Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional culture - What are the specialties of China cuisine?

What are the specialties of China cuisine?

Chinese food culture

China's cooking embodies the Chinese nation's food culture tradition, and it has many unique characteristics compared with other countries' cooking.

(1) Various flavors. Due to the differences in climate, products and customs, the vast Chinese nation has formed many different cuisines in China's diet since ancient times. As far as local division is concerned, there are four major cuisines: Bashu, Qilu, Huaiyang and Guangdong and Fujian. (2) The four seasons are different. Throughout the year, it is the main feature of China cooking to match the diet according to the season. Our country has always followed the seasonal seasoning and side dishes, which are mellow in winter and cool in summer. Stewed in winter and frozen in summer. All kinds of vegetables change in four seasons and are eaten at the right time. (3) Pay attention to the aesthetic feeling of dishes. Pay attention to the harmony of color, aroma, taste, shape and container of food, and show the beauty of dishes in many ways. Chefs use their ingenious skills and artistic accomplishment to create all kinds of delicious food, which is unique in realizing the unity of color, fragrance, taste and shape, giving people a special enjoyment of a high degree of unity of spirit and material. (4) pay attention to interest. Since ancient times, China has been paying attention to taste and interest in cooking. It not only has strict requirements on the color, aroma, taste, shape, container, quality and nutrition of snacks, but also has certain elegant requirements on the naming of dishes, the way of tasting, the choice of time, the rhythm of eating and the interspersed entertainment. Creative and full of fun.

(5) combination of food and medicine. China's cooking technology is closely related to medical treatment. China has always attached great importance to "homology of medicine and food" and "homology of medicine and food", and used the medicinal value of food raw materials to cook various delicious dishes to achieve the purpose of preventing and treating certain diseases.

Some traditional food allusions in China are "Food is the most important thing for the people". With the rise of returning to natural food, traditional food is increasingly favored by people. In fact, the origin of these foods has its wonderful legend. When steamed bread was handed down from the Three Kingdoms, Meng Huo, the owner of Nanman Cave in southern Sichuan, always attacked and harassed him, and Zhuge Liang personally led the troops to conquer Meng Huo. Lushui area is vast and sparsely populated, miasma is heavy, and Lushui is toxic. Zhuge Liang's men put forward a superstitious idea: kill some "Na Man" prisoners and give their heads to the river god of Lushui. Of course, Zhuge Liang could not promise to kill the prisoners of "Nan Man", but in order to boost morale, he came up with a way: using flour and dough brought by the army, kneading them into heads and steaming them as sacrifices instead of "Nan Man" to worship the river god. Since then, this kind of pasta has been handed down and spread to the north. But being called "human head" is really scary. People change the word "person" into "person" and write it as "steamed bread". Over time, steamed bread has become the staple food of northerners. Crystal Cake Crystal Cake is a famous scenic spot in Weinan, Shaanxi. It is characterized by gold-faced silver bands, crisp peeling, cool tongue and teeth, and sweet and palatable. Legend has it that Kou Zhun, an official in the Song Dynasty, was honest and won the hearts of the people. One year, Kou Zhun returned to his hometown Weinan from Kyoto, the capital of the Song Dynasty, to visit relatives in the countryside, which coincided with his 50th birthday. Hard-working villagers sent birthday peaches, noodles and plaques to congratulate them, and Kou Zhun hosted a birthday party. After three rounds of wine, suddenly his men brought an exquisite paulownia box, which Kou Zhun opened and contained 50 glittering and translucent snacks. On top of the dessert, there is a piece of red paper with a poem written neatly: "Gong crystal eyes, crystal heart, can distinguish between loyalty and treachery, innocence and no dust." It was signed by the old man of Weibei. Later, the chefs in Kou Zhun also made this kind of dim sum, and Kou Zhun gave it a nice name according to its characteristics, called "Crystal Cake". According to legend, during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a girl named Fusang, who was a maid of a big sugar shop in Neijiang, Sichuan, and advocated Yaxian's family. Once, when Zhang Yaxian was away, she scooped up a bowl of syrup and was about to drink it. Zhang Yaxian came, and Fusang quickly poured the sugar water into the pig tank, hid it in the woodpile, and covered it with some bran. A few days later, when Fusang held out the pig oil barrel, the barrel was filled with many glittering and translucent things, which were crisp, pure and sweet and tasted better than sugar. Fusang talked about this strange phenomenon, and so did many people. Because the produced sugar looks like ice and tastes like honey, people call it rock sugar.

Beautiful Yunnan Cuisine —— A Brief History of Yunnan Food Culture

Yunnan cuisine (Yunnan cuisine for short) is eclectic and forms its own school due to the special geographical environment in Yunnan. It is good at cooking delicious food, fresh freshwater fish and vegetables. Fresh, tender, sweet, slightly sour and spicy, with a strong heavy oil flavor. It suits the tastes of people in frontier areas and has its own style in China. Yunnan has been a multi-ethnic area since ancient times, and the ethnic minorities living in Yunnan have been the source and source of Yunnan cuisine for generations. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Han people began to farm in Yunnan. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Nanzhao and Dali local governments appeared in Yunnan. During Nanzhao period, the Tang Dynasty sent troops to Nanzhao, losing tens of thousands of teachers. At least 654.38 million people have been displaced in Yunnan. At that time, under the preferential policy of "one abel tamata, two non-",Yunnan's economic and cultural development was promoted. Yunnan Dao and Dali Horse are very famous in the Central Plains. There are many famous chefs among the skilled craftsmen who flow into Yunnan, and Yunnan cuisine is extremely prosperous. Since the mid-Ming Dynasty, the population of Han nationality in Yunnan has surpassed that of local nationalities, and Yunnan cuisine has undergone a qualitative change. There are many records of homology of medicine and food in herbs in southern Yunnan. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Xiake went to Baoshan, and friends offered chickens. When he arrived in Lijiang, Naxi Tusi shared 80 tastes of soft pigs (suckling pigs) and yak tongues to entertain him. Besides, he eats bamboo rats. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, there were hundreds of thousands of peasant rebels and Wu Sangui's men who stayed in Yunnan. In particular, the ghost king of Nanming entered Yunnan, turning Yunnan into the capital of Yunnan, and the skills of Yunnan cuisine have been greatly developed. For example, in the Qing Dynasty, a scholar teacher sang a poem "Gao Qiong in the belly, and the beauty of the round ridge is spring wine" for the bow fish in his hometown. After the Opium War, due to the opening of Mengzi, Tengchong, Simao, Kunming Turnout and Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, domestic and foreign trade flourished, and restaurants from all over the country gathered in Yunnan, forming Yunnan cuisine with Chinese cuisine as the mainstay and ethnic minority cuisine as the supplement. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, the Yunnan-Myanmar Highway was opened to traffic, and Yunnan became the rear area. Famous chefs from all walks of life gathered in Kunming and along the traffic lines in northeast and west Yunnan, which accelerated the exchange of cooking skills and promoted the further development of Yunnan cuisine. During this period, chefs divided their work among chefs to meet the requirements of dignitaries, wealthy businessmen and celebrities. Yunnan's unique conditions provide rich raw materials for cooking. Yunnan is located in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, where long mountains, flat dams and rivers and lakes are embedded, forming a colorful geographical feature and a three-dimensional climate with clear dry and wet conditions, which is very conducive to the growth of animals and plants. Yunnan is known as the "kingdom of plants", "kingdom of animals", "kingdom of spices", "hometown of medicinal materials" and "hometown of flowers and trees". According to incomplete statistics, there are 366 species of fish, 92 species of amphibians, 0/43 species of reptiles, 782 species of birds, 274 species of mammals, more than 200 species of wild edible fungi, and a variety of wild flowers, fruits and vegetables. Yunnan-style catering consists of three regional specialties. Push northeast Yunnan first. Zhaotong area and Dongchuan city were alternately under the jurisdiction of Sichuan and Yunnan before the Qing Dynasty. Because this area borders Sichuan and Guizhou, and has more contact with the Central Plains, the cooking methods and tastes are deeply influenced by Sichuan cuisine, which is similar to Sichuan cuisine. Contemporary Yunnan chefs Luo, Xie Dekun and Peng are all from Zhaotong, and stir-fried adzuki beans, bamboo shoots, Luohan bamboo shoots, cloud legs and beef jerky are all famous dishes in this area. Followed by western Yunnan and southwest Yunnan. Due to the proximity to Tibet, Myanmar and Laos, there are many ethnic minorities, and their cooking characteristics are influenced by Tibetan, Hui and temple dishes, with ethnic minority dishes as the main body. Such as Zhuang beef soup, cold slices, cold chicken and Hui wax goose; The citronella stuffed chicken of Dai nationality; Bai people's milk powder silk, Erhai fish and shrimp, vegetarian dishes; Yi people's milk cakes and roast pigs; Nazang style hotpot. Cordyceps sinensis, Gastrodia elata, Fritillaria and pig fat; Dog meat of Hani and Miao people; The game of Zhuang nationality, Sanqi; Drunken chickens of Pumi and Nu nationalities. These dishes with national characteristics, each with its own strong points, have formed local traditional dishes. Finally, southern Yunnan. Mild climate, abundant rainfall and abundant natural resources are the essence of Yunnan cuisine. Since the Ming Dynasty, the economy and culture have developed rapidly, and it is the birthplace of Chinese cuisine in Yunnan. Such as crossing the bridge rice noodles, steamed chicken, shredded chicken sprouts, pineapple slices, Shiping tofu, fish from Qilu Lake, Xingyun Lake, Fuxian Lake and Yilong Lake, eel, loach and green vegetables from Yuxi, and sweet onions from Kaiyuan, all originated from this area.

Kunming cuisine, on the other hand, concentrates the cooking essence of the above three regions, and is formed by absorbing some skills of Sichuan cuisine and Shandong cuisine on the basis of summarizing and inheriting the cuisines of southern Yunnan. As the political, economic and cultural center city of Yunnan, Kunming cuisine is the representative of Yunnan cuisine. The formation of local flavor is closely related to its geographical location, climate, water quality and dietary customs. Generally speaking, the overall characteristics of Yunnan cuisine are wide selection of ingredients and many tastes, and it is rare to make delicacies and water. Its taste features are fresh, tender, fragrant, sweet, moderate sour and spicy, slightly sour and spicy, paying attention to the original flavor, crisp, waxy and heavy oil, not rotten, tender and raw, properly decorated and realistic in shape. The following is detailed one by one. First, it is mainly sour and spicy. Yunnan is rich in condiments, both domestic and wild. The unique spices such as citronella, fragrant grass, Amomum tsaoko, mushrooms and Toona sinensis seeds add an attractive feeling to the attractive dishes. The application of wild coriander and leek makes the dishes spicy and delicious. There are all kinds of peppers, especially peppers. The famous vinegars are Lufeng balsamic vinegar and Dongchuan rice vinegar. Guangnan Bayiqi vinegar, Kunming bran vinegar, ethnic plum vinegar and sour papaya vinegar have become daily condiments for Han and ethnic minorities. Bitter gourd and dried tangerine peel are delicious, bitter with cold, bitter with sweet, bitter with sweet. Yunnan cuisine chefs can use these seasonings to cook various simple and complex dishes, such as sour, sweet, salty, bitter and spicy, according to people's and local conditions. Among them, it is mainly sour and spicy. Yunnan is located in the plateau, where damp heat and cold coexist, and sour and spicy have the effects of eliminating dampness, expelling wind and appetizing, so it is deeply loved by the masses. For example, sauerkraut and smoked vegetables of Dai and Achang nationalities, sauerkraut and green beans of Miao and Yi nationalities are all famous local dishes. The second is to pay attention to freshness. Because of the unique three-dimensional climate in Yunnan, there is a saying that vegetables are always green. It's winter now, but vegetables keep coming, for example, in Kunming, when garlic sprouts. Pea tips are seasonal vegetables. Vegetables attract people to feast, and are often made into vegetarian dishes or used for ornament, reflecting lightness and simplicity. Original taste, fresh and sweet taste. Such as "fried onion", "stuffed lily" and "fried cactus flower" are all local traditional dishes. Animals write, eat raw and use alive, and pay attention to tenderness. The well-known "crossing the bridge rice noodle", the chef skillfully uses the thermal insulation characteristics of chicken oil to stew the chicken, and marinates the raw meat slices and rice noodles with various seasonings with chicken soup, which is delicious and delicious, and has become a model of eating raw and fresh. There are also suckling pigs, pigeons, chickens and ducks, which are often mixed with nourishing medicinal materials such as Cordyceps, Gastrodia elata, Notoginseng Radix and Fritillaria, which can not only eat fresh and tender, but also strengthen the body, killing two birds with one stone. Looking at the whole Yunnan cuisine, while paying attention to freshness, we pay attention to rich flavor and fragrance. Meat is cooked in dishes, or roasted or roasted or even stewed, and the cooked dishes are rich in flavor and delicious. Pickled products like "Yuntui" have a stronger flavor, because the meat will shrink after pickling. When cooking, after removing part of the salty taste, fry, fry or stew, and add other seasonings to add fresh flavor to the finished dishes, which is especially suitable for entertaining guests and accompanying wine. Third, the techniques are diverse and the ancient style still exists. Among the cooking techniques that Yunnan cuisine is good at, it can be divided into steaming, frying, frying, marinating and stewing of Han nationality, which has the characteristics of original flavor, crispness, freshness and fragrance. The baking, spring, enlightenment, salt and salt (fire bureau) of ethnic minorities have strong local flavor, which reflects the living customs of ethnic minorities. Among many cooking methods, some are based on one, and some are based on frying, frying and frying to cook dishes with different flavors. Yunnan cuisine has a variety of techniques, traditional cooking methods still account for a certain proportion, and ancient customs still exist. Such as: open fire roast, roast sheep, pheasant, more common in ethnic minorities; Soot, using the waste heat of charcoal ash after firewood burning, is unique in cooking various dishes; Cook the food, put it in a stone mortar with seasoning and eat it carefully, so it is easy to digest; The separator salt bureau is to put a layer of salt in the iron pot, put a cooker on the salt, use salt to transfer heat, and stew it in the separator, which has a special flavor; In order to adapt to the climate characteristics of Yunnan and the custom of killing pigs in winter, pickling has accumulated a set of traditional processing, storage and eating techniques, such as round legs of Bai nationality (ham), pipa pigs of Naxi nationality, Pumi nationality and Tibetan nationality (full wrist system), dried deer's feet of Yi nationality, beef feet and fish with pickled vegetables of Dai nationality, blood ginseng (fish) of Lahu nationality, beef jerky and goose of Hui nationality, etc.

Nowadays, there is a new trend of catering in Yunnan. The first is nostalgic diet. Some people say that history will never disappear, it will only precipitate in the details of life. There is a feeling called nostalgia, which is a complex in almost everyone's heart. However, savoring delicious food in nostalgia has a special taste in my heart. There are indeed many restaurants in Kunming with the theme of nostalgia. For example, tonight's restaurant, 19 15 Huguo Qiaotou Restaurant, 1965438 South Station Restaurant, and Cuihu ... The "Tonight" Yunnan flavor nostalgic theme restaurant on Tong Ming Road reminds you of the burning years. Maybe it's the stills of the "model opera" hanging on the wall, the yellow picture books and comic books scattered on the bookshelf, or the old food stamps and Chairman Mao's badges displayed in the cupboard? Maybe it's just the familiar posture of A Qing and Li Tiemei's sister-in-law in the old photos, but the memories are endless ... Open the menu and it's full of familiar and cordial hometown flavors: Wenshan Sanqi Stewed Chicken, Pingbian Spicy Fish, Erhai Drunken Shrimp ... Local characteristics, cutting-edge food, there is always a kind of food, a kind of memory that belongs to you, and per capita consumption is absolutely affordable in 20 yuan. Secondly, roast whole sheep in Yunnan is popular. There are several places to eat roast whole sheep in Kunming, such as the roast whole sheep in Baishahe Park, the roast whole sheep in three bowls of water, and the roast whole sheep in Yangmingtang ... And Baishahe Park in the eastern suburbs launched a food project of roast whole sheep in the wild this year. The biggest feature of their outdoor barbecue is that they can freely enjoy a roast whole sheep or roast suckling pigs or rabbits in a grassy tent, and a group of people are happy to drink, sing and eat delicious barbecue. After the barbecue, a group of people can stay and browse the beautiful scenery in early spring. Finally, the colorful Yunnan-style farmhouse music. Nongjiale has long been accepted by Kunming people, and the farmhouse restaurants in the suburbs of Kunming are also thinking of ways to attract consumers. For example, there are more than 80 kinds of farmhouses in Tuanjie Township, Xishan, as well as the largest ski resort in Southwest China and the Leopard House with elegant scenery. The Tuanjie Township White Leisure Park here not only has a good environment for leisure and accommodation, but also the Shan Ye peasant flavor here makes many tourists linger back and forth. Mr. Li, a tourist, said that it is not the same as the usual simple farmhouse meal. They made the farm food more delicious and exquisite, and drank a cup of homemade corn wine, which was very enjoyable. After a hearty meal, you can also participate in a large-scale national song and dance bonfire party. A glimpse of three special foods

Baked tofu

Roasted tofu is a folk snack in southern Yunnan. It is sold in Kunming night market. Tofu used for cooking tofu is produced in Shiping County and Jianshui County. Tofu made of high-quality soybeans is theoretically "smelly and delicious" after fermentation. Grilled with charcoal fire through the iron net, brushed with vegetable oil until golden and swollen, and then dipped in seasonings made of pickled rotten juice, Chili noodles, pepper oil and other seasonings, it tastes crisp and tender, and has a unique flavor. In Kunming during the day, there is a flower and bird market on Jingxing Street. At the price of 10, 2 yuan has 10. Rescue (fried two pieces)

"Great Rescue" is a famous snack in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province. High-quality rice is selected, sliced and fried with fresh meat, ham, eggs, mushrooms and pickled peppers. It tastes soft and refreshing. It is said that Zhu Yuanzhang, who was chased by Wu Sangui and fled to Tengchong, was hungry and tired. The villagers offered local delicacies to fry bait, and Emperor Li Yong was full of praise after eating it, calling it rescue! The Great Rescue got its name because of its quotation. There is a "Tengchong Bait Silk" shop near Zhengyi Road, Guanghua Street, Kunming, with a food stall downstairs and a private room upstairs. Our shop has fried, soup and other kinds of blocks and packages. General price: Rescue 3-5 yuan 1 set.

Yiliang roast duck Yiliang roast duck, also known as Dianyi brand roast duck, has a history of more than 600 years and is a famous traditional dish in Yunnan Province. Speaking of it, this Yiliang roast duck is not a local flavor dish in Yunnan, but is spread from the south. According to legend, during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Fu Youde as the head of the southern expedition, led thousands of troops to Yunnan, and brought his own chef. The most famous roast duck in Nanjing is made by the master "Li Roast Duck". Later, Yunnan was unified, and due to the change of seal, Ying Guogong, who returned to Nanjing, was given a white silk by Zhu Yuanzhang and hanged himself. Hearing the news, Li Roast Duck was afraid to go back to Nanjing, so he started a roast duck business in Dog Street in Yiliang and Penglai Township in Yiliang, opened a Dianyi Roast Duck Restaurant and married a girl named Mao. Today, Li Roast Duck is the 28th generation. In addition to being roasted and sold now, Yiliang roast duck also runs a soft package food factory. All the raw materials are tender and strong ducks within 40 days, and the "Dianyi" brand soft-packed Yiliang roast duck is made by secret recipe handed down from ancestors. Soft-packed roast duck is not only fat but not rotten, with pure flavor, and can be eaten on the same day without preservatives. Moreover, more than ten series products of "Dianyi" brand, such as roast duck, roast duck feet and roast duck wings, have been built and sold in major shopping malls in Kunming. Dali casserole fish local ethnic specialties, put more than ten kinds of fresh wax ingredients such as ham slices, fresh meat slices, tender chicken pieces, mushrooms, egg rolls, tofu, Erhai crucian carp, etc. into the casserole, and add spices such as pepper to cook and stew slowly. Pay attention to knife work, technology, ingredients and temperature. When it's cooked and served, the soup in the casserole is boiling, hot and fragrant, and it's very delicious. There are restaurants and restaurants in Shimonoseki and Dali. Erhai oil fish, Erhai oil fish scales are delicate and shiny, and there is a lot of oil in their bellies. The meat is fresh but not fishy, courageous but not bitter. Therefore, it does not peel or gut. The whole fish is cooked with tofu, which tastes good. You can taste it in cruise ships, restaurants and restaurants in Shimonoseki and Dali. Xiangmaocao grilled fish

Without removing scales, cut the fish from the back, remove impurities from the belly, put seasonings such as onion, pepper and salt into the belly of salmon, bind them with herbs, roast them on charcoal fire, and coat them with proper amount of lard. You can eat it when it is cooked. Lijiang Baba Naxi traditional pasta, also known as "thousand-layer cake", is mainly made of Lijiang wheat flour with ham, lard, sugar, chopped green onion, pepper and tsaoko. Its taste is crisp and refreshing, oily but not greasy. All restaurants in Lijiang can taste it. Use a local chicken bean as a gray-green vermicelli. It's delicious to eat cold or stir-fried with seasoning. Sifang street snack bar can try it. Buttered tea is the favorite drink of Tibetans and Naxi people. It is made by boiling tea in an earthen teapot, then pouring it into a wooden bucket, adding butter, sugar and salt, and mashing it. Sweet, bitter, sweet, thirst-quenching, memorable. You can taste it in Jiangxian traditional drink shop. People in Yunnan like booze. In terms of drinking, Yunnan is the only place in the country except the northeast. There is a minority nationality in Yunnan who used to hunt for a living. Later, the government provided help to let them switch to agriculture. But no one wants to farm. No one wants to come to the meeting, but as long as there is wine to drink, the local people will get together immediately. So let us know to drink after the meeting, and we will drink together after the meeting. In addition, in places where Dai people are concentrated, there is also the custom of playing cards and drinking before meals. The wine they drink is a kind of rice wine brewed locally, about 40 degrees, two yuan a bottle, which is very cheap. Before we get together for dinner, we sit together and play cards. Whoever loses drinks, often before meals. A few people drank a dozen bottles of rice wine first.