Culinary holiday in China

Culinary experience in China

In China,culinary habits have a special specificity. We go on a holiday of the senses, to enjoy Chinese gastronomy. The meal always starts with a herbal tea and continues with the appetizers. The Chinese style is to prepare as many dishes as possible, in small quantities however. Soups are generally served almost at the end in order to improve digestion.

Cooking techniques in Chinese gastronomy also differ from those in Europe: the food is either scalded, i.e. cooked in boiling water for a very short time, or hardened, i.e. fried in hot oil, at very high temperature only a few minutes, in a special deep pan called “wok”.

Therefore, these culinary recipes require a very short preparation time. Vegetables are cut thin and long canes, and meat, strips or cubes. Almost all Chinese dishes contain rice, generally with vegetables or pasta. The most common types of meat used are chicken, beef and pork, fish and seafood.

In gourmet recipes in China, sauces are generally salty, the most commonly used being soy sauce. Traditional Chinese dishes also contain specific vegetables (such as bamboo), but also typical spices (galiphene). The Chinese eat like the Japanese,using sticks.

Let’s taste some Chinese cuisine

Salad with noodles and pork

200 g pork tenderloin, 2 green salads, 1 red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 pack rice fillet ( 300 g ), 4 tablespoons soy sauce, salt, pepper.

Remove the fat from the meat, then cut the meat long and thin strips. We’re tearing up the salad leaves. Cut the peppers with sticks or cubes.

Heat the oil in a saucepan (best in wok). Heat the peppers for 1 minute, over a high heat, then add the meat, which we will heat on all sides for about 3 minutes, also on a hot heat. Add the salad and leave it for another minute.

Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a salt pot, according to the instructions on the package. Add the soy sauce to the pan, 2 tablespoons of water and the cooked pasta. Sprinkle salt and pepper and leave the pan for another 4-5 minutes on the heat. It’s an appetizing recipe!

Chinese chicken with chilli

2 tablespoons olive oil, 2-3 boneless and skinless chicken skins, cut strips, 4 cloves chopped garlic, 2 chopped onions, 1 red bell pepper, cut long and thin sticks, 1 chilli cut strips, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 basil link, salt, pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan (or wok). Add the chicken and heat it on all sides, over a high heat for about 10 minutes. We take the chicken out on a plate. Add the remaining oil to the saucepan. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and onion. We’ll leave them on a high heat for three minutes.

Add the chicken back to the saucepan, over the onions and garlic. Add the bell pepper, chilli, soy sauce and sugar. Sprinkle salt and pepper and leave another 10 minutes on the heat, then add the basil leaves. Serve hot. Spicy and tasty!

Vegetables with rice noodles

A handful of rice noodles ( 150 g ), 6 tablespoons soy sauce, juice of an orange, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon flour, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 garlic cloves chopped, 2 red peppers cut strips, 2 carrots cut canes, 2 courgettes cut canes, a handful of green bean pods, 4 potatoes, cut round, salt, pepper, greens for decoration.

Boil the noodles in salted water for 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the soy sauce, orange juice, sugar and flour in a bowl. Heat the garlic in a saucepan with hot oil (or in wok). Add the rest of the vegetables (apart from the potatoes) and heat them for 3 minutes over a high heat. Put the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and add them to the saucepan. Put the soy sauce with the flour, sugar and orange juice in the saucepan, add the noodles and leave for another three minutes on a high heat. Decorate with chopped greens. It’s a fresh and dietary dish.

Spicy rice with shrimp

1 cup long grain rice, 250 g frozen peas, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 chopped onion, 3 slices bacon cut strips, 1 tablespoon broth, 1 bag of frozen shrimp, 1 beaten egg, soy sauce, for serving.

Boil the rice in a pot of water and salt for 10 minutes (about 3 cups of water). Add the peas for the last 3 minutes. We defrost the shrimp in the microwave.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan or wok. Add the onions and bacon and heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the broth and thawed shrimp and heat everything for another 2-3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil, put the egg and mix well with the rest of the composition, then add the rice and peas, stirring well. Serve hot with soy sauce. It’s classic and aromatic!

I hope you enjoyed this culinary holiday in China! You can also try these simple but extremely tasty and healthy recipes at home.