Chinese cuisine/ja: Difference between revisions

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==Staple foods==

  | footer = Staple foods in China: rice, breads and various kinds of noodles

Chinese ancestors successfully planted [[millet]], [[rice]], and other grains about 8,000 to 9,000 years ago. [[Wheat]], another staple, took another three or four thousand years. For the first time, grains provided people with a steady supply of food. Because of the lack of various foods, Chinese people had to adapt to new eating habits. Meat was scarce, and so people cooked with small amounts of meat and rice or noodles.

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===Rice===

[[History of rice cultivation#Asia|Rice was domesticated]] in the Yangtze River basin in southern China approximately 9,000 years ago and is a primary [[staple food]] for people from rice farming areas in southern China. [[Steamed rice]], usually [[white rice]], is the most commonly eaten form. People in South China also like to use rice to make congee as breakfast. Rice is also used to produce [[Beer in China|beer]] and [[vinegar]].  [[Glutinous rice]] ("sticky rice") is a variety of rice used in special dishes such as lotus leaf rice and glutinous rice balls.

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===Wheat===

In wheat-farming areas in [[northern and southern China|Northern China]], people largely rely on [[flour]]-based food, such as [[Chinese noodle|noodles]], ''[[Bing (bread)|bing]]'' (bread), ''[[jiaozi]]'' (a kind of Chinese [[dumpling]]s), and ''[[mantou]]'' (a type of steamed buns). Wheat likely "appeared in the lower Yellow River around 2600 Before Common Era (BCE), followed by Gansu and Xinjiang around 1900 BCE and finally occurred in the middle Yellow River and Tibet regions by 1600 BCE".

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===Noodles===

{{main|Chinese noodles}}

[[Noodle]]s were invented in China over 4,000 years ago and have since spread across the world. [[Chinese noodles]] come dry or fresh in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures and are often served in soups or fried as toppings. Some varieties, such as Shou Mian (寿面, literally noodles of longevity), is an avatar of long life and good health according to Chinese traditions. Noodles can be served hot or cold with different toppings, with broth, and occasionally dry (as is the case with mi-fen).  Noodles are commonly made with rice flour or wheat flour, but other flours such as [[Soy flour|soybean]] are also used in minor groups. Some noodles names describe their methods of creation, such as the hand-pulled noodle.

==Soybean products==

[[File:Tofu - assorted products 01.jpg|thumb|Several kinds of soybean products are sold in a farmer's market in [[Haikou]], China.]]

[[File:Stired-fried_Razor_Clams_with_Black_Beans_and_Pepper.jpg|thumb|Stir-fried [[razor shell]] with ''[[douchi]]'' (fermented black soybeans) in [[Shandong Peninsula|Jiaodong]] style]]

[[Tofu]] is made of [[soybean]]s and is another popular food product that supplies protein. The production process of tofu varies from region to region, resulting in different kinds of tofu with a wide range of texture and taste. Other products such as [[soy milk]], [[soy paste]], [[soy oil]], and fermented [[soy sauce]] are also important in Chinese cooking.

There are many kinds of soybean products, including [[tofu skin]], smoked tofu, dried tofu, and fried tofu.

[[Stinky tofu]] is fermented tofu. Like [[blue cheese]] or [[durian]], it has a very distinct, potent and strong smell, and is an acquired taste. Hard stinky tofu is often deep-fried and paired with soy sauce or salty spice. Soft stinky tofu is usually used as a spread on steamed buns.

[[Doufuru]] is another type of fermented tofu that has a salty taste. Doufuru can be pickled together with soy beans, [[red yeast rice]] or chili to create different color and flavor. This is more of a pickled type of tofu and is not as strongly scented as stinky tofu.  Doufuru has the consistency of slightly soft blue cheese, and a taste similar to Japanese [[miso paste]], but less salty. Doufuru can be used as a spread on steamed buns, or paired with [[Congee|rice congee]].

[[Fermented bean curd|Sufu]] is one other type of fermented tofu that goes through ageing process. The color (red, white, green) and flavor profile can determine the type of sufu it is. This kind of tofu is usually eaten alongside breakfast rice.

==Vegetables==

Apart from vegetables that can be commonly seen, some unique [[vegetables]] used in Chinese cuisine include [[baby corn]], [[bok choy]], [[snow pea]]s, [[China|Chinese]] [[eggplant]], [[Gai lan|Chinese broccoli]], and [[Volvariella volvacea|straw mushrooms]].  Other vegetables, including [[bean sprout]]s, pea vine tips, [[watercress]], [[lotus root]]s, chestnuts, water chestnuts, and [[bamboo shoot]]s, are also used in different cuisines of China.

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==Herbs and seasonings==

  | caption1 = Ingredients of ''[[Five-spice powder|wu xiang fen]]'' (five-spice powder) are Sichuan peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and star anise.

  | caption2 = ''[[Sanbeiji]]'' (three-cup chicken) traditionally is prepared with [[lard]], ''[[jiuniang]]'' (rice wine pudding) and [[soy sauce]].

[[Seasoning]]s such as fresh [[ginger]] root, [[garlic]], [[scallion]], [[cilantro]] and [[sesame]] are widely used in many regional cuisines. [[Sichuan peppercorn]]s, [[star anise]], [[cinnamon]], [[fennel]], [[cloves]] and [[white pepper]]s and [[Polygonum|smart weed]] are also used in different regions.

When it comes to [[sauce]]s, China is home to soy sauce, which is made from fermented soybeans and wheat. A number of sauces are also based on fermented soybeans, including [[hoisin sauce]], ground bean sauce and yellow bean sauce. There are also different sauces preferred by regional cuisines, [[oyster sauce]], [[fish sauce]] and furu (fermented tofu) are also widely used. Vinegar also has a variety with different flavors: clear rice vinegar, [[Zhenjiang Vinegar|Chinkiang black rice vinegar]], Shanxi vinegar, Henghe vinegar etc.

== Meat ==

The most commonly consumed meat in China is [[pork]]. As of at least 2024, China is the second largest beef consuming market in the world. Steakhouses and hot pot restaurants serving beef are becoming increasingly popular in [[Urbanization in China|urban China]]. Chinese consumers particularly value freshly slaughtered beef.