Take a cleaver, a wok, a fresh collection of vegetables, ginger root and soy sauce.
Take a chance on combining the vegetables, the seasoning and soy sauce into a colorful, crunchy stir-fry - a simple statement of Oriental cuisine.Preparation of Oriental foods can be as simple as stirring vegetables tender-crisp or as complicated as committing four days to the preparation of a Peking duck.
Oriental food conjures up many images - from stir-frys to steamed rice rolls, tempuras to exotic salads, spicy grilled meats to delicate soups. As diverse as these dishes are, they all share some important attributes. The following characteristics distinguish Oriental cuisine from other cultures. More importantly, they hold the secrets for maintaining a healthy diet for life.
-Oriental recipes place less emphasis on protein and more emphasis on carbohyrates. With meats such as beef, pork or chicken at a premium, Far Eastern cooks learned to use less and stretch what they have. They do this by combining small amounts of protein with rice, noodles and vegetables. We, too, are getting away from serving large steaks and chops as main courses, opting instead for stir-frys, soups and salads that make more of less meat.
-More vegetables are included in Oriental menus. To complement smaller servings of meat, recipes include tasty vegetables. Adding more vegetables to our diets ensures a more balanced intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber so necessary for healthy digestion.
We can take advantage of the wide variety of familiar and unfamiliar produce that abounds in markets today. Adding some new favorites will guarantee that meals will never become boring. Try steaming or sauteing some shiitake or oyster mushrooms, pea pods or baby carrots. Peel a fresh water chestnut and experience the nutty flavor.
-Perhaps the most desirable aspect of cooking with a Far Eastern touch is the efficiency with which a meal can be prepared. Stir-frying, once thought to be an unusual restaurant entree, is now a practical, healthy way to cook up a fast meal. This quick version of Oriental sauteing allows any cook to use his or her favorite combination of meat, poultry or fish with whatever vegetables are on hand. Steaming, especially as a method for cooking vegetables, is another easy cooking technique that can also be applied to cooking fish and chicken. Simmering, used in making soups but also practical for entrees or one-pot meals, is done in a clear, fat-free broth. And grilling, though nothing new to Americans, is more frequently used in Oriental cuisines.
-Meals prepared in Asia are recognized worldwide for their attention to aesthetics. One of the intriguing aspects of Oriental cooking has to do with the attractive colors and shapes of food. Careful attention to the ways in which foods artistically blend together is an important part of the cuisine.
-Finally, careful seasoning is a critical facet of Oriental food preparation. Crisp-cooked or steamed vegetables and delicate proteins like chicken and fish require some assertive but cautious seasoning.
Check out a Chinese, Japanese or Thai cookbook, and you'll find that there are some common ingredients used. The wake-up flavors of vinegar, lemon and lime are often mixed with soy sauce and a pinch of sugar for balance. Fresh garlic, onions and shallots define the flavor; chiles are often added for spunk. Minced cilantro, mint, ginger root and lemon grass lend complexity.
The study of Oriental cuisines is complex. Each country, even regions within a country, has developed a preparation style using readily available ingredients. Though there are distinct differences in Asian cooking from one boundary to another, there are also similarities.
Chinese food encompasses four major cuisines: Szechwan and Hunan (from the island region); Cantonese (from the south); Peking (northern style); and Shanghai (the coastal regions).
Szechwan and Hunan are spicy styles with heavy use of chiles; Cantonese uses lighter sauces such as in eggrolls and egg foo yong; Peking is represented by Peking duck and sweet-and-sour dishes; Shanghai relies on fish and seafood. Use of the bamboo steamer, wok and cleaver are exclusively Chinese, as is the use of pork and fish more than any other protein served steamed, simmered or grilled.
Japanese cooks are known for their sushi (food rolled in seaweed "paper") and sashimi (sliced raw fish), though this Asian culture is fond of all kinds of unusual fish and seafood. Always served in small portions, Japanese food is even more elaborately presented than Chinese food. Soybean curd, or tofu, is another staple, as is miso, or soybean paste. The Japanese use unusual mushrooms such as the woodear, oyster or shiitake, white radishes and lotus root, cut into lacy slices. Wasabi, or green horseradish, and pickled ginger are favorite staples.
Boldly flavored dishes mark the cuisine of Thailand. Meats, fish and poultry are energetically seasoned with garlic, cilantro, curries and chiles. Meats and vegetables are often marinated or served with a spicy sauce. Bland sauces or vegetables such as carrots, cucumber and vinegar, softened with sugar, are served to counteract spicy dishes.
Geographic setting was partially responsible for the development of the heartier, spicier Korean recipes. Kimchi, a marinated cabbage with a heavy fermented aroma, and beef are important staples. Sesame oil and sesame seed as well as fresh and ground chiles add a distinctive character. Grilling, frying and braising are the most common cooking methods. Often, Koreans will prepare their rice with added ingredients such as eggs, vegetables or meat.
For years, we've gone to restaurants to sample Oriental cooking. With the emphasis on healthy eating, we are discovering the delight of home-cooking with the variety of Asian cuisines.
Try the Far Eastern favorites submitted by our readers for the September Recipe Exchange.
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Recipes listed:
Chinese Chicken Salad
Lamb, Tomatoes and Rice Oriental
Superb Pork Chow Mein
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet and Sour Pork
Korean Style Chicken
Chinese Walnut Chicken
Beef and Broccoli
Cantonese Beef
Pot Stickers