If you have ever dreamed of organizing a foreign cuisine party, you are lucky to come across our post about the Chinese cuisine traditions. Not only will you discover some interesting facts about this nation, but will also learn how to cook the true Peking Duck even though its recipe is considered to be full of secrets!
Four Major Cuisines
In China, cooking techniques and references in food differ from province to province and depend on the differences in historical background and ethnic groups. Imperial, royal and noble preferences also play an important role in the changes that Chinese food traditions undergone. Thus, there are “Four Major Cuisines”, mostly famous for the country’s leaders, such as Chuan, Lu, Yue and Huaiyang, during the reign of whom they appeared. These cuisines represent West, North, South and East of China correspondingly.
Basic Staple foods
Rice is widely known as a major staple food in Asian cuisine. It is used both for side dishes served with meat or seafood and for producing other products, such as beer, wine or vinegar. In some farming regions, wheat is just as popular. Both rice and wheat are used for making noodles usually topped with seafood, vegetables and various sauces.
Gastronomy as high art
In the time of Confucius in the late Zhou, cooking became almost high art. Much attention was paid to the way of cutting food, the recipe of the right sauce for a certain dish, combination and amount of foods served, and food decoration.
Eating Rituals
The Chinese have their special eating habits which can be called rituals. For example, they do not use table knives at all and eat with the help of chopsticks, which first appeared in China and then spread throughout the world.
Triplicity of Food
There are three main aspects – color, smell and taste – that actually can be used to describe any food, but the Chinese food is characterized by the perfect balance of the three. Other aspects – meaning, shape and nutrition – represent another approach demonstrating the triplicity of the national cuisine.
- Whole ducks 4 lbs
- Lemon 1
- Honey ¼ cup
- Soy sauce ¼ cup
- Chinese rice wine 150 ml
- Peking duck pancakes 20
- Spring onions 6
- Cucumber 1
- Hoisin sauce to taste
- Wash the ducks in cold water and dry them with a paper towel.
- To make a marinade, slice the lemon and place the slices in a pan. Pour in soy sauce, rice wine and 2 cups of water, stir over medium heat for 5 minutes until the honey is dissolved. Increase heat to boil the mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer it for 15 minutes. Cool the marinade down slightly.
- Pour the mixture on the ducks until they are coated with it and leave them in the fridge overnight uncovered.
- The next day place the ducks on a wire rack set and roast them in the oven over a large pan at 430°F for 15 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 180°C and roast the meat for 70 minutes more until the skin gets crispy and the meat is well cooked through.
- Heat the pancakes as written on the package.
- Shred the onions, slice the cucumber and pour the hoisin sauce in a small dish.
- Carve the duck and serve it with the pancakes, the vegetables and the sauce so that everyone could make small rolls.