| While Chinese food recipes may be specific to a | | | | spices depending on the individual recipe. For the |
| certain region of China, cooking techniques often cross | | | | method known as "red cooking", a lot of soy sauce is |
| provincial boundaries. In a country the size of China, | | | | added which permeates all the ingredients. The whole |
| that's a lot of travelling. | | | | lot is then simmered gently until cooked. The traditional |
| Stir Frying | | | | utensils would be a clay pot over a charcoal fire but a |
| Stir frying is one of the favourite cooking methods. The | | | | saucepan or wok on a gas or electric cooker will |
| actual cooking is very quick indeed so all the | | | | produce much the same result. The sauce can then |
| ingredients need to be prepared in advance. Many | | | | be thickened with a little corn flour mixed with some of |
| Chinese food recipes involve meat and vegetables | | | | the stewing liquid. |
| being sliced into evenly sized pieces, so that they will | | | | Alternatively, the meat and vegetables can be |
| cook at the same speed. Things like carrots, spring | | | | extracted to form the main course to be followed by |
| onions and courgettes look nicer if they're cut on an | | | | the broth served over rice as a filler. |
| angle, giving an interesting shape. | | | | Roasting |
| All the spices and sauce ingredients need to be | | | | Just as with our own "roast dinners" in the West, the |
| measured out and mixed before cooking starts. | | | | Chinese marinade and roast large pieces of meat |
| The wok should be heated until it is almost smoking | | | | either in an oven or over a barbeque. These Chinese |
| before the oil is added. The ingredients which take the | | | | food recipes are often produced in restaurants and |
| longest to cook should be added first then the others | | | | the marinade is key to the flavour, often containing five |
| progressively, stirring and tossing continuously, followed | | | | spice powder, star anise, chillies, garlic and ginger or a |
| by the sauce which should be simmered for a minute | | | | selection of these. |
| before serving. | | | | Whichever cooking method is used, preparation and |
| Stewing | | | | presentation are the keys to a successful dish, as in |
| Stewing is a bit more leisurely than stir frying. Chicken | | | | Chinese cookery, aroma and visual pleasure are just |
| or meat can be used, together with vegetables, water, | | | | as important as taste. |
| stock, beer or wine (or a mixture any of them) and | | | | |