Lynne's Country Kitchen
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Actually, Chinese cooking is often simple, even for beginners, provided you hold to a few firm rules. The first thing to remember is that preparation and cooking are two separate procedures; all of the preliminaries - which in some instances are lengthy and exacting - must be completed before actual cooking begins. The second rule is that while the cooking is simple, it cannot wait while some ingredient is made ready for the pot. Chinese foods must often be cooked quickly and at very high temperatures. Since cooking times are so short, it is unwise to take your eye off the pot for very long, for you must reduce the heat at the first sign of smoking, and you must be careful not to overcook. Each minute can be crucial in the preservation of the crispness that is a characteristic of good Chinese cooking, so it is essential to stick to the cooking time stated in the recipe.

If these two rules of ADVANCED PREPARATION and PRECISELY TIMED HOT COOKING  are observed, you are well on your way to culinary triumphs, Chinese style. Although some of the ingredients may seem unfamiliar, you will soon be glad to make their acquaintance; if certain ones are unavailable, any number of Western foods occasionally can be used in their place without significant loss. (See a Guide To Ingredients.) You do not have to adhere too faithfully to all the Chinese customs, for while Chinese cooking has an ancient tradition behind it, part of that tradition is exemplified by experimentation. The adaptation of recipes, ingredients and utensils to local demands is the Chinese way.

For example the Chinese use oil in their cooking - usually vegetable oil - to a far greater extent than we do. With this oil, one can get the high temperatures needed to seal in the flavor and original color of the foods, and also to preserve the all-important crispness and vitamins of vegetables. "Sizzling hot oil is the marrying agent. It brings out the best qualities of each food to produce a new appearance and happy combination of flavors after the cooking ceremony is completed."

Cooking oil is all the more important since the Chinese seldom, if ever, use butter. They do not use many other dairy products either. In the past, cow's milk and its derivatives - butter, cream and cheese - were not part of their diet at all, but today ice cream has become a favorite snack in many parts of the country. There have been other breachings of the gate as well - cream, for instance, is used in the rich dessert called Peking Dust.

Vegetables rather than meat predominate. Though we in the West think highly of roast beef and thick steak, meat is a luxury to the Chinese and they prefer it in small quantities, usually pork rather than beef, and cut into small pieces and mixed with the vegetables.

For protein the Chinese depend heavily on the soybean, which has for the reason been called the cow of the East. Soybean oil, like peanut oil, is used for cooking. The beans, soaked, ground fine and stained, produce a fluid called soybean milk, which is a good substitute for cow's milk; doctors - even Western doctors - prescribe it for babies who cannot get mother's milk and are allergic to cow's milk. The soybean is also turned into bean curd, an exceptionally high-protein food known in China as "the meat without bones." Bean curd may be used in a variety of dishes, but it is delicate and must not be overcooked or else it will fall apart. It is inexpensive, which makes is doubly valuable in a poor country. The thickened curd skin is a food by itself, with a more concentrated flavor. Fermented bean curd tastes much like cheese. Then, of course, there are soy and mung-bean sprouts, which most of us know in Chinese dishes. In one form or another, the soybean can be found in dishes eaten at every meal.

In spite of the great variety of dishes we find on any Chinese menu - fish, vegetable mixtures, meat, fowl and soups - you may have noticed that there are a few sweet ones. This is because the Chinese do not go in much for confections and pastries, though children sometimes suck rock sugar. They prefer dishes with stimulating tastes - what the English call savories - such as dumplings and spring rolls. They eat savories, or sometimes dried fruits or biscuits, as between-meal snacks. The few sweet dishes in the Chinese cuisine are usually encountered only at feasts, and then they are served most often in the middle of the meal. This order may seem strange, but the Chinese system of arranging courses is different from ours.

So, get your utensils ready and start cooking Chinese style foods at home!