(A) rich in raw materials, strict selection of materials
China has a vast territory, with a large span from east to west and from north to south. It also has a long coastline and rich products. In addition, Chinese food is mostly cooked food, and a variety of raw materials can be used. There is a saying: "The wild animals in the mountains are in the clouds, and the cattle and sheep on the land are fresh at the bottom of the sea." Almost everything that can be eaten can be used as ingredients in Chinese food. Chinese food is not only widely used in animal raw materials, but also widely used in plant raw materials. As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, there were more than 30 kinds of edible plant species recorded in writing. But in Chinese cuisine, famous dishes often choose precious ingredients, such as bird's nest, shark's fin, bear's paw, deer tail, tiger bone, monkey brain and so on. Some of the ingredients are from protected animals, so some famous dishes can't be cooked because of the difficulty in obtaining materials. At present, many cooks try to use substitutes.
(2) Fine knife work
Most of the raw materials of Chinese food are processed into small pieces of edible size, unlike western food, which is cut twice when eaten. Chinese food is very particular about knife-cutting, such as cutting (straight knife method), slicing (horizontal knife method), chopping and scraping (carving patterns). The techniques include carving, rolling, sawing, reverse knife method, pushing knife method and cutting knife method. Knife-cutting tools are mainly kitchen knives and chopping boards, which can cut raw materials into slices, wires, strips and strips. Some raw materials can be put together into vivid and beautiful patterns after the chef's knife work.
(3) Pay attention to the temperature
There are many ways to cook Chinese food, including cold salad, stir-frying, saute, saute, steam, boil, stew, simmer, stew, rinse, roast, saute, marinate, sauce, fry, fry, stew, roast and smoke. Chinese food is also very particular about cooking in the process of making. Take the simplest steamed ribs as an example. If it takes a long time to steam, the meat will be old, but if it takes a short time, it will not be cooked. Temperature is the core of Chinese cooking technology, and firepower can be divided into strong fire, medium fire, small fire and slight fire. In the end, it is necessary to achieve "tender but not raw, thorough but not old, rotten but not chemical".
(D) Pay attention to seasoning
There are two kinds of flavors: basic flavor and compound flavor. The basic taste is sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty, which is relatively simple; Compound flavors are sour and spicy, salty and fresh, fishy and so on, and there are hundreds of kinds of seasoning techniques. Among them, Sichuan cuisine is the most typical, and it is praised by the world for its characteristics of "one dish, one grid, and hundreds of dishes". In addition to paying attention to taste changes, Chinese food can also skillfully use different seasoning methods in the cooking process. The same amount of condiments will be added to the dishes at different degrees of heating to form different tastes.
(5) Pay attention to color, flavor and taste.
Chinese food has long paid attention to color, fragrance and taste. In the biography of Bian Rang, it is written: "The tripod of the letter cow is used to cook the chicken. Juicy is light and inedible, and less juice is cooked but not cooked." The names of Chinese dishes are colorful, such as "Dragon and Tiger Club", "Phoenix Claw Dragon Clothes", "Lion Head" and "Buddha Jumping over the Wall". Named after people, such as Dongpo Meat, Song Saoyu Soup and kung pao chicken. Tang Yizong, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, ordered the palace to prepare all kinds of delicious food for Princess Tongchang. For example, the dish "Lingxiao Roast" was made of magpie tongue, the tip of sheep's heart and other materials. Only four or two meats of a sheep can be used as raw materials. Although it is poisoned by summer heat, it will not rot.
(6) Pay attention to food etiquette
The catering etiquette of Chinese food is said to have started from the Duke of Zhou, and it has evolved for thousands of years. Of course, there will be no more days like "Meng Guang took over the Liang Hong case", but it still forms a set of catering etiquette that is generally accepted today, which is the inheritance and development of the ancient catering etiquette system.
Chinese food etiquette varies with the nature and purpose of the banquet; Different regions are also very different. There are six kinds of tableware for Chinese food: cups, plates, bowls, plates, chopsticks and spoons. At a formal banquet, the water glass is placed at the top left of the dish, and the wine glass is placed at the top right. Chopsticks and spoons can be placed on special seats or in paper sleeves. Public chopsticks and spoons are best placed on special seats. The order of serving Chinese food is generally: cold dishes first, then hot dishes, and finally sweets and fruits. Before eating, the first wet towel that the waiter sends to everyone is for wiping hands, so it's better not to wipe your face with it. Before serving shrimp, crab, chicken and other dishes, the waiter will send a small water jar with lemon slices or rose petals floating in it. It is not a drink, but for washing hands. When washing your hands, you can take turns to wet your fingers, gently brush them, and then dry them with a small towel.