Rice and noodles are
staple fare in the Chinese diet. Rice is grown and
eaten primarily in the southern part of China; other
grains including wheat, millet and sorghum
predominate in the north. But to the Chinese, the
flavor of rice is the perfect accompaniment to all
other foods. When sampling all the myriad taste
elements of a Chinese meal, a spoonful of rice taken
with the other food as well as in between brings a
neutral element into play so that every new morsel
can unfold all its full flavor and character.
Long-grain rice is
suitable for most dishes. When properly cooked, rice
absorbs a great deal of water and will be dry and
fluffy. Rice is either boiled or steamed. It is very
important to wash the rice well to remove the excess
starch which otherwise will make the rice too
sticky. After it has been boiled or steamed, cooked
rice can be fried, but it should be completely
cooled first.
Noodles are the food
of the north. they are made mainly from grains, but
sometimes from seaweed or the starch of mung beans.
Noodles can be boiled, steamed, soft-fried,
deep-fried and used in soups.
|
