Hannah: I didn’t mean to be bad. Belle: I know, sweetheart. You really can learn a lot from the ancient Chinese, though; they loved the balance and harmony of opposites like in a family father and mother, brother and sister, grandparent, grandchild. That balance and harmony can be seen in so many different parts of their life and culture in their religion, in their history, and even in their cooking.
They called this balance yin and yang. Hannah: Yin and yang in cooking? Belle: In their cooking! There is a balance to true Chinese cooking, a tradition that began thousands of years ago. There should be a perfect balance between color, aroma, and flavor, each sharing equal importance in the meal. Hannah: I’ve never seen that in the food we get from Mr. Lin’s, the place on the corner.
Belle: Well, true Chinese cooking isn’t available for speedy delivery! It should also balance five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty. The ancient Chinese steamed much of their food over boiling water. They ate rice, dumplings, and fish, flavored with garlic and onions. People in the northern part of the country, where it is cooler, grew and ate wheat instead of rice, which requires a warm climate. Hannah: I didn’t know all that. Belle: Oh, that’s what you have me for!
Food in Ancient China was very simple until trade routes such as the Silk Road began to bring in fruits, spices, and different kinds of meats. There is evidence of rice farming along the Yangtze River that dates back to 5,000 BC. Although rice has been an extremely important part of traditional Chinese food, it was isolated to Southern China for many years due to it being too cold to grow rice in Northern China. Millet was very common in Northern China and dates almost as far back as rice. The poor in China ate mainly rice and a few locally grown vegetables while the rich were able to import meats and fruits from other parts of the world. Buddhists do not eat meat, so although it was considered a delicacy, even some of the richest families did not eat meat due to their beliefs.
Food For Thought
What is your favorite type of Chinese food? Although Chinese food is very popular in The United States very little of it is actual "Chinese" traditional food.
