Chinese Food - Peking Duck Recipe

Peking Duck is one of the most famous Chinese foods originating from the ancient royal courts. For centuries, the best Chinese chefs trained extensively in order to make sure that they could present this delicacy properly to the Emperor. In fact, their very lives depended on it. Today, no chef will lose his life for messing up his Peking Duck recipe but his self-esteem will be sorely dented. However, with attention to detail, a modern day Peking Duck can be a feast fit for royalty. Here's just one of the many up to date Peking Duck recipes:

Ingredients

1 3.5 - 4 lb duck (fresh or frozen)
2 pints water
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
5 fl oz rice wine (you can use dry sherry)
1 lemon

To serve:

8 - 12 Chinese Pancakes
4 - 6 tbsp hoisin sauce
16 - 24 spring onions (cut into thin slivers lengthwise or into brushes)

In China, ducks are specially raised on a diet of soybeans, maize, sorghum and barley for just six weeks, when they are ready for cooking.

Normally, the preparation of Peking Duck is rather time consuming and complex. The duck must be cleaned and plucked thoroughly, then air should be piped in to separate the skin from the flesh which let the skin roast to a lovely crispness. While the duck dries a sugar solution is brushed over the duck and it is then roasted in a wood fired oven. However, with our modern life styles being what they are, this Peking Duck recipe is rather less complicated.

Rinse and dry the duck thoroughly, blotting with kitchen paper.

Mix the water, dark soy sauce, honey and rice wine together and combine with the lemon cut into thick slices and bring to the boil then simmer for about 20 minutes. Ladle the mixture over the duck several times, ensuring that the skin is thoroughly coated. Hang the duck up to dry somewhere cool and well ventilated with a roasting tin beneath it to catch any drips. When the duck is properly dry the skin will feel like paper.

Roast the duck on a rack over a roasting tin in which you have water to a depth of about two inches (this stops the

fat splashing), in a pre-heated oven 475ºF, 240ºC, Gas 9 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 350ºF, 180ºC, Gas 4 and continue cooking for 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Let the duck rest for about fifteen minutes before serving. You can carve the meat and skin into pieces using a knife or cleaver or you can shred it with a spoon and fork.

Serve the duck with warmed Chinese pancakes, spring onions and hoisin sauce.

Each diner takes a pancake, spreads on a little hoisin sauce then tops that with some meat and crispy skin followed by a spring onion brush or some strips of spring onion. The pancake and contents are then rolled up into a tube and eaten either with one's fingers or with chopsticks.

Even this simple version of the classic Peking Duck makes a very special dinner party dish, fit for an Emperor.

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Japanese and Chinese Food: Different, But Ripe for Fusion

Quite often the uninformed patron can mistake Japanese and Chinese food, dismissing their differences through ignorance or apathy and just labeling them as Asian cuisine. After all, if it has rice, meat, and some sauce it's pretty much the same thing right? This really couldn't be further from the truth as Japanese and Chinese foods have many differences in their respective cuisines through treatment of the meal, ingredients, and tastes.

Meat
The protein of the dish is probably the most glaring difference between the two cuisines. Japanese food is known for having seafood as a traditional part of the meal, with livestock only really being a dish on special occasions. Japan is a fairly mountainous island; while they had a bustling fishing economy, they really didn't have much land for livestock to graze. Conversely, China has a lot more land space than Japan does, with much of its land smack in the middle of the continent of Asia. This means room for herding and raising livestock making meats like pork the mainstay of Chinese food, with smaller seafood salads being a course for holidays like the Lunar New Year.

Technique and Flavor
Once again, this is an aspect that Japanese and Chinese food couldn't be more different in. Japanese food typically has much milder flavors, usually involving things like soy, fish stock, and salt. Japanese cuisine tends to try and bring out the natural flavor of the ingredient, sometimes serving it raw so as to not overdo the natural flavor. The popularity of sashimi and sushi restaurants is evident of this minimalist attitude. Chinese food is once again the polarity. Chinese food emphasizes powerful tastes like oyster sauces, and bean curd pastes. If anything is ever served raw, it must be heavily spiced. Also, as far as method goes Chinese food favors the traditional wok to fry the meal together, usually keeping the grease as part of the taste. It is for this reason that Chinese food is generally considered less healthy than Japanese, as Japanese cuisine is grilled on a flat, grill-like table called teppans.

Fusion
Despite their differences, the two cuisines have a high compatibility for fusion cuisine. Fusion cuisine is the blending of characteristics between different regional or likewise cooking styles to form a new cuisine. While Chinese food has rarely experimented with fusion techniques until more modern times, Japanese restaurants have been practicing fusion for hundreds of years due to Japan's place as a trade powerhouse in the Pacific and more contact with Western influences. Japanese fusion is famous for bringing beef to Japan from the west, a fascination that has led to modern Japan producing some of the finest beef in the world. Japanese and Chinese cuisines are ripe for fusion, especially through their shared ingredients such as rice, though their attitudes on rice differ greatly. A typical Japanese and Chinese fusion can feature the cooking and attention to detail of Japanese cuisine with the powerful tastes and heartiness of Chinese food, making for a powerful new cuisine to try at a downtown restaurant.

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Ancient Chinese Food

Ancient Chinese food was based around rice as far back as 5000 BCE. Interestingly, the evidence from around the Yangtse River watershed points to not only boiled rice but to the fermented product that we know as rice wine. It was probably an accidental discovery, but one that has remained very popular throughout Chinese history.

Wild pig species are native to southern China and appear to have been domesticated around 2000 BCE. It's not known at what stage hunting was replaced by domestication and farming of pigs - bones don't tell that story - but this was probably after the introduction of chickens.

Chickens were probably adopted from the area that we now know as Thailand. These were almost certainly domesticated before pigs. Even today, Dai people (Dai and Thai being pretty much interchangeable) live in Xishuangbanna, the area bordering the modern SE Asia countries of Laos and Myanmar (Burma).

In the north, where it was too cold for rice, the local farmers grew millet and some sorghum. These could also be boiled into porridge, or fermented to produce alcohol.

One ancient Chinese food item not developed elsewhere is tofu. This fermented bean product was thought to have been made from about 1000 BCE. The soya bean is tasty and supposedly endowed with healthy characteristics. It is meant to be particularly good for diabetics. Soya milk is another product still consumed today.

Food preservation techniques allowed the ancient Chinese to keep seasonal crops year round. Salting of meat and pickling of vegetables have long added to the variety of foods, especially over the winter period. Many people still eat rice porridge with pickled vegetables for breakfast. It's simple to prepare and easily digested.

When looking at ancient Chinese food we shouldn't forget the popular drinks. Boiled water has always been the favourite as it has long been a principle that food and drink should be consumed when at a temperature similar to the bodies so as not to disturb the natural balance. This preference may have lead to the discovery of tea leaves as flavouring.

Certainly the early Chinese seem to have experimented with lots of plants and drying methods to produce a wide range of tasty and healthy beverages. The favourites now are:

• Green teas - especially those from Longjing near Hangzhou;
• Fermented teas - Pu'er Tea and Oolong are perhaps the most famous of these; and
• Flower teas - such as Jasmine and Chrysanthemum.

Ancient Chinese Food may not have been the most varied. This was largely because of China's relative isolation. Only when hardy adventurers traveled along the Silk Road routes did wheat, cattle and sheep arrive in China. More variety was introduced when China expanded southwards, and especially when sea trade brought lots of exotic foodstuffs to Guangzhou (Canton) and beyond. Those developments were for later.

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The Variations of Chinese Cuisine

In recent years, China has become one of the most popular sources of just about any cuisine. This paved way for Chinese food to be renowned across the globe particularly countries like United States, UK, Australia and Western Europe. What many westerners usually do is they tend to group the dishes all together despite its regional variation. Different traditions have developed around different areas in China and this is mainly due to climatic conditions as well as ethnic make up. As China continues influencing the West, it worked as a win-win situation on both sides. This brought the establishment of various fast food chains along the streets of China encouraging an even freer economy.

Despite the differences of each region, what keeps them bonded together is the idea that meals should be kept pleasing to the eye, healthily balanced as well as contain the best and freshest ingredients available. As a tradition, dishes are served along with a hot tea or hot water since this is believed to aid digestion. However, beers and soft drinks have taken over and has become people's favorite in recent years. Meat like chicken and pork has become in demand and has been a huge part of working people's daily diet. Also, beef is consumed and comes in very thin slices. Vegetables, as always, are a mainstay in many Chinese cuisines and it comes in a wide array of choices.

One of the most in demand menu choices is the Sweet and Sour Pork. Dishes that contain beef as the main ingredient are usually cooked with noodles together with black bean sauce or cashews. Recipes that make use of chicken include Lemon Chicken, Honey Chili Chicken and also Chicken with Lychees. In general, Chinese food dishes are typically served accompanied with bowls of rice or noodles. Vegetables are spared from being overcooked to make it taste crispy and fresh. The most common vegetables being used are green beans, eggplant, zucchini, mung bean sprouts and mushrooms. Also, included are Chinese cabbage, Chinese broccoli as well as bok choy.

Coastal areas in China have their own traditional cuisine with seafood as the main ingredient. This includes both freshwater as well as deep-sea fish dishes. Prawns, crab, squid, shark fin and scallops are all favorite ingredients.

Chinese food dishes are never complete without a steaming hot bowl of soup. It is especially welcome during cold weather especially Chinese winters and is a great way of using up leftovers. Stock, as it is called, is often made out of meat, chicken or vegetables. Sweet Corn Soup has become a favorite among Westerners the same as Szechwan Soup, which is made from pork, ham, mushrooms, red pepper, prawns as well as chicken stock.

When talking about cuisines per region, one of the most internationally in-demand is the Cantonese cuisine. These dishes are typically made up of meat or chicken but also include Shark Fin Soup and Steamed Sea Bass. Generally, Cantonese cooks prefer to stir fry, saute, steam or deep fry. What makes Chinese food unique from other kind of dishes as it make use of soy sauce, rice vinegar or oyster sauce instead of spices to give flavor.

Are you looking for the best place to dine and enjoy the sumptuous dishes of Chinese food? If you're just around the corners of Southern California, watched this video I just posted and learn about the best Chinese Food Resaurant in Riverside offering you a fine dining experience at an affordable price.

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The History of Chinese Cuisine

In China, food and its preparation has been developed so highly that it has reached the status of an art form. Rich and poor, the Chinese people consider that delicious and nutritious food is a basic necessity. There is an old Chinese saying "Food is the first necessity of the people".

This art has been cultivated and refined over hundreds of years. Legend has it that the culture of Chinese cuisine originated in the 15th century BC during the Shang dynasty and was originally introduced by Yi Yin, its first Prime Minister.

The two dominant philosophies of Chinese culture both had extreme influences on the political and economic history of the country but it is less well known that they also influenced the development of the culinary arts.

Confucius emphasised the artistic and social aspects of cookery and eating. The Chinese don't gather together without involving food - it is considered to be poor etiquette to invite friends to your home without providing appropriate food.

Confucius established standards of cooking and table etiquette, most of which remain to this day. The most obvious example of this is the cutting of bite-sized pieces of meat and vegetables during the course of the food preparation in the kitchen, rather than using a knife at the table which is not considered to be good manners.

Confucius also encouraged the blending of ingredients and flavourings to become a cohesive dish, rather than tasting the individual components. Harmony was his priority. He believed and taught that without harmony of ingredients there could be no taste. He also emphasised the importance of presentation and the use of colour, texture and decoration of a dish. Most importantly, cooking became an art rather than a task to be endured and certainly he was instrumental in promulgating the philosophy of "live to eat" rather than "eat to live".

On the other hand, Tao encouraged research into the nourishment aspects of food and cookery. Rather than concentrating on taste and appearance, Taoists were more interested in the life-giving properties of food.

Centuries on, the Chinese have discovered the health-giving properties of all sorts of roots, herbs, fungus and plants. They have taught the world that the nutritional value of vegetables is destroyed by over-cooking (particularly boiling) and in addition have found that things with a great flavour also have medicinal value.

Home cooked Chinese food is extremely healthy, even though much of it is fried. This is due to the use of polyunsaturated oils (used only once and discarded) and the exclusion of dairy products. In addition the inclusion of animal fat is minimal because portions of meat are small.

Liz Canham

As well as a love of Asian cooking as demonstrated in her Asian Food and Cookery website, Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of internet marketing with tools, tips and training from her Liz-e-Biz.com website.

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Chinese Food Culture: A Brief Introduction

In China, food culture touches virtually all aspects of social interaction, business and daily life.

In this article, I provide two examples that illustrate the importance of food culture in China. The first example describes the importance of round dining tables in China. The second example describes a particular form of salutation in Mandarin Chinese.

Why Chinese dining tables are round?

In China, dining tables are often of round shape. In restaurants, tables are indeed always round and they also have a round table top with wheels.

Thanks to the table being of round shape, each guest can easily reach all the dishes. Furthermore, guests can conveniently talk to each other and join other people's conversations.

In contrast to the custom in many Western countries where every guest is presented with a number of individual dishes, in Chinese traditional custom dishes on the table are shared by all the guests. Sharing the food on the table and chatting for hours is one of the oldest Chinese traditions.

However, if I remember correctly, in the past dining tables in China were not always round; they could also be square-shaped (but never rectangular). Back then, the square dinning table was called 'Ba Xian Zuo' (table of eight fairies). I remember that my grandmother used to have one; however, in special occasions when the whole family used to gather, my uncles would set up a big round table and everyone would sit around it. My most beloved grandmother would sit around to watch over her offsprings with a happy and proud smile. The round table was just very convenient.

Since living in England, I have been corrupted by Western culture and I often suggest my friends to go for a quick coffee, instead of going for a meal. In China, however, when I meet up with friends we just go for a meal and chat for hours in front of a table full of food. Even business can be made over the dining table (and not in a meeting room of an office building), so do not be surprised if you go to China on business and the critical negotiations happen while sitting at the dining table.

How to say "How do you do?' in Chinese

If you open a beginner's Mandarin book, you may encounter in the first few pages the sentence "ni hao ma?", which literally means "you well?", translated as "how do you do?".

Chinese people, however, rarely use such sentence (only foreigners do). A far more common way of capturing the meaning of "how do you do?" in Mandarin Chinese is the sentence "ni chi le ma?", which literally means "you eaten?", or in correct English, "have you eaten?".

No answer is required, no need to explain in detail what you had for lunch. It really is a made-up phrase to greet people, and you may hear Chinese people using it in the most uncommon and surprising of circumstances.

If something can be learnt from this and other references to food and eating in daily Chinese language is how important a role food plays in Chinese culture. Even in a single province (or within a single ethnic group), the list of different traditional dishes is almost endless, and most of them have their own distinguishing name!

Unfortunately, the very nice "ni chi le ma?" is being gradually replaced by other forms of expression, and younger people in China are using it less and less. This is a sign of change, for the better or for the worse. In particular, Western influence in China has dramatically increased within the last 15 years, and is affecting almost all aspects of daily life, including daily language and traditional Chinese customs.

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The Meaning of Chopsticks in Chinese Food Culture

I remember that, when I was little, there were lots of riddles for kids. My grandma used to ask me time to time one of them in particular: 'There are two equally tall brothers, they have good brotherhood, and are always together, but whenever they walk, it is like they are wrestling all the time. Guess what they are?' A pair of chopsticks! Even today, I still think this is the best description of chopsticks.

Chopsticks are definitely the symbol of Chinese food culture. On the dining table, almost everything is picked up and brought to mouth by using chopsticks (apart from soup). From picking up the rice from the bowl, every piece of food on the plate, to picking the small tiny bones from the fish or eating half meter long noodles, or even cutting off some piece into half; all can be done by chopsticks. So the traditional way of laying the table is always having a pair of chopsticks along with a spoon placed next to the rice bowl, no knives, and definitely no forks.

Chopsticks are normally made of wood, bamboo or silver, or even gold. The price can greatly vary because of the quality of the wood. Some chopsticks with good quality wood like achiote and very fine details can be very pricey.

Gold chopsticks were used by the 'emperors' or 'royals' to distinguish their unique position, but silver chopsticks were more common. It is said that using silver chopsticks was the best way to check if the food was poisoned, as there would be a mark shown on the silver chopsticks if there was poison in the food. Not surprisingly, all those emperors needed to take pre-cautions.

Furthermore, silver chopsticks are probably the most 'healthy' ones, as the wood ones can be rotten after washing many times, and become not hygienic.

Chinese chopsticks have normally a kind of rectangular shape, and are longer and thicker, comparing to Japanese ones, for example. This is because of the traditional metaphor of 'round sky and square ground', so the tip of the chopsticks is always in 'round' shape, while the other end is square. However, nowadays, the slim and all round shape chopsticks are also very popular.

At one time, 'chopstick culture' was very popular again. I mean, the design of the chopsticks. On the upper part of the chopsticks, there are some pictures or words, normally are from famous influential traditional Chinese paintings or poems. These are very interesting to look at. So people can get some 'cultural education' while eating.

As for how to use chopsticks, there is no secret. We normally start using chopsticks at very early age, then you would develop your own habit to hold them. Different people, however, would hold chopsticks differently.

One of the most common ways of doing it is to first hold the pair of chopsticks upright, make them stand at same level, (you can hold them against on the table surface if it helps); and use the ring finger to support, index finger to hold the other side, while middle finger helps to make the movement more mobile. It is really a matter of practice.

Saying that it is a cultural thing, it is not only because of its usage on the table, there are also many phrases or stories symbolized by chopsticks. For example, the story of 'united strength', I think most of us have heard of that one.

There was a dad who had three sons, who always fought against each other. One day, at the dad's dying bed, the dad asked the sons to hold a bunch of chopsticks in their hands, and said, 'now try to break one chopstick', the sons did easily, then the dad said, 'now try to break a bunch of chopsticks in your hands', the sons found it was very difficult to do so, almost impossible. The dad looked at the sons; they understood that only unity is strength. The following story is dad died peacefully, and the sons made a great future by working together.

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Chinese and Japanese Ancient Clothing

The Chinese were always a fashionable race and Chinese ancient clothing was largely influenced by all the dynasties which ruled it. The Han Chinese clothing or the Hanfu has the longest history of clothes worn. The Hanfu rules of dressing were followed strictly as a mark of respect for the culture. On the other hand, ancient Japanese clothing kept changing with every dynasty that ruled Japan. Since the Kimono is a national dress, it has always been mistaken for very ancient clothing worn by the Japanese people which is incorrect.

The basic design of the Ancient Chinese clothing Hanfu was largely developed during the Shang Dynasty. The Shang had two basic styles - the Yi which was the coat worn on top and the Shang whichwas the skirt worn beneath it. Buttons on any ancient Chinese clothing was substituted by a Sash. The clothing was in warm tones. The Zhou dynasty in western China varied in the sleeves being narrow as well as broad. The length of the skirt varied from knee length to the ankle and the different sizes and styles created a distinction between the people who wore them. Ancient Chinese clothing used minimal stitching on the garment and the use of embroidery and silk sashes to design the dresses.

Japanese ancient clothing was majorly influenced by Chinese clothing. Vigorous trade between Japan and its continental neighbors brought in Chinese dresses and styles into Japan during the Han Dynasty. The Tang styles and Sui dynasty from China influenced clothing in Japan while it was developing from a collection of loose clans to an Empire. All robes in Japan were to be worn from left to right just like the Chinese. Right to left was considered barbaric in China and the 'left over right' became the conventional rule of wearing a Kimono ever since. During the Heian period (894 specifically), Chinese influence began dying out and Chinese characters began being abbreviated in Japanese script. The Heian court was taken to sensitivity of art and subtle beauty and wardrobe became much more detailed. Colors, combinations and fabric textures changed and separated themselves from Chinese influence.

After the Heian period, the Kamakura period saw a number of clashes and war clans within Japan. The ancient Japanese clothing soon underwent another change and now clothes became more functional. The number of layers and broad sleeved clothes were shunned for more usable clothing. Soon the imperial land split into a southern and northern court and these people's lives got influenced by the soft court life. Fights resumed and the gradual decadence is obvious in the elaborate dresses of the period. Women had stopped wearing the Hakama and the robes were lengthened to ankle level. Veils and robes over the head were some strange ways experimented and worn during this time.

Japanese ancient clothing was mainly robes and most of the patterns and designs were religious and auspicious. Dragons were printed with nine yellow dragons and five cloud patterns. These heavily embroidered robes were won by the emperors and were auspicious for the wearer. The Cheongsam was another one piece dress adorned by ancient Chinese women. It had a high neck with a closed collar and short or medium sleeves. Buttoned on sides with a fitted waist, it had slits going up from the sides and complemented their figures.

Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences.

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Restaurants in Montreal - 4 Top Montreal Chinese Restaurants!

If you love Chinese food, then Montreal's Chinatown is the place to be. When it's about authentic Chinese food, Montreal serves you the best. Whether you're seeking fine dining options in Montreal or a quick lunch, you'll find some of the best Chinese restaurants in the city.

Given below are some of the best Chinese restaurants in Montreal. Taste the Asian-inspired traditional and modern Chinese favorites at the restaurants mentioned below.

Beijing

Beijing is a well-known restaurant in Chinatown. A local favorite, Beijing is where you can enjoy fresh Szechuan and Cantonese dishes. It's always buzzing and shares a good reputation among locals and visitors. Be ready to be welcomed affectionately to its warm surroundings where you can taste some of the best dishes. Operates even at late night hours and stands distinct in its friendly service.

La Maison Kam Fung

La Maison Kam Fung is one of the best restaurants in Montreal where you get to taste dim sum. Perhaps, La Maison is the best place to taste dim sum. This restaurant is also popular for the Sunday and Saturday brunch. You get carts of dim sum served by waiters each priced between $4 and $6. Moreover, you can select from mushrooms, tender dumplings, spare ribs, spicy shrimp and more.

La Maison Kam Fung serves you a variety of traditional dishes like shark's fin, a great variety of market fresh seafood like scallops, fish, shrimp, crab and lobster. They also offer a great variety of duck, chicken, red meat, tofu and vegetable dishes which cater to all tastes. Serving Cantonese and Szechwan dishes, La Maison Kam Fung is well-known as a casual restaurant offering better value for money.

The restaurant offers some of the well-known Chinese dishes like Peking duck, lemon chicken, satay beef, beef with the black bean sauce, sweet and sour pork. Other exotic Chinese cuisines served include stewed beef stomach, pork intestines and phoenix feet for the most eccentric choices.

Jardin de Jade

Jardin de Jade is your best bet on list if you want to try out a variety on list. These include ribs, fish, sushi, vegetarian dishes, pizza and desserts. Get some of the best deals when it comes to taste good food. If you want to experience its bumping glory, then visit on the weekdays when the business people, locals and students battle it out over stir fry. Keep in mind that prices usually vary depending on time and day.

Red Ruby Rouge

Red Ruby Rouge is located in the Montreal Chinatown. The restaurant focuses in authentic Cantonese food, Dim Sum, Chinese hot pots and spicy Szechwan. Using the real Cantonese methods of cooking in braising, baking, steaming, deep frying, stir frying, pan frying, barbecuing and roasting, the cuisine of the Red Ruby Rouge is served succulent, exotic and fresh.

Cooking techniques combined with the mixture of the Szechwan spices like onion, garlic, ginger, chili and peppercorns creates a tantalizing and fiery culinary experience. Your best fine dining option coupled with modern and up-to-dated facilities and amenities.

For more on Restaurants in Montreal, check out information available online. Get to find the best Restaurants in Montreal instantly!

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Chinese Cuisine

China is a world-renowned "epicurean kingdom". Few visitors leave this coun­try without being smitten by the Chinese culinary art, and quite a few of them regard Chinese dishes as the best in the world. Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen nowadays among the world, but for a taste of the authentic fare, China is definitely the place to be.
Chinese cuisine by and large falls into six schools:

Imperial Dishes

These dishes originated in the kitchen of the imperial palace for the exclusive enjoyment of the emperor and empress in bygone days. Graceful names that give wings to imagination, impeccable selection of ingredients, and state-of-the-art cook­ing techniques designed to preserve natu­ral hue, aroma and taste are the major hall­-marks of these imperial dishes. Peking Duck is one of such dishes.

Mansion Kitchen Fare

High officials and famous personages who cared so much for what they ate in bygone days went out of their way to hire famous chefs with handsome pay. With superb culinary skills, these chefs become a school of their own behind the walls of the mansions of the rich and powerful. and eventually their styles of o found their way to the public. The Confu­cian Mansion and the Tan Family are representative of the mansion style of Chinese cuisine. The Confucian fare is being dished out in the Confucian Restaurant at Beijing's Liulichang, and the Tan Family Kitchen has opened shop in Beijing Hotel.

Local Cuisine

Regional differences in resources, climate and folklore have given rise to a vari­ety of cooking schools in China. The Shandong, Sichuan, Yangzhou and Canton are the four major schools. Another theory puts the number at eight, with the addition of Hunan, Fujian, Anhui and Zhejiang. A third theory includes Beijing and Shang­hai so that the nation has ten major schools of Chinese cooking. Shandong, Sichualn, Yangzhou and Cantonese cooking, however, are generally regarded as the most influential of alt schools of Chinese cuisine - the others are simply regarded as branches.

Ethnic Dishes

These dishes were first invented by minority peoples and later spread to other parts of the country. These include the mutton hot pot of Inner Mongolia and the roast whole lamb and shish kebab of Xinjiang.

Monastic Dishes

Otherwise known as vegetarian's dishes, monastic dishes had their origin in Buddhist temples around the country. This school of cooking are understandably dominated by vegetables, and it is flour­ishing because the rising standard of living has prompted many people to become more health-conscious and stick to vegetarian's dishes. Some of these dishes are prepared to resemble the flavour and shape of meat dishes. Apart from their special flavours, the monastic dishes are stomach-friendly and help protect people's health.

Have vegetarian dinners in Chinese famous Buddhist temple on Mt.Wutai

Therapeutic dishes

Therapeutic dishes, which go back a long way in this country. can be found only in Chinese cuisine. Since ancient times, the Chinese have been incorporating traditional medicinal materials in their dishes. These medicines may taste salty, sour, bitter, sweet or pungent. But if they are properly handled, the dishes can guaran­tee an unforgettable gormandizing experience for those who also wish to benefit from the therapeutical effects of what they eat.

Once you have sampled the above- mentioned dishes, you can fed it safe to say that you have obtained complete idea about Chinese.

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Mission Chinese Food, NYC - Mission Accepted!

I had been dying to try Mission Chinese Food since I read about it in New York Magazine about a month ago. From then on, every time I read anything about food, it seemed that Mission Chinese was mentioned. It was even rated by Zagat as one of the best new restaurants in the world! There was so much buzz going that I really wondered was this all just hype? I had to find out for myself...

The one thing that I kept reading everywhere was to expect at least a two hour wait, and I was not too thrilled about that so I decided to go really early on a Tuesday night. When I walked up to the restaurant, I saw that everything I had read about the "curb appeal" was in fact true. It looked like a complete hole in the wall! But looks can be deceiving. They open at 5:30pm for dinner, and I was there by 5:45pm and was told I could be seated immediately, the only problem was that my fellow foodies had not yet arrived. I put in my name and phone number, and I assured the hostess that they would be here soon, and to please hold our spot. By the time the girls arrived, we probably only waited another twenty minutes, so over all this went pretty smoothly. And we got free beer from a keg at the entrance while we waited!

When our turn came to be seated, the hostess led us down a narrow hallway past the kitchen into a small room with red lighting and a huge paper dragon hanging from the ceiling. I have never been to China, but in my mind this is what it would look like. The three of us were squeezed into what should have been a two top, but we made it work. As for the menu, I had been scoping it out for days and reading all about the favorites so I had some ideas on what to order, and of course I let the girls pick some as well. We ended up ordering:

Fresh Rice Noodles - peanut sauce, preserved mustard stems, yuba, cucumber, chili oil

The noodles were thick ribbons cut short and would stick together so you'd end up with a big chunk of noodles, but the peanut sauce was delicious, not too thick or overwhelming. I am so glad we ordered this dish because it was a mild one, and the fresh cucumber really soothed my burning tongue.

Spicy Scallop Sashimi - Hokkaido scallop, quince, crispy sweetbreads

This was another one that provided some comfort to our burning mouths... It was a small dish and very delicate. I wish I would have tried this before all the spicy ones because the scallop taste was lost to my now senseless tongue.

Kung Pao Pastrami - peanuts, celery, potato, explosive chili

Wow was this hot! I had high hopes for this dish as I read it was one of the favorites, but it wasn't mine. The flavors were great, don't get me wrong, the crunchy peanuts with the raw celery in the tasty brown sauce were amazing, but the pastrami itself I wasn't too crazy about. It was almost lost in the rest of the dish. It was cut into very small pieces, and too chewy for my taste. And I didn't see any potatoes in this dish (though it was listed as an ingredient).

Fish Fragrant Eggplant - celery, sunflower seeds, basil, fried garlic

This was a delicious surprise for me. I hadn't seen many reviews on this one, but it was my cousin's pick and the flavors were just brilliant. I am a big fan of garlic, and I love it with eggplant. The eggplant was very tender without being too mushy, and the sauce was so rich and delicious I put it all over my barley rice. Also it was pretty mild for Mission standards, and was quite enjoyable.

Chongqing Chicken Wings - explosive chili, crispy beef tripe

Daniel Bowien was not exaggerating when he listed explosive chili as the first ingredient. I love spicy food, but these wings made water come out of every orifice on my face. But that was not going to stop me from eating them! The wings, in addition to being incredibly spicy, were also scrumptious. The meat was tender, and coated with dry spices instead of the spicy wings we are used to which come from the sauce. The flavors were truly embedded inside the wing and left a lasting impression - on my tongue, lips, and all over my mouth!

Egg Egg Noodles - soft hen egg, ginger, scallion, Chinese sausage

This was probably one of my favorites, which is not surprising because I love my noodles! I loved the presentation with all the ingredients arranged on top of the noodles including the hen egg, which you have to burst and mix yourself. The egg was smooth and creamy and made a delightful sauce with the egg noodles. The Chinese sausage was in little bits and seemed to be fried. I honestly didn't even realize it was sausage while I was eating it.

Barley Rice

It was your run of the mill steamed rice with some barley in it, but it became our life saver after the hot dishes. One bite chicken wing, one bite barley rice, one bite Kung Pao Pastrami, one bite rice...
Smashed Cucumbers - salted chili, sesame paste, garlic (OK we didn't actually order this one, but somehow it ended up at our table and so we ate it)

I'm so glad this accidentally ended up at our table because it was very refreshing and a nice juxtaposition to all the heavier meaty dishes. And again I love garlic!

And yes, we did eat all of this food and yes I did say there were only three of us! I wish I could do a better job in describing it all, but it was so full of exotic ingredients, flavors, spices and seasonings that it's rather difficult to put into words. It's just something you have to experience for yourself in order to understand. I do think all the hype was worth it, and I will definitely go back to try more of the menu. However, I would do a few things differently, and I recommend you do the same - first, make sure to balance the hot dishes with mild dishes. If we hadn't had that, we would have probably died! Secondly, try all of the mild dishes first so you can savor those flavors before losing sense in your tongue. But make sure to save some for when you are eating the spicy dishes (as the dishes come out in no particular order). Lastly, when you eat the wings, do not lick your lips!

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Chinese Food

Chinese food now holds a popular place among the entire population of the world. You can find a Chinese restaurant in every major city and in many smaller areas of the world as well. Why is Chinese food so popular? Is Chinese food healthy? What is the history of Chinese food?

The History of Chinese Food

The history of Chinese food is an interesting one. Unlike many cultures the Chinese believe that the preparation of food is an art and not simply a craft. The art of cooking Chinese food can include dishes and food preparation techniques which are difficult to develop and may require the expertise of a chef with lots of experience. One such technique is noodle pullinghttp://royalpandarestaurant.samsbiz.com/page/18jcr/Home.html (scroll down to the bottom of the page to learn more about this technique). Noodle pulling requires skill and lots of practice and results in a delicious noodle dish. This article will refer to noodle pulling later on, but for now, let's go back to the history of Chinese food.

Chinese food and the way it is prepared is very much influenced by the two major philosophies, which influence the entire Chinese culture. These dominant philosophies are Confucianism and Taoism. Both have these philosophies have influenced the way that the Chinese people cook and the way that they enjoy their food.

Confucianism and Chinese Cuisine

Confucius was the man behind the Confucianism beliefs. Among many other standards Confucius established standards for proper table etiquette and for the appearance and taste of Chinese food. One of the standards set by Confucius (you might have noticed this at an authentic Chinese restaurant) is that food must be cut into small bite size pieces before serving the dish. This is a custom that is definitely unique to the Chinese culture.

Knives at the dinner table are also considered to be a sign of very poor taste by those who embrace Confucianist beliefs. The standards of quality and taste that Confucius recommended required the perfect blend of ingredients, herbs and condiments--a blend which would result in the perfect combination of flavor. Confucius also emphasized the importance of the texture and color of a dish, and taught that food must be prepared and eaten with harmony. Interestingly enough, Confucius was also of the opinion that an excellent cook must first make an excellent matchmaker.

Taoism and Chinese Cuisine

Those who follow the Taoism beliefs focus on the health benefits of particular foods vs. the presentation of the same. Taoists search for foods that will increase their health and longevity. They search for foods that have healing powers. Many times these benefits were often referred to as 'life giving powers'. For instance, the Chinese found that ginger, which can be considered to be a garnish or a condiment was found to be a remedy for upset stomachs or a remedy for colds.

Is Chinese Food Healthy?

Chinese food, when authentic is probably the healthiest food in the world. Some restaurants, which are not authentic, prepare their menu with highly saturated fats or with meats that contain unhealthy amounts of animal fat. These Chinese restaurants are not recommended and they are both neither authentic nor healthy.

Good Chinese food however, is prepared and cooked with poly-unsaturated oils. Authentic Chinese food does not require the use of milk-fat ingredients such as cream, butter or cheese. Meat is used, but not in abundance, which makes it easy for those who love authentic Chinese food to avoid high levels of animal fat. Many believe that authentic Chinese food is really the ideal diet.

Chinese Restaurants in Every Part of the Nation

Whether it is in a Tennessee Chinese Restaurant to a New York Chinese restaurant you are going to find culinary dishes that are both healthy and delicious. Savor the flavor with Chinese food!

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The Four Regions of Chinese Cuisine

The world of Chinese food consists of more variety than most Americans realize. There are many different types of food in China that can be categorized roughly by four regions: Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western. Some information about each:

Southern, or Cantonese - The cuisine from this area is perhaps the most well known to Americans. Cantonese cuisine uses a large variety of vegetables and meats. Rice is the staple, and the familiar Fried Rice recipes are Cantonese in origin. Many of the dishes of this area are prepared very quickly by stir-frying. Usually Cantonese cuisine is lightly flavored, but there are a large variety of tastes used. Sweet and sour dishes originated in this region.

Northern, or Beijing - Also known as Mandarin cuisine, this type of food originated in the area of China that has very sever winters. The climate of this region does not allow for the growing of rice, so wheat is the staple. Wheat is made into noodles, pancakes and dumplings. The flavors of Northern China are more robust, with plenty of onion, garlic, cabbage, bean pastes, dark soy sauce and oyster flavored sauce. With influences from Mongolian and Muslim invaders in the past, Northern cuisine is hearty fare. Beijing (Peking) Duck, Mongolian Hot Pot and Mongolian Beef are some of the more familiar types of this cuisine.

Eastern, or Shanghai - This cuisine uses a combination of wheat and rice as its staples. Rice and wheat noodles are very popular. This region has a lot of rivers and other bodies of water, so fish and seafood are a very large part of the cuisine. Sugar is also grown in this area, and Shanghai cuisine uses more of it than the other regions. The cooking style of this region can be delicate and refined, with a large variety of sweet and savory pastries being made using the thinnest of pastry skin. Meatballs made from finely minced pork are also part of this cuisine. This area also produces a type of cured ham.

Western, or Szechwan - Szechwan cuisine is famous for its use of tongue-blistering chili peppers in a variety of dishes. But there's more to this cuisine than just heat. There are subtle dishes, such as smoked Chicken that is smoked with tea leaves. Szechwan pepper is also a spice used in this cuisine. Five-spice powder is another spice that is used in this cuisine. Hot and Sour soup and Twice Cooked Pork are familiar dishes from this area.

These four regions are only a broad guide to the remarkable, varied cuisine of China.

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Overview of Chinese Food

Chinese food is unique and different from every other country for a number of reasons. Historically, China has been overpopulated and hunger has always been a problem. The Chinese have spent much time trying to find ways to make sure that people in among them have enough to eat. There wasn't a lot of meat, Chinese recipes often have had meat mixed in with other items that are less scarce, such as noodles or rice. The Chinese have often used vegetable to stir-fry different meals.

When the Chinese were invaded by Mongols, many of the Mongolian styles of cooking and types of cuisine became adopted by the Chinese. There are many different types of cooking and in different regions of China. The Chinese eat many foods that are considered to be very odd by Western cultures. Some examples of this are dogs, snakes, cats, frogs, and seaweed. These items are used in Chinese recipes and are very different from what people in Western societies eat.

Chinese people don't eat a lot of meat, but they have used pork and chicken in their cuisine. The Chinese follow the philosophy of yin and yang, which means that they like to have balance in the foods that they eat. It is for this reason that their foods have different textures and colors.

Rice is considered to be the staple food of the Chinese. Many Chinese recipes contain rice in them because rice is a very common food in China and widely available. The Chinese use rice with bean sprouts, cabbage, scallions and many other foods. Vegetables are very common in Chinese food, as is tofu, which is made of soybean curd.

In China, there are four regions to consider when looking at cooking. One region is the Cantonese region. In this region, Chinese recipes include a lot of rice and stir-fry. Many immigrants to the United States from China come from this region, so many of the Chinese restaurants in the United States feature this type of food. Some familiar dishes are egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken and pork, and wonton soup.

Another area in China that needs to be considered in Chinese recipes is the Mandarin area of China. Their most popular cuisine is Peking duck, which is roast dick that is wrapped in pancakes. Other foods that are eaten in this area are pancakes, noodles and dumplings. In the Shanghai region of China, which is a coastal area, they eat a lot of seafood because that is the most readily accessible food. They also use very strong condiments and sauces.

The final region is the Szechuan region. In this area, Chinese recipes include leeks, onions, hot peppers and garlic. This style of cooking has become more popular in the United States in recent years. The most popular thing to drink in China is tea. The types of tea that are often seen in China are oolong, black and green tea. These types of tea are seen very often in the United States in recent years as well.

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