what are the characteristics of asian cuisine?

Question

what are the characteristics of asian cuisine?

Answer 1

I'm not too knowledgeable on the other countries, but I am Korean and this is some info on Korean Cuisine:



Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles , tofu, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice.Kimchi, a fermented, spicy vegetable dish is usually served at every meal. Korean cuisine usually involves rich seasoning with sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and gochujang (red chili paste).



Koreans eat lots of seafood. Fish from the Yellow Sea differs from those of the Eastern Sea (Sea of Japan) and those of the south coast differ from the others. Koreans are seafood connoisseurs and seek out the specialties of each region. But all Koreans eat three types of seafood all the time. One kind is a small dried sardine. Bowls of these appear at every meal, including breakfast. They're used not as a main dish but as condiments to be eaten with others. Another is dried cuttlefish. Drive along any road or street near fishing ports and you will see lines of these cephalopods hanging out to dry. Dried cuttlefish is Korea's most popular snack food and is even sold in vending machines. Seaweed is also a seafood, of the plant variety. There are several kinds that Koreans routinely eat. Seaweeds are nutritious and useful in a country that endures long winters. Babies are fed seaweed soups and traditional birthday celebrations include seaweed soup on the menu.



Korean cuisine is also a product of its history and location. For many centuries China dominated East Asia's culture. Writing, governmental systems, arts and foods that evolved in China were passed on to Korea and then to Japan. Rice, for instance, was first domesticated in China, as were many kinds of cabbage. Domesticated animals such as pigs, cattle, and fowl also came from China. It is not surprising that eating with chopsticks from small bowls, apparently developed in China in the Han Dynasty (about 200 B.C.-about 200 A.D.), is one way that Koreans dine. However, sit at any Korean table - cross legged at low tables - and you will find a long handled spoon set out with metal chopsticks. That's for eating the soups that appear on every table at every meal.



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Most famous main course it: Bulgogi

Bulgogi is a Korean dish that usually consists of marinated barbecued beef, although chicken or pork may also be used. It is one of the most popular beef dishes in Korea. Bulgogi is made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cut of beef. The meat is marinated with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and other ingredients such as scallions or mushrooms, especially white button mushrooms or shiitake. Sometimes, cellophane noodles are added to the dish, which varies by region and specific recipe. Before cooking, the meat is marinated to enhance its flavor and tenderness. Bulgogi is traditionally grilled, but pan-cooking is common as well. A practice common at Korean barbecue, whole cloves of garlic, sliced onions, and chopped green peppers are often grilled or cooked at the same time. This dish is sometimes served with a side of lettuce or other leafy vegetable, which is used to wrap a slice of cooked meat, often along with a dab of ssamjang, or other side dishes, and then eaten as a whole. Bulgogi literally means "fire meat" in Korean (this refers to the cooking technique--over an open flame--rather than the dish's spiciness) The term is also applied to variations such as dak bulgogi (made with chicken) or dweji bulgogi (made with pork), although the seasonings are different.



Most famous sidedish is: Kimchi

Kimchi is the name given to any one of hundreds of spicy pickles. It is a part of nearly every meal, and its production is an ancient and revered art. The most famous kind of kimchi is made with napa cabbage, but Koreans make it from radishes, fish, squid, cucumber, eggplant, radish greens, fruit -- the list could go on and on. The vegetables or fish is pickled in a mixture that may include, among other things, coarse salt, chile, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and water. The whole is sealed into an earthenware pot or jar to ferment until ready to eat.

Answer 2

Generally most of South Indian cuisine is vegetarian. They eat things like Dosa, Pakoras, Channa Masala, rice, and many vegetables. Generally in curry sauces.

Answer 3

Oriental? / Rice?

Answer 4

Asian cuisines have all strong flavors.

Answer 5

CAMBODIA (KHMER)

Khmer cuisine (Khmer: is another name for the food widely consumed in the country Cambodia)



Khmer cuisine is noted for the use of prahok​​​​, a type of fermented fish paste, in many dishes as a distinctive flavouring. When prahok is not used, it is likely to be kapǐ​ instead, a kind of fermented shrimp paste. Coconut milk is the main ingredient of many Khmer curries and desserts. Many rice varieties are available in Cambodia, including aromatic rice and glutinous or sticky rice. The latter is used more in desserts with fruits like durian. Almost every meal includes a bowl of rice.



Cambodian cuisine also uses fish sauce widely in soups, stir-fried cuisine, and as dipping sauces. Curry dishes, known as kari (in Khmer, shows the ties between Indian and Cambodian cuisine. The many variations of rice noodles show the influences from Chinese cuisine. Beef noodle soup, known simply as Kuyteav is a popular dish brought to Cambodia by its Chinese settlers. Also, Banh Chiao is the Khmer version of the Vietnamese Bánh xèo.



Typically, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four separate dishes. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Chilli is usually left up to the individual to add themselves. In this way Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavour to satisfy their palates.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Cambodia



http://www.theworld.org/files/images/2_84.jpg



http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/7325/22976/f/114788-Amok-Curry-0.jpg

Answer 6

If Chinese, Thai or Japanese type food:

Lots of vegetables, small amounts of meat or prawns,

Noodles or Rice ,

If Chinese: Fast cooking using a wok with a little oil over a high flame. A wok is like a large, deep rounded frying pan, so you don't need much oil at the bottom to cook the things.

Use of specific herbs and spices: fresh ginger and garlic and five-spice and soy sauce, spring onion, peppers, onion



If Indian sub continent ;

Various breads (paratha, chapati, roti etc) and or rice

curry: Use of ginger, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, okra, onion, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, chili and strong tasting herbs like curry. These are preservatives to keep food going off in the hot weather.

Some religions are vegetarian or don't eat beef because cows are sacred, so there are plenty of vegetarian meals using various kinds of lentils. Other religions are not veggie and eat highly spiced meat and fish dishes.

Answer 7

tasty

fried

mostly with rice and noodles

Answer 8

Asian sauces are as wide & varied, if not more so, than European cuisine. Fortunatly, from my point of view, being an Australian chef, we're alot more open to the influences of South-East Asia than most other western countries because of our geographical location. You will tend to find in Nth America & Europe alot of Australian chefs are being employed to teach the Europeans & American chefs how to cook Asian food.

First of all, I'll give you a brief history of modern European food.

It's commonly believed that modern food evolved from Asian food, after the return of Marco Polo from China. That may sound unusual, but if you think about it, Italy never had pasta until Marco Polo returned & at the end of the day, pasta is a type of noodle. From there, the Italians showed the French chef's these new tequniues. Which included sauces, before Marco Polo, there wern't many sauces in Eropean food besides the sauce that naturaly comes with stews.

But the characteristics of an asian sauce can depend on which part of Asia your talking about. In Japan & Nth China, tend to be sweeter, where as in Thailand, Vietnam & Indoneasia there's alot more chilli in their sauce.

In overall terms, Asian sauces try to excite all parts of the palate, the overall flavour of their food will hit the sweet palate, sour palate & salt palate all at the same time, creating a balance between these flavours is the key to Asian cuisine.

The sweetness can come from a variety of places, in the southern areas, palm sugar is the most comming ingredient, but also sweet fermented soy sauce is another sauce as well as coconut cream.

In the northern parts of Asia, you'll find the use of ponzu, mirin, sake & seaweed (Japan) & Hoi Sin, Plum sauce & Xhou Xhing [chineese cooking wine] (China & Korea).

The most common sorces of the salt comes from fish sauce & shrimp paste (Thai, Malay, Vietnamiese), Soy sauce & from the dried meats & seafood (Japan, China, Korea) & shabu shabu (Japan).

The sour flavour can come from Limes (Thai, Laos, Vietnam) & Vinegars in the north (Black vinegar in China & Korea, Rice vinegar in Japan).

As for India & the sub-continent, as you can imagine, food will go off very quickly in their envioronment, so their food is very heavily spiced to try & disguise the flavour of tainted meat. However, their cuisine is also very heavily influenced by the Brittish, butter (ghee, melted clarified butter, butter won't remain a solid in India for long), tomato & yoghurt are very common ingredience in Indian food, & India didn't have any of those until the Brittish settled.

In the south, you'll tend to find the curries are hotter a lot more chilli, where as in the north, they tend to be milder & more aromatic. Traditionaly, curries in India are made from goat's, chicken's & cammel's. Even today you will not find much beef in Indian restaurants because they are considered holy.

Indian food is about balancing the sweetness from onion (caramelised at the begining of the cooking process to release it's sweetness), chilli (yes, belive it or not, chilli's are sweet), & tomato with the spices, most commonly cumin, corriander, cinnamon & cloves.

As far as Middle eastern food, I'm not that sure about.



National dishes from certain regions include:

- Japan: sushi (which includes nagiri, sahimi & nori) & tapenyaki

- China: China has various styles of cuisine which include szechwan & peaking as their most famous. Szechwan is more spicy & more naturaly flavoured & most famously known for Szechwan pork. Peaking uses more sauces & other flavourings & is more complex on the palate, fasmous dishes include Peaking duck, bbq pork & sweet & sour.

-Thai, Malay, Cambodia: rice paper rolls, green papaya salads, banana blossom, nam jim, green curry, red curry & mussaman curry

-Indoneasia: Satay & nasi goreng

-India, Sri Lanka & Pakistan: Buttered chicken, vondaloo, tikka marsarla & tandori



hope this helped.