Chinese Food

What is it about Chinese food that seems to please just about anyones taste buds? Usually when you think about this cuisine, rice typically springs to mind. However, this grain only grows in southern China, so millet is used in the northern areas of the country, along with wheat. Now. you are probably saying to yourself that this sounds nothing like the Chinese food we experience in our Western culture.

What we are familiar with are heaping piles of vegetables, meat with dipping sauces, and bowls of rice that accompany the meal. This is not necessarily true for native Chinese food, since there are only a few vegetables and fruits that grow commonly in the area. Some of these are soybeans, cucumbers, apricots, and peaches. Also fish and other meats are only added for holidays and special occasions like Chinese New Year. Since meat is so expensive, and most of the native people do not eat meat due to their religious beliefs, tofu is a very popular substitute. And have you ever noticed that the food is cut into smaller pieces. Not only is this done for affordability purposes, but also allowing the food to cook quicker. Having the food in bite size pieces also makes it great for the use of traditional chopsticks.

Surprisingly, you may not know that Chinese food is based on the balance of opposites like hot and cold, sweet and savory, or mild and spicy. This comes from the philosophical theory that opposites are a continuum of energy or matter, allowing for a constantly changing balance that equals wellness. Also the names and colors, like the golden crisp Spring roll which stands for wealth, are important to the Chinese culture. The reason for this is that they have symbolic meanings. So the next time you have Chinese food, take a look at your plate and see what the ingredients are and if they are balanced. Although, if you are like most, Chinese food has this amazing ability to disappear the minute it comes out of the take out box, formerly known as native oyster pails.