| The variety of Chinese food dishes and Chinese food | | | | brought to a boil and then allowed to simmer until the |
| recipes available today is wider than in any previous | | | | food is just tender. In red stewing a small amount of |
| decade. One can easily find Chinese food recipes for | | | | sugar and soy sauce is added which gives the |
| Chop Suey, which is not an authentic Chinese dish, | | | | stewed food a reddish tinge. |
| along side of Hunan Beef. It is interesting to note that | | | | The second Chinese cooking technique is steaming. |
| what many refer to as Chow Mein noodles is really a | | | | Steaming can be either wet or dry. The Chinese have |
| simpler crunchy version of the real thing. | | | | used steaming as a primary cooking method for over |
| In centuries past when the Chinese still used forks and | | | | 3000 years. Before ovens were common place |
| knives is when the foundation for modern day Chinese | | | | steaming was a preferred method which allowed for |
| cooking was formed. This is back when the cutting | | | | moist flavorful food that retained most of its nutrients. |
| techniques and delicate flavors came together to form | | | | Frying is the third of the traditional Chinese cooking |
| healthy hearty meals. | | | | techniques. Frying can be either deep frying in oil or |
| This is also when the three primary Chinese cooking | | | | sautéing. When deep frying the food is |
| techniques were formed. | | | | submersed in hot oil and allowed to cook until it floats. |
| The first Chinese cooking technique is stewing. | | | | In sautéing the meat, vegetables and garnishes |
| Stewing can be either red or clear and is the simplest | | | | are cooked quickly over high heat in a small amount of |
| of the three methods. In clear stewing the clear liquid is | | | | fat. |