Chinese food! A great day with Helen Chen, the daughter of the real first Chinese woman to cook on TV. Energetic, full of knowledge and fun facts, Chef Chen was a great teacher for the day. Chef Chen, focuses on simple home style traditional cuisine.
Chef Helen cooked Chungking Pork, a classic Sichuan dish that means to cook twice. In Chinese food many ingredients are cooked separately and then brought together to finish.
Tips and Facts:
Northern Chinese food = Beijing - heavier on sauce and a lot of soy. More exotic ingredients
Eastern Chinese food = Shanghai - sweeter food, soy, star anise, sugar, fresh water fish
Southern Chinese food = Hong Kong - haute cuisine, Cantonese food, lighter food and lighter in sauce
Western Chinese food = spice food
Why a lack of dairy and beef? Cows take up a lot of space and China has a large population and little available land for herding. Hence, china raises a lot of pigs and chickens. That is why dairy is not a part of the Chinese diet.
Chinese do not tend to have oven, so a lot of cooking happens over fire. There is a lack of baked goods in traditional Chinese homes.
Why stir fry? China uses fossil fuels (wood) and it burns much faster than oil. Therefore, they utilize a quick cooking technique to accommodate the fast burning fuel.
Proteins tend not to be the main focus of the meal.
A Chinese knife is not a cleaver - it should be used to chop veggies and slice meat. Use the tip of the knife for cutting unlike a regular knife.
Sugar boosts flavor just like salt
Always wash rice before cooking
Serve rice with a wooden spoon - taste
If cooking too fast, add water to slow down the process
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