How To Draw A Picture Of Ancient Chinese Restaurants

(All photographs courtesy of Hsu Chung-mao unless otherwise stated, Chinese ink paintings by Tania Hsu.*)

Over its long history, China's food culture has been passed down through the ages. Its main drinkable is tea, with tea leaves a major export item. Trading teams from Primal Asia traversed thousands of miles on camels through vast deserts and grasslands to come to China for its porcelain, silk, and tea. Chinese food is also well-known all over the earth, only autonomously from the archetype epitome of chopsticks, most foreigners know nothing virtually Chinese cuisine across the dishes offered at their local Chinatown, which are adapted to foreign gustatory modality buds.

China is huge, with cuisine unique to each province. Nevertheless, put all this food beside one another, and 1 would nonetheless notice a few standout dishes. Imagine putting together a country dinner, or a lavish wedding dinner, with 10 to fifteen guests at each table. Each dish presented would have to wait, smell, and taste perfect, and in aplenty portions — what Chinese call "main courses" (大菜).

Chinese New Year's Eve meals are never complete without a fish dish symbolising a year of abundance. Steaming the fish too sounds like a Chinese maxim that means to be on the ascendancy (蒸蒸日上). Everything from the technique used to clean the fish to the cooking temperature determines whether the stop-result is a perfect dish full of umami.

Cantonese sausage (lap cheong, 腊肠) is a must-take during Chinese New year, as a gift or at the reunion dinner. As taste buds become more sophisticated, the flavours in lap cheong are condign more varied. Pork is no longer the but choice — fish or chicken lap cheong, or those with spices or alcohol, have opened upwards more possibilities.

"Longevity greens" — a vegetable dish commonly cooked with mustard greens or spinach along with carrots — is a staple dish during Chinese New year, symbolising long life.

Drunken chicken, or chicken cooked in Chinese wine, is a common dish during Chinese New year. This dish from Jiangsu and Zhejiang is made by soaking the chicken in Shaoxing wine — which promotes blood circulation — and nourishing Chinese herbs, and so chilling it to exist served equally a common cold appetiser. The aroma hits the olfactory organ pleasantly even before this simple and popular dish is eaten.

Scallion fried with preserved meat is a classic habitation-cooked dish. Preserved meat is cured and usually eaten at the beginning and terminate of the lunar year. It is a staple during Chinese New year's day and a "mandatory" purchase every bit a gift or to cook, with a strong New year flavour in every sense.

By and large, China'due south master courses consist of dishes from Guangdong and Sichuan, which are more richly flavoured. Sichuan cuisine is by and large nigh mala, and lots of chilli. One joke goes that children in Sichuan munch on chilli like it'due south chewing gum; yes, they love their chilli there!

Guangdong or Cantonese cuisine is a blend of sour, savoury, and sweet. The flavours are rich and the ingredients varied, and it is possible to come up with large plates of tasty dishes in generous portions, which is why they are plant as part of large-calibration functions. By dissimilarity, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine is lighter, with many types of cold dishes and side dishes, and rice every bit the staple.

Guangdong and Fujian are the main tea-producing provinces in China, and a source of the globe'due south tea. The word 茶 (tea) is pronounced "cha" in Cantonese and "te" in Hokkien, and without exception, the give-and-take for tea in whatever linguistic communication comes from one or the other of these.

In northern Prc, the main type of cuisine comes from Beijing, of which the all-time-known dish is Peking duck. Given the harsh winters at that place, people eat a lot of high-calorie or "heaty" nutrient similar grilled lamb and lamb hotpot, paired with strong booze and complemented with grain-based items such equally noodles and buns, broiled pastries (烧饼) and dumplings, which class the basis of northern Chinese cuisine. Every bit for the border regions, Mongolia and Xinjiang have preserved the nomadic diet and flavours of the past, such as lamb kebabs and goat'southward milk, and plenty of spices. Yunnan cuisine is similar to the food in Thailand and Myanmar, while Guangxi's dishes are close to Vietnamese cuisine.

Rice dumplings are one of the best-known Chinese dishes. Each region has its ain unique version, with the master ingredients being viscous rice, salted egg yolk, and lean and fatty meat, along with peanuts, chestnuts, dried shrimp, and mushrooms, according to the usual methods in each region.

The important thing in cooking braised pork with preserved mustard is to fry the pork belly meat over a medium fire until just slightly burnt, then use the lard in the wok to fry minced garlic, chopped shallots, and some ruby-red chilli to taste. Finally, put the pork belly in a bowl, filling up the gaps with the preserved mustard, then steam in an electric cooker; it will have most one-half an hour for the meat to absorb the flavours better. During the cooking process, the flavours of the preserved mustard and soy sauce seep into the pork belly, making a savoury and fragrant dish to relish with rice.

But fifty-fifty every bit various cuisines have their unique points and various fans, if one had to rank them, Cantonese cuisine would probably be the most popular and influential. I reason is that the Cantonese migrated all over the world, indirectly driving the globalisation of Cantonese cuisine. Second, Cantonese cuisine is not only about good food; information technology is a complete lifestyle, a civilization of leisure and enjoyment of good food, every bit exemplified by the yum cha culture (饮茶, literally "drink tea").

Guangdong and Fujian are the principal tea-producing provinces in China, and a source of the world's tea. The word 茶 (tea) is pronounced "cha" in Cantonese and "te" in Hokkien, and without exception, the word for tea in any language comes from i or the other of these.

The yum cha civilization

The Cantonese love drinking tea, and enjoying a hearty breakfast — consummate with tea — is known as 早茶 (zou cha, literally "early/morning tea") or 饮茶 (yum cha). Cantonese-style eateries offering yum cha/zou cha are found throughout China, and are popular with local Chinese everywhere. The outset question that servers inquire is usually what tea the client would similar — the main choices are oolong, jasmine, pu-erh, or chrysanthemum. Then the servers move effectually between tables with push carts total of dim sum (点心, literally "dot the heart", meaning small-scale Cantonese dishes much like the Spanish tapas) and customers selection what they want.

Mutual dim sum dishes include siew mai (steamed pork wrapped in dumpling skin), har gow (steamed prawn dumplings), cheong fun (steamed rice rolls), steamed chicken feet, braised pork ribs, and radish cake (steamed or deep fried pieces of shredded radish with flour). Cantonese lifestyle culture is strong in China, and yum cha is a representative part of that culture.

Mutual types of Cantonese dim sum include siew mai, pork buns, chicken feet, and custard buns. Going past "fan" numbers, Cantonese-style yum cha dishes would likely rank amid the acme three most popular Chinese foods. A hearty breakfast makes for an energy-filled solar day, and Cantonese dim sum has go a meal option.

Lin Heung Tea Business firm, a well-known dim sum eatery in Hong Kong. (Wikimedia)

In the second half of the 19th century, Cantonese coolies (manual labourers) crossed the Pacific Ocean to North America to build the railways or to bring together the aureate rush. After which, many of them flocked to big cities on the eastern and western coasts and took on depression-level jobs to make ends meet, setting up small-scale businesses such as laundry shops and Chinese restaurants. Laundry shops were depression-cost — a washboard, soap, and fe, plus a pocket-size shop space was all that was needed. The hardworking Chinese would work around the clock, exercising thrift to salve money for a abode, or for the teaching of the next generation every bit the almost constructive way to modify the destiny of the family.

Opening eateries in new lands as a means of livelihood

Restaurants called for kitchens, furnishings and simple decor, and the cost was college, but the early Chinese migrants ran small and simple eateries. Many Chinese male person migrants had no family unit with them and had to prepare their own meals, and some became skilful cooks, so setting up a restaurant to serve food from their hometowns became an obvious pick.

As most early Chinese migrants to Europe and the US were Cantonese, Chinese restaurants offering Cantonese food flourished, serving affordable dishes such as roast duck and goose, soy sauce chicken, wonton noodles, Cantonese-mode fried noodles, Cantonese-fashion wui fan/mui fan (烩饭, rice with gravy/sauce), and fried hor fun (flat rice noodles). Likewise, to cater to Western taste buds, Cantonese food overseas did not taste as rich; for instance, tomato ketchup is used to create the flavours of sweet and sour pork. As for chop suey and fortune cookies, these were created by overseas Chinese, and are non found in Prc.

Subsequently communist People's republic of china was established in 1949, traditional time-honoured restaurants gradually became land-endemic, and many well-known dishes lost their original nuanced flavours. And with that, the restaurateurs who went to Hong Kong and Taiwan ended upwards inheriting the authentic tastes.

A "roast meat trio" (烧腊三拼) usually consists of barbequed pork (叉烧, char siew), roast duck, and crispy-skinned roast pork. The dips include honey, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and garlic slices. These meats are savoury but non cloying, which is the characteristic of Cantonese dishes.

Guangdong roast duck is a well-known Cantonese dish. Many people cannot tell the difference between Guangdong roast duck and Peking duck, which are in fact prepared slightly differently; Guangdong roast duck is more refined in its season.

Craven in scallion oil is another Cantonese-way dish. Southern Chinese like to marinate chicken so steam it to soften the meat, adding common salt, white pepper, rice vino, and ginger to taste. This makes the chicken fragrant and tender and a good dish to eat with rice. The Cantonese fashion of cooking meat is very dissimilar from in northern China; southern Chinese like a clever alloy of savoury and sweetness flavours.

If most of the Chinese restaurants that opened overseas before World State of war Ii were just amateurs, the high-cease Chinese restaurants opened afterwards WWII by successful restaurateurs from Hong Kong and Taiwan who subsequently migrated to Europe and the US were like major-league football game loving cup finalists.

After communist Cathay was established in 1949, traditional fourth dimension-honoured restaurants gradually became country-endemic, and many well-known dishes lost their original nuanced flavours. And with that, the restaurateurs who went to Hong Kong and Taiwan ended up inheriting the authentic tastes. In detail, when economical growth peaked in the 1970s, these restaurateurs started upgrading their restaurants or setting up high-end ones, creating a revolution in Chinese nutrient and lifestyle enjoyment.

Cantonese cuisine goes international

Guangdong is located near the ocean. Its largest river, the Pearl River, experiences ample flow and is rich with marine life. Hence, information technology is not surprising that seafood is a central feature of Cantonese cuisine. Cantonese soups, with its fanciful varieties featuring rich ingredients, including a huge array of dried seafood and Chinese herbs, likewise features largely in the cuisine of the Cantonese. Not just that, the best dishes from other provinces are often included in the card of these restaurants, such as kung prisoner of war chicken from Sichuan and General Tso'due south chicken from Hunan.

When these restaurateurs brought their loftier standards to Europe and the US, they created a new brand of high-end Chinese restaurants. These establishments had top chefs, adopted Western-style implements, hygiene standards, and management styles, and presented delicious and refined cuisines in a comfy and chichi environment.

At the other end of the spectrum, at that place were the Chinese takeout joints which sprouted all over the West, in line with the Western penchant for fast food.

A US postcard from the 1930s, showing a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco called Shanghai Depression (上海楼, literally Shanghai House). Generally, "Shanghai" was just a proper name tagged on, mainly because Westerners were more familiar with Shanghai — the place may non take offered Shanghai cuisine.

A United states postcard from the 1930s, showing a Chinatown scene. The sign outside the Chinese eating place on the left shows "Chop Suey", a cosmos past Chinese restaurants in the US catering to American tastes, showing the creativity of Cantonese restaurateurs.

A U.s. postcard from the 1930s, showing Chinatown in San Francisco. The large sign on the right advertises chop suey, practically the first Chinese dish for Americans.

A US postcard from the 1930s, showing a Chinese eatery offering free rice height-ups. The artist has fatigued a little mouse in the lower right, a dig at the hygiene standards of Chinese restaurants. The queues sported by the Chinese are also a symbol of backwardness.

A Us postcard from the 1930s, showing the Chinese herbs and medicines sold in Chinatown in San Francisco. Many can also exist used for cooking, and they were more often than not imported to the US from Hong Kong.

A United states postcard from the 1930s, showing a fruit stall in Chinatown.

A US postcard from the 1930s. Later on the Pacific Railway was completed in the 19th century, about of the Chinese labourers who worked on it moved to the e and west coasts, and many started Chinese restaurants.

Inside Asia, the Japanese take alloyed Chinese food equally function of Japanese cuisine, well-nigh prominently in the class of gyoza (饺子, dumplings) and mapo tofu (麻婆豆腐, spicy tofu). Withal, the flavours tend to exist a lilliputian muted. As for Taiwan, people from all parts of prc migrated there in 1949, which means i tin can detect — and taste — cuisine from practically all over China. Only because most migrants to Taiwan came from Fujian, Hokkien-manner street snacks such equally rice dumplings, fried oyster omelette, fried bee hoon (thin rice noodles), pork blood cubes in soup, and meatballs are pop. Of course, there is also fermented or stinky tofu, famous for being "smelly but tasty".

A photograph of Japanese sashimi don. Japanese and Chinese are Asians, only their eating habits are dissimilar. Japanese eat a lot of raw seafood, but Chinese do not similar raw food, preferring to cook their food.

A photo of contrasted sashimi. Sashimi or raw fish is the best-known Japanese dish, which clearly shows the divergence betwixt Chinese and Japanese food. Japanese like the original taste of ingredients, while Chinese prefer to cook their food and add together rich sauces.

Fried oyster omelette is a famous must-endeavour snack for many tourists to Taiwan.

Braised minced pork rice is a classic Taiwanese snack dish. It is piece of cake to make, and appeals to gourmets everywhere.

Well-nigh Chinese in Southeast Asia are migrants from Fujian and Guangdong, and they too developed their ain everyday dishes, like Hokkien-style prawn noodles, Hainanese chicken rice, and bak kut teh (肉骨茶, pork ribs soup). As eateries in Singapore and Malaysia expanded operations, these Southeast Asian Chinese dishes accept made their way back to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and people's republic of china, gradually finding a place on the mainstream menu.

Hawkers selling rice dumplings and other snacks in the 1960s, Singapore. Traditional Chinese nutrient can frequently be establish in Chinese communities. The early on Chinese immigrants such as the coolies, brought with them their own nutrient culture when they settled in Singapore. Some of these dishes evolved to accommodate local tastes, and became quite dissimilar from the original versions.

Many people frequented such coffee shops for their meals in the 1950s, as seen here in Singapore. The elderly enjoyed having tea and chit chatting in such establishments, which was part and parcel of the local civilization. In this photograph, a portrait of Mr Lord's day Yat-sen with his teachings hangs on the wall.

A stall in Singapore selling beverages and desserts in the 1960s. Its sign lists items such equally lotus seed congee, water anecdote flour, barley water, and steamed sponge cake, which were all pop desserts at the time.

A salesperson in a cake store in Singapore, handing out food samples in the 1960s. Cakes, biscuits and tarts are a traditional food item for the Chinese, and are ofttimes eaten equally after-dinner dessert, and also given as gifts. Mooncakes and wedding pastries are office of important festivals and celebrations.

Early on hawker stalls forth the streets in 1960s Singapore. As they tended to exist unhygienic and had the potential to cause serious public health issues, the regime stepped in to regulate and improve the situation. Hawkers so had to meet sure standards before they could obtain a license to operate a business.

Female customers selecting alive prawns at a stall in Singapore in the 1960s. As a port city, Singapore had admission to freshly caught seafood all year circular.

Women weave through a marketplace in Singapore to select ingredients for preparing meals at dwelling in the 1960s. The market is a user-friendly one-stop store where vegetables, meats and spices could all be bought in 1 place.

A bustling market in Singapore in the 1960s, with all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and foodstuffs. Women regularly went to the market to select the ingredients they would use to prepare meals at home.

*The nutrient illustrations in this article are Chinese ink paintings past Taiwanese young artist Tania Hsu. She graduated from the Department of Calligraphy and Painting Arts at Chang Jung Christian Academy and specialises in painting still lifes of international cuisine using traditional Chinese painting techniques.

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Source: https://www.thinkchina.sg/picture-story-how-chinese-food-made-its-way-all-over-world

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