The Chinese culture has contributed many wonderful things to the rest of the world. Without a doubt, the most noticeable would be their food. Many people in the western world have come to love Chinese cooking, and a big reason for this is their unique use of various sauces in the preparation of many of their dishes. Let’s take a brief look at a few of the delicious sauces that are used in Chinese cooking.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

When it comes to Chinese cooking sauces, probably the most recognizable is sweet and sour sauce. This sauce is used to add flavor to a number of different meat dishes, such as chicken, pork and beef. It’s great for various stir fry dishes that are so popular in America.  Lately, it’s become quite popular as a dipping sauce as well. This sauce gets it’s name because it’s basically made from sugar and vinegar.

Hoi Sin Sauce

This brownish-red sauce is sort of the Chinese version of barbecue sauce. It’s made from a combination of soya beans, garlic, chilis, and other spices. Again, it’s great for use as a barbecue sauce on chicken and beef, but it’s probably best known as Peking sauce, because it is the sauce commonly served with Peking duck. In addition to this, it also is very popular as a dipping sauce.

Soy Sauce

Perhaps the most important sauce used for Chinese cooking is soy sauce. Soy sauce is a brown colored liquid that is made by brewing fermented soya beans with salt. This sauce has an unmistakable salty flavor, and is used in a wide variety of Chinese dishes. Soy sauce is available in either light, which is usually used more for a dipping sauce, or the dark type, which is more common for cooking purposes. There are few dishes in Chinese cooking that do not incorporate soy sauce in some way, but even the ones that don’t are often dipped in it. 

Chinese cooking is becoming more popular in our part of world all the time. These dishes have a unique style and taste that is largely due to the different sauces that are used. In America, many of these sauces are used more for dipping than actual cooking. We’ve taken Chinese cooking and put our own spin on it. There are many brands of these Chinese sauces available at you local market, but if you’re interested in experiencing true Chinese cooking, try to get sauces that are imported from China.

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The humble dumpling. In Western-style cuisine it is a simple staple, a source of carbohydrates and great comfort food. Done Chinese style, it is a work of culinary art. Jiao Zi (or Gow Gee, in the Mandarin dialect) is a concoction made of dough stuffed with meat and/or vegetables. It is often served as part of dim sum. Proper preparation takes a bit of time and effort. But the results, when done correctly, are well worth it.

Ingredients

Wrap:

4 cups white flour
1-1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt

You’ll want to acquire the correct type of Chinese flour, whether you use rice flour or wheat flour. Ordinary Western-style wheat flour has a very different consistency when prepared.

Chill the water to just above freezing and dissolve the salt into 2 cups of it. Blend thoroughly and add the extra 1/2 cup only if the dough isn’t completely wetted. Knead well and ensure that the result is firm. If needed, sprinkle in a bit more flour. Then chill the dough.

Filling:

1 lb lean ground meat
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brandy
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper

Combine all the ingredients, then stir. Don’t overdo it in order to avoid making the meat mushy.

Bring out the chilled dough and separate a piece into two parts. Flatten each section until they’re about 1/8 inch thick. Layer the meat mixture onto one then cover with the other. Crimp the edges until the result looks something like a white fortune cookie crumpled around the rim. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough and meat.

The raw dumpling can be boiled or fried, as desired.

To boil, use a pot large enough to cover the dumplings with a couple of inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then layer the Jiao Zi along the bottom of the pot. Stir gently to prevent them sticking together. Continue heating until the mixture boils again. Add a cup of cold water and allow to come to a boil again, then remove from heat.

To fry, simply line a wok with a layer of sesame oil and bring to a high heat. Then toss in the dumplings. Remember that woks cook very quickly. You’ll need to keep the dumplings moving in order to get them evenly cooked on both sides. It’s particularly important to ensure that the meat inside is well done.

Serve

The results are often dipped into a sauce of equal amounts of black vinegar and soy. Jiao Zi is a component of a traditional dim sum cart and are often served during the Chinese New Year’s celebration. As a symbol of wealth they bring good fortune in the coming year, but these are delicious anytime.

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Since Canton (now called Guangzhou) is a port city on the coast of China one might expect seafood to be a prominent part of that menu. And so it is. Live fish and other seafood will often be maintained in a tank until it’s time for cooking.

Since the food is so fresh it isn’t necessary to have heavy spices that overwhelm the taste. Whether the dish is based on shark’s fin or whole fish you can depend on a Cantonese dish providing something that is not far away from still moving.

Stir-frying is a popular technique, but steaming and roasting play an equal role. Roasted meats are a favorite with street vendors, but even they keep it fresh by having continual sales. Barbecued meats may be part of the offerings, but when they are the sauces are light.

The sauce that highlights a Cantonese dish may be something as simple and delicious as Hoisin. This thick, brown liquid may be dense but the taste is not overwhelming. Made from soy, garlic and chile peppers it provides just the right hint to a roasted chicken.

Many other spices can be found on the Cantonese chef’s shelf. Ginger, spring onion and sesame oil are ever present. Five-spice powder is de rigueur in any Cantonese kitchen. A blend of the traditional five Chinese flavors – sweet, sour, bitter, savory and salty – it can be made from Tung Hing (a type of cassia), anise, ginger root and cloves. But, in all Cantonese dishes it is used sparingly.

Cantonese cooking is not all meats, spiced or otherwise. Congee, a type of rice porridge, is a traditional offering, particularly for breakfast. Unlike its Western counterpart, white rice used for congee is boiled until it is practically a thickened soup. The rice is nearly unrecognizable as individual grains. It is often combined with seasoned duck eggs or century eggs (made from quail or other fowl, preserved for weeks or months in lime and ash).

Slow-cooked soup is another traditional Cantonese dish that takes a long time to prepare (though, fortunately, not quite so long as century eggs). In one variation a whole chicken may be simmered in a pot with water all night. The result is then lightly seasoned and served warm.

Last, but very far from least, we owe to the Cantonese the traditional dim sum. A combination of foods, such as dumplings (often stuffed with meat and sweetened with sauce), no trip to a Cantonese restaurant is complete without ordering at least one serving for the whole table.

Some critics will complain that Cantonese cooking is bland. Don’t you believe it. Subtle, fresh and light are often just what is called for. Try it and see for yourself.

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Chopsticks have been in use for over 3,000 years. They receive a mention in The Book of Rites dating from the Shang Dynasty that ruled China from 1600BC – 1100BC. In that time they’ve been made of ivory, bronze, bamboo and many other materials. Decorative designs may employ gold, silver, ceramic enamel or lacquer and other compounds. The Kuaizi Museum in Shanghai has collected over 1,000 pair, many of them centuries old.

Chinese chopsticks are usually about 8-10 inches long and often thickened or blunt at the ends. Both sticks are the same. Japanese chopsticks, by contrast, have narrowed ends, more pointed than their Chinese cousins.

To use Chinese chopsticks, place them both into one hand. Clamp them between the index finger and thumb, then move one to between the index and middle finger. The ends should be at the same point and both should lie in the same plane. In using Japanese chopsticks one stick protrudes slightly out from the other and they may be slightly twisted.

The trick is to have both a firm grip on each while being able to swivel one into the other in a pincer-like movement. That motion is performed by moving the index finger and thumb just slightly, opening and closing the pincer. You should be able to tap one end into the other and make an audible sound without losing grip on either.

Chinese dishes are prepared with all this in mind. Instead of large slabs of beef or whole legs or breast of chicken, meat is made bite-sized. Dumplings (Jiao Zi) are made so that they can easily be grasped between the chopsticks. The weight and size make it simple to hold them without opening the pincer too wide or falling out too easily. Rice can be scooped into the mouth by bringing the bowl up to the lips. Slurping soup is not considered rude in Chinese dining.

Despite the name, no stabbing or chopping is required or expected. In fact, in Chinese dining etiquette, such things would be considered impolite. There are several other traditional customs in the proper use of chopsticks, as well.

Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice is considered poor taste. They resemble the incense sticks that are placed in rememberance of the dead. Unlike some Western circumstances, the Chinese don’t generally mix meals with mourning. In Chinese culture, eating even an ordinary meal is a celebration. Instead, rest them on the side of the bowl or plate.

Waiving chopsticks in front of the face or at other diners is equally bad manners. Neither should one suck on the tips or lick the length of the chopstick. Nor are they used to pull a food dish toward one. Chopsticks may be provided in or with a central dish to scoop food onto one’s plate. Use them instead.

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Tea comes in three primary ‘colors’: green, oolong and black (though white tea exists, too). But the different shades are not the result of using different varieties. They stem from the amount of oxidation the leaf undergoes before being further processed.

Black tea certainly exists in China today, as it has for hundreds of years. But 90% of it is exported to the rest of the world. Green (and, to a much lesser extent, oolong) remains the favored style. The Chinese are known as a wise people and evidence for this can certainly be found from this choice. Green tea is not only delicious, but very healthy.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants. Those help cleanse the blood stream of free radicals (charged atoms that can damage cells), aiding greater heart health. Green tea is also rich in Vitamin C, isoflavones and other healthy ingredients.

But tea is not drunk in China only as a boon to good health. The Chinese are not frenetically obsessed the way Americans are with every twitch of the health meter. Tea is considered a pleasing drink, one that adds to a meal and also provides an opportunity for socializing. They don’t as often spend hours preparing and serving tea in a ritual as elaborate as their Japanese cousins. Nevertheless, tea in China is part of a way of life.

It also provides an important adjunct to a fine style of dining known as dim sum.

Dim sum provides a large variety of small foods that are often selected off a cart. Selections might consist of dumplings stuffed with meats or vegetables, or one might be a small cake for dessert. But whatever the food chosen, tea is an essential component of the dim sum dining experience.

Carefully brewed and typically served in a cup with no handles, drinking a fine tea completes a Chinese meal. Unlike its British counterpart it is served plain, without milk or sugar. It serves to cleanse the palette between choices. It soothes and refreshes. But, like its ritual-pair in Britain, it provides a moment of civilization in a chaotic world.

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Peking Duck is by far the most well-known recipe hailing from the royal courts of China. For hundreds of years prior to the 20th century the finest chefs in the land would train for years to prepare this delicacy. They knew their lives depended on doing it right. While the stakes may be lower today, with proper care the results achieved can be the equal of those royal dinners.

Ingredients

Meat:

1 3-lb duck
4 cups water
1 slice ginger
1 scallion
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tbsp sherry

Side:

10 Mandarin Pancakes
Hoisin sauce
scallions

The duck used in historic recipes was a small, black mallard raised in Nanjing. But long tradition has also used the species that gives the recipe its name: Peking Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica).

The key to good Peking duck is the elaborate preparation that takes place before cooking. The bird should be thoroughly plucked and cleaned. Then it must be wiped, preferably with a bit of gin and hung to dry. Let the air flow through the bird for several hours. Keep the mouth open, a small cardboard tube works well.

Fill a large pan with water and bring it to a boil. Add in the ginger and scallions, followed by the honey, vinegar and sherry. Put the duck into a metal collander and suspend it over the boiling water with one hand. With the other, ladle the duck with the soupy mixture for about ten minutes. Then, hang the duck up to dry again.

Preheat the oven to 350F/177C.

Prepare a pan for the oven by filling it with water to 2 inches deep. Place the pan in the bottom of the hot oven and immediately put the duck onto a rack above. Roast for half an hour, during which the pan catches the drippings and adds moisture. Turn over and cook for another half an hour. Turn the bird over one more time and roast for a final ten minutes.

Warm the Mandarin pancakes during the final period and set the scallions and Hoisin sauce on the table.

The skin should be crispy and the meat well done. Peking Duck should be served hot out of the oven and sliced in front of the diner. Bring the duck directly to the table. There, use a knife to slice off very thin layers from the breast.

The meat is then sprinkled with scallions and wrapped in a warm pancake. The result is dipped in Hoisin sauce and eaten. Be alert in order to catch diners who swoon from tasting this delicious dish.

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Even in the category of dumplings alone there is a huge variety of recipes. Many use a flour base that produces a soft steamed ball. But what goes into that sphere is as different as the number of products found in the region of its birth.

The simple Gau or Gau Ji is a very thin shell made of rice flour. The paste makes for a delicate and difficult dish to produce, but one that is delightful to eat. They may be filled with pickled cabbage, tofu or other vegetables but are always a fine part of dim sum.

Seafood makes for a popular stuffing for dim sum and the choices here are equally diverse. Shrimp (Har Gau) stuffed into a steamed dumpling is common in number but not in taste. A variety of prawns may be used and they can be added alone or with numerous nuts and spices. Crab roe often find their way into a dim sum dumpling where they may be smothered in Chinese mushrooms. Fried squid is likely to be on a dim sum cart, too.

Chiu-Chao style dumplings may contain shrimp or pork, but they are far from lonely in their shell. Peanuts and mushrooms are common ingredients, spiced with garlic, chives and other delicacies.

Bau of various types are an item diners will often see on a cart. But if they’re wheeled by, they won’t remain there long. Stuffed with roast pork and flavored with green onions, the bun is sweetened with a light sugar glaze that turns the dumpling from white to brown. But in any color these are a treat.

Purely vegetable offerings are a common selection. A roll stuffed with carrots, cabbage and wood ear fungus are a favorite among vegetarian lovers of dim sum.

Still, dumplings or buns – no matter what they’re made from or stuffed with – don’t exhaust the options.

Congee, a kind of rice porridge, is often found among the offerings. Desserts, such as Chien Chang Go or thousand-layer cake made from egg and sweetened dough, are just as frequently found.

Silky tofu smothered in a syrup flavored with ginger is a delight anytime a diner is having dim sum. Steamed sponge cake flavored with molasses lends a sweet finish to many offering.

Originating in Canton, dim sum spread to other provinces in China and to the rest of the world. Today this a la cart style of dining is enjoyed in homes and restaurants all over the globe. Try some and you’ll soon see why.

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Though other cultures have sometimes claimed to have invented them, including the Arabs and Italians, the archaeological evidence favors the Chinese. Only a couple of years ago, researchers uncovered the remains of noodles at Lajia in Qinghai that are about 4,000 years old.

Chinese noodles can be usefully divided into two types, depending on whether they’re made from rice flour or wheat flour. Rice noodles are more typical of southern Chinese cuisine, while wheat-based noodles are usually associated with the north. The differences are being erased as the decades go by, but historically the north was a major wheat producer. There is a third type, less common, made from Mung Bean starch.

Wheat noodles are today perhaps the more common type and are made with or without eggs. But whatever the material, like their Italian progeny, they may be long or short, fat or thin. However, unlike most Italian, Chinese noodles typically cook much faster, often reaching al dente stage in five minutes.

Egg and wheat flour noodles use the yolk as well as the white, and therefore are easily identified by their yellow color. Rice noodles, as the name suggests are made from rice flour and can be found either vermicelli style or as thick, flat noodles called hefen.

One common use for wheat-based noodles is in making mein. Lo Mein boils the noodle in a wok, then flavors it with soy sauce, sugar and other seasonings. This is often confused with the American style, which may stir fry the noodle. But that technique is reserved for Chow Mein in authentic Chinese dishes. Lo Mein is soft, Chow Mein is crispy.

One popular use for rice noodles is in a dish called Beef Chow Fun. This common Cantonese recipe uses stir-fried beef and the hefen form, along with bean sprouts. The dish can be found in nearly any Chinese food restaurant in Hong Kong. As a cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong has a restaurant of nearly every country’s cuisine.

Still, the type made from Mung Bean are interesting, if for no other reason than their evocative name: cellophane noodles. Sometimes called glass noodles, they are a thin vermicelli that are nearly transparent in individual strands. Healthy and delicious, they’re sometimes unattractive to the Western eye thanks to their worm-like appearance. But dipped in a spicy sauce of soy and chile powder, they’re unbeatable.

Whichever style you prefer, you’re sure to enjoy some Chinese noodles whenever you sample the cuisine of this magnificent culture.

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Among some, Chinese food is regarded as a magical key to health. They point to the lower incidence of heart disease and certain cancers among the Chinese. Others contend that the average Chinese meal is a nutritional disaster, citing high levels of sodium, fat and calories. Not surprisingly, both these extreme views overlook a number of important facts and qualifiers. Just as with an average Western meal, it all depends on exactly what you eat.

‘What you eat’ has two possible meanings, of course. It can refer to which dishes are consumed. It can also, loosely, mean how much is eaten. Both are key to arriving at a reasonable view of the nutritional value of Chinese food.

It’s true that certain Chinese dishes are invariably high in calories, often containing a high percentage of saturated fat. Six fried dumplings, for example, equals about 700 calories, a third of which are in the form of saturated fat. And fried dumplings may be only a portion of the total meal. Add sweet and sour pork or other similar items and the total may well reach over 1,250 calories.

Numbers like that may be fine for those who don’t need to limit their total daily intake. A large, healthy person may consume as many as 3,000 calories per day and still remain at their normal weight and body fat percentage. But for most, especially those on a restricted calorie diet of less than 1,700 per day, that one meal constitutes over 73% of the total.

Nevertheless, there is an enormous variety of Chinese cuisine dishes that are low or moderate calorie, while providing a range of healthy nutritional elements.

Many Chinese dishes are prepared with fresh vegetables. True, they may be stir-fried, adding calories and fat. Or, they can be steamed providing a healthy side dish or component of the recipe. The method is as important as the ingredient in determining whether a particular dish is a healthy option or not.

Wonton, egg-drop, or hot and sour soups provide a modest number of calories. If prepared without large quantities of salt, they also provide a low sodium and satisfying meal, or portion. Chicken that is boiled or steamed, a common method in many Chinese-style preparations, provides needed protein with little fat. Steamed rice, in moderation, is low calorie (200 per cup) and highly nutritious.

Soy is a common ingredient of both dishes and sauces. It is a rich source of plant protein and fiber. It is rich in Vitamin B6 and isoflavones, widely believed by experts to provide nutritional benefits. Vitamin B6 is an important building block for essential amino acids and is used in certain vital neurotransmitters. Isoflavones are reputed by several studies to be an important part of the low heart disease rate in Asian countries. They’re thought to help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

So, as is the case with the cuisine of any other culture, there is no inherent good or bad to all Chinese dishes. The same principles apply here as they do anywhere else. Watch calories, fat percentage and the levels of sodium and other components. That’s the best way, in any instance, to arrive at reasonable dietary decisions.

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Chinese dining traditions go back thousands of years. The elaborate customs are an interesting mixture of practicality, superstition and social inertia. Westerners aren’t expected to know the details but, as with learning a bit of the local language, it always helps. Following them will make for an enjoyable new experience and bring pleasure to a gracious host.

Chinese dining etiquette specifies how the participants are seated and when. Customs dictate when diners eat or drink and how. They even state who should leave in what order. But far from being a grim affair, a Chinese meal entails reveling in the pleasure of fine food and active conversation.

At many Chinese meals there is a guest of honor. Even when the occasion is far from any sort of official function or special celebration, one diner may be the focus of the event. That person is placed opposite the host, who is at the ‘head’ of the table.

When the event doesn’t call for an honored guest, there is still a social hierarchy that is recognized and followed. The most respected diner, often the father or the eldest male, is seated first. As he plays host to others he will serve guests, which is not considered a servile role.

The host eats or drinks first, but he will pay careful attention to his guests’ comfort and pleasure. He’ll ensure that their tea cup is filled and their palette satisfied. A good guest in turn will sample each dish offered and show open appreciation for the fine dishes prepared.

When at a table where there is no ‘head’ a good diner will serve another before himself. Dishes containing food are placed in the center of the table so that each option is available to all. The dishes are left there and food moved to a diner’s plate. It is impolite to move a serving dish to one’s one plate and shovel food onto it, then replace the dish. Unlike Western culture, however, it is not considered impolite to reach across another diner to get to the serving dish.

Guests will please their host if they have a second helping, though the final result should leave some food on the plate. A host may be saddened if the guest cleans the plate bare, since this is a sign that not enough food was provided. Likewise, it is inappropriate to take the last of any food from the center.

Using chopsticks is becoming more and more optional, but in a traditional Chinese meal it is de rigueur. Diners unfamiliar or unpracticed with Chinese chopsticks (which differ slightly from their Japanese cousins) can quickly come up to speed. A knowledge of the proper technique and a little practice will soon make them proficient. Remember never to place them upright into a bowl of rice, since this resembles incense sticks burned after a dear one has departed this life.

Following dining customs won’t bring about world peace and violating them won’t lead to major upheavals. But an attention to traditional mores can lead to a pleasantly different experience and bring a smile to a grateful host.

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In many cultures, eating is a means of providing sustenance for the body. That is true in Chinese cuisine as well, of course. But for the Chinese, dining is a much larger part of life. It is an art used as part of a celebration, even when attached to no special event.

Westerners today often spend large amounts of time counting calories, measuring nutritional elements and being concerned about the health impact of eating. Those are valid activities, to be sure. But the Chinese are much more focused on taste, presentation and other sensory aspects of food. In Chinese cuisine, all the senses are engaged and there is less concern over whether something is fattening or ‘heart healthy’.

But the use of phrases, such as ‘Chinese cuisine’ can be misleading. For, in fact, there is a wide variety of styles in Chinese cooking, owing to the diversity of this ancient land. Areas of China have been populated and cultivated for thousands of years. But because of the huge land area and the numerous enclaves created by mountains and distance, many styles have developed.

The delicate Canton style is decidedly different from the robust and spicy Szechuan. Mandarin dishes that developed in the dynastic royal court are very different from those coming from modern cosmopolitan Shanghai.

At the same time, there are certain customs and traditions that are universal, or nearly so. Despite its size and geographical and cultural diversity, China has been extensively traveled. Trade routes and population migration have led to considerable intermixing, where customs and recipes blend.

Tea, for example, is everywhere in China. Though black and oolong are consumed, the major blend is green and it is served with virtually every meal, regardless of style or region. Dining customs are similar, whether one is enjoying a full meal with royalty or a simple Dim Sum with friends and family.

A respect for hierarchy, a concern with the well being of one’s guests, and a reciprocal deference to an elder host are all part of the culture. Those customs are reflected in dining styles and etiquette. But far from being a grim, silent affair the atmosphere during a Chinese meal is typically festive.

Whether enjoying a bit of Kung Pao chicken or a simple Jiao Zi, or consuming an elaborately prepared Peking Duck, the food is intended to be an addition to a pleasant event. It’s an occasion for reveling in the joys of life. It’s an opportunity for lively conversation about family and food.

So, next time you’re considering preparing Chinese cuisine or enjoying the offerings on the menu at a fine genuine Chinese restaurant, go that one step further. Rather than simply making food and eating, consider embracing at least temporarily the full style of a Chinese meal. Expand your horizons and enjoy all it has to offer.

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Stir Frying

Stir frying is one of the most popular techniques. A little sesame oil, a wok and some ingredients and you’re already well on your way. Of course, like any cooking method, it takes practice, practice, practice. The key is speed. Woks cook very fast in hot oil so all the ingredients have to be ready to use in an instant.

Everything must be pre-sliced, pre-diced and pre-shredded. All the spices should be arrayed with lids off and be ready to shake. An easy-to-use timer should be within easy reach. A towel, some hot pads and quick reflexes are a must.

Stewing

Stewing provides for a somewhat less chaotic cooking experience. A crock pot is filled with chicken or other meat. Then, lots of water, a little wine and many spices are added for individual recipes. One of the most delightful offshoots of this style is the chance to create thickened sauces that compliment the stewed dish. Cornstarch is a common additive, but beer often plays a part, as well.

A clay pot heated by a charcoal fire is a traditional stewing scenario. Stewed for hours this way meats come out tender and juicy. At the same time the broth that results provides a liquid that can be used to enhance a dozen other aspects of the meal.

One common and delightful category is known as ‘red cooking’. The name comes from the color produced by using soy sauce liberally. The dish may be simmered for hours with the soy wending its way through meat and vegetables to provide a tangy and nutritious meal.

Roasting

Frequently used by restaurants, a fine Chinese roast is the equal of its Western cousin. In this technique, a large piece of meat is marinated (often overnight) then roasted over direct heat. Whether barbecued or oven-roasted, the results can be among the finest dishes served. The key, of course, is to have an excellent marinade.

Chinese chefs excel in this regard. Seasonings, such as five spice powder that make free use of chile peppers (including the skin and seeds, dried and ground) are often the fundamental secret. Garlic is another common additive. Ginger frequently makes its way into a fine Chinese marinade.
Whatever technique is employed, the same attention to detail both in preparation and presentation are ever present in Chinese cooking. Chinese recipes are a delight to the eye, nose and palette equally.

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But in this area of Chinese cuisine style and flavor are intricately linked. Originating in the royal courts of China centuries ago, Mandarin dishes pair mild spices with colorful vegetables. They combine sweet with sour, crisp with smooth. They are alive with mixtures of colors and aromas.

Sitting at the cultural center of China, the style is naturally a combination of influences from all the provinces. At the same time, it adds a delightful individuality of its own. Pleasing an emperor and his royal family wasn’t easy. That led to some of the finest chefs in the land doing their utmost to create the finest dishes. If they failed, the results could be unpleasant beyond a lack of income. The result for moderns is a delightful array of the finest Chinese dishes.

Even smaller dishes often receive elaborate treatment. ‘Snack food’ such as scallions coated with dark soy paste might well be presented in a range of colors. The colors could be created by using boiled egg yolk, sliced just so in order to represent a flower. Or, they might be formed from multi-colored vegetable dishes combining carrot, beet and green onions.

Such dishes as stir-fried tomatoes paired with scrambled eggs make for a healthy breakfast that is at the same time highly colorful. The goal is to delight all the senses, not just taste.

Rice is not the central staple for Mandarin dishes. Wheat is the more typical grain here. But far from being a mundane structural element, Mandarin dishes with wheat products are a work of art. Whether in the form of Mandarin pancakes or used as a Mung Bean wrap for pork, it is always done with flair.

Even such relatively simple dishes as Mandarin pancakes – a blend of water and flour, seasoned with sesame oil – can make for a meal that does more than just fill the stomach. When combined with beef and sea cucumbers, they form part of a special dish called Da Lian Huo Shao.

Want a truly royal Mandarin dish, but don’t have time for something complicated? Try some of the traditional hot and sour soup that is a classic of the genre. Filled with bamboo shoots, cloud ear fungus, day lily buds and chili oil, you’ll find it a feast for the eyes and tongue. Seasoned with red peppers to make it hot and vinegar to make it sour, even a simple Mandarin dish is a kaleidoscope for the senses.

Thinking fondue? Go Mandarin style with a Hot Pot. A simmering bowl of thinly sliced beef or chicken, combined with leafy green vegetables, egg dumplings and mushrooms, this stew is both healthy and delicious. Throw in an ox bone and call yourself a native-style chef.

Try a bit of Mandarin cuisine and re-discover the true meaning of ‘Chinese Food’. You’ll never be the same again. You may not become royalty, but you’ll certainly feel that way.

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The Hunan province in China is home to over 64 million people. Located near the center of this vast country, it has received cooking influences from far and wide. The agricultural areas produce rich harvests, lending additional variety. And, housing one of the largest freshwater lakes in China has also influenced the cuisine.

All these ingredients from which to choose… So, it’s no simple matter for Chinese chefs to simply throw some meat and vegetables into a stir fry and make a meal. Instead, the food in Hunan is prepared with great care, often taking hours to get the results just right.

Orange beef, a representative native dish, is a perfect example of this elaborate style. Made from beef marinated overnight in a mixture of egg whites, wine and white pepper, Hunan Orange Beef is justly world famous. Spicy, flavorful and a delight to look at as well as to eat. This is Hunan cooking at its peak.

Also typical of Hunan cuisine is the rich, strong spice that makes the dishes here hot, hot, hot. Hunan chefs use chiles liberally. With meals often containing ample slices of fresh chile peppers (and with skin and seeds thrown in to boot), be prepared for a mouth-watering, tear-producing dish. But those drops from your eyes won’t be the result of sadness. A Hunan dish will make you jump for joy, while you jump up for a glass of beer. The oil that surrounds spice deflects water so drinking it is less effective.

As with many Chinese dishes, Hunan style cuisine often makes use of rice. Not true everywhere in China, by the way. Mandarin cuisine relies much more on wheat, for example. But as one of China’s largest beef and pork producers, meat is commonly part of the menu, as well.

Of course, because of the large lake that is so prominent a part of the province, seafood (or, more accurately, lake food) is often included, too. Hunan is renowned for its shellfish, which diners will often find dressed with shallots and garlic.

Hunan chefs love to simmer and fry chicken, duck and other fowl. Making ample use of oils is also a provincial custom. Meats are often seared before being simmered or fried, which gives them a crispness unique to this region of China.

But steaming and stewing are also frequently employed techniques. Both allow the meat to exude juices that blend with added chile-based spices, which then wend their way back on and into the meat. This makes for a delicious and healthy meal. Using smoked and cured pork is a regional specialty. That produces results that is often darker than those of its Szechuan neighbors.

The word ‘variety’ best sums up Hunan cuisine. During its summers, local spices help the body deal with the heat and humidity. Eating spiced meats opens the pores. In the winter, the style will often shift to a dish known locally as Lover’s Hot Pot. Have some and you’ll be a lover of Hunan cuisine, too.

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Though searchers may find cooking pans called woks with flattened bottoms, the classic wok is rounded and sits on a ring for stability. That’s placed above a fire that may be a simple gas burner or the more traditional charcoal fire. Electric stoves are less effective, since the rounded bottom doesn’t sit squarely onto the heating surface. But, wok add-ons are available that make it possible.

But whatever is used to heat the pan, the results are a very hot pan that cooks very fast. Aided by the right amount of oil, a wok can cook chicken, pork or other meats in a flash. Often they’re seared before going on to be used in some other technique, such as boiling or steaming. Vegetables, too, get the same treatments. A bit of oil may fry a batter-drenched carrot stick, or be used to make Mandarin pancakes.

Woks are commonly made of either cast iron or carbonized steel. Both have their pros and cons. Cast iron takes longer to heat but is very sturdy. Carbonized steel is lighter weight but more easily broken. In either case, the pan can reach temperatures over 450F/230C. Teflon coated woks are available, but can’t be used at such high temperatures since the coating would break down and contaminate food as well as flaking off.

Aluminum pans shaped like woks are available. They have the advantage of being very lightweight and inexpensive, but aluminum doesn’t conduct heat the same way iron or steel does. They don’t retain heat to the same degree. Also, they’re softer, which leads to denting. But various materials are still useful for woks intended only for serving or presentation.

At standard temperatures food cooks very quickly and using a wok requires some practice in order to achieve good results. All ingredients should be pre-sliced, pre-diced and ready to go. Spices should be ready at hand with all lids removed. Butter or other additions should be pre-sliced or scooped on the spoon in advance.

Having a high, steep slope and a very hot bottom gives the wok the perfect attributes for fast and easy stir-frying. Chefs can use only a little oil and swirl the food around the pan without risk of being burned or having food fly out.

But it also provides a good shape for boiling, another common Chinese cooking technique. Chicken, duck and other fowl are often prepared this way. With a lid and an inner section steaming is another option. Jiao Zi (Chinese Dumplings) come out perfectly in a wok using any of these methods.

Wok cooking has been employed in China for centuries. Fortunately, with the right materials and a little practice, chefs from any other country can master this useful instrument, as well.

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That reputation is well deserved. The hot, humid climate accelerates food spoilage. Spices help preserve food as well as opening the pores to cool the body. But far from chiefly practical concerns, the spicy food native to this region of China simply tastes delicious.

Szechuan chefs delight in using dried peppers of different varieties. They create a taste sensation that not only wakes up the palette but satisfies the soul. Made from a reddish-brown fruit, the berries from the ash tree are dried and ground. The result is sprinkled liberally on dishes to make a meal only the natives could have invented.

But there’s much more to Szechuan cuisine than merely stimulating the tongue with chemical heat. In the realm of spices alone the food is rich in garlic hints and full of the flavorful salts popular in the region.

Beef, lamb and pork are popular meats and they’re prepared in equally varied ways. Twice cooked pork (a dish in which the meat is boiled then stir-fried in a wok) is associated with this section of China. Peppercorns sprinkled over beef is a common combination that has become a classic in Szechuan cuisine.

But sweet flavorings are equally easy to find in the region. Beet root and cane sugar often provide a sugary taste to a dish here. They’re then combined with everything from orange peel to ginger from pickled vegetables to bean paste and from vinegar to sesame oil. That gives food in the province a combination of delightful flavors. For, Szechuan cuisine is nothing if not varied. While it may be more famous for spicy dishes, there is a range of tastes that make up native recipes.

Even the noodles in this once-forgotten area of the country are distinctive. Though made from wheat just as are ordinary noodles, the result is anything but mundane. Flavored with fagara or pepper flower, they are a delightful taste sensation.

But if your palette is a little sensitive, not to worry. The hot oils that secure Szechuan spices to the noodles, beef and other solid food are easy to deal with. Drinking water is of limited help, since oil repels it. Water won’t wash the hot spice away. A bite of rice, a drink of beer or a bit of plain bean paste can help ease the situation.

Enjoy some Szechuan dishes today and find out what all the hot talk is about.

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Filled with diverse sauces, wines and regional dishes the Shanghai style is a delight to locals and visitors alike.

Whether the choice on the menu is drunken shrimp or stewed lion’s head meatballs (not what they sound like!), a Shanghai dish is a pinnacle of Chinese cuisine. By the way, Lion’s Head Meatballs are 6in pork balls stewed with cabbage.

A native red wine, called Shaoxing, is exported widely and used locally as an ingredient in many dishes. But that’s far from the only alcohol to be found in Shanghai cuisine. Shrimp or chicken cooked in Scotch and ginger wine mixed with shallots and garlic will make a meal in which the dish is not the only drunken participant.

But the natives like their dishes sweet, too. Sugar is a common ingredient and, along with heavy doses of soy, make for a delicious dish. It’s even added to meat dishes such as Beggar’s Chicken. Wrapped in lotus leaves, then oven baked, it provides a meal fit for pauper or king alike.

Even though Shanghai is a very modern city, its roots go back centuries. So, it’s expected that there might be a dish called ‘1,000 Year Old Eggs’. Flavored with lime and ginger, these duck eggs (called Pi Dan and preserved for three months) are the very opposite of moldy tasting.

Of course, having a coast along the East China Sea gives Shanghai access to some of the world’s finest seafood. Hairy crabs and oysters are enormously popular here. Cooked or eaten raw with the local seaweed, they are almost Japanese in delicacy and flavor. Stewed eel with shiitake mushrooms soaked in rice wine and garlic is another local favorite.

The city has its own local version of dim sum, too. Xiao Long Bao, a type of bun made in a bamboo steamer, is often consumed as a snack or appetizer. Dip them in black vinegar and you’ve got a native dish that would be appreciated by diners anywhere.

A small breakfast is the tradition in this city of busy workers. You Tiao, a type of bread fried in oil and wrapped in a thick pancake, may be washed down with soy milk. Then it’s off to work.

After all, in a city of 20 million with 1,000 construction projects, who has time to eat? Ah, well, the Shanghai citizens, that’s who. Try some Shanghai style cuisine and you’ll see that they do that very well indeed.

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