2

UNIT - 1 CHINESE CUISINE

The cooking of china lay claims to bring one of the worlds great cuisines and is certainly on of the most popular. The main distinctive feature of Chinese cooking is the harmonious balance of colours,aromas,Flavours in one dish. The art of Chinese cooking is to make the meat taste like vegetables and the vegetables taste like meat. Without either the meat or the vegetable losing their original texture. In Chinese restaurants because of their long menus every food is itemized by number and is more convenient to take the order by number than by noting the names of the dishes. A Chinese meal for four to six usually consists of four main dishes besides rice, soup and dessert .All the dishes are placed in the centre of the table and the guests helps themselves using chop sticks. INGREDIENTS USED IN CHINESE COOKERY Soy bean paste : Other wise called as black bean sauce is used instead of soy sauce. Sweet soy bean paste: Is used as a dip for meat dishes. Salted black beans : Are sold in cans and must be soaked before use to remove excess salt. Hosin sauce : Is a savory sauce based on soy bean cooked with sugar,flavour,vinegar,salt,garlic,chilli and sesame seeds like Barbecue sauce also used as a dip. Tofu : Fresh bean curd sold in blocks. It is highly nutritious. Rice : Chinese dishes choose good quality long grain rice such as Basmati rice. Noodles : Chinese noodles are usually made from durum wheat [hard] as Italian pasta is should be cooked for atleast12 min in plenty of Boiling water and drained. Wonton skins Bamboo shoots . Bean sprouts Chillies Chinese cabbage : Wafer thin wrappers made from flour egg and water. Usually Filled with savory mixture and then steamed and deep fried. : Tender young shoots from the base of the bamboo plants, the Best are winter bamboo shoots, gathered at the end of rainy Season. : Bean sprouts are sprouted mung beans and are highly nutritious. They are nutritious and hence can be eaten raw. : Chilies are related to capsicums [peppers] but are much hotter Fresh chilies may be red or green. Dried chilies are red. : The Chinese call their cabbage pe-tsai.It looks like alightly
3

Mooli Mung beans

Packed .its like cos lettuce with white midribs and can be used in salads or lightly cooked.Pok-choy are mustard greens Bunches of leaves which do not form a heart. : Otherwise called as Japanese radish. : Tiny round green beans, sprouted to give bean sprouts.

EQUIPMENTS USED IN CHINESE CUISINE

The Chinese have been refining their utensils and other kitchen equipment for thousands of years.This effort have been achieving maximumefficiency and usefulness.The commonly used utensils are; Wok Cleaver Bamboo steamers Chop sticks Wok brush Steamers Oven Strainers Cooking chopsticks Cooking range WOK Which means cooking vessel it is the basic cooking utensil in a Chinese kitchen. It serves both as a pan and pot. It is in a shape of Chinese stove. It is open at the top and allowed the round bottomed to a shallow bowl.Traditionaly woks are made from cast iron but today stainless steel are been used. The wok is washed thoroughly dried, If necessary over a flame before the surface is rubbed with a small quantity of cooking oil. Later wiped with clean cloth which stops oil from getting black. an iron wok must never be left wet or it will rust, After use, it must be clean immediately as well, but do not use soap strong detergents or steel wool. The curve makes it easy to toss and fold the food. Which is vital when stir frying. The shape, facilities deep frying as well. The wok makes cooking more economical and lighter because lesser quantities of oil are required to cook the same quantities of food. A wok is incomplete without its accessories a long handled, showel shaped spatula and a ladle, both with wooden handles. The blade of the spatula is curved to enable smooth movement along the curves of wok. CLEAVER Which performs innumererable functions,is an indispensable implement in the Chinese kitchen. it is an all-purpose knife which takes care of slicing vegetables,mincingmeat, crushing garlic, slaughtering animals and scaling fish. Most kitchens keep two cleavers. A heavy one to cut bones and lighter ones to cut veg and meats. Both have blades which are 8 inch long. A cleaver is incomplete without a chopping board made of good quality non-porous timber, which gives a bouncing effect . An ideal chopping block is 6inch thick and 8-10 inch in diameter.

BAMBOO STEAMERS These are as versatile as the wok and can be adopted to perorm any number of functions.bamboo steamers usually comes in stacked sets usually it fits into each other.This enables a cook to steam several dishes simultaneously. WOK BRUSH stiff wooden brush used for cleaning the wok after use. STEAMERS made of stainless steel or aluminium.This specially designed steamer has a lower container for the water.on which sit one or two perforated containers for the food.The food is placed on a heat proof dish and is covered by a tight fitting lid.The steamers are placed in a wok over boiling water ,with the first one empty to hold the ingredients above the level of water.In recent times,aluminium and stainless steel steamers are also used to make dim-sum and other delicacies . OVEN The Chinese version of it comes in a the shape of a cylenderical druum with a bucket to hold coals and a cover to lock in the heat.It is used to make peiking duck and roast or to smoke various dishes. STRAINERS Usually made of brass or stainless steel with wooden handles,are used for straining deep fried foods. COOKING CHOP STICKS ;Which acts as a whisk or a pair of tongs,are usually made from bamboo. COOKING RANGE In Chinese homes,a coal-fed stove was, until recently and still is in the rural areas, the focus of all cookingactivity.How ever for the kind of cooking required, gas has been a boon to cherish. It provides a reliable and more steady source of heat at a much higher pressure than coal can provide. A Chinese cooking range has a separate section in such kitchens. A good drainage system and an abundant supply of water re necessary along side of the range because the utensils need instant cleaning to cope with the order

VARIOUS CUTINGS INVOLVED IN CHINESE COOKING ARE;

Slicing Shredding Diagonal cutting Roll cutting Brushes Silken threads Finely chopped Cubes

REGIONAL CUISINES OF CHINESE COOKING

China is a vast country and as such is exposed to extreme of both geography and climate.This naturally results in the growth of different agricultural products. its little wonder that cuisines vary from province to province. Chinese cuisines are into 8 main streams; Peking,Shantung,Kiangsu,Anhwei,Kwang tung,Fukien,Szechwan and hunan. The main regions of china are divided into four regions. Northern region Western cuisine Southern cuisine Eastern cuisine
Map of China - Country View

NORTHERN REGION ; This is the largest area, embracing inner magnolia, Shantung and shensi provinces. Peking suffers from extreme heat in summer and extreme cold in winter.In storms it suffers from periodic sand storms, blown in from the Gobi desert.

Crops;Wheat,millet,peanuts,corn are their main crops.Tiensten cabbage better known as Chinese leaf or Chinese celery cabbage, cucumber and celery are the main vegetables grown. Staple food ; Noodles, Steamed breads and buns are popular staple than rice,Pekingduck. Peking cuisine may be considered main and robust,But since the nineteenth century it has exported one dish that has captivated the imagination of the whole world is Peking duck ; The duck is roasted in a special oven,The pan cakes and a special sauces are made to accompany it.In peking The duck can be an all in one meal,in which the tongue and feet are served as separate courses. Alongside wheat,as noted earlier is the staple of the north and the region boasts of JAO JZE,The best dumplings,The best dumplings,wheat noodle delicacies, baked flat breads and steamed buns. WESTERN REGION; Western cuisine is represented by the provinces of Szechwan,hunan and yunan.Aland of precipitous mountains and are the home of pandas. Szechwan is the most popular province in china.Very humid and rainy in summer but mild in the winter,the temperate climate is suitable for agricultural growth through out the year. Crops; Rice,wheat,corn bamboo shots,mushrooms,Szechwanpeppercorns etc..are also grown. Many people when they first encounter Szechwan food find it highly seasoned and spicily hot. Fresh and dried red chili is hot providing the spicy result. Staple food But often in the same dish ,the full spectrum of tastes can be experienced.Salty,sweety,vinegary and hot. Special szechwanese are hot and sour soup,fragrant and crispy duck.In cookery techniques they often employ multiple processes.For eg.. Its famous smoked duck is marinated,smoked,steamed,and finally deep fried.The highlight of sezhwan is the so called Fish saucewhich contains fish and it is made from black beans.It has a mixed flavours of sour,hot ,salty and sweet. Aother feature is the use of a variety of fungi to provide crisp,rubbery and feathery contact.Most of them are stir-fried. CANTONESE OR SOUTHERN CUISINE; Centered is the provinces of kwantung and fuckein,the of this area is sub tropical with heavy rainfall between may and sep.This coast is subject to typhoons.The pearl river area rich in agricultural areas.rice Crops ;are harvested twice a year and rice is the staple eaten twice a day.sweet potato,corn wheats are also cultivated.tropecal fruits like oranges,bananas,peaches,pine apples and lychees are plentiful.while along the coastal areas Sea foods ;Crabs,Cray fish,Prawns,scallops,clams are plentiful.Cantonese foods are not highly seasoned instead harmonious blending of different flavours is sought in order to bring out the best of the ingredients Cantonese cooks are most skillful when they stir fry dishes. Staple food DIM SUM a hot horsdoeuvre of pastry cases stuffed with a mixture of delicacies such as pork, beef or sea food, bamboo shoots or mushrooms steamed ,sauted or deep fried are also Cantonese specialty. The southerners believe the food is best consumed as they are minimally spiced. This makes this cuisine very expensive.

For examples sharks fin and birds nest both is among the most exotic extravagant both are among the most exotic extravagant and expensive soups any where

Famous Chinese dishes

Dim sum Fried rice Shark fin soup Chicken wonton soup Sweeet corn chicken/veg soups Spring roll Golden fried prawns Lemon chicken Shredded lamb with hot garlic sauce Sliced steak with soy bean sauce/oystersauce. Sweet and sour pork Tofu with chilli sauce Hakka noodles

ITALIAN CUISINE
Italian cuisine is widely regarded as a symbol of Latin culture. More important, it is the source of all western cuisines. It is a historical fact that Italian cooking was the first fully developed cuisine. Larousse, the father of French cooking, was forced to concede that Italian cooking can be considered ,for all the countries of Latin Europe, as a veritable mother cuisine. The sixteenth century saw the confirmation of Italy as one of the great centers of gastronomy-particularly the west. Italy boosts of fine provincial cuisines,distinctand equisite.Diversity apart, there are some very basic differences. Take for example, the foods of the southern and the northern regions. The affluent north refers to cook in butter whereas the backward south uses olive oil, which is less expansive. There is a difference in pasta too. The tubular and dried spaghetti and macaroni abound in south where as the northerners prefer flat, egg-based noodles. The other major difference is in the spicing, the delicacies of the northern provinces are sublime and mild whereas the southern foods are well seasoned and robust

The regions are;

Umbria Tuscany Emilia Veneto Liguria Lombardy Piedmont Ampania Sicily

10

UMBRIA ; Rome the major city of the region, combines the best of these provinces. As befits a capital city, Rome is, in a manner of speaking, the home of all Italian cuisine. In keeping with the same spirit, the people of Rome do not make a distinction between the food of the north and the south, their cuisines has the best of the both. A prime example of a roman delicacy is gnocchi, which is prepared everywhere but now here it is prepared as in Rome. This also explains the world wide popularity of gnocchi alla romana.They are also proud of fettucine,which is a which is a variation of other pasta called tagliatelle.They have similar variations of the southern macaroni and spaghetti. Brocolligrows in abandund in these regions and alla romana is prepared by simmering it along with white wine and olive oil.Perugia ,the capital of umbria state makes arguably the finest chocolates in the world.Umbria is also known for its excellent black truffles,which have spawned the remarkably tasty spaghetti al tortufo. TUSCANY : It is considered as the purest of all Italian cooking,theone that has been least touched by extraneous influences. The one remarkable aspect of cooking of this state is the simplicity of preparation. The cooks of Tuscany do not believe in complicating their dishes. For this reason, They lay maximum stress on the quality of raw materials, minimizing the use of spices and heavy sauces. Not only is Florence the most important city in this region, it is also the culinary capital of Tuscany. The famous dishes of this regions are; Trippalla fiorentia[ a stew prepared in chicken with vegetables and herbs] Arista alla fiorentina [roasted pork seasoned with garlic, cloves and rosemary] Pollo ala diavola [grilled chicken served with a spicy butter sauce] Zuppa di fagioli [a plain bean soup] Minesestra di fagioli [ a tomato, celery and bean soup] EMILIA-ROMAGNA:Bologna is not only the provincial but also the culinary capital and Bolognese cooking is referred as bologna la grassa.The region is also italys leading processors of pork products. Who hasnt heard of prosciutto di parma also known as Parma ham, prized for its delicate quality and best eaten in very thin slices. Parma is also cheese country. parmigiano or parmesan cheese is easily the most famous of all Italian cheeses and is used to enhance innumerable dishes. VENETO-VENEZIZ GIULIA: The three provinces of this regionoffer the most varied eating.veneto is the only one which cooks pure Italian cuisine.venice is the culinary centre of this region but it goes without saying that what is an offer is not all vetian. LIGURIA:The herbs grown and basil has pride of place in Genoese cooking.This is because it is the prime ingredient in pesto,the cheese and garlic sauce without which many of the classic Genoese dishes could not have beeen conceived. PIEDMONT : Piedmont its people say, gave birth to italy .its major contribution to the world of food is truffles.And,nobody uses the extraordinary and rare Fungus as masterfully as the piedmontese cooks.These diamonds of the table are the planets most prized garnish-a silver costing a minor fortune. CAMPANIA-CALABRIA:The food of these southern provinces is cheap,varied and robust,with naples the major gastronomic centre..More important,to most of the

11

world,Italian cuisine is synonmymous with neopolitan cooking.For,It was the southerners who migrated in large numbers and took along their native food wherever they event. The region had also given to the world eternal favourites like pizza,or ice creams. SICILY AND SARDINIA:The food of the two biggest islands iin the Mediterranean has been greatly influenced by the invaders,icilian by the greeks and the Saracens and the Sardinian by the Phoenicians. INGREDIENTS USED IN ITALIAN CUISINE. Rosemary,Parsley,basil,Sage,Tarragon,Oregano,Olive oil,Butter,Rice,Truffles,Poultry,seafood,Meats,Cheese[gorgonzola,Mozzerala, ricotta And Pastas like;
Shaped pasta is available in many different sizes and specific shapes. Shaped pasta is generally found dried. The smaller sizes work well with a simple sauce but most shaped pastas can be paired with a chunkier sauce because they are sturdy enough to hold up with the other ingredients. They are also used in pasta salads and casseroles Conchiglie (pasta shells) Medium sized pasta shaped similar to a conch shell. It has a ridged surface and is available in several sizes. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Farfalle (bow ties, butterfly pasta)

Bow tie or butterfly shaped pasta, available in several sizes.

Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Fusilli (pasta twists)

A short ribbon of pasta twisted into a shape resembling a screw or springlike, corkscrew.

Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Gnocchi

The name given to a small potato dumpling that is made with potatoes, flour and egg, or semolina flour and egg. They can also be made with other ingredients added for flavor, such as spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, and yams. They are sold as a fresh and dried product. Fresh gnocchi is found in a variety of shapes, such as ovals, shells, cylinders and flattened disks. Dried gnocchi is generally

Fresh: Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, remove when the gnocchi rises to the surface. Dried: Cook for 8 to 12 minutes.

Dried gnocchi

shaped like a hollowed shell, similar to the shape of cavatelli pasta, but with a ridged surface. Fresh gnocchi generally contains potatoes and the dried gnocchi contains semolina flour and no potatoes. Strands of pasta that are coiled into a shape resembling a spring. Similar to fusilli bucati, only spiralini is shorter and coiled closer together. Cook for 9 to 12 minutes.

Spiralini

Campanelle

Pasta in the shape of a small cone with a ruffled edge. It has the appearance of a cone shaped flower. Also known as gigli.

Cook for 7 to 10 minutes.

Angel Hair, Fine Hair A cousin to spaghetti, angel hair pasta is a thinner and finer, with a limited ability in holding up to thick, heavy sauces. Due to its reduced size, this delicate pasta is typically served with no more than olive oil and fresh herbs, but can be served alongside a variety of sauces and toppings. Penne This are small tube shaped pasta Fettuccine, Small Ribbons Similar to spaghetti Lasagna Used almost exclusively in the Italian classic pasta, meat and cheese dish, lasagna is thin, flat pasta. Lasagna edges may be straight and flat or rippled. Macaroni, Dumpling Macaroni is also commonly referred to as elbow shaped pasta. It is a hollow tube made in a variety of sizes. Manicotti, Small Muffs In the shape of a tube or cylinder, manicotti Ravioli This small square-shaped pasta dough can be stuffed with an endless array of fillings. Ravioli is Spaghetti
13

Likely the most popular shape, spaghetti is long, thin and slender pasta classically used in what most people call spaghetti. Dried and fresh spaghetti is traditionally made from Durham wheat flour. Tortellini This pasta is similar to ravioli in that it is stuffed pasta. Tortellini is stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, meat or cooked vegetables, then folded and rolled into a doughnut shape.

Italian dishes
Osso bucco Veal parmagiana Calamari Pizza Pollo alla cacciatore Fricassee di pollo Peperoni melanzane Alforno Pesto carbonara Meat sauce Milanise

Sauces:

FRENCH CUISINE
Until about two decades ago, French cuisine had two clear-cut branches; 1. La Grande cuisine 2. Nouvelle cuisine LA GRANDE CUISINE: So exclusive is haute cuisine, that many a fine delicacy is to find a place in its repertoire.The basis of la grande cuisine is its sauces.Accordiing to escoffier the heart of French cooking is its essential stocks and the cuisine is based on the six mother sauces[espagnole,veloute,bchamel,tomato and hollandaise] and one cold sauce[mayonnaise].It is impossible to prepare the French cuisine without stocks, sauces and garnish. In French cuisine it is not enough to be able to prepare a dish well. The service is an important as the preparation. This genre of cooking demands a silver service. The food should be served in small portions. Some of the famous regions in France are: Provencale Bretagne and normandie Champagne-artois-Flandre-Picardie Alsace and Lorraine Touraine Ile-de-France
15

 Bourgogne Franche-Comte Provence Bordeaux NOUVELLE CUISINE: Nouvelle Cuisine (French for "new cuisine") is an approach to cooking and food presentation based on the style of Fernand Point [chef of yester years]. It was initially developed in France and the USA in the 1970s but has come under heavy criticism since its inception and is no longer considered very fashionable. Few chefs openly practice nouvelle cuisine today, but its influence is still widely felt. Food presentation and visual appeal are paramount in nouvelle cuisine. The food had to excite all five senses, especially the visual. The reliance on the waiting staff to present the food, as is the norm in haute cuisine, was abandoned. Courses were served already plated. Herbs and spices were used extensively, and sauces and stocks were much lighter. nouvelle cuisine created light dishes with a distinct tastes - combining flavours instead of overruling them - and emphasized less intrusive service. Elegant yet simple dishes and pure tastes are the hallmarks of nouvelle cuisine. There is a standing debate as to whether nouvelle cuisine has been abandoned. Much of what it stood for - particularly its preference for fresh flavors lightly presented - has combined with other food movements such as California cuisine, and even haute cuisine itself has changed due to the influence of nouvelle cuisine INGREDIENTS USEDEXTENSIVELY: Basil, Capers, Caraway, cayennepepper, chives, dill,Horseradish Marjoram Oregano Tarragon Thyme Seafood Poultry vegetables like squash,garlic,chervil,shallots,etc cheese,etc,

16

ORIENTALCOOKING
This area comprises of Manila,Indonesia,Malaysia,Philippines,Burma,Singapore,Tokyo,korea,Japan,Thailand,Tai wan and some parts of china. The cuisine differs from their races,landscapes,cultures and eating habits.People cook almost in the same way throughout these areas.Meats and vegetables are usually cut into small pieces before cooking,either to enable them to cook quickly,or to increase the slow simmering.A simple charcoal stove is used tradiationally used for cooking.In urban areas This has been replaced in recent years by rings fed by botteled gas.the most important cooking utensils used is the wok.

Oriental dishes

Malaysia,Singapore ,Indonesia Soto ayam[spiced chicken soup]

17

Laksa lemak[shrimp and vermicelli soup] Gerinting udang[spiced fried prawns] Sambal sotong[squid in red chilli sauce] Kambing korma[lamb curry] Japan Tempura [assorted fritters] Nizakana[Braised fish] Buta teriyaki[pork in teriyaki sauce] Sushi

MEXICAN FOOD
Mexican food is full of colour and flavour.It is one of the oldest cuisines of the western world.Vegeteranian cooking is very popular in mexico.They cultivate a wide range of vegetables.They have several varities of capsicum,chillies,Pumkins, avacados,Green beans etc.Many of these vegetables are eaten today,have been introduced to us by the Mexicans.Most Mexican dishes are made with tortillas.Corn is their staple food.Corn tortillas are also very popular along with flour and whole wheat flour tortillas.The Mexican kitchen has a variety of different ingredients,which are easily available everywhere in India,although their substitutes have been given in case of non availability.The recipes have all been tried and tested.Some of the very popular dishes include Enchiladas Burritos Chimichangas Tostadas Tacos Guacomole Tomato salsa Fajitas INGREDIENTS USED IN MEXICAN COOKING. Corn,Avacado,Capsicums,Beans,Basil leaves,Chillies[More than 150 types],Rice,celery.,Tomatoes.