Chinese Cuisine
Authentic Chinese food is all about woks and stir fries, noodles or rice, delectably flavoured vegetables and meats in a medley of sauces. Eating with chopsticks is the best way to enjoy Chinese food, as it allows the right amount of sauce on each morsel of food. The meats and vegetables are cut into small and thin pieces so that they can be cooked quickly on high flame and become easy to manage with chopsticks.
Classic Chinese Meal
The harmonisation of food is what really sets Chinese cuisine apart. Two spicy dishes or two meat dishes are never prepared in the same meal. Chinese cooks strive for contrast in taste and textures, serving a crisp dish with a soft one or a mild with a spicy one. Think of the colourful platter of stir fried chicken with broccoli and carrot.
Breakfast
The day begins with a warm bowl of Congee, a watery rice gruel that’s a lot like Porridge (Daliya). A huge variety of seasonings like Bamboo shoots, lettuce, meat, fried onion, fried garlic, stir fried variety of mushrooms, shredded meat, chicken, fish, boiled quail eggs, pickled onions & vegetables, sautéed greens, etc. ensures that this dish is never boring. Congee can be sweet or savoury. The meat is often marinated before being added to the rice. It increases the depth of flavour of the dish.
Lunch & Dinner
Soups and Starters
Appetisers
Appetisers include the all time favourite, Dimsums (Momos), spring rolls stuffed with chicken, meat or vegetables.
Main Meal
When it comes to food, the Chinese don’t believe in chronology at all. They love serving all the dishes together and the fun part is, the Chinese love community dining, so everyone helps themselves from the same dish. Noodles or rice make up the grain or cereal portion. Other dishes include Sweet n Sour Pork, Sesame Chicken, Almond Boneless Chicken, Meat with Broccoli, Kung Pao chicken (a spicy dish made with chilly peppers and peanuts), Lemon Chicken Stir Fry, etc.
Dessert
For dessert, fresh food is the preference for many. Frozen and baked desserts are less popular in China than steamed ones. Peking Dust (fresh chestnuts and whipped cream) though not indigenous to China, is a popular dessert. Other popular desserts include almond tea, eight precious tea, etc. The Chinese’s love for green tea comes from its countless health benefits starting from treating headaches to depression. A popular Chinese proverb says, “Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.” Fritters sprinkled with sugar are also popular.