Asian Cuisine

Mostly referred to as Chinese cuisine

in the past, this world-class cuisine
includes Southeast Asia, the
Philippines, India, and Japan
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Asian Cuisine

 More than just a stir fry, or a curry

 Can be described as a balance of
flavors
 Influenced by a shortage of fuel,
grazing land, even food and cooking
utensils
 There is a staggering array of
foodstuffs available
 Chinese cuisine was world-class 3,000
years ago, rivaling even ancient Rome
and Egypt
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Influences

 Chinese cuisine has  Geographic influences

influenced most of the include a vast
Asian cuisines, coastline,
techniques, tools, monumental distances
cutting procedures, between pockets of
heat applications people in the deserts
 Introduced chopsticks and plains of China
 Religion has a major  Colonization by
influence Western Europeans
 Restrictions of certain  Warring peoples
meats, or any meats at  Nomadic lifestyles
all, some types of fish
 Restrictions on certain  The monsoons and
days, even months other climactic
conditions
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Culinary Groups and Regions
 China, third largest country in the world,
cuisines include:
 Cantonese, offering dumplings, seafood, rich
sauces, minimal seasoning
 Szechwan, smoked, hot/spicy, uses chiles, mustard,
ginger
 Beijing, known for noodles, pancakes, rolls, meat-
filled buns, root vegetables, and fish and lamb;
described as light, elegant, and mildly seasoned

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Culinary Groups and
Regions (continued)
 Fujian, wet dishes, cooking
slowly in a broth, known for red
grain, which is a sticky, glutinous
fermented rice; dominant flavors
are salty, sweet, and hot
 Hunan, noted for presentations,
foods kept distinct and separate,
noted for hot, spicy, and sour;
game, fish, turtle

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Japan

 Noted for presentation

 Sushi, surimi, tempura very popular
in U.S. today
 Also known for dried fish, pickles
 Tofu, rice, and eggs and the
famous green tea found to be
excellent for minimizing heart disease
 A variety of seafood, vegetables, and little
meat
 Teriyaki, wasabi, miso, fermented bean
paste
 Tuna and the famous dashi
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Southeast Asia
 Subtropical, rich in seafood,
fruits
 Areas include Vietnam, known
for fish sauce (nuoc mam),
shrimp paste, lemon grass,
mint, basil, and baguettes,
pastries, and custards
 These last products were
influenced by the French
colonization of the country
before the 1970s
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Thailand
 Most notable feature of cuisine is
curry flavor
 Color of curry indicates the flavor
profile
 Green is the hottest, followed by
red, and yellow curry gets its flavor
from turmeric
 Mussaman (Muslim) curry includes
Middle Eastern spice influences
 Other important flavor ingredients
include kaffir lime leaves,
lemongrass, holy basil, tamarind,
galangal, sambal olek
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 Other Areas of Culinary Notability
 Korea is influenced by China and
Japan
 Seafood, pickled vegetables and
cabbage (kimchee), hearty stews,
and a dish known as bulgogi
 Malaysia and the Philippines
 Meats, seafood (pork) and poultry is
easily grown or harvested
 The Philippines are also influence
by a long colonization by Spain, and
by the commerce and migration
from the mainland areas

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India

 Great religious influences from the

Hindus and the Moslems
 One eats no beef or any meat, one
eats no pork and many fish varieties
 Buddhists eat no meat of any kind
because of reincarnation beliefs
 Growing season lasts all year long

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Foods of India

 Fragrant basmati rice, ghee, large

assortment of breads
 Stews, curries, chutneys, tandoori dishes,
spice blends known as masalas, rich in
dairy products
 Seafood and tropical fruits and vegetables

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Staple Foods of Asia

 Grain, throughout most areas

 Legumes, noodles, millet, and
buckwheat
 Beans, nuts, seeds, lentils very popular
 Vegetables include bamboo shoots,
water chestnuts, okra from Africa,
hearts of palm, mushrooms
 Fruits include cherries, plums,
peaches, pomegranates, figs, citrus,
apples, carambolas, and bananas
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Meats, Poultry, and Fish
 Northern countries rely on lamb
and sheep
 Fresh- and saltwater fish are
available to most countries
 Chickensand ducks are
everywhere
 Pork is available throughout,
while beef is available in the
big grazing plains
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Common Flavors
 Every region and country has a
distinct flavor profile
 Some very hot, some subtle and
some mild
 Flavor profiles come from various
combinations: of cilantro, mint,
basil, lemongrass, fermented
sauces and pastes such as bean
paste, soy sauce, rice wine and
vinegar, pickled ginger, fish sauce
(nouc man), Hoisan and plum sauce
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Cooking Methods
 Stir-frying, cutting  Simmering and
foods to shorten braising
cooking times, and
use little oil and  Salads used to cool
heat the heat in other
 Steaming, used to dishes
prepare dumplings,  Grilling, often over
steamed fish in open fires or
bamboo baskets, braisiers
steam bread
 Deep-frying,
 Nomadic people
tempura in Japan pick up dried dung
uses rice flour, for fuel
peanut oil in other
areas
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 Preserved Foods
 Littleor no refrigeration and/or
electricity in many areas
 People shop every day
 Driedfish, pickled vegetables,
smoked meats
 Preserved and dried fruits

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07458. All Rights Reserved.