Chinese Cuisine Culture Course Types

 

Chinese food in Central City, is divided into two sections: ts'ai, which are meat and vegetable dishes, and staple food, which typically consists of rice, noodles, or steamed buns. This is not the same as Western dinners, where the main course is usually meat or animal protein. Chopsticks (for solid foods) and ceramic spoons (for soups and congees) are the main implements. At a Chinese lunch, each person will have a rice bowl, but everyone will share the side dishes that are presented on communal plates.  Typically, a mouthful of rice is consumed with each meal. In China, desserts are not the main dish; rather, they are consumed as snacks in between meals. Should dessert be offered throughout the meal, it will be presented without any clear differentiation. 

Chilled Foods

A traditional Chinese takeout in Central City starts with cold foods. For cold foods, common ingredients include vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, chili powder, and light soy sauce. When it comes to cold foods, the "shape" or design of the dish is quite important. Cold foods typically pique people's appetites.

Congees and Soups

Chinese soups use refined starches from corn to thicken the soups instead of milk or cream. Additionally, there are light soups without starches. Typically, soup ingredients consist of vegetables and meats like chicken and pork.  

Congee is a type of gruel or porridge. Aside from rice and other grains, congee is also flavored with meat, fish, and occasionally vegetables. A satisfying option for breakfast is congee.