To the Chinese, eating is a very important part of life. It is a social activity and helps to break the ice. In Chinese society, food is also a measure of success.
More than just eating, the Chinese also love to cook as it is seen as an art in itself. Chinese cuisine places emphasis on colour, aroma and flavour. Not only must a dish taste good, it must also appeal to the senses to be able to whet the appetite.
Cooking methods
There are countless ways to cook the same ingredients, and each way of cooking imparts its own unique flavour to the food:
- Steam
- Boil
- Double-boil
- Stew
- Poach
- Braise
- Stir-fry
- Shallow-fry
- Deep fry
- … and many more!
Eight main cuisines
- Sichuan, with characteristic rich and spicy dishes like Gongbao diced chicken
- Shandong, with dishes like Dezhou braised chicken
- Suzhou, with its carefully presented steamed crucian carp
- Guangdong, with distinctive sweet and crispy dishes like roast suckling pig
- Fujian, famed for Buddha Jumps over the Wall
- Zhejiang, which emphasises fresh food and natural flavours, particularly seafood
- Huizhou, which favours delicacies from the land and sea
- Hunan, which features rich foods with strong colours like cured meats
Now, tell us, which is your favourite?
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