Ancient Chinese Cooking Methods

The richness and diversity of Chinese cooking offers a culinary journey into one of the most heritage-centered methods of food preparation in the world. The various lo mein, stir fry, egg noodle, beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, and vegetable dishes provide a regional and historic exploration of China's legacy that spans many centuries. Today, the typical Chinese dish combines two or more carbohydrates or starch-related foods (noodles or rice) with vegetables, meat, or fish.

Nowadays, Chinese cuisine is becoming an increasingly embraced method of cooking due to the healthy dose of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that many recipes deliver. Over the years, Chinese cooking has become deeply associated with staying fit, trim, and healthy through the many different low-fat and low-calorie recipes one may choose to explore.

Even the primary method of Chinese food preparation encourages healthy eating, as the wok - a cooking vessel with a round bottom - is used to stir fry, steam, deep fry, braise, and stew foods. The shape of the wok allows enhanced cooking of the food while at the same time, requiring less cooking oil and fats during the process. Additional advantages include an increase in safety and convenience, faster cooking times, and healthier food as a result of the curved concave construction of the wok.

Throughout history, Chinese cooking has evolved with the introduction of many different foreign food items. Prehistoric times brought about sheep, goats, and wheat from western Asia, while central Asia is responsible for many of the fruits and vegetables that shaped Chinese cooking during the Han and the T'ang Dynasties. During the Ming Dynasty, sweet potatoes and peanuts were utilized, as coastal traders made an impact on Chinese cooking styles.

Depending on the region, rice is one of the most significant components in Chinese cooking, especially in southern parts of China. In the northern regions, wheat-based noodles play an important role in preparing a Chinese meal. Most Chinese cooks follow tradition and prepare their vegetables and meat into bite-sized pieces for easy consumption and use of their primary eating utensil - chopsticks. Today, wooden chopsticks are being replaced by bamboo or plastic options in an effort to conserve trees. In the past, elaborate silver and ivory selections were known to decorate the Chinese dining room table.

Chinese cooking includes a wide-range of intriguing and delicious recipes, such as green onion pancakes (fried), orange beef, plum sauce, Chinese barbecue, and spicy peanut sauces. The Chinese have also found many different ways to serve dumplings, which uses dough as its primary ingredient. Chinese dumplings can be steamed (jiaozi), boiled (shuijiao), fried (guotie), or placed in soup (xio long bao). Noodles are also quite popular, and are included in many hot and cold dishes, fried, or added to soup.

To create the many recipes associated with Chinese cooking, an array of commonly used ingredients, spices, and herbs becomes necessary. An exploration of Chinese cooking may reveal new ways to incorporate soybeans, mung beans, Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, oranges, red peppers, carrots, ginger, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, and cinnamon into everyday, healthy meals.