Regions throughout the world have developed unique cultures. Aspects of these ways of life vary tremendously. This indisputable fact can be proven by simply studying one of these aspects. Cuisine, the cuisine of China in particular, is the aspect that we decided to explore. The techniques, the tools, flavors and ingredients of the unique traditional cuisine fascinated us to no end.
China, a country separated from the rest of Asia by various geographical features (i.e.: Himalayan Mountains, Kara Kura Mountains), has developed a unique diet because of its isolation. Furthermore, within China itself, various regions have developed their own particular fare. This is due to the extremes of both geography and climate that are experienced in the different sections of the country. The four cooking regions of China are Peking or Northern China, Shanghai or Eastern China, Szechwan or Western China, Canton or Southern China.
Peking the largest area, is comprised of Inner Mongolia, Hopei, Honan, Shantung, Shansi, and Shensi provinces. Wheat, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, and soybeans are the main crops of the region. Chinese leaf, cucumber, and celery are the main vegetables of the region. Noodles, steamed breads and buns are more popular than rice, unlike in southern China. Mongol cuisine has influenced Peking greatly. This is made obvious in the way that this region's people use mutton and lamb more than in other regions. Without a doubt, the one dish that has escaped from Peking's borders and captured the imagination of people through out the world is Peking duck. In fact, the ducks for this meal are often raised and fattened especially for the meal.
On the eastern side of China is Shanghai, which covers the area of the Kiangsu, Chekiang, and Anhwei. These provinces enjoy a temperate climate, fertile land, and have many fresh water sources for the agricultural area. The cuisine revolves around rice, wheat and seafood. This region includes many different cooking techniques and styles. The one that is prominent and accepted nationally is called the hung-shou or the red-braising method of cooking. Using this technique the meats are slowly cooked in an aromatic mixture of thick dark soy sauce and rice wine.

West of Shanghai is the area of Szechwan, which includes the provinces of Szechwan, Hunan and Yunnan. The cuisine tends to be more spicy than is the norm throughout China. However, there is much sophistication beyond this initial spiciness. In fact, often in the same dish the Szechwanese employ a full spectrum of flavors: salty, sweet, vinegary, and hot. With regard to techniques used, Szechwanese often employ several processes in the preparation for one dish.

The final region of China is Canton whose climate is subtropical with heavy rainfall between the months of May and September, has a cuisine which is recognized as China's most varied and versatile . This is due to the wealth of ingredients available to the Cantonese such as rice, sweet potato, corn, taro, and wheat all of which are cultivated (among the meats are pork, beef and a wide array of seafood). Rice is the staple in this region, and is eaten at least twice a day in most households. Unlike Western Chinese cuisine, the Cantonese diet is not highly seasoned. Instead, the chef relies upon a blending of different flavors to bring out the best of the ingredients.

As you just read, each section and province in China has its own unique cuisine. This is not to say that they are not all unified with certain characteristics which are standard throughout China. In fact, it could be said that these certain ch ffb aracteristics are what makes a certain dish "Chinese".

First and foremost is the technique of stir frying. This method of preparing food begins with the pouring of a small amount of oil into a heated wok (see page 5). As the oil begins to heat up, a few ingredients are added to add a fragrance to the main ingredients. The main ingredients of the dish are cut into uniformly small pieces to absorb to taste of the seasoning. However, stir-frying is not the only method preparing food used in China. These techniques, which are not quite as prominent as stir-frying, and will be explored later on.

Stir-frying is not the only unifying characteristic of Chinese food. One would easily know that a dish is Chinese by observing several other characteristics of the food. For example, the Chinese tend to use many dried foods, such as dried mushrooms, dried scallops, dried oysters, dried shrimp, in its cuisine. This began before the invention of canning, and deep-freezing, as a form of preservation. It is still commonly used, because the Chinese have found that dry foods lend their flavors ...