Asia
China:
Asian foods have a long standing history that are determined by their
natural resources. The common foods of many Asian cultures, including
China, are manipulations of the common foods, native of the land. Some
of these foods include rice, kao-liang,wheat,soybeans, peanut, malva,
Chinese cabbage, turnip, peach plum, apple, date, pear, litchi, orange,
pork, beef, dog, chicken, duck, goose, many fishes, red pepper,
ginger, garlic, onion and cinnamon.
The Chinese enjoy both raw
and cooked foods and believe in a balance of the two for every
meal. Food is not as elaborate as it may be in other countries, however
it is based more on temperature and exact timing while cooking. Most
cooking takes place in water or oil. One type of unique Chinese food is
called Dim Sum. Dim Sums are small dishes with lots of flavor. They are
traditionally eaten as snacks or at tea time.
Along with Dim Sums, noodles are an integral part of
Chinese cuisine. Although it is common to believe that noodles
originated in Italy, it was actually the Chinese that invented the
noodle. The Chinese believe that long noodles mean long life.
Besides food, drink is an integral part of the
Chinese culture. Tea, in particular has a long standing presence in
Chinese meals. It is used not only for pure enjoyment, but also
medicinally.
India:
The cuisine of India is characterised by its sophisticated and subtle use
of many spices and vegetables grown across India and also for the widespread practice of
vegetarianism across its
society. Considered by some to be one of the world's most diverse cuisines, each
family of this cuisine is characterised by a wide assortment of dishes and
cooking techniques. As a consequence, Indian cuisine varies from region to
region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically
diverse Indian
subcontinent
India's religious
beliefs and culture has played an influential role in the
evolution of its cuisine. However, cuisine across India also evolved due to the
subcontinent's large-scale cultural interactions with neighboring Persia and , ancient Greece, MongolsWest Asia, making it a unique blend
of various cuisines across Asia. The colonial period
introduced European cooking styles to India adding to its flexibility and
diversity. Indian cuisine has
also influenced cuisines across the world, especially those from South
East Asia.
The staples of Indian cuisine are rice,
atta (whole
wheat flour), and a variety of pulses, the most important of which are masoor
(most often red lentil), chana
(bengal
gram), toor (pigeon
pea or yellow gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram). Pulses may be used whole, dehusked, for
example dhuli moong or dhuli urad, or split. Pulses are used extensively in the
form of dal (split). Some of the pulses like
chanabesan).