Food in China        2008-6-20 11:50:02

China's cuisine has evolved into one of the great cuisines of the world. For more than 5,000 years, food has played an auspicious role in nearly all aspects of Chinese society from health and medicine to business and celebration and it is no less important today. The overall importance of food in China can't be understated; upon greeting, Westerners will inquire about your health, the Chinese will ask if you've eaten.

Rich in scenic beauty, China's geography spans a wide spectrum from fertile plains to high mountains. Its climate is also extremely broad in scope, ranging from sub-arctic to subtropical with everything in between. This combination of varied geography, climate and sheer land size produces an extraordinary cornucopia of fruit, vegetables, meats and seafood, and has evolved into one of the most interesting, creative and widely enjoyed cuisines of the world.

Emphasis on the freshness, flavor and texture of ingredients is key to fine Chinese cooking. To get the most out of even simple ingredients, a variety of techniques is used to highlight and accent food qualities. Quick cooking with a wok and deep-frying are universal to most styles of cooking in China. You'll also find other cooking methods such as steaming, roasting, barbecuing, stewing, poaching and braising used extensively.

Many of the coastal and boarder regions of China have adopted outside influences into their cuisine. In general the farther south you travel the more tropical the weather, affording better growing conditions and the lighter and more refined the food tends to be. With harsh winters and short growing conditions, northern and western regions tend to offer much heartier cuisine. Traders, missionaries and invading peoples have all had their persuasion in how gastronomy has evolved in various regions. New world foods such as tomatoes and corn are now common ingredients throughout China, in Hong Kong you'll find the use of mayonnaise and chilies have directly influenced an entire genre of food from Sichuan. In ancient times and even today, those living in the remote areas didn't travel extensively and there have been few outside influences from other cultures. The foods they eat and their cooking, essentially their entire way of life, has been insulated and has remained the same for countless generations. If you visit these remote places, you'll have a fascinating opportunity to have a taste of ancient history.

One note for vegetarians or those who don'teat pork - if a dish has an unnamed meat, that meat is usually pork. Strict vegetarians and vegans will find it hard to avoid meat or meat products altogether. Some restaurants will simply pick out the most obvious pieces of meat from their dishes or may use lard in their cooking. The best way to avoid meat is to tell the service staff you're allergic to meat or Buddhist. Here are two helpful phrases "I don't eat meat" (wo bu chihun ) or "I only eat vegetables" (wo zhi chi su de ) Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also widely used, you can always ask for none (bu yao wei jing ).

NORTHERN CHINA
The cuisine of northern China centers on Beijing and includes the provinces of Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and the northeast, which is collectively known as dongbei in Chinese. The harsh northern climate consists of blistering hot summers and cold dry winters matching the strong, bold and salty flavors of this region. Stir-frying, stewing, and deep-frying are typical ways of cooking fairly basic ingredients such as chicken, mutton, fish and tofu. There tends to be an emphasis on meats, with vegetables taking a back seat. Common condiments include bean pastes, dark soy sauces, vinegar and sugar resulting in dishes with rich brown sauces. Pungent, aromatic and forceful flavors from garlic, ginger and spring onion dominate as well.

Wheat is the staple grain that grows well here and you'll find an abundance of wheat products in the form of buns, noodles, dumplings and pancakes. Look for hand pulled noodles being made to order – an exciting and artful demonstration of skill. A master noodle puller can create strands of
noodles so fine they're called "dragon's whiskers (ldngxumian )." Also, look for "hand shaved (daoxiaomian )" noodles made to order served with flavorful soups or dumplings (jiaozi), which are a universal simple pleasure served with vinegar and hot chili oil for dipping. Try dumplings with pork and cabbage, egg and chives or pork and

A spread of traditional Chinese food

black mushroom fillings, which are standard combinations available in most dumpling houses. 

There's also a strong Muslim influence introduced by Central Asian traders who made their way along the Silk Road. You can taste their influence in the form of barbecued lamb skewers (yangrou chuan ) flavored with cumin seed or lamb stir-fried with vegetables. Mongolian hotpot (huoguo )is a year round specialty that is especially welcome