Anyone who’s eaten Chinese food knows that steamed white rice always accompanies the meal. But what is perhaps less well known is just how integral rice and grain based foods are in Chinese culture. The Mandarin word 'fan'means both ‘rice’ and ‘food.’ In China, a good deal of casual talk centers around the expression, “ni chi fan le ma?” literally meaning, “Have you eaten rice (food) yet?” Regardless of region, a typical Chinese meal consists of a grain base— the 'fan'—such as rice, noodles, or buns, with meat and vegetable dishes,referred to as 'cai',adding flavor and variety to, but not overriding the integrity of, the 'fan'. The possibilities for 'cai' are enormous. China’s abundant variety of meats and vegetables are stir-fried, stewed, steamed, baked, roasted, oil and water-blanched, deep-fried…every kind of cooking method is well represented. Throughout China, pork is the most widespread and best-loved meat. In the north and west, pork and mutton are eaten in abundance, while south and east China have a profusion of fish and shellfish, as well as poultry, pork, and soy products.Seasonings in Chinese cooking are too numerous to count. A few commonly used seasonings are soy-sauce, fermented bean paste, black rice vinegar, rice wine, sesame oil, chili oil, ginger, red chili pastes, and garlic.Regardless of region, the food of China’s poorest is similar everywhere. These meals will usually consist of simple grain foods eaten with salty pickles to add flavor. Meat is used relatively sparingly, as it is expensive. However, Chinese peasant food is often quite tasty, and a trip to a country village is well worth the simpler fare.
