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Skriven 2008-12-21 15:41:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: China 1
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MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: KK PHILOSOPHY OF CHINESE COOKING - AND EATING
Categories: Info, Chinese
  Servings: 1

          ;

To understand the philosophy of Chinese cooking is to understand the
philosophy of Yin and Yang that underlies the whole of Chinese
culture. Yin and Yang is a Taoist concept based around the idea of
opposites in balance - whether feminine/masculine, hot/cold,
dark/bright - according to which the Chinese inherently arrange and
perceive their world.

In the kitchen, the Chinese chef consciously or unconsciously cooks
according to the culinary laws of Yin and Yang. Like any art form,
cooking is reliant on the senses - sight, hearing, smell, touch and
taste. Successful cooking also requires a 'sixth sense' of refined
intuition. This 'feeling' for food comes with cooking the same dish
over and over; it comes from experience, experiments, knowledge of
different produce and its characteristics. For as long as I can
remember, my mother has cooked in this fashion. In my restaurant, I
encourage my staff to cook only with their senses - we have no
recipe cards, scales or thermometers. I believe that in this way the
senses become heightened and very much in tune with what is real
and beautiful about the art of cooking. It is about working with
your intuition, your heart and your soul.

For example, a gently poached chicken dish is served with a vigorous
stir-fry of fresh snow peas, or a whole deep-fried snapper dressed
with a complex sweet and sour sauce is teamed with the clean
flavours of steamed silken tofu. The combinations are endless, as
long as the cook provides a variety of flavour, texture, colour,
food types and cooking methods. Given their pleasure in contrast,
the Chinese habit in everyday dining is to present the full
assortment of dishes at once, putting four or five dishes
simultaneously on the table - to share the dishes, to share the
meal.

When I am planning a Chinese dinner, I first sense what mood I am in
- am I tired or relaxed; how much time do I have; who am I cooking
for and what do they like to eat; and, most importantly, what do I
love cooking the most? Whatever you love cooking and eating the
most, will surely guarantee the best results.

Secondly, I pay strict attentiON to the seasons: in winter I'll cook
warming and comforting food; in summer; cooling, light and
refreshing food. The menu is then dictated by what is in season '-
only the freshest, the most tender, the cleanest-smelling, the
crunchiest, the greenest and the firmest ingredients are purchased.

Next I visualise the dinner table - how many dishes will fit on it
comfortably, how many people am I feeding, what is the appropriate
amount of food to serve?

In the cooler months of the year I might serve the following dinner
for 6-8 people:

. sweet corn and crabmeat soup
. steamed whole snapper with ginger and shallots
. red-cooked duck with Sichuan pepper and salt
. stir-fried rice noodles with dark soy sauce
. caramelised braised oxtail with Sichuan pepper and salt and fresh lemon
. stir-fried snow peas with garlic
. steamed jasmine rice

In the warmer months of the year I might serve the following dinner
for 6-8 people: 

. steamed Pacific oysters with ginger and shallots
. jellyfish, cucumber and sesame salad
. Uncle Jimmy's fresh egg noodle salad
. white-cooked chicken with soy and chilli dressing
. stir-fried beef fillet with pepper and lemon juice
. stir-fried mussels with black bean and chilli
. choy sum with oyster sauce
. steamed jasmine rice

If I was cooking a meal for 4 people, I would use similar menu
combinations as above, but would cook one less meat dish.

If I was cooking a meal for 2, I might prepare:

. Thi's delicious squid salad
. Mrs Jang's home-style fried eggs
. steamed fillet of fish with ginger and shallots
. steamed jasmine rice

Ultimately, the menu should be a balance of flavours, textures,
colours, food types and cooking methods; a balance of opposites and
contrasts; a balance of Yin and Yang.

From: KYLIE KWONG - RECIPES AND STORIES
Typed by: KEVIN JCJD SYMONS, 14 DECEMBER 2008

MMMMM-------------------------------------------------

Cheers

YK Jim


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