Because China has a vast territory and rich resources, and there are differences in climate, products, and customs in various places, many flavors have been formed in the diet over a long period of time. In China, there has always been a saying of "rice in the south and rice in the north". In terms of taste, there are "sweet in the south, salty in the north, spicy in the east and sour in the west". Chinese cuisine is extensive and profound, with unique characteristics from east to west, north and south, and each of the eight major cuisines has its own merits. Sweet and sour, spicy, health-preserving, grilled, baked, steamed, stewed, all kinds of dishes are available. So among so many bright stars, which dish can be regarded as China’s national dish?
The menu at our state banquet is indeed a collection of fine delicacies from all over the world. Let’s first take a look at the top 10 classic state banquet dishes: squirrel mandarin fish, lion’s head, Kung Pao chicken, boiled cabbage, Wensi tofu, Buddha jumping over the wall, squab, Dongpo pork, white-cut chicken, and Peking duck.
Just looking at this menu, many people may notice a very questionable and inconspicuous dish, which is boiled cabbage. Yes, I was surprised when I saw this menu for the first time. Boiled cabbage can be called a state banquet dish, so I can eat state banquets at home every day. However, when I saw how this dish was made, I was convinced. It deserves to be a fine dish at the state banquet.
Boiled cabbage is a famous Sichuan dish. It was created by the famous Sichuan chef Huang Jinglin when he was in the imperial dining room of the Qing Palace, and was later promoted by Sichuan master Luo Guorong. Many people may think that boiled cabbage is really just boiled water and cabbage. Then you are really wrong. The dishes that can be served at the state banquet are definitely extraordinary. The ingredients of this dish seem to be simple, boiling water and cabbage, but the boiling water here is not really boiling water, but the clearest chicken soup. And the most difficult part of this dish is the preparation of this chicken soup. Ordinary chefs simply cannot make it. When I came out, I didn’t dare to try it easily, because without superb cooking skills, I was doomed to fail.
Although the soup used in this dish is chicken soup, it is not an ordinary chicken soup. Instead, old hens, old ducks, ham hooves, ribs, scallops and other ingredients are used to remove impurities and put them into the pot. Slowly simmer a variety of seasonings for 4 hours, then chop the chicken breast into puree, add fresh soup and stir into a slurry, pour it into the pot to absorb impurities. After repeated adsorption two or three times, the chicken soup in the pot will be clear and transparent. Just like boiled water, the chicken soup at this time has a rich aroma and is neither oily nor greasy. The cabbage used here is also very particular. It uses both cooked and undercooked Chinese cabbage as raw material. Only the tender heart with yellow color in the middle is used. It is lightly blanched with hot water and then rinsed with clean water to remove the fishy smell of the cabbage. , and finally pour chicken soup on top until cooked. The fragrance of vegetables in Qitan is floating everywhere, and the Buddha jumped over the wall after hearing that he abandoned Zen? This describes the rich and delicious taste of Buddha jumping over the wall. The materials used in Buddha Jumping over the Wall are relatively expensive, including abalone, sea cucumber, shark's fin, scallops, fish maw, fish lips, sheep elbows, tendons, ham, chicken, duck, flower mushrooms, and winter bamboo shoots. Put the washed and processed ingredients into a large altar, add Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, cinnamon, soy sauce, and salt, seal the mouth of the altar with fresh lotus leaves, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer over low heat for 5 hours. This is a majestic dish, used to entertain foreign guests and show respect and preferential treatment to each other.
Peking roast duck is one of the most famous and distinctive delicacies in Beijing. It is known as the "most delicious food in the world". Its main feature is the crispy skin, bright color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, fat but not greasy. When paired with sweet noodle sauce, the taste is really amazing.
Lion head is a dish with a long history, which can be traced back to the period of Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty. The general method is to chop pork belly, onions, ginger, eggs, water chestnuts, starch, etc. into the shape of balls. It can be stewed or braised. The crab meat and lion head at the state banquet has been clearly described by Xu Ke in "Qing Bai Lei Chao": "The lion head is named after its shape, which is also round with pork." Pork is divided into half fat and lean meat, chopped finely and coarsely, and mixed with egg white to make it easy to coagulate, or add shrimp, crab powder...? This is also a traditional famous dish in Huaiyang cuisine, and it is also popular in ordinary people's homes, probably It is relatively simple to make.
Kung Pao Chicken is a traditional specialty dish, and its taste has been improved many times. It is included in Shandong cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, and Guizhou cuisine, and each has its own merits in taste. When we walk into restaurants large and small, we can see the dish Kung Pao Chicken, which is particularly popular among diners.
Dongpo Pork belongs to Zhejiang cuisine, using pork as the main ingredient. The dishes are thin-skinned and tender, with bright red color, mellow flavor and rich juice, which is fragrant and glutinous but not greasy. Dongpo meat is rich in color and flavor, and is deeply loved by people. The reason why this dish is called Dongpo Pork is that the great writer Su Dongpo must be mentioned. This famous dish in Hangzhou is named after it.
White-cut chicken is a traditional dish that is full of color, flavor and flavor. It is the most common type of chicken dish in Cantonese cuisine. It is a type of marinated chicken. It is easy to make, cooked just right but not rotten, and does not require any added ingredients. It features ingredients and maintains its original taste. White-cut chicken, also called white-cut chicken, is a home-cooked dish in Guangdong and Guangdong. The white-cut chicken is famous for its tenderness and delicious taste.
According to legend, it is related to Emperor Qianlong’s trip to the south of the Yangtze River. One day, Qianlong went incognito to visit the people and came to Xining Temple in Yangzhou. It was almost lunch time, and his attendants quickly asked the abbot to prepare lunch. When Qianlong heard this, he also wanted to taste it, and asked again: "Does this tofu dish have a name?" They all said in unison: "No name, only that it was cooked by Master Wensi." ?Qianlong arrived at the Zhaitang and asked for this dish.
Just when Qianlong picked up his chopsticks to taste, there was no trace of a piece of tofu, only tens of millions of white silk threads floating in the bowl. When he was feeling puzzled, the abbot hurriedly explained: "Those white silk threads are cut from tofu!" Qianlong couldn't wait to take a few bites, and Long Yan was delighted: "Wensi Tofu! Wensi Tofu! It's really a well-deserved reputation! The knife skills are extraordinary, the soup is delicious, the tofu is silky and tender, fragrant and refreshing." ?
The meat of squab is thick and tender, with strong nourishing effect. The pigeon meat is delicious, tender and rich in nutrients such as crude protein and a small amount of inorganic salt. Roasted pigeon is full of game, delicious color, fresh taste and delicate meat, which is endless aftertaste.
In short, Chinese food culture is a long-standing regional culture with a broad vision, depth, multi-angle, and high taste; it is the reflection of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in their food production and life practices for more than 1 million years. It creates, accumulates and affects the material wealth and spiritual wealth of surrounding countries and the world in terms of source development, tableware development, food preparation, nutritional health care and food aesthetics.