Chinese cuisine has unique features from the food and the way to enjoy it. It is different from Western cuisine. Therefore, many people want to learn about the cuisine of this country.
The following facts will answer your questions about Chinese dishes. Some of these will surprise you!
Chinese food is famous for its diverse flavors. Yet, there are facts about this country’s food that you may not know. Here are some interesting facts.
1. In China, there are eight culinary cuisines
Researchers of Chinese culinary culture have spent a lot of time analyzing local characteristics, processing methods, and tastes. They initially divided Chinese cuisine into eight culinary, including:
- Shandong: Shandong dishes are characterized by: Strong taste and a strong smell of onions and garlic, especially seafood dishes. Shandong people have a knack for making soups and animal organs.
- Guangdong: Guangdong has many fried and stewed dishes with a mild flavor and crispy and fresh aroma.
- Szechuan: The food of this cuisine pays special attention to color, flavor, and shape. They also have strong seasoning.
- Hunan: This cuisine is rich in fat, sour, and light.
- Fujian: Fujian culinary cuisine has a sophisticated menu and elaborate preparation.
- Zhejiang: The characteristics of dishes belonging to this culinary school are: fresh, soft, and frugal.
- Jiangsu: This cuisine is famous for its stews, pays attention to the soup, and ensures the original taste.
- Anhui: As for the cuisine in this locality, people love stewing food.
2. Soup, noodles, and rice are the leading foods
Rice is the staple and the most popular food in China. The Chinese eat rice almost every day during meals.
Noodles are also a basic food in China. The Chinese eat noodles a lot, especially in the north. In addition, in a Chinese family meal, soup is indispensable.
3. Why do Chinese people use chopsticks?
Compared to using spoons, forks and knives, using chopsticks is somewhat more complicated, requiring dexterity of the hands.
The increase in population makes a lot of materials, especially food, increasingly scarce. Therefore, people began to cut food into small pieces to cook faster and more economically.
Eating with chopsticks is also considered an influence of Confucian thought.
4. There is a superstitious symbol for each food
In Chinese cuisine, each dish has its spiritual meaning. For example, Dumplings symbolize prosperity, Drift Cake symbolizes unity, and Chicken eggs represent prosperity.
In addition, on each holiday, the Chinese will prepare different dishes, for example, Longevity Noodles for birthdays, Mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dumplings for New Year’s.
5. Chinese people eat nearly everything that moves!
Indeed, the Chinese people from ancient times have been able to make a lot of dishes from different animals. Due to poverty, many remote areas in China make sea insects to eat. These specialties are delicious and full of local flavors, but they scare off tourists.
6. Tea originated in China
In terms of history or biology, experts agree that tea originated in the Asian region, mainly in Southwest China and North.
The exact time when people used tea is unknown, but according to estimates, it was during the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC – 1046 BC).
According to ancient Chinese documents, Shen Nong – one of the Three Emperors of Chinese culture – discovered it. Legend has it that Shen Nong was the one who taught the people to farm and was very good at medicine.
7. Every year, China uses 45 billion pairs of chopsticks
Because it is the most populous country in the world, the amount of chopsticks consumed in this country is huge.
This number comes from the use of disposable chopsticks. Therefore, the Chinese government has implemented a policy of imposing taxes on this type of chopsticks to reduce consumption and protect the environment.
The production of 45 million pairs of chopsticks has put a lot of pressure on the Chinese forest.
8. There are plenty of ways to prepare the same food
The core of Chinese cuisine is seasoning. Therefore, regardless of the ingredients, they can make a dish with a delicious taste.
They often take advantage of ingredients available in the kitchen to prepare dishes instead of following a ready-made recipe. Therefore, the Chinese menu is always diverse.
In addition, the Chinese have many cooking methods, such as boiling, steaming, stir-frying, grilling, etc., so they have many options in the kitchen.
9. The Chinese don’t leave tips at restaurants
In most places in China, there is no rule to tip because the law in China does not allow this. Yet, tipping can exist in expensive Western hotels in Beijing and Shanghai.
In addition, many Chinese feel that tipping is rude and disrespectful to the chef.
10. Chinese culture teaches them not to waste anything
The Chinese do not waste food because it is disrespectful to the person who created the dish. Many countries around the world also have this culture. Having lived through years of poverty, wasting food is a lack of appreciation for life.
FAQs
What is unique about Chinese food?
These Chinese dishes are unique in their blend of spices. They are usually spicy, salty, and sweet with a beautiful color. This is the distinctive feature of Chinese cuisine that is unlike any other.
Why is Chinese food famous?
In addition to having delicious taste and eye-catching presentation, Chinese dishes are advertised very well.
On many forums, social networking sites, and e-commerce sites, it is easy to come across attractive advertisements with pictures of different types of Chinese goods.
What is the leading food of the Chinese?
Rice is the main dish of Chinese people. There will usually be rice and side dishes on the Chinese dining table. Every day, they will change the menu of side dishes to change the taste, but the rice will remain the same.
Conclusion
These are 10 facts about Chinese food that many people do not know. You probably will not find the taste of Chinese cuisine anywhere else because it has a unique character.
If you come to this country, you will be able to try their deliciousness. What other facts does China have? Let’s read the latest articles on our website!