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"In China, dietary practice involves two extremes: 'eating to live' and 'eating for pleasure," as Alan Davidson points out in The Oxford Companion to Food. This duality of primary foods (zhushi) and accompaniments (fushi) is the foundation of all regional cuisines throughout the country; variations thrive, but the underlying principle is always preserved. Understanding these regional variations can lead to a deeper cultural appreciation and-on a more practical level-a more enjoyable dining experience in restaurants, allowing diners to select items off of the menu that highlight the particular talents of the kitchen.
The country of China is vast, and any attempt to divide the landscape into clear and precise areas with respect to local cuisine would surely fail, but a point of reference is necessary. With due apology for the inherent generalizations, the conventional cardinal point map works well. Divided along these lines, China has four distinct culinary regions: Peking (north), Canton (south), Shanghai (east) and Sichuan (west).
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".. any attempt to divide [China's] landscape
into clear and precise areas with respect to local cuisine would surely
fail."
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Peking Cuisine
The cooking of Peking is uncomplicated when compared to that of the other regions. It is satisfyingly straightforward, with strong, raw flavors of garlic and leek and a balance of sweet and sour taking precedence over the complexity of spices and myriad ingredients.
Rice is a staple of the Chinese table, but as you progress to the northern part of the country a gradual shift takes place, and rice is replaced by wheat. Wheat products are more substantial, making them suitable to the cooler climate. The preference in the area of Peking is for noodles, steamed bread and buns. The roast pork-filled chiao-tzu and chiao-shao-pao are atypical, but perhaps the most well known are the steamed pancakes which serve as an accompaniment to and the eating utensil for pei-ching-ka'o-ya (Peking duck).
Lamb is another distinguishing feature of Peking Cuisine, first introduced by the Mongols in the 13th century. Mongolian firepot marks this contribution in the annals of Chinese cuisine, the name referring to both the clay pot used for cooking and the preparation itself. The individual diners cook the dish at the table. Thinly sliced lamb, plus an assortment of vegetables, is dipped into a pot of simmering broth set over an open flame. The meat is eaten straight from the pot with a dipping sauce of sesame and red bean curd. After the broth has become well seasoned, noodles (typically cellophane noodles) are added to the pot along with any remaining vegetables, creating an impromptu soup and closing the meal. Tung-yang-jou is another popular variation. Lamb is braised in a well-seasoned soy and garlic broth, and it is then allowed to cool and set (from the collagen in the meat) before it is eaten. The flavors are well blended and less assertive after cooling. The result is a balance of richness and saltiness, punctuated by the aroma of garlic-a clear demonstration of Peking style.
Cantonese Cuisine
Due to its subtropical climate and coastal location, ingredients are plentiful in the South of China. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables, tea, stock farms, and the wealth of fish and shellfish harvested along the coast yield a versatile cuisine, with a focus on the contrast and balance of several tastes and textures.
Dim sum flaunts this versatility. The cooking techniques are numerous, and the assortment of dishes is countless. Wrappings of dough, lotus leaf, and siu mai skins provide deceptively uniform cover, masking a wealth of flavors. Trial-and-error will inevitably reveal the differences. Siu loon bau are tiny steamed breads filled with roasted pork, in this case with a small addition of soup broth; har gau is an aromatic mix of ginger, garlic, and shrimp wrapped in a thin wheat dough which becomes translucent when steamed; siu mai are the most popular and easily recognized-open-faced and overstuffed with minced pork, dried shiitake, and lotus root; and yung hai kim are crab claws encased in shrimp paste, rolled in tapioca starch, and deep fried. This says nothing of the chicken feet, lotus steamed rice, et cetera.
The most notable aspect of Cantonese cooking, however, is not a particular dish: it is the technique of stir-frying. Cooking with extremely high heat, the natural textures are preserved, augmented by an appealing "wok fragrance" which is imparted to the dishes by the initial step of briefly sautiing garlic, ginger and scallions in oil. The delicacy of vegetables and shellfish shows this off well, such as chao-hsia-jen (sweet peas and shrimp), or la-pai-tsau--a spicy cabbage dish in which the tang of vinegar is offset by the heat of dried chili peppers. The swiftness of this technique allows flavors to be combined while maintaining their distinctiveness and minimizing the interference of the cook's hand. It is the essence of Cantonese cuisine.
by Ed Nakata-Higgins
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