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Discuss films viewed Asian cuisines (East Asia)

China, Japan, Korea, Philippines

Spices Chinese food safety

News Hour clip Film China Rising- Food is Heaven

QUIZ 4

Asian Cuisine

Asian Cultures
Lumped together although have unique histories and traditions Colonization has affected cuisine

Eastern Asian Cultures

Chinese Japanese Korea Vietnamese Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia Indonesia, the Philippines

CHINA - TERRAIN

North = arid and colder millet

South = wetter and warmer **rice fields

Chinese agriculture

Millet

Rice

WATER BUFFALO

PIGS, CHICKENS, less beef WATER BUFFALO for work

Chinese culinary arts

food vessel

jue for millet wine

Aspects of Chinese cuisine

Rice Soybeans = poor individuals cow
soy sauce - cooked, fermented, and made into sauce Soy milk - pureed beans, filtered and boiled black beans - cooked, fermented soybeans preserved with ginger and salt

Bean curd or tofu - boiled soy milk -add gypsum, curdles, press out excess liquid

Rice as a staple
Rice originates in South China

Oryza sativa
8000-9000 B.C Today 11% of arable land in world is planted in rice (many varieties)

Unique sauces
soy sauce Oyster sauce - oysters, soybeans, and brine Hoisin - thick brownish red sweet and sour with fermented soybeans, flour, sugar, water, spices, garlic, chilies

TEA (leaves of a camellia plant)

>2700 B.C. (medicinal herb) Later brewed with onions, ginger, jujuke, orange peel and peppermint Later to Japan (more ritual) 17th c to Europe (and Americas)

Food Consumption
Balance and Harmony

No food taboos

Northern China = Mandarin

Peking duck mu shu pork far north border with Mongolia
> use of mutton

Southern China= SzechwanHunan, Yunnan, Cantonese

mass-produced Chinese food in U.S. can be very spicy stir-fried, thick sauces

Health and Food Therapeutic Uses of Food

Yin/Yang classification of foods

Yin = dark foods = cold dishes

raw, boiled, steamed soothing colors - green and white many fruits and veges - some legumes regional variations - pork, duck and honey as cold foods

Yang = light foods = hot dishes

high calories, cooked in oil mouth irritants red, yellow, orange colors most meats, chilies, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, persimmon, onion, garlic, ginger, alcohol

Strong food taboos against mixing

crab (super cold) and persimmon (super hot)

Japan
Small island territory very mountainous = most food is imported

Japanese cuisine
> use of fish and seafood
borrowed some from China, but still distinct

Wheat noodles - Ramen traditional diet is low in fat and cholesterol, but high in sodium
high rates of hypertension, stroke, stomach cancer

Shinto religion
Similar to Buddhism reject consumption of meat with previous taboos against meat (whales were categorized as fish)

Calcium from small fish bones

most are lactose intolerant

Japanese proverb regarding fish:

Eat it raw first of all, then grill it, and boil it as last resort.

Sushi = a way of preserving fish

sushi originally used to preserve fish in fermented rice
sashimi - raw fish
dipped in sauce

sushi = rice with vinegar nigiri-sushi

raw fish on hand rolled sushi 18th century- less fermentation time became Japanese fast food

Wasabi = Wasabia japonica Japanese horseradish

Dining etiquette in Japan

its okay to slurp your soup no dining tables until mid-19thc tatami = mat on the floor

Its all in the presentation

Bento box Noodle Shops and pubs, counters formal banquets

Food and Nature

Value asymmetry Full plate of food = vulgar open, unequal space in presentation

Sushi phenomena in U.S.

Who are the chefs?

Women as sushi chefs

> 30,000 restaurants - most will not hire women

think women have > body temp to make delicate sushi (actually have cooler hands)
some men wont eat sushi made by women

KOREA

Korea
also use rice Kimchi - spicy fermented cabbage or vegetable dish
family preparation in autumn = sign of wealth

Grilled meat and seafood are common seasonings - garlic, ginger root, scallions, toasted sesame Chilies - 16th c intro by Portuguese

Philippines

Filipino cuisine
blends, Malaysian, Polynesian, Spanish, and Chinese foodstuffs Original inhabitants = Aetas
15th c immigrants from China and other areas
arrival of Islam, Muslim religion

1521 Magellan claimed for Spain

administered control through Mexico

Spanish influence - including hot/cold theories

Filipino diet
Never cook foods by themselves fry with garlic in olive oil or lard adobo = stew with chicken, pork, sometimes seafood - first fried with garlic then seasoned with soy and vinegar food may be left in clay pot to absorb fat some water buffalo milk
used to make one of few Asian cheeses

fish paste or sauce can be common

Herbs and spices (condiments)

Antimicrobial & Antioxidants

Who uses the most spices?