Tips For Understanding The Methods Of Chinese Cooking

Learning about Chinese cuisine involves not only understanding the harmony of ingredients and flavors, it also requires some knowledge of the methods used in cooking the food. If you dig deeply, you will find several dozen specific techniques for cooking, but each falls under a simple category.

Let's take a look at the basic four categories and a few specifics under each method.

Oil

You will probably be familiar with oil cooking first, as you will likely try your hand at stir-frying when you begin cooking Chinese cuisine. But oil cooking also encompasses the methods of deep-frying, shallow-frying, and braising.

Stir-frying is done with only a little oil at a very high, fierce heat. Deep-frying uses more oil, heated at a medium to high heat. The food may be coated with dry ingredients or a wet batter, or may be left as is with no coating. Shallow-frying is done using medium to low heat. You'll often see whole fish fillets cooked in this method.

Braising is a little bit different from these other methods as the ingredients may be cooked separately first by stir-frying, then added back together and combined with a liquid and thickening agent to create a sauce. The dish is still cooked quickly and removed, not allowing the ingredients to stew.

Water

Cooking with water also means cooking with other liquids. You'll be boiling, poaching, or simmering ingredients in water, broth, tomato juice, wine, etc., and in a wok, most likely.

Boiling is often done rapidly over high heat to create stock, cook soup, or to blanch vegetables. Poaching is done at a medium to low heat to cook fish, for instance. Often, broth or other liquid is used to poach foods in order to add more flavor.

Simmering is done at low heat and is used to stew foods and flavors together. A recipe may call for ingredients to be stir-fried first, then brought together in the wok and put over low heat, covered, and simmered until the ingredients are tender and soft. Gravy and sauces are usually produced this way.

 Steam

This method is favored by many health conscious folks who want to avoid oils in their cooking. Steam is produced by rapidly boiling liquid, then the food is suspended in some fashion over the boiling liquid and allowed to steam until tender.

There are steamers you can use just for this purpose, or you can suspend a basket over the liquid in a wok. Steaming is used to cook food entirely, but may also be used to prepare food for cooking. Some vegetables in particular may benefit from steaming before they are stir-fried. Dense vegetables such as carrots will cook faster in the stir-fry method after they have been steamed.

Steaming is also a preferred method when cooking tougher cuts of meat. The meat becomes tender when steamed and is then ready to braise, fry, or add to soup.

Fire

Not all Chinese cooks had ovens available, so this method was often more like a barbecue over an open flame or in a fire pit. Meat would typically be seasoned or marinaded, then put into a heavy pot with a lid, and roasted. The pot was basically an oven. Roasting or baking could also be done in a tightly sealed pot submerged into a fire pit.

Smoking food was also accomplished with a fire pit, sometimes with a grill of some sort suspended over the fire. Depending on the flavor the cook wants to infuse the food with would determine what fuel was used to burn in the pit. Items like bamboo leaves, tea leaves, and bundles of herbs would be favorites to smoke and flavor the food.

Of course, this is just a snapshot of the techniques used to create Chinese cuisine. There are dozens more, but this list will get you started. Once you master these few, go ahead and explore the others and enjoy!

Tips For Understanding The Four Styles Of Chinese Cuisine

When you visit a Chinese restaurant for the first time, you may be confused, and even overwhelmed, by the wide variety of items on the menu. Not only are there a vast array of ingredients, but the flavors are all over the board. To put it simply, all Chinese food is not alike!

Of course, when you look at a map of China, you can see why this cuisine may vary so much. China is very large with an incredible landscape filled with every kind of topography you can imagine, from snow-capped mountains, to deserts, to fresh water, to salt water, and everything in between.

Because of the differences in climate and landscape across China, the cuisine naturally changes. There are countless regional differences, but for this discussion we will focus on the four styles, or schools, of Chinese cuisine. Each style, or category if you like, of cooking will have sub-categories that you may recognize. But, to keep things simpler, we'll stick with the four main categories. Let's take a look.

Yue - This cooking style is probably better known to most people as Cantonese cuisine. The cooking style comes from the Guangdong province in the south China region. Fresh ingredients which are  skillfully cooked is the trademark of this style. Stir-frying is often the cooking method of choice as it maintains the integrity of the delicate seafood and vegetables. Over-cooking and over-seasoning would be considered bad manners by any Yue style cook.

Lu - Across the Shandong province in the north China region, you will find a hearty blend of ingredients including noodles, garlic, seafood, and soy sauce. A variety of soups, whether clear or creamy, often form an important part of the meal and have historical methods which are stringently followed in this school of Chinese cuisine. Fresh, tender ingredients highlight the Lu dishes.

Chuan - This familiar category of cuisine is well known by many as szechuan. Most people who have ordered from a Chinese menu have seen this style of cooking. Originating in the Sichuan province in the south-west region of China, this food is very spicy and richly seasoned. You'll find lots of chili peppers and garlic in these familiar dishes, along with the every popular szechuan peppercorns. The dishes are not only spicy, but they are often saucy and flavored with sesame paste or oil, ginger, and plenty of peanuts. The ingredients are cooked in a variety of ways, but always to maintain the integrity and texture of the food and the multiple flavor profiles present.

Su - This region of China, the Jiangsu, is greatly influenced by its major feature - the Yangtze River. For that reason, you would expect to see plenty of freshwater fish, shellfish, and duck on the menu, and you wouldn't be disappointed. Delicately prepared, the natural sweetness of the ingredients is maintained. Along with the foods harvested from the river, you will find dishes featuring rice, bamboo shoots, tea leaves, wild mushrooms, and plenty of local fruit. Color, texture, and shapes all play a part in preparing pleasing meals in the Su tradition.

Within each of these four categories of Chinese cuisine, you will find many other styles of cooking, each very specific to its own region. But, for the casual observer or eater of Chinese cuisine, knowing just these basic four will help you understand a menu better, or even dig into a recipe a home with more skill and enjoyment. Have fun getting to know this complicated, and delicious, cuisine!

Enjoy Exploring The Flavors Of Chinese Cuisine

The Flavors Of Chinese Cuisine Simplified

Thousands of years ago, it was discovered by Chinese cooks and philosophers that a variety of ingredients, mixed together artfully, creates a harmonious meal. When multiple foods  blend together, our taste buds are happy.

But, along with the main ingredients in a Chinese recipes, you'll notice a few pinches of this and a drizzle of that added to the dish. Don't let the dribs and drabs of these ingredients fool you - their importance is huge!

We're talking about the flavors we must incorporate in Chinese cooking if we want our meal to be a delicious success.  Let's look at the basic 5 flavors we all know and what ingredients we might use to achieve that taste:

Salty

Of course you'll find this flavor in table salt, but also in products that are made with salt, such as soy sauce. Experiment with a variety of salts to find a flavor palate you really enjoy. You'll be amazed at the choices you'll find for an ingredient as simple as salt.

Sweet

Refined white sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, jams and jellies can be used to produce the sweet flavor in a dish. Raw sugar and sugar cane is a favorite of many cooks who want to produce the purest sweet flavor they can.

Sour

This is the flavor that makes your lips pucker. Sometimes confused with the bitter flavor, sour flavor has more of a mouth-watering effect. Rice vinegar is a good example, but tomato paste and plum sauce are also nice and sour when made properly.

Bitter

When you taste a bitter food, your mouth should have more of a drying sensation. Almond paste, citrus zest, and some herbs will give you this taste. This flavor isn't always understood and often cooks try to avoid it entirely. The next time you zest an orange, give it a taste before you add it to the recipe and see if you can pick out the bitter flavor. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Hot

This flavor can be confused with spicy. However, a spicy taste is usually a combination of flavors, not just heat. You'll get plenty of heat with chili peppers, Szechuan peppercorns, dry and prepared mustard, and even fresh ginger root. Again, think of the sensation of heat rising up into your sinuses and you'll get the picture.

Each of these flavors is enjoyable on its own, but the real taste treat comes when you combine them. Remember, the idea behind Chinese cuisine is the harmony of flavors. Some simple combinations that every Chinese cook knows how to make and use are:

Sweet and Sour - combine sugar and vinegar

Sweet and Salty - combine salt and soy sauce

Hot and Sour - combine chili sauce and vinegar

Salty and Hot - combine soy sauce and mustard

Once you learn these basic mixtures, you will be able to start blending even more flavors together to create a greater variety. That's the fun of Chinese cooking – there are not limits to the imagination and experimentation. Enjoy exploring these flavors... and more!

Cook The Perfect Chinese Meal With This Equipment Guide

The Essential Chinese Cuisine Cooking Equipment Guide

Browse the aisles of your favorite kitchen store or search the internet, and you will find a vast array of cooking equipment to create delicious Chinese cuisine. Each item will appear to be essential in producing the perfect Chinese meal.

However, for thousands of years the Chinese have been turning out beautiful food without the use of more than a few utensils. Perhaps we should learn how to do the same. Let's take a look at the four really essential pieces of kitchen equipment in order to make authentic Chinese cuisine.

Knives

Sometimes you will hear the term "Chinese cleaver" used to describe the knife used for all the preparation work required in a Chinese recipe. A cleaver is typically a very hefty knife much like a butcher would wield. This is not what we need in Chinese cooking. But, when you go into a store to find the knife you need, this may be the term the clerk will use. But, let's see what you really need.

In reality, you will probably use several knives and they each must be versatile. If made properly, the knives will be light in weight and easy to handle, even the largest knife you choose.

If you are planning on chopping through a lot of bones, such as cutting apart chickens or ribs, you will need a large 'chopper' with a blade about 9 inches long and 4 inches wide, more or less to fit your hand. However, a smaller 'slicer' knife will work for most cooks who are mainly slicing meat and vegetables into uniform sizes for stir fry recipes.

Most cooks will prefer a knife in between a large chopper and a small slicer. There are many knives on the market now that are a shorter version of the large chopper, but still have a wider area than the slicer. With the front tip of this medium size knife the cook can easily slice small pieces of food, while with the wider back end of the knife the cook can cut through larger pieces of meat and even bones.

Picking the right knife is important for other reasons, as well. The knife you choose must do double, triple, or even quadruple duty when it comes to food preparation work. You will be using the flat side of your knife to smash garlic and other spices. Then you will be using your knife to scrape chopped foods off the cutting board to move over to the wok. You may even use the handle end of the knife to pound and blend spices.

As you can see, the knife you choose must be well thought out. Make sure it fits your hand perfectly, is well balanced and sturdy. Buy the best knife, or knives, your budget will allow, keep them clean and dry and well sharpened and you can't go wrong.

Cutting Board

Shopping for this kitchen essential can also make your head spin. There are so many options to consider, it's hard to know which is the best. Trial and error may be your best teacher, but there are a few items to consider before you get that far.

Wood is the traditional material for cutting boards or chopping blocks in a Chinese kitchen. You will find small, thin cutting boards that are suitable, but not very desirable. Instead, look for large boards, at least 16 to 20 inches wide to keep from having to chase pieces of food across the counter top. Choose a thick board, at least 3 inches thick, to keep from hitting your knuckles on the counter top as you chop your food.

Season new wood cutting boards by rubbing a good cooking oil into the wood, letting it soak in thoroughly, then rinsing the board off with hot water and drying it well. To wash the board, simply use the edge of your knife to scrape the surface, then run the board under hot water and let dry in a well ventilated area. Don't let your cutting board soak in water and don't  wash it with harsh soap. If you feel you must scrub your board, dampen it with fresh water, sprinkle salt over the board, and wipe down with a clean cloth, then rinse well with hot water and dry thoroughly. Store the board standing on its edge, preferably on a rack so air circulates all around.

Having more than one cutting board is a good idea when it comes to keeping your cutting surfaces healthy. Cross-contamination is a serious issue, especially when dealing with raw poultry and other meats. Most cooks today prefer to have several cutting boards available for this reason; one for raw meat, one for vegetables, and one for cooked foods.

Plastic cutting boards have become more popular for this reason. You may want to keep two or three plastic boards handy for cutting just raw meat in order to eliminate this concern. Save your pretty wooden cutting boards for chopping herbs and vegetables if the idea of cross-contamination worries you.

Wok

Most often thought of as the stir-fry essential, a wok is really an all-purpose Chinese cooking utensil. The shape of the wok makes it perfect for many recipes, including, but not limited to, stir frying. A large skillet is not a substitute for a wok.

A good wok should be made of heavy material, have a slightly rounded bottom, and have high sloping sides. It should fit on a ring-shaped stand that sits on top of the burner on a stove and holds the wok upright but allows for some tipping of the wok by the cook. There are electric models available, but the basic stove-top variety works just as well, if not better in some opinions. You will also find single handled and double handled models, and a variety of sizes, as well. The lid serves many purposes, so make sure it fits well, has a high dome, and has a good handle on top.

The shape of the wok, the high sloping sides and slightly rounded bottom, is what makes the wok suitable for stir frying. The oil sits in the bottom, heating very hot, then as the food is fried it is pushed up the sides out of the hot bottom, and the next food is added to the bottom, again frying and sliding up out of the way.

A proper wok should be made of very sturdy metal which will withstand high heat making it equally suitable for deep frying. You only need to fill the bottom with oil, bring the temperature up and add the foods. Having the high sides of the wok makes the oil less likely to bubble over when the food is added as it might in a more shallow skillet. And, having more depth means the oil maintains the high heat better. Using the proper wok and a high heat oil makes the perfect combination for quickly deep frying foods.

The wok is also used for steaming, braising, and even smoking foods. You may even simmer soup in your wok. Many woks come with baskets and tools to set the wok up for these cooking methods. Make sure the domed lid fits well if you chose to use your wok for any of these cooking methods. The condensation on the inside of the lid should slide down the sides of the lid, and not directly on the top of the food, so check for a high dome shape on the lid when you buy your wok.

Stir and Scoop

When you purchase a wok set, you will most likely get some kind of a paddle or spatula and a scoop. The most versatile tool for stir frying will be a long handled wide scoop. This will have a heat-proof handle and be of fairly large size. You will use this tool most often for stir frying and for transferring the food out of the wok onto platters.

A slightly rounded spatula or shovel with a long heat-proof handle is useful especially when frying large pieces of meat or fish. You may also want to invest in a 'spider' which is just a large wire mesh scoop used to remove food from the wok while leaving the oil behind.

One, two, or three of these utensils will come in handy at some time when you are cooking with your wok, but if you only have one, you'll get along just fine. Whatever you choose, be sure it fits in your hand comfortably and it has a sturdy heat-proof handle.

These are the basic 4 items you will need when outfitting your kitchen to cook Chinese cuisine. You can start with one knife, one cutting board, a wok, and one stirrer, and cook up a great meal. Or, you can invest in several of each item if you wish. Where you start depends on you and your budget. The most delicious meals are often the simplest, so start small and enjoy the big flavors of Chinese cuisine!

For Successful Stir Frying Try These Simple Tips

One of the first, and some say best, methods you will learn for creating delicious Chinese cuisine is stir-frying. This term simply refers to frying foods quickly while stirring constantly.

Because you are frying the foods fast, the ingredients stay fresh, crisp, tender, and juicy, all at the same time, making this a great method for cooking. But, part of the success of stir-frying depends on preparation and know-how. Let's take a look at a few tips to get you started learning how to stir-fry the right way.

Cookware

There is no doubt about it - a wok is an essential piece of cookware for successfully stir-frying foods. Of course, you will see recipes that say you can use a large skillet, and this is true. But, a standard skillet usually doesn't have the sloped sides to accommodate the cooking method needed for a stir-fry. If you have a very large skillet with high, sloped sides, however, you basically have a wok. So, semantics aside, what you need in order to stir-fry is a very large skillet with high, sloped sides, or what is better known as a wok.

There are electric woks and stove-top woks, the one you choose is totally up to you. You may find an electric wok is easier to control, but some find they like being able to turn the heat up when they want. An electric wok may cool down when it cycles on and off, so this is something you just want to be aware of.

You will also need a good stirring utensil, such as a wide paddle or spoon. Be absolutely sure it has a heat-proof handle as you will be in close proximity to a lot of hot surfaces. You'll want a slotted or mesh spoon of some sort, such as a 'spider' strainer, to grab the food out of the wok as needed. And don't forget having plenty of big platters to hold the food as you remove it from the wok.

Ingredients

No matter what you are stir-frying, you want the best possible ingredients. Because you are using quick hot frying, the integrity of the ingredients is important. Save your wilted broccoli for the slow-cooker and put your fatty pork roast in the oven. Lean proteins, fresh seafood, and crispy vegetables are best in the wok.

When preparing your ingredients for the wok, keep in mind the density. In other words, cut the ingredients up to cook at about the same rate based on how dense each ingredient is and how much cooking time each will take.

For instance, cut your broccoli into florettes, but make sure you cut your carrots and celery smaller, especially if you are cooking them together. Thinly slice the chicken or meat so it doesn't burn on the outside before it gets a chance to cook on the inside. Seafood can often be left in larger pieces as it cooks faster.

Learning this sizing trick may take a time or two, but once you learn the method, the cooking gets easier.
And last, but not least, is the oil. You will find some recipes for Chinese dishes that, remarkably, call for olive oil or sesame oil for frying. This is a definite no-no. Both oils burn at relatively low temperatures making them both unsuitable for frying. Choose a 'high heat' oil such as peanut oil for stir-frying. Check the smoke-point of any oil you choose before using it to make sure it can reach the high temperature required for stir-frying.

Timing

Stir-frying success requires good timing. In order to get all your ingredients together and cooked properly, you'll need some preparation time.

We talked about cutting up the proteins and vegetables to fry properly. Some ingredients by their nature are more delicate, and no matter how you cut them, they will fry up fast. So, you will need to put your ingredients in order of what gets added first, second, third, and so on. For instance, carrots and celery would be one of the first ingredients added, whereas spinach  or green peas would definitely be added last.

After cutting up and arranging the ingredients, you will want to pre-mix any sauces you will be adding. Because stir-frying is fast, you don't have time to measure and mix cooking sauces in between stirring.

You will be cooking the ingredients just long enough to sear and seal in the juices. The produce should be crisp-tender and bright in color. The meat and seafood should be slightly browned on the outside while still juicy on the inside, but never raw. The quick cooking at a high temperature makes this possible. But, if you don't have your ingredients ready to go when you light that fire, the result will not be pleasing.

Do you feel like you could now tackle learning how to stir-fry? Go ahead! With these few simple tips, you are going to do just fine. Enjoy!

Tips For Preparing Chinese Cuisine

Learning Food Cutting Tricks For Perfect Chinese Cooking

In order to successfully cook Chinese cuisine, you must first learn the most important rule in food preparation - how to cut. If you don't cut it right, it won't cook right, which is what we're saying.

You will find in the earliest references to Chinese cooking, the cutting of the ingredients takes precedence over just about everything else. Cutting the pieces up properly not only is important for serving with chopsticks, it keeps cooking time down to a minimum. This both saves on fuel and maintains the delicate integrity of the fresh ingredients. Cutting food properly also maintains the harmony of the dish, which is so important to Chinese cuisine.

So, let's take the guess work out of cutting up the ingredients for your Chinese meal with these basic guidelines.

Cooking Method

You'll need to know which type of cooking method your recipe requires before cutting up the ingredients. Stir-fry dishes typically need thin strips of food, while braising may require a larger chunk of food. If the recipe calls for chunks or diced portions, you are most likely going to use those in a slower cooking method.

That is not set in stone, but generally speaking, the slower the cooking method, the larger the cuts. Keep this in mind with meats and vegetables, as well as noodles. Each require a different treatment when it comes to judging the appropriate size for the cooking method.

Ingredient Characteristic

Getting to learn and understand the differences in food characteristics is important when deciding how to cut. If, for instance, you are making a stir-fry with all celery, go ahead and cut it up into thin diagonal pieces all the same size. However, when you add onion to the mix, you know those pieces will have to be thicker if you are stir frying them at the same time.

 A dense food will take longer to cook than a softer, more delicate food. Also keep in mind the color changes inherent in different foods. Broccoli is a good example, as is pea pods. Both will be a brilliant green color if cooked just right. But overcook either one of these, and the color will turn a pale drab washed-out green.

Aesthetic Harmony

After considering the cooking method and ingredient characteristic, take another look at what you have in front of you. Can they all be cut into the same size and shape? Perhaps the cooking method allows for similar sized ingredients to be prepared in separate batches, such as a stir fry, so dense ingredients can be stir-fried first, then removed and tender ingredients stir-fried, and repeated until the meal is complete. Sometimes the aesthetic beauty of the meal is in the harmony of a variety of textures, colors, and flavors all being presented in the same shape.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when cutting up ingredients for your Chinese dish. Start with the simplest thing you already know - carrots and celery take longer to cook than bean sprouts. Then, build on that knowledge and soon you'll be cutting and prepping like an expert chef.

Healthy Chinese Cuisine FOr Your Kids

Introduce Your Kids To Healthy Chinese Cuisine Right At Home

Forget that mushy carry-out stuff you've been getting. That is not the Chinese cuisine you or your kids want, or need. Chinese food is, or can be, healthy, and it doesn't have to be complicated. Yes, you can make it at home, simply, and your kids will love it and ask for more.

Let's take a look at a few ideas for cooking healthy delicious kid-friendly Chinese dishes right in your own kitchen, without a lot of fuss.

Apple Carrot Happy Soup

Your kids will be more than happy to eat a bowl of soup with apples in it. Use a vegetable stock or chicken stock, add slices of carrots and apples, some fresh green parsley, little strips of chicken, and top with bean sprouts or chopped chestnuts or other crunchy topping your kids will like. For extra nutrients, remember; don't peel the apples before you add them to the soup.

Rainbow Wrapper Bowls

Take spring roll wrappers and tuck individual pieces in the cups of a lightly oiled muffin tin. Bake them in a moderate oven for just a minute or two until the spring roll wrappers get lightly browned and crispy. Remove and let cool. Now you can fill the little 'bowls' with any mixture of ingredients you like.

 Chop some cucumber, red bell pepper, tomato, and onion very fine, throw in some edamame, then toss with a drizzle of sweet chili sauce and a little soy sauce, fill the bowls and enjoy. Or, you can put different ingredients out and have everyone make their own 'bowl' of goodness.

Wild Wontons

If your kids are fried food fans, go ahead and give them what they want, only healthier. Buy wonton wraps, then create a filling that focuses on nutrition. Finely chop lots of vegetables, any combination you like, including fresh herbs and greens like kale and spinach. You can add finely chopped nuts, too, along with cooked meat or tofu. Then add an egg to the mixture and stir until well blended.

Fill the wontons and wrap them up tightly, then quick fry them in a high heat oil in your wok, remove them to a cooling rack and serve. They are crispy and delicious, and your kids won't even know they're eating a healthier version of their carry-out favorite.

Piled High Stir Fry Noodles

This is another recipe that uses nutritious foods to counteract the frying process. First, you'll want to cook some good quality thin egg noodles according to the package directions, drain and set aside. Now, finely chop lots and lots of vegetables. In true Chinese cuisine style, cut a variety of vegetables into similar sized thin strips to create a harmonious appearance.

Heat a small amount of high-heat oil in your wok and quickly stir-fry the noodles, then remove and set aside. Add just a tiny bit more oil and add in the vegetables, stirring just until tender. Now add the noodles back in and stir everything together briefly, then serve. The quick frying means only a small amount of oil is used, or absorbed, and the vegetables maintain their nutrients, color, and texture. Kids get their noodles and you get the satisfaction knowing they get their veggies, too.

You don't have to serve your kids piles of salty, mushy carry-out goop trying to pass for Chinese food. Instead, create these simple dishes at home and your kids will dig right in without a moment's thought about missing the carry-out!

Creating An Authentic Chinese Meal At Home

When delving into Chinese cooking, you will most likely start by finding a recipe, getting out the ingredients and the cookware, and finally preparing the dish. But, true Chinese cuisine actually involves getting to know much more than how to stir-fry. Cooking and serving Chinese food is as much about the experience as it is about the food.

To begin, we need to consider how a typical Chinese meal is served. The Chinese gather around a large table to share in the meal. Each dish prepared is placed on the table where everyone can help themselves. Individual portions are not served out of sight and brought to the participants. In American terms this might be called 'family style' dining, which basically achieves the same spirit of togetherness and sharing.

Chinese meals are served with chopsticks, but this eating utensil serves several purposes. Not only are chopsticks used to grab, pierce, and slide tasty morsels from the bowl to the mouth, they are also used to help others select the tastiest of the offerings. This is a sign of affection when chopsticks are used to point out, or even stab, a delicious portion and present it to another person seated around the table.

The Chinese table is a communal affair, which is similar to a buffet style dinner, but with participants seated around the dishes. The menu at a large dinner will typically consist of many dishes, making the communal dining experience necessary. Imagine bringing individual plates out for each course in a meal that consists of perhaps a dozen or more dishes!

Diners seated around a large table with numerous dishes is usually an informal affair. In this case, all the dishes, both hot and cold, would be placed on the table. At more formal occasions, the communal table may still be used but the dishes may be placed on the table in groups or courses, depending on the menu.

Whether the dinner is formal or informal, the menu usually consists of a variety of foods in multiple courses. As mentioned, in an informal setting, the courses may be placed on a communal table all at once, whereas in a formal setting, the courses may come out separately, but still usually in a communal manner, not individually.

The typical Chinese menu will have a first course of around three or four cold dishes or an assortment of as many cold appetizers on one dish. The second course will include around three or four quick cooked dishes. This could be simple stir-fried or deep-fried vegetables, seafood, chicken, or meat, usually consisting of only one or two ingredients at the most, and it depends on what is served next for the big course.

The next course should be the main or big course, which would include multiple-ingredient dishes that are braised, roasted, steamed, and, well, big. Here is where you serve the whole duck, chicken, or fish. There could be one dish, but it is more typically a course of several proteins, often highlighting different preparation methods. You would probably want to serve at least one meat with one seafood, and mix them up a bit.

Noodles, rice, and dumplings are served next. These would include simple bowls of rice, or bowls of dumpling or noodle soups. Usually a variety of several dishes is served, again mixing the offerings up to please the palate.

Some of these dishes may be shared in communal style, with the exception being small bowls of soup, which would be served in individual portions. Then, at the end of the meal, fresh fruit, fruit soups, pudding, and tea may be served, depending on the formality of the meal.

When placing a Chinese meal on a communal table, you will notice that each dish is ready to dig into, and it is encouraged to do just that - dig in!  There is no waiting for everyone to be 'served' before beginning to eat.
If you want to present a truly authentic Chinese meal, try these methods. You can begin small with just a few courses placed on your family table. Then, once you get familiar with a few more recipes, who knows - you may be creating classic Chinese feasts!

Cooking Chinese Cuisine At Home Requires These 7 Ingredients

Many people who want to learn Chinese cooking begin by digging into recipes. That can be great fun, but it can also become overwhelming. The variety of ingredients is incredible.

But, when you look at enough recipes, you'll soon see a pattern. Some ingredients repeat themselves over and over again, perhaps indicating that these particular items are essential to creating tasty Chinese dishes.

Let's take a look at seven of the ingredients you will want in your kitchen at all times when trying out your recipes for Chinese cuisine.

Soy Sauce

This is a very basic and very well known ingredient in Chinese cooking. Made with fermented soybeans and flour, soy sauce is actually available in several varieties.

The simplest distinction is between 'light' and 'dark' soy sauce. Light soy sauce will be thinner and saltier, and is often used as salt to flavor food. Dark soy sauce has a smoother, more mellow flavor with a less salty taste.

Sesame Oil

Made from sesame seeds, this item has a distinctive flavor that many new to Chinese cooking may not be familiar with. However, you will see it used in many recipes once you start looking, so this is an ingredient you need to know about.

Be very careful when you choose recipes using sesame oil because some may call for adding sesame oil to the wok to fry food. This is not recommended as sesame oil burns very easily, and for that reason should only be used at the end of the food preparation just to add flavor. Also, be aware that sesame oil has a very intense flavor so a little goes a long, long way.

Peanut Oil

This is your go-to oil for stir-frying because it can be heated to a very high temperature, which is what is needed when cooking in a wok. If you see olive oil or sesame oil in a recipe for stir-frying, substitute peanut oil to prevent scorched food or soggy food due to frying at low temperatures to avoid burning the oil.

The flavor of peanut oil is subtle and slightly nutty, as you might guess. It is pale so won't color food. Peanut oil can also be used to dress vegetables and salads. You will want to keep a good supply of this versatile oil.

Five Spice Seasoning

If you are new to Chinese cooking, you probably have not heard of this basic ingredient. It is actually a mix of seasonings that work together to provide the perfect combination of flavors to please the palate. This flavor is most often referred to as "umami" which is basically indescribable, but you know it when you taste it.

The five ingredients in this seasoning must provide the five flavor sensations we desire - sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and pungent. The most common blend includes cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechuan pepper. Make your own blend to suit your taste, or you can find mixes available in most grocery stores. Either way, this is an essential ingredient in Chinese cuisine.

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Many Chinese dishes require a fair share of spicy heat, and adding hot chili sauce is a great way to add both the spicy flavor and the heat. Sriracha is one brand that is readily available in stores and that most people recognize. Of course, you'll want to try a variety until you get the flavor combination you want.

Chili sauce is simply a blend of hot chilies mixed with other ingredients such as garlic, salt, and vinegar. You will find many recipes for cooking with chili sauce, but you will also want to have enough on hand to serve as a dipping sauce.

Rice

Of course, rice is a staple in every pantry, but there are two types you will want to keep handy for your Chinese dishes. Although any rice is perfectly fine, there are traditional varieties that complete the meal with a bit more authenticity.

Jasmine rice is a long grain rice that is light and fluffy when cooked. It has a delightful aroma that is slightly nutty and can be served with just about any dish you make. Sticky rice, called that because it is sticky when cooked, is a short grain rice used whenever a dish needs to be held together, such as rice dumplings, as well as desserts. However, you can serve sticky rice with stir-fry, too. It is basically a matter of preference. Both types of rice are important when creating Chinese meals.

Noodles

If you are trying to serve authentic Chinese cuisine, you can't skip the noodles. In your search for recipes, you will probably find just as many noodle-based dishes as you will rice-based dishes. The trick is getting to know which noodles to buy.

The simplest way to stock your pantry with the right noodles for Chinese cooking is to have a package of wheat noodles, rice noodles, egg noodles, and cellophane noodles on hand. Then you know you'll be ready to slurp your way through a big bowl of your favorite recipe.

Of course, this is just the beginning, but it's a good beginning. As you explore Chinese cooking further, you will want to look into other ingredients to help create the authentic flavors you are anxious to achieve. For right now, it's time to pick a recipe and get started enjoying your journey into Chinese cuisine!

Creating A Meal To Honor The Historically Harmonious Flavors Of Chinese Cuisine!

A History Lesson In Creating Harmonious Chinese Cuisine

Unlike any other cuisine in the world, Chinese cooking has found a place in just about every corner of the globe. Especially in recent history, Chinese cooking methods and recipes have become quite popular. This trend may be due to more access to ingredients and cookware via online shopping, or it may be due to an increasing desire to eat healthier. But, many believe it is really due to the desire to create more harmony in our lives.

No matter what the reason, the appeal of Chinese foods has become widespread. People in all walks of life have shown a desire to learn more about how to create and serve delicious, harmonious Chinese meals. To understand the harmony of Chinese cuisine, let's glance at a few moments in history.

Centuries ago, foreign trade within China started to influence the lives of the people. You would think this influx of foreigners would greatly change the way Chinese people cooked. However, the culinary arts were so deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the people, the cuisine remained constant.

Foreign trade and the introduction of different foods didn't affect the cooking methods as much as one might think. As a matter of fact, ancient trade routes across China may have introduced foods into Chinese cuisine, but those foods were quickly assimilated into Chinese cooking so well that you wouldn't even know they used to be foreign.

Even though there are thousands of years of history forming Chinese cuisine, the basics remain pretty much untouched. As early as 1800 BC, archaeological digs discovered cutting tools and large pots similar to woks were being used. Spices and seasonings along with soy sauce, rice wine, and vinegar were used in complicated cooking methods long before Confucius was born.

Once Confucius was born and started teaching his philosophy  - the importance of harmony in life - Chinese cooking took on an almost ritualistic quality. Multiple levels of sweet, sour, salty, savory, and bitter foods were used in a variety of cooking methods and heat levels to bring together into one meal the complexities of the flavors and textures the earth offered. This cooking method, this ritual of creating harmony out of the vast complexities of flavor, is as comforting as it is delicious.

Today, Chinese cooking has embraced this theory, creating meals that touch all the senses, blending foods into one harmonious dining experience. With that in mind, you can see why Chinese cuisine is so desirable today.

As the world becomes more complex, our senses long for comfort and harmony. Chinese cuisine offers just that. So, now it's time to gather a few recipes and have fun creating a meal to honor the historically harmonious flavors of Chinese cuisine!