Category: Chinese Food

Chinese Food 17 : Beijing Roast Duck 北京烤鸭

Beijing Roast Duck 北京烤鸭
Beijing-style roast duck, or Peking duck, is now a world-famous delicacy. Generations of gastronomes have developed rules of eating Peking duck.北京烤鸭已是名扬世界的美食品，历代美食家吃北京烤鸭，吃出了许多讲究来，似乎非如此吃食，则不能体现出正宗风味。
To experience the genuine flavor, we must follow these four rules: 这些讲究归纳起来，主要有四个：
Seasons讲究季节：
In winter and spring, ducks in Beijing are fat and taste tender; in autumn, the weather is very clear. Hence, the temperature and humidity are just fine to roast ducks. Meanwhile, ducks in autumn are also very fat and strong. In summer, it is very hot and humid and ducks in Beijing are thin and of low quality.吃烤鸭必须在合适的季节里，季节不好则影响口味。品味者主张在冬、春、秋三季吃烤鸭其味最佳。原因是冬春二季的北京鸭，肉质肥嫩；秋天天高气爽，温度和湿度都特别适宜制作烤鸭，而此时的鸭子也比较肥壮。夏季气候炎热，空气湿度较大，此时的北京鸭肉少膘薄，质量较差，烤制后的鸭皮容易发艮(即不松脆)，所以口味相对较差。
Slicing skill讲究片法：
Good slicing skills improve the taste. After a duck is roasted, the skin and flesh of the sunken part on the chest should be sliced and served immediately, because at this time, the meat is crispy and tasty. Every slice should have a piece of skin with it and the pieces should be thin and complete. A single two-kilogram duck can produce more than 100 slices of meat of the size of clove leaves.因为片得好不仅菜肴造型更佳，而且口味更美。烤鸭烤制成后，要在鸭脯凹塌前及时片下皮肉装盘供食。此时的鸭肉吃在嘴里酥香味美。片鸭的方法也有讲究，一是趁热先片下鸭皮吃，酥脆香美；然后再片鸭肉吃。二是片片有皮带肉，薄而不碎。一只2公斤重的鸭子，能片出100余片鸭肉片，而且大小均匀如丁香叶口感则酥香鲜嫩，独具风味。
Condiments讲究佐料：
Three types of condiments with different flavors are available for different demands of guests. The first type consists of plum sauce, shallot segments, cucumbers, or green turnips, which can help alleviate the oiliness. The second type is a garlic spread and soybean sauce. Sometimes cucumbers or green turnip bars are also served. The garlic spread is slightly spicy, which can also ease the oiliness. The third type consists of only white sugar, which is for guests who dislike shallots or garlic, especially young women. The first type is very common nowadays. The sweet fermented flour paste should be produced by “Liu Bi Ju” in Beijing; otherwise, it will reduce the genuineness of the taste.吃烤鸭的佐料有三种类型，它们各具不同风味，适应不同宾客的口味需好。一种是甜面酱加葱段，再配黄瓜条或青萝卜条等，以清口解腻；一种是蒜泥加酱油，也可配黄瓜条或青萝卜条等，蒜泥口感清香又带一丝辣意，也可解油腻，它是早年很受欢迎的一种佐料；还有一种是以白糖为佐料的甜食法，较受不喜葱蒜的顾客偏爱，尤受年青女性的欢迎。第一种佐料方式现在是最为常用的，其中所用甜面酱讲究用北京“六必居”出产的，不然口味就不能算作正宗。
Side Dishes 讲究佐食：
Two kinds of foods are available while eating Beijing Roast Duck: Lotus leaf shaped pancake and sesame seed cake. Lotus leaf shaped pancake can be sliced into two pieces to wrap the duck and vegetables. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant serves congee with millet, barley and adzuki bean. The congee looks nice and tastes delicious. Having a bowl of such congee after eating Beijing Roast Duck will surely make you contented.常用的吃烤鸭的佐食品有二种，一为荷叶饼；一为空心芝麻烧饼。荷叶饼可一揭两片，每片抹上甜面酱再放葱段、黄瓜条、(或青萝卜条)、烤鸭片，或者抹上蒜泥、酱油、黄瓜条(或青萝卜、条)，再夹上烤鸭片卷起来吃。早年，全聚德烤鸭店还常、年备有一种、配以大麦米和红小豆熬制的小米粥。这种小米粥色泽美观，滑润爽口，吃完烤鸭后再喝上一小碗这种特制的小米粥，一定会给你带来无比的、舒畅感。

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Chinese Food 16 : dumpling 饺子

Dumpling/Jiaozi 饺子
Jiaozi is regarded by many Chinese people as the best food. Making jiaozi during Spring Festival is customary, especially for the people in northern China. Originally called jiao er, jiaozi was allegedly invented by Zhang Zhongjing, China’s medical sage.舒服不如躺着，好吃不如饺子，这句老话形象地概括出饺子在中国人心目中的地位，包饺子，过大年也一直是中国人尤其是北方人民的习俗。饺子原名“娇耳”，流传是中国医圣张仲景首先发明的。
In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, owing to disasters in many places, many people suffered from various diseases. There was a famous doctor named Zhang Ji, style name Zhongjing, in Nanyang. He studied medicine very diligently since childhood and later became a founder of traditional Chinese medicine. Zhang Zhongjing was skillful in medical treatment and could cure various difficult and complicated cases of illness. He also had lofty morals and earnestly treated every patient, poor or rich. As an official in Changsha, he cured many patients. One year during a plague, he distributed free medicine from a vessel in front of his government office. Changsha people respected him very much. After Zhang Zhongjing retired from his post, he came back home. Walking along the Baihe River in his hometown one day, he found many poor people suffering from cold and hunger, and they had ulcers in their ears. He felt sorry for them and decided to help. After Zhang Zhongjing returned home, many people came to him for medical treatment. He was very busy every day. But he still remembered the poor people with ulcers in their ears. He continued his practice in Changsha and asked his apprentices to build a shed as his clinic on the vacant lot in Dongguan in Nanyang. His clinic opened on Winter Solstice and his apprentices distributed medicine to the poor for free. His medicine was called “anti-chill jiao er soup.” He boiled mutton, chili and other medicines to raise inner heat in the vessel. After the materials were boiled, Zhang Zhongjing took them out and minced them. Then, he used dough slices to wrap the stuffing and made into the shape of ears. After boiling the 'ears' in water, the jiao ers were distributed to the patients. Each patient could have two jiao ers and one bowl of soup. After eating the soup, the patents would be warm, their blood circulation would be smooth and their ears would be warmer. After a period of time of treatment, the ulcers in their ears healed. Zhang Zhongjing’s donations lasted until the eve of Spring Festival. During Spring Festival, people celebrated Chinese New Year, and celebrated the recovery of their ears. They also followed Zhang Zhongjing to make jiao ers and ate them during Spring Festival. People call the food jiao er, jiaozi or pianshi, and eat them on Winter Solstice and Spring Festival so as to commemorate the dates of Zhang Zhongjing’s contributions and medical treatments.东汉末年，各地灾害严重，很多人身患疾病。南阳有个名医叫张机，字仲景，自幼苦学医书，博采众长，成为中医学的奠基人。张仲景不仅医术高明，什么疑难杂症都能手到病除，而且医德高尚，无论穷人和富人，他都认真施治，挽救了无数的性命。张仲景在长沙为官时，常为百姓除疾医病。有一年当地瘟疫盛行，他在衙门口垒起大锅，舍药救人，深得长沙人民的爱戴。张仲景从长沙告老还乡后，走到家乡白河岸边，见很多穷苦百姓忍饥受寒，耳朵都冻烂了。他心里非常难受，决心救治他们。张仲景回到家，求医的人特别多，他忙的不可开交，但他心里总挂记着那些冻烂耳朵的穷百姓。他仿照在长沙的办法，叫弟子在南阳东关的一块空地上搭起医棚，架起大锅，在冬至那天开张，向穷人舍药治伤。张仲景的药名叫“祛寒娇耳汤”，其做法是用羊肉、辣椒和一些祛寒药材在锅里煮熬，煮好后再把这些东西捞出来切碎，用面皮包成耳朵状的“娇耳”，下锅煮熟后分给乞药的病人。每人两只娇耳，一碗汤。人们吃下祛寒汤后浑身发热，血液通畅，两耳变暖。吃了一段时间，病人的烂耳朵就好了。张仲景舍药一直持续到大年三十。大年出一，人们庆祝新年，也庆祝烂耳康复，就仿娇耳的样子做过年的食物，并在初一早上吃。人们称这种食物为“饺耳”、“饺子”或偏食，在冬至和年初一吃，以纪念张仲景开棚舍药和治愈病人的日子。
Nearly 1,800 years have passed since Zhang Zhongjing’s contributions. But his story of donating “anti-chill jiao er soup” has been handed down among the people. In Winter Solstice and Spring Festival every year, people eat jiaozi and remember Zhang Zhongjing’s kindness. Today, we do not need to cure ear ulcers, but jiaozi has nonetheless become the most common and most popular food.张仲景距今已近1800年，但他舍“祛寒娇耳汤”的故事一直在民间广为流传。每逢冬至和大年初一，人们吃着饺子，心里仍记挂着张仲景的恩情。今天，我们用不着用娇耳来治冻烂的耳朵了，但饺子却已成了人们最常见、最爱吃的食品。

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Chinese Food 15: Quick-Fried Tripe 老北京爆肚

老北京爆肚(Lǎo běijīng bàodù)Quick-Fried Tripe of Old Beijing
The statement of “13 Styles of Quick-Fried Tripe of Old Beijing” can be traced back to the Manchu times and the legend has it that Beiles (a rank of the Manchu nobility below that of the Prince) had different tastes for “parts” quick-fried, so 13 types of quick-fried tripe were produced over time, including 4 quick-fried ox tripe, namely smooth tripe (Duren), pocket tripe (Houtou), leaf tripe (Baiye) and leaf slices (Baiyejian); 9 quick-fried lamb tripe, namely smooth tripe(Duren), omasum (Sandan), ridge beam on the first stomach (Duling), end of abomasums (Mogutou), tripe slices (Dusi), first stomach (Duban), esophagus (Shixin), lower end of first stomach (Mogu), and reticulum (Hulu).有一种说法，叫做“爆肚十三吃”，据传是满清时期，“在旗”的许多“贝勒爷”，口味不一样，喜好爆的“部位”也不尽相同，所以逐渐形成了十三种不同品种的爆肚。其中爆牛肚有四种：肚仁、厚头、百叶、百叶尖；爆羊肚有九种：肚仁、散丹、肚领、蘑菇头、肚丝、肚板、食信、蘑菇、葫芦。
Generally speaking, black Baiye we eat is lamb tripe and precisely Sandan because only those of ox are called Baiye which is divided into two types: cattle fed with fodder has black Baiye; yet fed with grain and crop has yellow Baiye. So the taste of the latter one is better, similar to the rationale of free-range chicken.一般我们吃的所谓黑百叶就是羊肚，准确地叫法应该是散丹。因为只有牛的才叫百叶。牛百叶还分两种，吃饲料长大的牛百叶发黑，吃粮食庄稼长大的牛百叶发黄，至于味道应该是后者为好，原理自然跟柴鸡一样了。
Ox tripe is thicker than lamb tripe, so if you would like crisp food, you’d better order Sandan; on the contrary, if you like tough taste, Baiye is a better choice.牛肚比羊肚要厚实些，所以如果你想吃脆点的就应该要散丹，想有点嚼头的就点百叶。
The supreme stage is having Duling which is expensive and tenderer than Duren. Reportedly, several stomachs could only produce one dish. Duling of lamb should only be eaten after peeling off the skin and that of ox can be fried directly. The degree of cooking matters a lot because the food is too soft. If cooked heavily, it is inedible.吃爆肚的最高境界是吃肚领，肚领比较金贵，很嫩，比肚仁还嫩，据说要好几个肚才出那么一盘。羊的肚领要把外面的皮剥了吃，牛的可以直接爆。这个肚领爆的火候也很讲究，因为太嫩了，所以火候稍微一大就老了，不能吃了。
When having cooked tripe, you only need to pick up one piece at a time and dip caraway and green onion at the bottom of bowl. In the meantime, “feeling of tooth” is also important: if those at the nearby dining table believe you are chewing a tender cucumber when only listening to the sound, you’ve undoubtedly become an expert in eating cooked tripe.吃爆肚时一般一口只夹一块，要抹着碗底托着香菜葱蘸起调料入口。同时吃爆肚要讲究“齿感”，如果邻座的人听声音以为您在嚼一块嫩黄瓜，那不用问了您已经是一位吃爆肚的老行家了。
Fans jokingly talk about lamb Duren that “it’s as white as snow and as soft as flower, I couldn’t help but missing it”. When the tender Duren is served, it’s unnecessary to be rinsed and you can dip in condiment and then have the chewable food. After careful inquiry, we learned that Duren is a swell in four stomachs of lamb. The swell sliced from the stomach is 4 liang (50 grams), but after getting rid of surface and muscles, it is only 1 liang. A dish needs 5 lambs, so its preciousness is easily understandable.羊肚仁，食客戏称此菜：“白如堆雪嫩如花，叫我如何不想他。”鲜嫩嫩的肚仁上桌，不需要再涮，直接蘸着调料入嘴，筋斗易嚼。细细问来，才知道肚仁是羊的四个胃中某一段的隆起。把那一小块片下来，有四两重。再去掉外皮及多余的筋肉，就剩下一两重了。每一盘肚仁需要5只羊左右，可见珍贵。
In old days, ordinary people always had Baiye and Sandan. Only those poor people getting rich suddenly or wealthy people who are not very rich ordered Duren and Mogu. But now, we lead a well-off life and can enjoy all these parts at an affordable price. The most expensive Mogujian costs only a dozen yuan.在旧社会，一般老百姓吃爆肚大多是吃百叶、散丹之类，只有穷人乍富或者不那么有钱的有钱人才会要肚仁、蘑菇来吃。不过现在好了，这些部位我们也都可以享用，而且绝对不贵，最贵的蘑菇尖不过是十来块钱。
How many famous shops do offer quick-fried tripe?京城有几家老字号爆肚？
As a famous dish in Beijing, quick-fried tripe was recorded earliest in the period under the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, and peaked in the end of the Qing Dynasty and beginning of the Republic of China. Take Dong’an Market alone as an example, there were 7 shops sold quick-fried tripe at most. Most well-known shops include the Baodu Feng, Baodu Wang at Dong’an Market, Baodu Shi in Tianqiao, Baodu Yang in Menkuang Hutong and Baodu Man of pailou in Dongsi. The food in old Beijing was divided into two parts based on consumption power: Dong’an Market and Tianqiao in south Beijing. Those offered in Tianqiao and Da Shi Lan were mainly ox Baiye and Duling with extensive techniques. But the dish produced by Baodu Feng and Baodu Wang was more exquisite, mainly offering lamb tripe. Officials and nobilities at early days, especially those in the operatic circle, took eating quick-fried tripe as a feast.爆肚作为北京的一种地方名吃，较早记载是在清乾隆年代，以清末民初时为盛。仅东安市场一处最多时就有七个卖爆肚的摊位。当时卖爆肚最出名的有东安市场的爆肚冯、爆肚王，天桥的爆肚石，门框胡同的爆肚杨，东四牌楼的爆肚满等。以消费人群不同，老北京的爆肚分东安市场和南城天桥两派。南城天桥、大栅栏的爆肚以牛百叶及肚领为主，制作上较粗放。而东安市场的爆肚冯家、王家，制作上就精细得多，以羊肚为主。早年的官宦人家、八旗子弟，特别是梨园行人，均以食爆肚为快。
 

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Chinese Food 13: Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish松鼠桂鱼

Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish松鼠桂鱼(sōngshǔ guì yú)
Style of cooking: Jiangsu cuisine菜系：苏菜
Flavor: salty and fresh口味：咸鲜
Characteristics: the surface is crisp and the inside is tender and soft; the sauce is sour and sweet, agreeable to the taste; has fresh and delicious flavor.特色：外松脆，内软嫩，卤汁酸甜适口，滋味鲜美。
Ingredients:原料： Mandarin fish, dry starch, ketchup, fresh soup, sugar, vinegar, wine, salt, minced garlic clove, diced bamboo shoot, mushroom, peas, lard, peeled prawns and sesame oil.桂鱼，干淀粉，番茄酱，鲜汤，糖，香醋，酒，盐，蒜瓣末，笋丁，香菇，豌豆，猪油，虾仁，麻油。
Way of cooking:制作方法： 1. Scale the mandarin fish and remove its gills; gut the fish and clean it; with the fish’s skin facing downward, cut the flesh of the fish in straight cuts and, then make diagonal cuts. The cuts should be deep enough to make a rhombus pattern on the fish skin.1. 将桂鱼去鳞及鳃，剖腹去内脏洗净，鱼皮朝下在鱼肉上先直剞，再斜剞，深至鱼皮成菱形刀纹。
2. Stir the Shaoxing wine with the refined salt well and then spread the mixture on the fish head and the flesh of the fish; then wrap them in the dry starch; hold the fishtail to shake off the excess starch.2. 用绍酒，精盐调匀，抹在鱼头和鱼肉上，再滚上干淀粉，用手拎鱼尾抖去余粉。
3. Put the ketchup in the bowl and add fresh soup, sugar, vinegar, wine, salt, wet starch and stir well to make the sauce.3. 将番茄放入碗内加鲜汤、糖、香醋、酒、盐、湿淀粉拌成调味汁。
4. Heat a wok with a strong flame，then add the lard, heat it until it is 80% heated before rolling the two fish pieces, letting the fishtail lift from the heat and then put the fish in a pan to fry it until it is shaped.4. 炒锅用大火烧热下猪油，烧至八成热时，先将两片鱼肉翻卷，翅起鱼尾，放入油锅稍炸使其成形。
5. Put the fish into the pan and fry them until they tune golden yellow then remove and arrange it on the plate; place the fish head to its place and form the shape of a squirrel.5. 再将鱼全部放入油锅炸，至金黄色捞起，放入盘中，装上鱼头拼成松鼠形。
6. Leave a little oil in the pan and fry the sliced green onion; fish out the green onion and add the minced garlic clove, diced bamboo shoots, mushrooms and peas, and fry them till they are heated through.6. 锅内留油少许，放葱段煸香捞出加蒜瓣末、笋丁、香菇丁、豌豆炒熟。
7. Put the sauce in the pan and cook it over a high heat until it is thick; add the lard and the peeled prawns, stirring them well before pouring the sesame oil over them; then spread the sauce over the fish.7. 下调味汁用大火烧浓后，放猪油和虾仁拌和，淋上麻油，起锅浇在鱼身上即成。 

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Chinese Food 11：Steamed Bun小笼包（Xiǎo lónɡ bāo）

Xiǎo lónɡ bāo — Steamed bun  Xiaolongbao(Chinese: 小笼包，pinyin: Xiǎo lónɡ bāo) is a type of steamed bun from eastern China, especially Shanghai and Wuxi. It is traditionally steamed in small bamboo baskets, hence the name (xiaolong is literally small steaming basket). Xiaolongbao are often referred to as soup dumplings or simply dumplings in English, but are not regarded as "dumplings" in China – see the pictures below.

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Chinese Food 10：Spring roll — 春卷Chūnjuǎn

Spring roll — Chūnjuǎn Spring rolls are a large variety of filled, rolled appetizers. The name is a literal translation of the Chinese chūn juǎn (春卷 'spring roll') found in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine. The kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used, as well as the name, vary considerably within this large area.

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Chinese Food 9：Stuffed Bun — 包子Bāozi

baozi — bāozi A baozi (Chinese: 包子, Pinyin: bāozi)  is a type of steamed, filled bun or bread-like (i.e. made with yeast) item in various Chinese cuisines, as there is much variation as to the fillings and the preparations. In its bun-like aspect it is very similar to the traditional Chinese mantou. It can be filled with meat and/or vegetarian fillings.

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Chinese Food 10 : Raw Beef Paste 拉萨的生牛肉酱

Lhasa, Raw Beef Paste 拉萨：生牛肉酱
The traditional Tibetan medicine is always a little mysterious. The Raw Beef Paste that is used by Lhasa people to entertain honored guests is a mixture of several traditional Tibetan medicines which can make dishes tasty and the fresh mashed raw beef. Its scarlet color and intense and strong taste make people feel warm and comfortable.藏药历来就很有些神秘色彩，拉萨招待贵宾必有的生牛肉酱就是几种可入味的藏药与捣碎的新鲜生牛肉最奇妙的混合。猩红血性的颜色，兴烈冲鼻的口味，吃下肚更是暖洋洋热烘烘的一团。

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