The Chinese cuisine is very rich and varied, because there are many regions that are part of this country´s ancient tradition. Many people think of this place as a source of exotic dishes, and the truth is that you will find a very different culture of food if you visit it. Next we are going to talk to you about some curiosities of Chinese cuisine and then we are going to focus on the region of Shanghai, in the east of the country.
Curiosities of Chinese cuisine
The first thing we’re going to tell you, although I’m sure you already know, is that in China you eat with chopsticks. But not only that: the Chinese are very scrupulous in this sense, so you should take from the common dish everything you have touched with your chopsticks.
In addition, it is not well seen to prick the food with the toothpick or take it with your hand, so we recommend that you practice the technique before entering this Asian country.
Regarding the ingredients used in cooking, in China it is very common to eat vegetables, which gives its inhabitants a very good intestinal health. Also, they prefer fresh and natural products to frozen ones, and they take advantage of all the food, including bones and cartilages.
Do you want us to talk about a specific ingredient? It turns out that tofu, made from soybeans and highly valued in the vegetarian diet, was invented in China. In effect, it is very popular in the country.
Finally, we have to tell you that it is common in the country that the drink is hot. It is not usually accompanied by food with water, but with soup or tea, and these are always served at the end.
Huaiyang cuisine
Next we will focus on the region of the east coast of China, that is, the one that encompasses Shanghai and its surroundings. It is a very rich area both in agriculture and fish, so it is common to use fresh vegetables and seafood such as prawns and crabs in the kitchen.
In fact, Did you know that this region is known for offering the best crab in the country? Let’s see some of the characteristic elements of this region.
Red kitchen and hong-shao
Red cooking is very characteristic in this region of China and basically consists of simmering the food in soy sauce. In this way, the food takes on that red color that gives its name to the technique.
Another method used in the area is the hong-shao or braised red. It is a frying method in which the ingredients are slowly cooked with a sauce made with rice wine and soy sauce.
Basic ingredients
You should know that Huaiyang gastronomy gives great importance to soups that serve as an accompaniment to the main dish, coming to think of very interesting recipes. Also pork lard and peanut oil occupy a significant gap in the kitchen.
Finally, as we told you, vegetables, fish and seafood play a great role in many traditional dishes.
Exotic dishes
One of the star dishes in Shanghai and surroundings is the soy duck. A curiosity about it is that it takes a long time to prepare, since the duck is marinated in soy sauce for three days and then steamed for another many hours.
However, there are more dishes that you should try in the area:
- Xiaolongbao, a ravioli whose filling is soup.
- Centennial eggs, a dish for which chicken or duck eggs are used.
- Dim sum, classic steamed dumplings.
- Gu lo yuk, or sweet and sour veal.
- Da zha xie or steamed crab, using one of the star ingredients in the area.
- Smoked fish fillet.
- Sweet and sour pork chops.
Of course, these are just some of the dishes that can be consumed in the area. As we told you, fish, seafood and vegetables are very present in the local cuisine due to the characteristics of the region. However, there are many other delicacies that you can not miss if you travel to this part of China.
We have already explained some curiosities of Chinese cuisine, in general, and about the cuisine of the region around Shanghai, specifically. This way you will know which are the dishes that you can not miss if you make a trip to the area.
In any case, if you dare to recreate any of these recipes at home, you will need a well-equipped kitchen. Do not hesitate to come to us to meet this goal, and we always offer the best qualities.
With a kitchen in perfect state of review, you only need to look for all the ingredients. Do you dare to cook some of the curiosities of Chinese cuisine?