HISTORY OF CHINESE

GASTRONOMY

The People's Republic of China is the most populous country in the world, with
more than 1.3 billion inhabitants, and the third largest, only surpassed by
Russia and Canada. With such demographic and geographic magnitudes ,
diversity is a constant in Chinese society . The essential means of
communication, language, serves as an example, with nearly three hundred
living languages throughout the world's leading economic power. Or
gastronomy: also developed over centuries of history and tremendously
dissimilar between one region and another, closely linked to philosophy and
Chinese medicine.

For these reasons Chinese

cuisine is so diverse. That is
why that adjective is more true
in this East Asian country than
in any other. That is why their
ancient emperors had a lot of
rooms in their palaces, in turn
divided into small spaces,
where they ate all kinds of dishes. That is why it is one of the best-known
cuisines on the planet , although it is not always cooked with fidelity and rigor
beyond its borders.

The origins of Chinese cuisine

Food is a fundamental part of life, the necessary fuel for human growth, for
survival, which is why Chinese society throughout the centuries has valued
gastronomy so much. Being part of its culture, its philosophy and the
country's traditional medicine . An indispensable element in the daily lives of
the Chinese beyond the natural and basic need for nutrition.

Since the beginning of time there has been clear evidence of the domestication
of crops and animals. One of the first was millet , in the northern area , as
well as rice, a very important part of their diet. In addition to animals such as the
pig, around 8000 BC. C., or dogs. Around this progress related to cooking,
utensils and containers were also developed that helped when eating. There is
one of the oldest potteries on the planet in the province of Hunan.

Gradually, as the centuries passed,

wheat and pasta making arrived. The
meats that were consumed went
beyond pork or dog, also reaching
cow, which was domesticated.
Vegetables such as Chinese cabbage
were consumed, different types of fat
began to be used to cook and enhance flavors and little by little gastronomy
raised its level until it reached transcendent importance . More than five
thousand years of history goes a long way.

In the time of Confucius it was a fact that gastronomy had become a high art.
During the last stages of the Zhou dynasty, oil and soybeans were introduced,
cultivation areas were increased, new culinary techniques began to be practiced
and a courtly refinement was developed in which food was part of the
rituals , beginning to be used also predominantly the typical Chinese
chopsticks. We are talking about the 1st century BC. C., already reaching the
Qin dynasty with the unification of the country in 221 BC. C. after the warring
kingdoms.

During the next dynasty of a now unified China, the Han, the kings adopted the
teachings of their great ancient philosophers and carried out a major
transformation of the world of agriculture by increasing intensive cultivation, the
number of people working in the fields and the centralization of harvests, also
creating state-owned granaries. At this time, thanks to the newly initiated
fermentation techniques, foods that were known and popularized today
around the world, such as tofu or miso , began to be produced.

Throughout history, various war events, influences from other cultures and
severe famines also had a decisive influence on Chinese gastronomy .
Thus, for example, conservation methods were developed for long military
campaigns such as drying meat or drying grains, and new dishes were created
with animal parts hitherto not consumed when food was not scarce, in the
various famines that occurred. passed through the Chinese population.
Likewise, Buddhism and the emergence of Muslim communities led to a
decrease in meat consumption and the introduction of new foods from Spanish
and Portuguese merchants changed various cuisines, incorporating chili
peppers, for example, into the cuisine of Sichuan. .

Chinese food today

Given the extent of the gastronomy of the People's Republic of China, its vast
culinary repertoire is reduced to eight large traditional cuisines . These are
the best known and most influential both in the country itself and outside of it,
those that are largely practiced in Chinese restaurants that truly follow the
precepts of this ancient cuisine to the letter, without strange mixtures, or dishes
that really do not exist. They are not consumed in China at all.

First of all, we are talking about a

cuisine that we have just mentioned,
the cuisine of Sichuan , one of the
twenty-two provinces of the country
and the fourth most populated,
characterized by being especially
spicy, being very tasty and having
numerous spicy dishes to its credit. . Hence, chili peppers are common in their
different preparations. Dishes such as hot pot stand out, with all kinds of meats
and vegetables, or kung pao chicken , marinated meat of that bird, cooked in
the wok with various seasonings, some of them spicy. Shandong cuisine
abounds in fresh, light dishes with very little fat, very healthy in general, which
uses everything from fruit and vegetable products to tender meats, fish and
seafood. We have preparations such as sautéed pork kidney, stewed pig's feet
or sweet and sour carp.

The Chinese culinary tradition enjoys worldwide popularity, being one of the
most appreciated in the world . Given the expansion of Chinese restaurants,
there are few who have not had some contact with the typical food of the Asian
country. Most of those who try repeat, and many even become lovers.
Before even evaluating the raw material or the culinary procedures to which it is
subjected, Chinese gastronomy deserves respect for being the result of a
very ancient tradition . Chinese cuisine seeks balance, even differentiating
between yin and yang foods that must be responsible for providing all the
nutrients that the body needs. Like other diets, such as the Mediterranean, it
promotes healthy and balanced eating habits, serving the concept of yin and
yang as the basis of well-known diets such as macrobiotics.
But in addition to the balance between nutrients to provide the body, Chinese
gastronomy also seeks total harmony in terms of flavors , the basic ones
being sweet, salty, acidic, bitter and spicy. The care that is put into the
preparations, even complying with codes according to the event and the context
in which the food is being served, makes Chinese gastronomy a culinary
experience for those who enjoy it.

Typical ingredients of Chinese cuisine

China is a very large country and agriculture is part of the basis of its economy.
Of the total arable land that the country has, a large part is concentrated in the
humid monsoon zones, which include those emblematic rice plantations that
are in the ideology of the world population when it comes to China's
landscapes.
Rice, yes, is a basic food, but so are
wheat, corn or the famous soy , so
present in many of their dishes. In
addition, China supplies much of the world with grains, meat and fruits, among
other non-culinary ingredients.
The good use of condiments is a fundamental pillar of Chinese gastronomy. In
many of their dishes there is no shortage of curry, understood as a mixture of
spices. Among other varieties, Five Spice Powder is famous. Bean sprouts,
seaweed, ginger, sesame oil or rice wine are also widely used ingredients in
Chinese cuisine, without forgetting rice noodles.
Many of these condiments, which were previously only used in Chinese
restaurants, are today part of any cuisine in Western countries.

Chinese food is balanced by the nutrients it provides to the body, basically it is

responsible for finding harmony with respect to flavors such as salty, sweet,
sour, spicy and bitter and for that reason, today we will present you some of the
traditional foods and the most representative dishes of Chinese food. It has
more and more prominence in the world and it is all due to its great combination
of flavors. Our gastronomy is very rich, we have numerous types of cuisine,
spices, products, etc.

Most famous types of cuisine in China

Due to the wide extension of our country, not all places cook in the same way,
although in general they all maintain a similar essence. Today we are going to
talk about the eight most famous types of cuisine in China.

Cantonese Cuisine

This is the most popular internationally and

the one usually eaten in Chinese restaurants.
Guangdong province and Hong Kong are
characterized by their delicious seafood and rice
dishes.

They consume a large amount of food and the

dishes served do not have strong flavors since the ingredients are lightly
seasoned and tend more toward a sweet touch.
Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan province has the most widely served food in China. Their dishes are
famous not only there, but all over the world for their spicy taste due to Sichuan
pepper.

In their dishes it is very normal to find a strong and spicy touch where there is
not only Sichuan pepper but also chili, garlic or ginger.

Jiangsu cuisine

This province, together with Shanghai, the largest city in China, has a very
refined gourmet cuisine . It is the most common when having lunches or
dinners in the government.

What characterizes it are the exquisite cooking techniques that make the dishes
aromatic and visually very artistic. When it comes to making them, chefs think a
lot about making sure that all the recipes they make are good for health.

Zhejiang cuisine

This province borders Shanghai so the cuisine is very similar to the previous
one with the exception that the dishes are simpler. Their focus is more on
ensuring that the food served is fresh and the product can be tasted well. Many
of the dishes of this type of cuisine are served raw or almost raw; it has
sometimes been confused with Japanese food.
The protagonists are seafood, water fish and bamboo shoots.

Fujian cuisine

In this province the food stands out for the great

variety of seafood and soups , light and with few
spices, which makes the meals very pleasant to the
palate.
They tend to use products from both the sea and the mountains, but they are
rare, so their dishes are usually very innovative, both in flavor and aesthetics.

Hunan cuisine

If you like Sichuan Chinese cuisine , you will like this even more since it is
even spicier, which is its main characteristic.

This type of cooking is tastier and more delicious because they do not use
peppercorns. This entire area is agricultural so they have a wide variety of
vegetables and herbs to use in their dishes and that the final diner can taste.

Anhui Cuisine

It is located in the interior of the country, surrounded by high mountains such as

the Yellow Mountains, the source of the vast majority of wild foods and herbs
used in its cuisine . We could summarize it as a good mountain peasant meal.
They use meat from wild animals, a lot of oil and stewing is their most common
way of cooking.

Shandong cuisine

Shandong was one of the first civilized areas

and was responsible for setting the
standards of northern Chinese cuisine. Due
to the long coastline they have, seafood is their
main product. They preserve each and every
one of the nuances of the main ingredient
using simple ingredients that only serve as an
accompaniment. As for the way of cooking, roasting is the one that is carried
out the most.

Unlike southern cuisines, they serve foods made with wheat such as noodles.
Chinese cuisine has always had weight not only in its country but also
internationally. In fact, on a cultural level, its gastronomy serves to
honor loved ones in special events such as; weddings, new years,
births, and even deaths. There are four elements that characterize
Chinese gastronomy in each dish: aroma, color, flavor and
presentation.

Over the years, different war events, the influence of other cultures
and different famine problems changed traditional cuisine in China.

A good example of this was applying the conservation method for

military campaigns. To do this, they dried meat and grains in order to
create new dishes with animal parts that were not previously
consumed.

What should you know about typical Chinese dishes?

Chinese culture is deeply rooted in the traditions of its ancestors, and

its cuisine cannot be an exception to this point. It is so powerful that it
comes from the various regions of China and spread throughout the
world. A very special feature that identifies Chinese cuisine is its
connection, philosophical interpretation and medicinal use.

Chinese dishes must be governed by a balance that is constituted by

Yin (fruits and vegetables) and Yang (powerfully flavored meats and
spices). The aim is for each one to have the perfect balance and
composition, as well as a neat and colorful presentation.

One of China's favorite typical dishes is Chop Suey , which is made

up of various pieces of meat with vegetables such as celery and
peppers. This is usually accompanied with cooked rice.

Noodles and various types of noodles can also be found in Chinese

cuisine. These are prepared with vegetables such as onion, garlic,
peppers, carrots, spices and soy sauce.
Breakfasts:

Mainly, breakfasts are based on the use of wheat to make various

types of dough. Among which we can find:

Youtiao , which are served with soy milk and are a practical solution
to solve breakfast, simple and light, consist of fried dough sticks with
a sweet flavor.

Stuffed steamed buns are also a breakfast option and can be both
sweet and savory. Savory buns tend to be filled with different types of
meat, to taste, and sweet ones with bean paste, pastry cream, among
others.

Lunches:

For lunch, it is common for them to prepare a typical dish such as the
following:

– Fried shrimp with cashew , one of the most famous preparations in

China.
– Chinese sweet and sour pork , replaced by chicken in some
restaurants.
– Dumplings , minced meat and vegetables inside a thin layer of
dough.
– Chow Mein ; mixture of noodles, meat, onion and celery.

Dinners:

At dinner, the Chinese can eat any of their distinctive dishes although
they prefer those made from wheat dough, rice or noodles such as:

–Zongzi ; rice bun stuffed with meat and sweet beans.

– Wonton soup , a dish similar to Italian ravioli that is served in soup.
– Gong Bao or Kung Pao Chicken .
As for their drinks, the most traditional are:

– Jiuniang : fermented rice wine.

– Soy milk .
– Chrysanthemum tea , which is also a natural remedy.
– Whiskey with green tea .
– Osmanthus wine , with a floral aroma very similar to the French
liquor.

Its most famous chefs are:

–Zhen Xiang Dong.

– Chan Yan Tak.
– Martin Yan.
– Zi-Shoa Luo.
–Jereme Leung.

An old Chinese saying says: “Food is the heaven of the people”, which already
shows the importance that cuisine has for the Chinese people. From the
banquets for the emperors to the food of the popular classes, it has its own
history.

Since Chinese cuisine is a very extensive subject, the etiquette at the table also
varies a lot. Compared to Europe, the most notable thing is that in China people
eat dishes at the same time, without any pre-established order and without
there being a first, second, and third course.

There is another saying in China that a thing when elevated to the spiritual
realm can be very complete. That is based on a philosophical rule that has
crossed all areas in China, and is known as “balance” (“yin” and “yang”). For
example, in the case of people, if you are “too smart” or “too stupid” you cannot
be a successful person. Only when you reach the balance point between “too
smart” and “too stupid” could you be a complete character or finish matters
easily and successfully. This principle always has the same functions, whether it
is the way a person is or the foods. Different foods contain different elements. If
we eat one type in excess, we have to eat another that has an opposite element
to keep the body in a state of balance.

Rice, the basis of Chinese cuisine

It is the star ingredient of Asia, and China

could not be less. Without a doubt any rice
dish is the easiest to ensure. There are
many varieties, but the most common thing
is to find rice dishes with vegetables and
some sauce , usually soy-based or spicy.
But you will also see many rice dishes with
meat, usually chicken or pork,
accompanied with vegetables, mushrooms,
and the typical sauces. Fried rice, without
the tagline 3 delicacies, is also very
common and is, of course, the most basic thing to start with if you are not
completely convinced. From our point of view, a good plate of rice is always a
safe bet if you are very hungry and not in the mood to try something new.
WONTON SOUP DUMPLING

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