Food in History

Food in History: Regional Chinese Cuisine Project

By Monika Weidner, Poly Prep High School
Participant of the China Project 1999

Plan
Reading
Bibliography

Review the five themes of geography with particular emphasis on place, relationship, and region. Review the physical map of China and hand out a regional map of China. Divide students into research teams according to region in China and explain to them that they are going to be exploring the regional cuisine of their area in China and preparing a regional dish for the class. The focus of their research should be to explore how geography affects specific aspects of Chinese culture such as cuisine.

Reports should include a regional map and address the following questions:

What are the physical characteristics and resources in your region? What are the techniques and tools characteristics to preparation of food in your region? How is that connected to geographic location? What is the connection between food and the philosophies/religions we discussed? Did people of this region traditionally farm or were they herders? What are the staple foods in this region? Is this a traditional recipe or a modem one? Can you see evidence of ingredients that come from other parts of the world? Pick one herb, mineral, or a spice in the recipe. Can you find information about medicinal or symbolic properties associated with it? Who usually prepares this type of meal and when is it served? How is the food eaten? What are the table customs around the preparation and serving of food in this area?

Planning is very important in this project. You may have to go to special stores to purchase ingredients. You will have to plan and schedule time both with your group members and your parents to work together in one kitchen or divide labor in separate kitchens.

Your group will have to give a ten-minute presentation as you serve your dish to the class. Please remember to bring plates, napkins, and utensils to serve your food.

Reading

By Douglas Forster

The Province of Sichuan

The food of Sichuan (also spelled Szechuan or Szechwan) differs greatly from the food that we are used to eating, and even from that of the other provinces of China. Common to our dinner tables is pizza, hamburgers, French fries, fried chicken, and hot dogs. In metropolitan China, these foods might also be common, but Chinese culture is very different. The recipe we have selected is called Sichuan Dumplings in Hot Sauce. This is a typical Sichuan dish. A typical Sichuan dish will contain most of these ingredients: garlic, scallions, chilies, ginger, and fermented bean seasonings. Due to these ingredients, this is the "'spiciest region" of China. Traditionally served these foods are veeeery spicy, as is shown by the Sichuan Dumpling. Meats commonly used in the Sichuan province are chicken, river fish, and shellfish, but mainly pork.

From province to province, to recipes and ingredients vary greatly. The Sichuan province, like stated above, is known for their spiciness of its food. The Yunnan province is also known to be spicy, but is richer and a little more oily. Food from the northern plains region called "Mandarin cuisine is wheat-based and consists of a variety of dumplings, breads, noodles, vegetable dishes, soups, tofu (soybean curd), and fish. The dishes are seasoned with vinegar and garlic and they are fried, stewed or braised. Cantonese food is the most mild and the most popular in the US. Food is usually stir-fried. Common foods are Dim Sum or "tea lunch" which are little dumplings stuffed with meat and vegetables.

The ingredients that are used in the Sichuan province are used because of the climate and geography of the area. In Sichuan the climate ranges from no dry seasons and hot winters to dry winters and hot summers. In Chongking, a city in central Sichuan, the average temperature in January is forty-eight degrees Fahrenheit. In other areas the temperature ranges from thirty-two to fifty degrees elsewhere. In July, the average temperature in Chongking is eight-two degrees Fahrenheit, ranging from sixty to eighty-six elsewhere. The average rainfall is about forty-three inches, ranging from twenty to eighty inches in other parts. These conditions make it a favorable area to farm plants and raise animals.

The economy of this province is based upon the Sichuan Basin, an area of fertile, land. The main commodities are hogs and other livestock, tea, rice, sugarcane, and wheat and cereals. The people of Sichuan have been self-sufficient with these items, except sugar, which is a new world crop for centuries.

Other plants grown in Sichuan are soybeans, Sichuan peppercorns, and ginger. Ginger has a long and interesting history in China. For over 2,500 years has been recommended for several ailments such as abdominal bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, and rheumatism. Recent studies have been done to test these claims.

Ginger has been used to try and alleviate the symptoms of the following conditions; motion sickness, morning sickness, postanestesia nausea and vomiting, and chemotherapy support. Studies have been in support and in opposition to back up these claims. A clinical trial involving 36 men and women susceptible to motion sickness found that the ones taking powdered ginger capsules experienced less motion-related gas than those who took Dramarnine. Contrary results were found in a NASA sponsored study. They concluded that the group taking 500 or 1,000 mg of ginger was unaffected in the test. However, it is known that Ginger stimulates the intestinal muscles and keeps them toned. This could prevent irritation of the digestive walls, and may help to protect the stomach from the damaging effects of alcohol and drugs such as Ibuprofen.

Although studies have shown that ginger may or may not be effective, there are very few side effects. Some may be sensitive to the taste of it, and others may get heartburn.

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The eating schedule of Chinese does not vary from, that of our own. They have three full meals a day, and in certain rough points throughout the year, two meals. The difference in our meals with the Chinese is that we are accustomed to having a certain kind of food in the morning such as scrambled eggs, a sandwich for lunch, and a large meal for dinner. Traditional Chinese meals consist of many different dishes, instead of the meal being focused on a main dish.

The traditional Chinese meals contain an array of tastes. In the center of the meal is the fan or grain. More privileged families will have a fan of rice instead of grain. Also, the fan might depend on the province, and would vary from millet to sorghum to com. The meats and vegetables of the meal or known as ts’ai, loosely translated into "side dishes."

The individual place setting is made up of a bowl of fan, a pair of chopsticks, a flat-bottomed soupspoon and a saucer. A hot towel is sometimes served at the end of the meal so the diner can dean his hands. Food and soup are eaten from communal bowls. The plate is used to rest a piece of food or for bones and shells. For this reason, Chinese tables are usually round.

Another big difference with our eating customs is the lack with a liquid served with the meal. At normal occasions, there is no water or drink, but at special events there might be wine or liquor.

Eating order is set by seniority. The most senior begins to eat, and cues the next superior, and this continue down the line. The guest or most senior person gets the beat food offered. When the fish is served, the head is left on the fish, and the platter is turned to the head faces the guest. The head is the most nutritious part, and the eyes and lips are considered delicacies. If the guest wants to respectfully decline the honor, he can turn the fish platter to face the person on his left or the host. Once he finishes the meal and observes that all others seem to be finished, the guest is supposed to rise. No other can rise until the guest does.

One is not supposed to show preference by eating too much of one dish or choose a specific piece. Also, one is expected to take the bowl of fan up to one’s mouth and push the grain in with the chopsticks. To not finish all of the grain is considered bad manners, disrespecting the time and diligence put into the meal.

The main utensil in China is the chopstick. Chopsticks can be made of wood, bamboo, gold, silver, ivory, pewter, and plastic. Some may be engraved and very ornate, but the basic chopsticks are two pieces of wood in stick form. There are some superstitions involved with chopsticks that should be observed. To debone a fish, one should never turn over the fish. It is said that bad luck will ensure the fishing boat. If one is served uneven chopsticks, that person will miss a boat, plane, or train. Dropping and crossing chopsticks will bring bad luck.

Bibliography

Centennial World Atlas 1999 Hammond Inc.

"Sichuan" Bookshelf 1998 edition (CD-ROM Versions)

Microhydrin@ "Natural Antibiotics" Available: http: www.herb-encydopedia.com/Ginger.htm (14 Dec. 2000)

Skye Lininger DC, Alan Gaby MD, Steve Austin ND, Donald J. Brown ND, and Jonathan V. Wright MD. "Ginger (Zingiber officinale)" The Natural Pharmacy, 2^nd Edition . Available: http://www.mcs.net/~dalden/ginger.html

Electronic Gourmet Guide Inc. "The Guest Gets the Best," "Seating & Dining Customs," "Chinese Dining: Beliefs and Etiquette." Available: http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/hongkong/