others may be used. What dishes do we recommend trying when in China or a Chinese restaurant? Let's find out.

1. Sweet and sour chicken or pork.

Various variations of this dish are presented in the cuisines of the provinces of Sichuan, Shandong and Zhejiang. Many gourmets are attracted to this dish because of its sweet and sour taste.

2. Gongbao.

Also called Kung Pao. A spicy dish from Sichuan cuisine. It is made with fried chicken pieces, peanuts and chili peppers.

3. Spring rolls.

This dish is usually used as a quick snack and is reminiscent of the traditional Russian dish - pirogi, only rice paper is used instead of dough. The filling is dominated by various vegetables - cabbage, soy, mushrooms, etc. There are options with meat and seafood filling.

4. Fried rice with egg.

Everyday dish in China. Perhaps the simplest thing in Chinese cuisine. In addition to rice and eggs, spices, green peas and other ingredients can be added to the dish.

5. Spicy tofu.

Sometimes called Malo Tofu. Tasteless bean curd (tofu) is cooked with various hot spices. It is one of the spiciest dishes in Chinese cuisine.

6. Dumplings.

The shape looks a little different than in Russia; it can be varied, which is why it has different names - jiaozi, wontons, baozi, dim sum, etc. They are filled with various fillings - from minced pork to vegetables. Steamed, baked or fried. Taste may vary depending on spices and sauces.

7. Wonton soup.

It is chicken soup with large dumplings. The dish is very popular on New Year's Day.

8. Peking duck.

One of the most popular dishes from Chinese cuisine. Expensive Chinese restaurants even hire specially trained chefs to prepare it. The classic recipe involves rubbing the duck with honey and cooking it in a special oven until the skin is crispy and tender.

However, at the moment, there are many variations of recipes - they are prepared using only fruit trees, instead of ordinary firewood, “branded” sauces, many manage to cook it in a regular home oven. Therefore, you will most likely be able to taste real Peking duck only in China.

9. Chow Mein.

It is a regular stew with meat (usually chicken) mixed with Chinese noodles. In China, it is considered a medicinal dish - it eliminates digestive problems and strengthens the immune system.

10. Fried shrimps.

Almost every region of China has a different recipe for preparing this dish - shrimp fried in flour, with various sauces, nuts, etc. Therefore, if you travel around China, we recommend trying this dish in each region.

The attitude towards food in China is characterized by three words: everyone eats everything. In a local’s plate you can see something previously alive, dead, flying, floating, walking, growing and blooming. This does not mean that the Chinese do not care at all about their diet. Food here influences the minds, behavior and daily routine of the average person no less than any other religion.

Imagine looking through the eye of a kaleidoscope, but instead of beads there are all kinds of flavors in it. Twenty of these kaleidoscopes will give you a rough idea of ​​Chinese cuisine. Everything here is too diverse. In China they say that the north is salty, the south is sweet, the east is spicy, and the west is sour. Trying food from other provinces is like traveling for the Chinese, and finding famous dishes in one province in another is quite easy. You can taste northern Peking duck in eastern Shanghai, and Szechuan sauce in southern Guangzhou. However, before diving into the aromatic and spicy world of local Chinese dishes, it is worth mentioning a few ubiquitous dishes.

FOR EACH

Rice for the Celestial Empire - like bread. It is eaten by people of all ages, backgrounds and at all times of the day. This is usually sticky, fine-grained unleavened rice, the simplicity of which well overcomes the difference in tastes of the main dishes. In conveyor canteens it is served with meat and vegetable side dishes, is not a separate dish and costs symbolically ¥ 1. In street restaurants, ask for rice for free.

Rice can also be a separate dish - for example, fried rice chaofan(炒饭). It is cooked in a bowl-shaped frying pan, with thick walls and a narrow bottom - in it it is easy for the cook to constantly stir the dish over high heat. The most popular variety is tribute chaofan(蛋炒饭), fried rice with egg, green peas and bacon.

Soup In China it is considered a healing food. The liquid cleanses the body, and individual ingredients supposedly treat diseases, improve mood and grant immortality in the long term. During large feasts, soup is served to cleanse the mouth of the taste of the previous dish. Most soups are prepared with chicken or pork broth (they have little flavor). Vegetable broth based on seasonal lettuce or Chinese cabbage is also popular. This is often served free of charge as an aperitif, in a glass or mug (included in the price of the order).

“The consistency of the soup resembles jelly, and the cost is like a small spaceship.”

Soups have a neutral taste and do not always contain meat. They can be ordered by vegetarians and people who are not ready to put their stomachs and liver on getting to know Chinese cuisine. Dishes that can be prepared even at home - egg soup with tomatoes(fanqie dan hua tang 番茄蛋花汤), chicken broth with egg scraps(dan hua tang 蛋花汤) or clam, onion and tofu soup(qindan qiuhuo 清淡去火汤).

Among the delicacies gourmets prefer turtle soup(qia yu tan 甲鱼汤). Turtle meat, despite its healing properties, is quite tough and difficult to cook. When ordering it at a restaurant, be prepared to wait at least an hour. Often served at weddings or celebrations shark fin soup(i chi 鱼翅). While scientists question the ethics of killing sharks just for the sake of a dish, ordinary Chinese happily gobble it up on holidays. Shark fin, according to popular belief, cleanses the blood of toxins, improves skin and restores potency. Has a similar effect imperial nest soup(yang wo 燕窝). Its consistency resembles jelly, and its cost is that of a small spaceship.

A more filling base dish - noodles. Wheat(mian 面) common in the north of the country, rice(fen 粉) – in the south. Regardless of the ingredients, a steaming bowl of noodles with meat or vegetables can be ordered at any restaurant for ¥8-10. Foreigners most often order it because of its cheapness, predictable composition and satiety. Classics of the north – noodles in broth with beef(niu rou mien 牛肉面). The broth in the noodles is hot enough to warm a traveler in a usually unheated diner. "Pulled" noodles(lao mian 撈麵) is originally from Gansu province but is popular throughout the country. It is fried with beef, vegetables and herbs, such as cilantro or garlic, or served with meat broth.

Another popular dish made from flour is dumplings. In Chinese there are 12 names for their varieties. The simplest of them is jiaozi (餃子), flat oblong dumplings with meat, cabbage or egg. They are eaten with soy sauce, salt, broth and garlic.

Soy products occupy an important place in the Chinese diet. 80-90% of Chinese adults are lactose intolerant, so soy milk or dou qiang (豆漿) is found in the market much more often than animals. It is slightly sweeter and less fatty compared to cow's milk. The range of derivative dishes is amazing - yoghurts, cheeses, desserts, foam for coffee. It is also used to prepare another important product for the Chinese - tofu, a soy milk curd rich in protein. Historically, it was valued as a substitute for expensive meat. Nowadays, bean curd is an important product for vegetarians. Tofu does not have its own distinct taste, so it is simply a culinary chameleon. Soft tofu(hua dou fu 滑豆腐) is used to make sweet puddings, candies, salads and soups. Firm tofu(dou gan 豆干) are smoked and fried to create a spicy snack using red pepper and Szechuan hot sauce. A dish of Shanghainese cuisine, popular throughout China, is “stinky” tofu. The smell of this street delicacy is reminiscent of a pile of garbage that has been rotting in the sun for three days. However, at trays with chow doufu(臭豆腐) there are always long queues.

“The smell of this street delicacy is reminiscent of a pile of garbage that has been rotting in the sun for three days. However, there are always long queues at the stalls selling it.”

The most famous soy product for foreigners is the one of the same name. sauce(jiangyou 酱油). Bottles of soy sauce are on the tables in any eatery, along with salt, pepper and toothpicks. The taste and smell of classic soy sauce made from beans, wheat, soybeans and water is no different from its Western counterparts, but there are variations. For example, sweet soy sauce is served with desserts made from rice flour, and sour soy sauce is served with meat and seafood.

The Chinese love to eat outside. A common street snack is steamed pies. baozi(包子). They are similar to manti, but the dough resembles the texture of a savory sponge cake. The filling is pork with cabbage, a mixture of cabbage and pumpkin. There are also sweet baozi with bean paste. Another popular snack is kebabs. jianbing(串儿). The skewered foods and spices vary from stall to stall. Most often they sell skewers of beef, chicken wings and seaweed, richly seasoned with cumin, coriander and pepper.

For the Chinese, there is no concept of “dessert” - both side dishes and meat can have a sweet taste. After the main meal, they sometimes eat fresh pineapples, tangerines, strawberries and caramel apples. Classic sweet - mooncakes Yuebings(月餅). Gingerbread got its name from the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people watch the moon. During this festival, Chinese people receive boxes of gingerbread from friends, family and colleagues. The yuebings themselves can be made of hard or flaky dough, filled with sweet beans, nuts, fruits and even ice cream.

BY REGION

China consists of 23 provinces with their own history and nationalities living there, so the dishes are different everywhere. Cooking features and ingredients can vary even within the same city. For convenience, the “Eight Great Culinary Schools” are highlighted - they have had the greatest influence on the culinary map of the country.

SHANDONG

Where: northeast, Yellow Sea coast
Briefly: seafood, vegetation, diversity

Shandong cuisine was influenced by its proximity to water and a climate favorable to fruits, vegetables and grains. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic and zucchini are the main guests on the table of the residents of this province. Local snack digua basses(拔絲地瓜), or caramelized sweet potato, is served with soy sauce, which enhances the already sweet flavor. Another popular delicacy is corn. It is boiled, sometimes lightly fried and served on the cob.

Shandong cuisine is known for a variety of cooking techniques, from pickling to high-heat frying. Most seafood, such as abalone or sea cucumber, prefer to be stewed. Shrimp, squid and sea fish are more popular than animal meat due to their availability. However, this is where the best Guifei chicken, or imperial chicken, is made. Shandong vinegar is isolated from sauces, which, out of a sense of pride in the product, is added to everything imaginable and inconceivable.

SICHUAN

Where: southwest
Briefly: fiery, fatty, satisfying

It will take a long time to get used to the heavy and spicy dishes of Sichuan Province. But after such an acquaintance, even kharcho drowning in red pepper will seem fresh. The culprit behind the spiciness of all dishes is Sichuan pepper, or Chinese coriander. It is used along with red pepper to make a buttery sauce. ma la(麻辣), the heat of which numbs the tongue. Residents of the province definitely prefer meat: pork, beef, chicken, duck, and especially rabbit. Famous dishes – chicken gongbao(宫保鸡丁) and Szechuan pork(回锅肉). As a seasoning for the meat, a mixture of Sichuan pepper and salt, fried in a wok until brown, is served. Local chefs have a very rich imagination - this is the only way to explain Duck or rabbit blood jelly (毛血旺), "pork with fish flavor"(鱼香肉丝) and "ants on the tree"(蚂蚁上树). No ants were harmed during the preparation of the latter: the name of the dish was given by the appearance of pieces of minced pork on crystal noodles, which resemble insects on a branch.

GUANGDONG/CANTONE

Where: south
Briefly: omnivorous, diverse, strange

Guangdong Province is the worst place for animals to return to after reincarnation. Locals eat everything - snakes, raccoons, crocodiles, monkeys, turtles, mice and cats. In summer, a dog meat eating festival is held here. Famous dishes – chicken stew with snake(鸡烩蛇) and monkey brain soup(猴脑汤). The meat is served with one of the local sauces: oyster, plum or black bean sauce complete it(豆豉). Common snack - century egg(皮蛋). Usually this is a duck or quail egg, which is soaked in a special marinade without access to air. As a result, the white turns black and the egg develops a strong ammonia smell. Advantages: it can be stored for several years and is an excellent souvenir.
If you don't feel like eating stew from someone's murzik, then try local fruits: mango, papaya, dragon's eye and durian. Here in warm climates they are the juiciest and cheapest.

FUJIAN

Where: Taiwan island, south
Briefly: tender, sweet, fresh

Fujianese cuisine is similar to Shandong cuisine with an abundance of seafood, vegetables and fruits. They are thinly sliced, almost chopped, and stewed for a long time - this is how a traditional side dish is prepared. Mushrooms and plant parts are also often used, such as bamboo shoots or lotus root. The province is rich in sugar cane plantations, so the dishes have a sweet or sweet and sour taste. Seafood includes carp, herring, shellfish, squid, shrimp and oysters. Oyster omelette(蚵仔煎) is made from egg yolks with the addition of starch and is very tender and airy. The most popular dish in the province is "Buddha's Temptation"(佛跳). To prepare it, you need more than 30 ingredients, including exotic quail eggs, pig pancreas and fish swim bladder. The mixture of all products should give such an aroma that even Buddha would jump over the wall for it.

HUNAN

Where: southeast
Briefly: spicy, oily, colorful

Hunan cuisine is characterized by the use of smoked meats, mixing different types of meat and a lot of hot peppers. For the last point, this cuisine is often compared to Sichuan. Dishes here are cooked in pots or fried, with onions and garlic added to everything. Chefs care not only about the compatibility of different products, such as sea cucumber, river fish and pork, but also about the compatibility of colors. The dishes look like abstract era paintings, like fiery red chickens Don'an(东安鸡). Another manifestation of abstract art is carp squirrel(松鼠鯉魚). According to legend, the cook was ordered to cook the carp so that it did not look like carp, so as not to incur the wrath of the emperor. For the cook, everything ended well, but the fish even vaguely resembles squirrel even when fried. Sweet chili, stewed tomatoes and a lot of salt are added to the carp.

CUISINE OF JIANGSU PROVINCE

Where: East
Briefly: soft, simple, smart

Compared to the rest of China, Jiangsu uses few spices. All attention is paid to the taste and aroma of the original product. For the same reason, it is often cooked here by stewing or boiling, because when frying, the real taste of the product goes away with the temperature. The main dish of the province is a stew of turtle and chicken in wine with a mysterious name. "Farewell, my concubine"(银鱼炒蛋). Another meat delicacy - braised pork ribs(红烧排骨), are known for their sweet taste and delicate texture.

ANHUI

Where: East
Briefly: fragrant, gentle, uncomplicated

Anhui cuisine is the sister cuisine of Jiangsu province. Simplicity is valued in cooking and freshness in products. Anhui people add wild herbs to prepared dishes, and prefer stewing as a cooking method. Unlike Jiangsu, seafood is used much less often here. Poultry meat prevails over any other - for example, popular winter pheasant(雪冬山鸡) and braised Huangshan pigeon (黄山炖鸽).

ZHEJIANG

Where: East
Briefly: fresh, tender, fishy

The main meats consumed in Zhejiang are pork and fish. Pork dong pu(東坡肉) is cooked over low heat with the addition of yellow wine. This way the lard becomes more tender and soft. Rolls are also popular here. zongzi(粽子), in the preparation of which the whole family takes part. Sticky rice is stuffed with pork or sweet beans and then wrapped in a steamed flat sheet. Traditionally, the leaf should be bamboo, but for the unusual taste it is wrapped in corn, banana or lotus leaves. The main product supplied from the province is green tea. Longjing(龙井茶). It is collected and processed by hand, so it costs several times more than other varieties. Despite the price, Longjing is considered the best tea in China due to its sweet aftertaste and light aroma.

Other cuisines that are not included in the "great eight", but anyway
contributed to the food landscape of the country:

Uyghur cuisine (north). The Uyghurs are a Turkic people living in the Xinjiang region. Uyghurs profess Islam and do not have pork or alcohol in their diet. They mainly prepare dishes of Central Asian cuisine, such as pilaf or lagman. Uyghur restaurants are popular among tourists and locals, and can be found from the north to the south of the country. The main reason for adoration is that the menu has photos of dishes. Rice is usually served with beef, mushrooms, potatoes and peppers. You can ask to do the same, but without meat - even the vegetarian version will satisfy two adults.

Beijing cuisine (northeast). For its rare ingredients and rich taste, it is often called “imperial”. The most famous dish is Peking duck(北京烤鸭) with a sweet crispy crust.

Harbin cuisine. Harbin is a city in northeast China near Russia. Its cuisine has been greatly influenced by Russian cooking - Moscow is cooked here borsch(莫斯科红菜汤) and eat a lot of black bread. Local dumplings are similar in shape to Russian ones: they are round and small, and not oblong, like their Chinese counterparts. Dishes are served in broth and heavily salted.

Shanghai cuisine (east). Spicy, sour, smelly and mostly street food. The meat is cooked using wine, which is why Shanghainese dishes are sometimes called "drunk".

FROM THIRST

Surprisingly, the most popular drink in China is a simple hot water. Tip: Buy a reusable container before your trip and save on buying water at ¥2 per bottle. There are coolers at train stations, airports, supermarkets and even theaters. You don’t have to weigh down your luggage and buy a mug on the spot. The store near your hotel may not have bread or eggs, but thermoses and special plastic bottles will certainly be there. For the Chinese, boiling water is both a drink and a medicine, a way to warm up in winter and cool down in summer. Hot water is served free of charge before meals in restaurants to improve appetite, and doctors advise drinking it daily - the more, the better.

Although China's true national drink is water, it is better known abroad tea. A cup of tea is a way of saying “thank you,” a sign of reunion with family, and an important mediator in human relationships. For a traditional tea ceremony, go to the “tea house”. Green tea is many times more popular than black tea, and the most common is buckwheat. It is considered cheap and simple, and is mostly served free of charge. Dried fruits and flowers are added to tea, but sugar or honey is never added - this spoils the true taste.

You can buy tea both in supermarkets by weight and in specialized stores. The advantage of the latter is a large selection of popular and rare varieties, beautiful packaging and the opportunity to try any of those presented in the assortment. The giant minus is the prices. 500 g of oolong costs at least ¥ 100. A similar oolong can be bought in a supermarket for ¥ 20.

Influenced by the Western fashion for “to go” drinks, Chinese entrepreneurs have developed a multi-million dollar milk tea industry. Usually it is green tea with soy milk and floating red beans that need to be “pulled out” with a straw. Also popular are tea with pieces of jelly, fruit tea with mango or papaya pulp. There are multi-meter queues at the windows of market giants such as CoCo and Royal Tea in the morning and evening. On the Internet, you can even hire someone to stand in line for you.

But you rarely see coffee to go. Full-bodied black coffee is generally rare here. The drink is expensive - ¥ 25 for an Americano, ¥ 30 for a cappuccino or latte. You can drink a cup either in European confectionery shops or in franchise coffee shops. Small coffee shops are very rare, but Starbucks can be seen in large cities almost more often than ATMs. Its popularity is due to the brand name, as well as the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the Western world.

Another popular drink among children and teenagers is freshly squeezed fruit juices. The most popular flavors are mango, papaya, dragon's eye and citrus. The drink is often served with whipped cream, pieces of fruit and crumbled cookies on top.

After the first visit to the club, the myth about the non-drinking Chinese falls apart and crawls into a corner in shame. Drinking a bottle of beer with lunch is the norm for the average resident. The beer here is not of very high quality and strong; you won’t be able to get drunk even if you try. The strength of light beer of the most famous brand Tsingtao is 4.5%. As for the higher degrees, the Chinese drink a lot and extremely chaotically. Rice vodka baijiu(白酒) mixed with red wine Hongju(红酒), with beer and homemade liqueurs. Baijiu has a sharp, specific smell and a high percentage of alcohol - from 40 to 60%. The weaker option is called Huangjiu(黄酒), which translates to "yellow wine". It is strained from peaches, rice or plums, which is why Huangjiu has a pleasant sweetish smell. They drink baidze and wine warmed from small cups. A popular souvenir from China is red bottles. Jin Jiu(劲酒). This is a sweetish tincture with the aroma of herbs, the taste is vaguely reminiscent of Bitner's balm. You can drink in China from the age of 18. There are no restrictions on sales - you can buy alcohol at any time of the day.

DETAILS

Chinese dishes do not have a clear division into morning, afternoon and evening. If you want to eat pork with rice and soup for breakfast, no one will stop you. In addition, there is no division into “first”, “second” and “dessert” - products are served on the table as they are ready in a chaotic order. Everyone knows the eating hours, and the Chinese have followed them since childhood:

7:00-9:00 – breakfast;
11:30-14:00 – lunch;
19:00-21:00 – dinner.

There are a lot of people in restaurants during lunch and dinner hours. Near the entrance to the most popular places there are a dozen plastic chairs - this is how visitors wait in line to enter the restaurant. Sometimes the wait lasts for several hours. If hunger is too strong, they order food to be taken home. More or less large establishments have delivery within half an hour; food containers are left in special “lockers” at the entrance or handed over personally.

When looking for food, a traveler will most often come across small restaurants on the ground floor of a building, or chifankas. They have no doors or heating, but low prices. They serve local meat, fish, a selection of vegetable appetizers, noodles and, of course, rice. Pastry shops have become popular lately, where you can buy pastries and bread. Chinese bread is sweeter and softer than European bread, and is baked with the addition of red beans or raisins. If doubts weigh on your soul, you can walk to the nearest KFC, McDonalds or Pizza Hut. You won’t be able to try a burger or pizza “like at home” - Chinese fast food has more spices.

In China they eat with chopsticks. They are wooden and long to make it easier to remove pieces from shared dishes. In some restaurants, for hygiene reasons, special steel attachments are provided for chopsticks. The soup is eaten with a small wide spoon with a deep bottom. The broth without noodles and meat is drunk directly from the plate.

The most popular place for gatherings is ho guo, also known as hot-pot (火锅), also known as a Chinese samovar. In the establishments of the same name, visitors cook their own food in a large vat with sauce. Sometimes the container is divided into two parts - for mild sauce and for spicy sauce. When it boils, a variety of meat, vegetables or herbs are thrown into the vat, taken out with chopsticks when ready and eaten with butter. Ho Go is not played alone: ​​large tables with built-in holes for pots can accommodate up to 20 people.

For the Chinese, eating is a sociable affair. It is an act of togetherness, an opportunity to be with friends and family. The main meat and fish dishes are initially designed for two, so that you can share it with someone. Many Chinese people video call their spouses or children during lunch, so that if they sit alone in a restaurant, they are still not alone.

Chinese cuisine includes rice, noodles, Peking duck, chisanchi, turtle soup, dumplings (jiaozi), sushi, rolls, mushu pork, fish, as well as a lot of different traditional and exotic foods. These delicacies, as well as many others, are recognized as a local landmark of China and are its calling card.

The country's national home and restaurant cuisine combines culinary masterpieces from several Chinese regions. Also in the culinary dishes one can trace a set of traditions (canons) and recipes for preparing dishes of the ancient Huaqiao diaspora, dating back to the Neolithic era. Over time, different regions of the country developed personal taste preferences based on climatic conditions and court fashion. Over the years, new products and recipes have appeared in Chinese cuisine, coming from other countries (Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand), and some traditions associated with cooking have also been revised. The traditional cuisine of China differs markedly from the culinary masterpieces of other territories by a characteristic feature inherent in different nationalities or social classes.

Hot liquid dishes in the form of clear soups are widely popular in the country. To prepare the broth, the Chinese use chicken, beef or pork.

Chinese chefs very skillfully prepare national culinary masterpieces. To give the dish an authentic look, they use various greens, as well as flowers in yellow, white and black. The country's traditional delicacies are very tasty and are perfectly absorbed by the human body, as well as very healthy.

On this page of the website section, we have specially selected for you simple step-by-step recipes with photos that allow you to get to know the culinary dishes of China better. Thanks to the described cooking technology and pictures, you can learn step by step how to learn how to cook Chinese dishes at home. Each of the dishes is easy to prepare. In addition, the finished treat turns out to be quite filling and appetizing.

Recipes with step-by-step photos

• Meat in sweet and sour sauce

Description

Chinese cuisine, which has a certain specificity and philosophy (five tastes), is one of the oldest in the world. This concept covers a huge number of territorial cuisines (8 directions), but the most widespread and authoritative are Cantonese, Jiangsu, Shandong, Huaiyang and Sichuan. As part of the article, we will try to give a brief description of Chinese culinary masterpieces, introduce them to the traditions of their preparation and features.

Each of these cuisines has differences depending on the climate, geographical location, history of development and the prevailing way of life of a particular region. For example, in Jiangsu cuisine, stewed or fried dishes are very popular. In Sichuan province, food is mainly baked. In most regions, various methods of cooking are used: drying, pickling, canning, salting, and pickling.

Having studied the culture of China, you can find that a lot of things in this country are associated with five elements that symbolize the cardinal directions, seasons, colors, tastes, each of which has 5 components.

What are the 5 tastes of food in China:

1. Sour.
2. Spicy.
3. Sweet.
4. Salty.
5. Bitter.

The listed gastronomic tastes are the main ones, and the country also has three auxiliary taste qualities of food (herbaceous, amber and aromatic).

In the culture of the Celestial Empire, they have great respect for their history, traditions, as well as folk cuisine, which is no less revered. Chinese cooking culture dates back more than 5,000 years. Modern Chinese cuisine continues to preserve local traditions and great love for ancient origins and traditions.

The famous ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius taught the basics of cooking 25 centuries ago. The famous sage’s recipe for cooking has been preserved and is extremely popular these days not only in the philosopher’s homeland (in the town of Qufu), but throughout the world.

There are about 8 varieties of Chinese culinary dishes (cuisines), namely:

• Cantonese, which is known for crispy and spicy dishes made from various types of meat (goat, lamb, snake or snail) and offal;
• Anhui, containing seafood products, mushrooms, local vegetables and herbs;
• Fujianese, distinguished by special notes of aroma and sweetness (mushroom delicacies, bamboo shoots and others);
• Jiangsong, famous for its original and soft bouquets of flavors and presented, for example, with salted poultry (chicken, duck), crystal pork legs, meat balls made from pork and chopped crab shell;
• Huan, whose dishes have a different color palette and oily consistency (squirrel carp, steamed herring);
• Sichuan (spicy and fatty), known for preserving natural flavors, as well as masterful use of knives during cooking (among the dishes of this variety, tofu, Sichuan stewed pork, “tongbao chicken” and others are especially popular);
• Shandong, whose dishes have an unusual taste (hot liquid food made from shark fins, roast duck or the Chinese delicacy “swallow’s nests”);
• Zhejiang, famous for its fresh taste and delicious aroma (fish in sweet and sour sauce, shrimp and pork with zongzi or lotus root powder).

In addition to these dishes, dishes from Hong Kong, Malay, Singaporean, American, and Pakistani cuisines are popular in China.

The people of China love and revere their cuisine, so they eat a variety of local spices and meat from animals raised in their homeland. But since the development of agriculture, the main diet of the Chinese has been and continues to be composed of grain-producing plants.

Masters of national Chinese cuisine have a very high status along with important officials of the Celestial Empire. According to one of the ancient legends, the founder of the Shang clan once made his court chef prime minister.

Ancient Chinese chronicles say that the set of products needed for soup symbolizes harmony. Many of the local philosophers have repeatedly said in their statements that cooks are worthy of imitation, since the ruler is obliged to feed his people with dignity.

Ancient Chinese dishes were carefully regulated by law. For example, the emperor was allowed to eat lamb, beef and pork, while ministers were allowed to eat only lamb.

The diet of the Sui Dynasty included meat from cow, ram, elk, pig, chicken, hare, partridge and pheasant. In addition, the famous genus ate fish such as sturgeon, carp, bream, as well as turtle and snails. From plant foods, this dynasty preferred to eat bamboo shoots, celery leaves, leeks and ferns, mustard seeds, legumes, reed roots, as well as duckweed, taro or pondweed. From the fruit assortment, the diet included peaches, plums, watermelons, melons, citruses, grapes and sisyphus.

Features and secrets of cooking Chinese cuisine

The features and secrets of preparing the best dishes of Chinese cuisine at home are not as intricate as it might seem at first glance. Therefore, traditional delicacies can be prepared at home. To understand the essence of each local dish, you need to dive a little into the technology of preparing this or that culinary masterpiece.

They say about traditional Chinese cuisine that it was formed a long time ago. Today, there are more than 20,000 varieties of foods in the Middle Kingdom, although this statistics may be underestimated. Since the country has a huge assortment of various original and classic dishes, master classes and special schools teaching the art of cooking national food are very popular in China. It is assumed that the more complex the food, the healthier and more colorful it is.

The famous Confucius assured that the meat component of the dish should occupy approximately 1/3 of the total mass of the dish, and he allocated 2/3 to vegetables and fruits. According to the teachings of the philosopher, for the main dishes of Chinese cuisine it is necessary to cut the ingredients into slices or small cubes. In this case, meat, fish and poultry should be made the same size as a set of vegetables. The Chinese people are still guided by these rules.

Combinations of different types of dishes, popular not only in the Middle Kingdom, but also in European countries, were first recommended by Confucius. One of his famous sayings is: “There is no bad or tasteless food, since every delicacy must be served on the table in the best possible way so that it can nourish not only the body, but also the spirit.” East Asians completely agree with this phrase.

Chefs and culinary specialists in China believe that in order to prepare a delicious traditional or unusual dish, you need to follow certain proportions (of meat and vegetables) and heat treatment features, which include 2 main stages that are closely related to each other. The principle is fast cooking and a large flame. Moreover, the first point is very important to observe for each local dish.

The kitchen of every Chinese restaurant and cafe is equipped with a special oven, where from one burner the flame comes up 35-40 centimeters, and the temperature reaches approximately 300⁰С-400⁰С. From another hole on the stove the heat does not rise very high, and from the third the fire escapes too weakly. Each method of heat treatment of components involves the use of a particular flame and its intensity. The Chinese steam some delicacies, and therefore it is very useful to consume them during a diet or in the presence of certain diseases (diabetes or gastritis) on the recommendation of doctors.

Undoubtedly, the treats in China are very tasty, bright, exotic, aromatic and beloved not only in their homeland, but throughout the world. The beautiful appearance of the delicacy is most characteristic of portioned cold dishes and snacks. Each of these dishes is unique and colorful as it displays a gorgeous pattern or theme unique to that country.

The beauty of local mountains, trees, birds, flowers, fish, animals, and insects is perfectly combined in one plate to give the consumer a lot of pleasure and benefit from the process of eating. For each set of Chinese dishes, the menu offers an even number of dishes, for example 4, 6, 8 or 10, as is the custom in the country. As one Chinese proverb literally says: “2 plates are for hospitality, and 3 plates are like a turtle.”

The desire to always achieve an even number of dishes once again shows that the Chinese in their culture strive with all their might to achieve peace of mind and achieve ideality in everything.

The history of the origin of Chinese national cuisine

The history of the origin of the true national cuisine and culture of China (northern and southern) begins 5000 years ago. The technique of preparing traditional delicacies is an integral part of the development of ancient civilization and the cultural heritage of the country.

Moreover, northern cuisine consists of quite high-calorie and fatty foods (boiled or fried dumplings, noodles, soup, etc.), while southern cuisine is famous for its spicy, fresh and savory dishes (rice, vegetables, seafood, sushi, rolls and others).

It is known that the PRC occupies a huge territory, the climatic conditions of which are different. In one part of the country there is a subtropical climate, and in others there is a tropical, subarctic or temperate climate. In addition, the great country is known for its high mountains and endless plains, lakes and rivers. For this reason, all kinds of delicious delicacies are found or grown in China, namely vegetables and fruits, plant and animal foods, as well as spices.

This people has its own tradition of eating. For example, women, men, old people and young people should sit at the table strictly in a certain sequence. In China, as in most Asian countries, wooden chopsticks are used instead of cutlery.

Historically, the most populated regions of the country have tried to find the most cost-effective ways to resolve issues related to the search for food and fuel resources. In this regard, the Chinese have developed their own recipes and special methods of processing raw materials by crushing, making special models of frying pans (woks) and weaving original baskets from bamboo fibers so that several dishes can be cooked in them at the same time.

Most ingredients are marinated or soaked before heat treatment in order to speed up the cooking process. In this regard, prepared food in China retains the nutritional qualities of the original products as much as possible.

Chinese food culture differs markedly from Western or Eastern European ones in that Chinese residents do not eat milk in its pure form, and also practically do not use butter, because the Chinese body simply does not absorb lactose molecules.

Prepared food in the country is characterized by interesting tastes and unique smells due to a rich set of elements, such as soybean sauce, fresh ginger root, soybean shoots, mushrooms, sweet and hot peppers, garlic, green and Chinese onions, star anise, peanuts and other ingredients.

It is mentioned that the first collection of recipes was created by the artist Ni Zan during the reign of the Li Qing dynasty. It described in detail various methods of preparing seafood (octopus, squid, jellyfish, clams, shark fins, shrimp and others), poultry, mushrooms, and protein grains (barley, oats, rye and wheat). The cookbook also describes recipes for making sauces, salads, sweet pastries, desserts, alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, as well as traditional drinks. In addition, the collection contains options for dishes for which it is necessary to use petals and seeds of various flowers (chrysanthemum, lotus), frogs and snakes.

Translated into Russian, one of the Chinese proverbs says: “There is no inedible food in the world, but only bad cooks.” It is no coincidence that in Cantonese (imperial) cuisine, dishes that feature boiled snake meat are extremely popular among the Chinese. Local residents believe that this exotic delicacy has a positive effect on overall health and does not cause harm.

Name of treat	Description of the food
Pork meat in sweet and sour sauce	The national delicacy is available in absolutely all menus of restaurants and cafes in China. It consists of pork, vegetables, tropical fruits (pineapples) and natural ketchup.
Jiaozi, goubuli, shaomai, baozi (Chinese dumplings)	The widely known dish has many cooking ideas, using different fillings (more than 200 options). Street and home food can be eaten either boiled or fried.
Salad “Broken cucumbers”	The dish consists of fresh cucumbers, chili peppers, garlic, cilantro and parsley.
Gabajou	The exotic name of the dish hides lean pork (chicken or beef), tomato paste, soy sauce and spices. The treat is served with a side dish of corn and rice, as well as fresh vegetables.
tea eggs	The fragrant traditional New Year's delicacy includes many variants of tea marinades, in which chicken eggs are boiled for at least three hours to achieve a “marbling” effect.
Salad "Harbin"	The famous hearty and juicy salad contains funchose, pekinka, as well as other vegetables (cucumbers and carrots), seasonings and marinade.
Sichuan style meat	The spicy delicacy, which is cooked over high heat, uses pork or beef, ginger root and a lot of spices.
Shrimp with asparagus	A healthy delicacy low-calorie dish that is steamed. It consists of seafood, asparagus and green oil.
Pig ears with cucumber	The East Asian delicacy uses smoked or boiled animal ears, fresh vegetables, peanuts, and spices.
Meat with a string	The delicacy requires beef, fresh vegetables, soy marinade, starch and spices.

In fact, this list of signature dishes can be continued for a very long time, because in the cuisine of the Celestial Empire there are many recipes for original and classic dishes that are easy to prepare at home or order for home delivery. Also very popular in China is business lunch, which can be bought to go.

To the number of traditional and inexpensive homemade delicacies, you can also add stewed or fried eggplants in sweet and sour sauce or batter, noodles in pineapple, rice with vegetables or eggs, beans, cabbage, zucchini, country salad, and many other delicacies.

By the way, many of the traditional dishes of the People's Republic of China can be safely prepared even for children, vegetarians or pregnant women, because some delicacies are low in calories (tofu bean curd or jusai cream cheese and others) and do not contain meat or hot seasonings. Despite this, ready-made meals are very nutritious and incredibly tasty.

Today, Chinese street cuisine is very popular in the country. Its main fans are schoolchildren, although sometimes you can meet a very respectable-looking passerby who does not hesitate to enjoy street fast food. The good thing about this quick meal is that you don't have to wait long for it because the food is already prepared. They mainly make street Chinese semi-finished products in a special mobile cart, which makes it possible to sell them everywhere.

The most popular quick meals bought on the street are:

• spicy soup malatan, consisting of fish meatballs, cabbage leaves or funchose;
• squid circles, which are complemented with chopped red edible seaweed (nori) or mashed dried fish;
• spicy squid, grilled with a lot of spices and hot sauce;
• barbecue (small dry kebab), which mainly includes only vegetables;
• flatbreads, for the preparation of which you need to use puff pastry, and then you can wrap any product from the menu of the client’s choice into the finished dish;
• hot-sour funchoza, also consisting of various vegetables (sometimes meat) with the addition of a spicy sauce;
• Chicken (duck) legs are usually simmered over low heat, and then placed in a flatbread and topped with ketchup (at the buyer’s discretion).

This list of Chinese street dishes prepared in haste is far from complete. In fact, in the Celestial Empire there are many types of street fast food that you can enjoy and satisfy your hunger. The menu of mobile carts includes, for example, such national instant dishes as lanpi, deep-fried poultry, baoz, tanhulu and many other various dishes for every taste.

Traditional first courses

Traditional first courses in China are mainly prepared with broth made from veal, chicken, pork or other types of meat. The meat component adds a certain taste and richness to hot food, but soups cooked with vegetable broth are also widely popular in the country.

What hot dishes are popular in China:

1. Broth with funchose. Hot food is very simple to prepare. You can also use regular pasta instead of rice noodles.
2. Fish soup with mushrooms and vegetables. A tasty and healthy delicacy is prepared quickly and turns out very light and incredibly tasty.
3. Chicken soup with shrimp, vegetables and noodles. In addition to the vegetable set (bell peppers, leeks, carrots and garlic), for the dish you need to use champignons, ginger root, a little soy sauce, sesame seeds, as well as spices.
4. Lagman soup. The thick, rich Central Asian dish is prepared according to different recipes. The main constant component in the dish remains homemade noodles, which must be made by hand.
5. Shanghai soup. To prepare the first course, use chicken breast or sirloin, vegetables, cognac, chopped herbs and spices.

The given short list of hot Chinese dishes is not complete at all, since in fact it can be continued indefinitely. It is also worth noting other hot dishes, for example, meat broth with pork meatballs or pork ribs, beef soup with asparagus, egg, potato, pea and bean soup, rich meat broth with dumplings, soup with pork and chrysanthemum petals in a clay dish , as well as other first dishes.

So-called transparent soups are very actively used in the country. To prepare a special base broth, poultry or chicken bones are used, as well as veal or pork. During the day, the Chinese eat hot dishes more than once, but always at the end of the meal.

Meat and fish dishes in China

Meat and fish dishes in China are no less popular than hot food. The secret of the country's huge population lies in the observance of centuries-old culinary traditions, equated to art, which have a positive effect on the life expectancy of the Chinese.

In the Middle Kingdom, along with poultry meat products, they really like to eat chicken by-products, sometimes more often than the meat itself. In addition to chicken, people in China eat pork, and beef and lamb are cooked only in those provinces where Muslims live. Instead of a fresh piece of meat, the Chinese sometimes use preserved meat, such as salted or smoked. Based on the positive reviews of the local population, the best product in the country is considered to be a ham that has been kept in a faint haze for 100 days.

Sea fish and seafood are no less popular in China. This is because the Chinese get the missing minerals and vitamins in rice - the main dish of the Celestial Empire - from seafood products prepared in different ways.

What second courses can you prepare at home:

• pork with vegetables;
• beef fried in a frying pan (wok);
• chicken feet;
• meat with a fishy flavor;
• chicken (breast) in sweet and sour sauce;
• gan fan (lamb dish);
• chicken breast in pineapple sauce;
• milk in batter;
• pollock in orange sauce;
• Chinese cod;
• tan su yu (sweet and sour candied fish);
• flounder in Chinese;
• fried carp in Beijing style;
• steamed pike perch roll;
• fish fillet with mushrooms and others.

Mostly, foods are fried in pork lard, chicken or duck fat, and also in vegetable oil (sesame, walnut or soybean).

Ready-made national delicacies made from fish or meat differ both in taste and in appearance, namely: elasticity, crunchiness, flexibility, sliminess, pleasantness, stickiness, gelatinousness, juiciness, lightness or fat content.

Salads and cold appetizers

Salads and cold appetizers in China are very original and require small cutting of components, for example into squares, cubes or thin strips. Experienced chefs are masters of the art of cutting food, so they can easily chop vegetables into character shapes, for example, for an annual Chinese food festival, buffet or formal dinner.

The method of finely cutting ingredients helps to save more time when preparing a particular dish and preserves the beneficial properties of products, their color and taste. Spices and herbs are added to dishes at the end of cooking. The Chinese actively use sesame seed oil, since this product is an excellent addition to the diet.

Quail and chicken eggs are revered in the country, so they build large poultry farms in which quails and other poultry are raised. In the country, eggs are fried in a very original way according to their own recipe, adding a lot of oil to a hot frying pan to give the dish a crispy crust and fluffiness.

What they eat in China as salads and cold dishes:

1. Beef (pork) tripe. The famous Sichuan cold appetizer is made from striped tripe, crushed peanuts, cilantro and red dressing.
2. Turkey spring rolls. For dietary stuffed delicacies in the form of small rolls, you must use rice paper.
3. Vegetable mix. For the salad, oysters are used, as well as fresh cucumbers, cauliflower and white cabbage, carrots, onions, celery stalks and spices.
4. Eggplant caviar. The delicacy consists of ground eggplant, garlic, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, herbs and spices.
5. Aspic. The Chinese version of the cold appetizer is made from pork knuckle and added wine and soy sauce to the dish.

In addition to the listed culinary delights, in China they love sushi with rice and mushrooms, Peking duck, national wonton dumplings, chicken heh, Kung Pao chicken, fresh freshwater fish, century egg, dan or damizhou rice porridge, stuffed pancakes, and There are also many other equally delicious dishes.

Vegetables and fruits of Chinese cuisine

Vegetables and fruits are also very common in Chinese cuisine, because without them it is impossible to prepare many traditional dishes. Treats are prepared in special woks, practically without oil, by steaming or by canning.

As a vegetable preparation, the Chinese use almost everything that grows in the country, such as Chinese cabbage, hot and sweet peppers, potatoes, mustard seeds and leaves, carrots, fresh herbs, ginger root, garlic and onions.

From this palette of vegetables in China, chefs and housewives create real culinary masterpieces. Local people not only prepare vegetable dishes or fruit desserts, but also perfectly combine fruits with meat, fish, and sweets, resulting in excellent original delicacies. Not only adults, but also children love such food. By the way, little sweet tooths prefer to eat apples or tangerines cooked in caramel sauce, and many other sweet desserts.

What local fruits should a tourist definitely try:

• jackfruit;
• durian;
• vampy;
• kiwi;
• kabosu;
• longan;
• lychees;
• kumquat and others.

You can find the secrets and recipes for preparing Chinese delicacies from the above elements on our website in step-by-step recipes with photos.

The most popular sauces and spices in China

The most popular sauce and spice in China is considered to be soybean sauce and weisu, since these components are added everywhere, be it the first, second course or salad. Also in China there are many other equally well-known elements and flavor enhancers, which we will discuss in this section.

When they see Chinese spices and sauces on supermarket shelves, many buyers simply do not understand for which dish it is appropriate to use one or another seasoning. For this reason, some domestic consumers are hesitant to buy Asian spices and herbs.

For your convenience, we have collected in a summary table the most popular seasonings and marinades in the Middle Kingdom that you can use.

Spice "Malasien"	Noodles and meat dishes.
Spice "Weijin"	A very popular spice in its homeland, it is added to almost all dishes at the very end of cooking.
Fragrant oily seasoning-sauce “Laoganma”	Quite a spicy marinade made with soybeans, chili and sesame oil. The component perfectly complements meat, fish and poultry.
Ginger butter sauce	The sauce is used to flavor meat dishes and various salads.
Breading mixture	The seasoning is sold in two forms (hot and neutral). The product is ideal for marinating meat, fish and other seafood.

In addition to the above ingredients, restaurants and cafes in the Middle Kingdom add various alcoholic products to food in the form of moonshine, cognac, vodka, yellow rice wine or a dessert analogue. Also on restaurant menus you can find dishes to which a little ginger wine, vegetable oil, paprika, and garlic oil have been added.

Very often, the Chinese add white and black pepper, hot paprika, ginger powder or root, onion, garlic, cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg to their delicacies. It is worth noting that the use of all kinds of spices and sauces adds a special taste to the delicacy.

But still, many Chinese prefer to put seasonings not in the dish itself, but on the edge of the plate or dish, so that each eater can independently flavor the food with seasoning at his own discretion and taste.

Pastries, desserts and sweets

Flour products, desserts and national sweets of China are not as widely known outside its borders as in their homeland. And it’s completely in vain, because in the Celestial Empire there are a lot of wonderful and unusual sweets for Russian or foreign consumers that are definitely worth trying.

The Chinese, unlike residents of Europe or eastern countries, almost do not consume baked goods such as pizza or shawarma. But this nation has many dishes that contain unleavened or sweet dough with all kinds of fillings. It is noteworthy that in the country it is not customary to end a meal with dessert treats or sweet pastries, since this food is eaten as the next dish. Sometimes, at the end of the celebration, the Celestial Empire may only offer tea and some fruit.

What flour, sweet and dessert delicacies are popular in China:

1. Mantou. Small donuts made from ordinary dough.
2. Baozi. An analogue of small pies, which are made from puff pastry with various fillings.
3. Chinese dumplings. A stuffed flour dish is often steamed and a wide variety of ingredients are used as filling.
4. Sweet pork in sugar caramel with candied fruits.
5. Rice cake.
6. Tan candies. The sweet delicacy is prepared with the addition of fruits, nuts, honey and cane sugar.
7. Sweet pastries “bin” or “su”, as well as “mooncakes”, which are hard on the outside and tender and soft on the inside.

Of course, to enjoy authentic Chinese delicacies, you need to visit this amazing country or prepare this or that dish yourself. It is not at all necessary to live in a given country to stock up on the necessary set of delicacy components, since most of the ingredients can be purchased in local supermarkets. Therefore, every housewife can create a Chinese dessert in her kitchen to pamper her loved ones with delicious pastries.

Beverages

Drinks in China are very original, from unusual tea to alcohol. The Chinese cannot imagine their day without consuming at least one of the 18 favorite variations of non-alcoholic or alcoholic products.

Top 18 most favorite drinks (traditional and exotic) in China:

1. Tea with pudding bubbles, jelly and pearl milk.
2. Tieguanyin is a flower-fruit-berry tea that forms the golden mean between black and green hot drinks, having a yellowish tint.
3. Fragrant tea made from chrysanthemum flowers. The hot herbal drink is extremely beneficial and is a medicine that can normalize cholesterol and ease nasal breathing during a cold.
4. Soy milk is practically the same protein shake made from yellow wheat beans.
5. Canned coconut milk. The canned, very sweet, thick drink is made from coconut pulp, water and sugar.
6. A refreshing and soothing summer drink called Suanmeitang. The drink is prepared from sour varieties of plums, licorice root, hawthorn, osmanthus and salt.
7. Cocoa with unusual additives. Whipped salty cheese and rock salt are also added to the dairy product to tease the taste buds.
8. Yunnan. A type of Chinese coffee roasted with a small amount of cinnamon, which produces a very pungent odor.
9. Distilled water C100 with grapefruit, lemon and other fruit flavors.
10. Fruit and milk drink Wahaha Nutri-Express. A hybrid of fruit juice and milk, the taste is reminiscent of low-fat milk or a light fruit smoothie.
11. An invigorating salt sparkling water with a hint of mint and lemon.
12. Kvass. The Russian people contributed to the creation of the amber drink. Sweet, low-alcohol products have become a cult favorite in many regions of China.
13. Toning tea based on honey and mint. Herbal tea is sold in a paper bag or in a tin.
14. Xinjiang is a black moonshine, also called beer, infused with nuts.
15. Chivas is a popular youth energy drink made from Scotch whiskey and green tea.
16. Tsingtao is a very unusual weak beer with a pronounced malt flavor, which is sold in 62 countries.
17. Wine based on osmanthus (an evergreen fragrant herbaceous plant). The alcoholic product is consumed as a digestif, warm or chilled.
18. Yunyan is a liquid soup-like substance that is nothing more than unfiltered rice wine with a low alcohol content.

Of course, we should separately note the Chinese tea ceremony, famous in the Celestial Empire, popular not only in its homeland, but also far beyond its borders. Preparing and drinking a hot drink helps to tune your brain activity in the right way, calm you down, and get rid of negative thoughts associated with the daily hustle and bustle from your head. A properly brewed drink helps you live in harmony with yourself and the outside world, as well as find peace of mind.

We share interesting facts regarding the cuisine of the Middle Kingdom with you in this section. Approximately 90% of local culinary exoticism is associated not with a set of products, but with compliance with certain specifics of their preparation.

A feature of traditional Chinese cuisine that distinguishes it from Japanese, Thai, Korean or others is that in China the dishes are very archaic. Chinese cuisine is more than just cooking; it is associated with the entire culture of a huge country.

For the Chinese, food is not only a way to satisfy hunger, but also a whole sacred ritual. In the Celestial Empire, even today, when meeting, older people, instead of the traditional greeting speech, say to each other: “Have you eaten yet?” The Chinese say about a man who loses his job that he has “ruined his bowl of rice.”

In the history of Ancient China, there were various palace ceremonies that both the courtiers and the emperor were forced to obey. A certain ritual associated with eating took a lot of time. There was a certain sequence of serving this or that dish, the design of the table, the uniform of the court servants serving the dishes, and also the sound of special music to promote eating - all these points were not chosen spontaneously, but very seriously.

Over the centuries-old history, the Celestial Empire has known a huge number of talented court cooks, who later received the rank of minister, as well as the unlucky ones who were crucified for tasteless prepared food.

In Chinese cooking, there are 4 main canons that must be observed:

1. Preparatory work. All food components of the dish must be carefully processed. Sometimes this procedure took approximately 1∕3 of the time required to prepare the food. When cooking poultry, the cook never singed the chicken feathers, but plucked them using special tweezers. The vegetable and fruit set had to be washed with water several times.
2. Heat treatment. With a quick method of heat treatment of products, you need to spend from three to five minutes. For this purpose, you should use a high flame and a certain type of frying pan or pressure cooker. If all these aspects are observed, then the nutritional value of the ingredients can be preserved, since each of the elements of the food should be prepared separately.
3. Using seasonings and different sauces. If you diversify your food with these ingredients, traditional for Chinese cuisine, the finished dish will sparkle with new notes of taste. There are about 300 varieties of spices in the Middle Kingdom.
4. Arrangement of food according to colors, taste and aroma. When serving a dish, the Chinese always use this rule and select the ingredients so that they are in perfect harmony with each other. To comprehend this rule means to master the culinary art.

It would be worth recalling that Chinese cuisine consists of the healthiest food in the world. This is because the dishes of the Celestial Empire practically do not contain “heavy” or high-calorie dressings prepared with mayonnaise or cream. The main sauce in China used for cooking is soybean.

Delicious and Easy Ways to Prepare Modern Chinese Food

Delicious and simple ways to prepare traditional and modern Chinese food come together in a variety of recipes that vary depending on the region of the country.

Since the creation of culinary traditions in the country, practically nothing has changed. Many local customs are so ancient that they may seem unusual or even alien to the modern average person. Despite this, Chinese chefs or experienced housewives with deep knowledge of the national culinary art follow them unquestioningly.

It is known that in order for the finished food to turn out very tasty and good, the cook must be a true master of his craft. Among the huge number of delicacies, to achieve an original taste, it is necessary to competently use different methods of processing components by combining them.

There are many important points that cooks have strictly observed for many centuries. One of them is crushing the ingredients with a knife. It is also acceptable to tear or break components.

The method of properly cutting and frying food is one of the important principles of Chinese cooking. The crushed elements must be fried over high heat with the addition of oil for about 2-3 minutes. Shortly before this, you should lightly fry the crushed ginger root and allspice, which will emit an unforgettable aroma, giving the delicacy a special flavor.

The Chinese often fry meat or fish, as well as other ingredients, in batter, which allows the dish to retain its juiciness. Sometimes fish seafood is fried whole, keeping its shape but removing the bones. A fish prepared in this way (with a tail and head) symbolizes unity with the outside world and the end of work begun.

Remember that every country is a small world that has its own customs, traditional and non-standard ways of preparing this or that delicacy. China is also no exception.

The country has many dishes, both fatty and not too high in calories. But absolutely all dishes are united by their extraordinary taste, as well as exquisite notes of aftertaste. Feel free to create unique and classic culinary masterpieces at home, based on the step-by-step recipes we offer with photos, in order to give your loved ones a small piece of this great and amazing country through ready-made dishes.

Do you like Chinese cuisine? 🍛

And even if you answer “Yes, I adore her!”, then all the same, I have something to surprise you with. 😊

Chinese cuisine is not something monolithic, like, for example, Russian cuisine. Our dumplings or pancakes from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg and Sochi are approximately the same.

This is not the case in Chinese cuisine. Each locality has its own favorite dishes. And its own characteristics. And if you love Northeastern 锅包肉 Guobao zhou, then in the south no one has heard of it.

In general, I have prepared a selection of the most popular dishes in different provinces. And if you are going to China this summer, then you will really need it 🔥

Bon appetit! 慢慢吃 😊

1. Beijing: Beijing roast duck 北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā

Peking roast duck is hailed as “the most delicious dish in the world.” It has a golden brown, crispy crust, tender meat and a strong taste. This combination made her popular both at home and in other countries.

2. Tianjin: baked pork fillet 锅塌里脊 Guōtā lǐjí

Baked pork fillet is made from pork tenderloin. The dish has a bright yellow color and a fresh, delicate taste.

3. Hebei: donkey meat cakes 驴肉火烧 Lǘ ròu huǒshāo

This snack is popular in northern China. It first appeared in the city of Baoding, Hebei Province. Stuff the flatbread with minced donkey meat and you will get Liuzhouhuoshao. The snack turns out to be satisfying, but not greasy, crispy and with a pleasant aftertaste.

4. Shanxi: boiled-fried pork with mushrooms 过油肉 Guò yóu ròu

Initially it was considered a dish for the elite, and then it became popular and spread throughout the Shanxi province. It is characterized by a rich golden color, soft, tender meat. The dish itself is salty with a hint of vinegar.

5. Inner Mongolia: Mongolian boiled lamb 手扒羊肉 Shǒu bā yángròu

Boiled lamb is a traditional dish of Mongolian shepherds for thousands of years. It is eaten with hands.

6. Heilongjiang Crispy Fried Pork 锅包肉 Guō bāo ròu

This iconic dish of northeastern Chinese cuisine is made with pork. First, sliced ​​pork tenderloin is marinated, coated with starch paste and fried until golden brown, topped with sweet and sour sauce. The dish turns out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sweet and sour taste.

7. Girin: steamed white fish 清蒸白鱼 Qīngzhēng bái yú

Since ancient times, fishermen on the Songhua River have boiled white fish to greet friends and family. Over time, this dish gained fame and became the main dish during local festivals.

8. Liaoning: Braised Pork with Vermicelli

Braised pork with vermicelli is a dish well known in northeast China and is especially popular during the cold winter. The vermicelli absorbs the flavor of the meat, making it filling without being greasy.

9. Shanghai: Red Braised Pork 红烧肉 Hóngshāo ròu

Red braised pork is a classic Shanghainese dish. Basically, the meat is taken from the subperitoneum. During the cooking process, it becomes nourishing, but not greasy, and tastes very pleasant. Shanghainese, confirm!

10. Jiangsu: Braised Pork Meatballs in Brown Sauce 红烧狮子头 Hóngshāo shīzi tóu

This dish is usually served during holidays. It consists of 4 brown meatballs, symbolizing the blessings of life, longevity and happiness. Often served as a final dish at weddings, birthdays and other celebrations.

11. Zhejiang: Xihu Lake fish in vinegar 西湖醋鱼 Xīhú cù yú

This dish is made from fish caught from Lake Xihu in Hangzhou. First, the fish are kept in a cage for a couple of days to allow excrement to come out. And then they cook. As a result, the fish has a very fresh, sweet and sour taste.

12. Anhui: smelly Chinese grouper in Huangshan style 黄山臭桂鱼 Huángshān chòu guì yú

This dish was invented by a businessman returning home on a boat. Due to the long journey, the bass he was carrying began to smell foul. His wife didn't want to throw away the fish, so she covered it in soy sauce and oil. Surprisingly, it turned out quite tasty.

13. Fujian: Buddha jumps over the wall 佛跳墙 Fútiàoqiáng

"Buddha jumping over the wall" is the most famous dish of Fuzhou city, Fujian province. This dish uses as many as 18 ingredients: sea cucumber, abalone, shark fins, fish lips, ham, pork belly, hooves, tendons, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, etc. The dish is multitasking: it nourishes Qi, cleanses the lungs and intestines, protects against colds and something else.

14. Jiangxi: Pork in rice flour, steamed 粉蒸肉 Fěnzhēngròu

Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, rice powder and other seasonings. Rice flour and meat exchange flavors to create a delicious dish.

15. Shandong: Braised intestines with brown sauce 九转大肠 Jiǔ zhuǎn dàcháng

A classic Shandong dish. Blanch the intestines in boiling water, then fry, add additional ingredients and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant. With this dish you can experience five taste sensations at once - sour, sweet, aromatic, spicy and salty.

16. Henan: Stewed noodles 烩面 Huì miàn

Traditional local snack made from noodles, lamb, vegetables and other ingredients. Well known for its wonderful taste and reasonable price.

17. Hubei: three dishes steamed in Mianyang style 沔阳三蒸 Miǎn yáng sān zhēng

“Three steamed dishes” are steamed meat, fish and vegetables (you can add amaranth, taro, legumes, pumpkin, carrots and lotus root to taste). Thanks to meat and vegetables, the dish has a balanced composition of nutrients. Fragrant, has an original taste, fresh and non-greasy.

18. Hunan: Steamed fish heads with hot peppers 剁椒鱼头 Duò jiāo yú tóu

This dish combines the wonderful taste of fish heads with the spiciness of finely chopped red pepper and has a unique taste. Famous for its bright color, tender fish meat and spicy taste.

19. Guangdong: white chicken, cut into pieces 白切鸡 Bái qiē jī

A characteristic feature of this dish is its simple preparation without the use of additional ingredients, preserving the original taste of the product. The Qingping restaurant in the Liwan district of Guangzhou is considered the best in preparation, which is why the dish has a second name - “Qingping chicken.”

20. Guangxi: rice noodles with snails 螺蛳粉 Luósī fěn

Snail rice noodles are the most popular snack in Liuzhou city. Combines sour and spicy taste, freshness and spiciness.

21. Hainan: Wenchang chicken 文昌鸡 Wenchāng jī

Wenchang chicken tops the “Four Hainanese Dishes”. It is a juicy chicken with thin skin and crispy bones, very flavorful, filling, but not greasy. Delicious)

22. Sichuan: Mapo tofu (“Pockmarked Old Woman’s Tofu”) 麻婆豆腐 Mābō dōfu

Mapo tofu is a traditional Sichuan dish. The main ingredient is tofu (bean curd). The dish tastes hot, spicy, sweet, crispy and tender.

23. Chongqing: Spicy Chicken 辣子鸡 Làzǐ jī

Pepper is mixed with chicken pieces and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The chicken pieces are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sesame aroma and a fiery taste. Try it, you'll probably like it.

24. Guizhou: fish in sour soup 酸汤鱼 Suān tāng yú

Fish in sour soup is a unique dish of the Miao people. It boasts a sharp-sour taste and stimulates the appetite well.

25. Yunnan: chicken and fish noodles 过桥米线 Guò qiáo mǐxiàn

A must-try dish for travelers to Yunnan Province. Consists of three parts: broth, rice noodles and additional ingredients. The broth has a very strong aroma: it is prepared according to a special recipe from large old chicken bones and long-cooked Xuanwei ham.

26. Shaanxi: lamb pita soup 羊肉泡馍 Yángròu pào mó

This snack represents the city of Xi'an. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, many Muslims have visited the city. They created this dish: strong broth, rotten meat and soft pieces of pita. Not for everyone.

27. Tibet: Tibetan blood sausage 藏族血肠 Zàngzú xiě cháng

In Tibet, when farmers and shepherds slaughter sheep, they use the blood by pouring it into the small intestine and boiling it in water. This is how they get the famous local dish - blood sausage.

28. Xinjiang: whole roasted lamb 烤全羊 Kǎo quán yáng

Whole roasted lamb is a famous dish in Xinjiang province. For it, they take a young fat lamb, coat it with a special sauce and roast it over a fire. This dish can be found in markets and bazaars in Xinjiang.

29. Qinghai: fried pieces of dough with lamb 羊肉炒面片 Yángròu chǎomiàn piàn

This tasty and nutritious dish has a mild flavor and is easy to digest. Which is very important, by the way)

30. Gansu: Hexi lamb 河西羊羔肉 Héxī yánggāo ròu

Hexi Mutton is one of the most delicious recipes in northwest China. It is cooked in a clay pot, which produces soft meat, red color and fragrant aroma.

31. Ningxia: Steamed lamb meat

It is a common snack popular in northwest China's Tongxin and Haiyuan regions. This delicious dish is served in many local restaurants.

32. Hong Kong: Beef meatballs 牛肉丸 Niúròu wán

Beef meatballs are a popular snack in southern China. In Hong Kong they are juicy and long lasting. You will have to chew them a little longer than regular food.

33. Macau: bacalhau 马介休 Mǎjièxiū

Bacalhau is a popular Portuguese dish in Macau. The main ingredient is salted cod. This fish can be fried, stewed or boiled. Served in many restaurants in Macau, this dish is a must try.

34. Taiwan: Three Cup Chicken 三杯鸡 Sān bēi jī

Three Cup Chicken is a popular dish in Taiwan. The sauce gets its name from three ingredients: rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Thanks to the site http://www.chinawhisper.com for inspiration

Happy practice!

Svetlana Khludneva

P.S. Take care of yourself!

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