Asian Cuisine

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It is characterized 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. It is considered by some to be one of the world's most diverse cuisines It is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques It is influenced by Afghan and Persian royal food culture. India's religious beliefs and culture has played an influential role in the evolution of its cuisine.

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Most of the spices used in Indian food have been used for their medicinal properties in addition to the flavor and taste they impart.

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In An Indian banquet, there is no main dish - all dishes have an equal place on the menu. Each dish is whole and important and has its special place on a thali. 

Popular ingredients: yoghurt and ghee chapati – wheat flour Southern India – dominant use of coconut, rice, mustard seeds and hot chili Superb curries – bartha (purees), bhaji (fried vegetables, pakorha (fritters) Homemade bread with spiced vegetable fillings, cheese and sweetmeat with vegetables and fruits are considered favorites by locals and foreigners.

milk  paneer  ghee (clarified butter)  yoghurt  Chilies  Saffron-to color and flavor rice and desserts 

Goat and lamb meats  Mustard oil  Curries  Coconut/coconut oil  Lime juice  Ginger  Garlic 

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Asafetida (hing, heeng)is used mainly for its strong taste on the same lines of garlic. Cumin Seeds - has a strong but pleasing flavor. tumeric- has no real taste and is mainly for its medicinal properties and the lovely color that it gives to the dishes. Chili Powder - is used mainly for its special pungent and fiery taste.

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Mustard seeds is mainly in south and west India. Used for its strong but very pleasing flavor.

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Fenugreek (methi) seeds - is valued for its bitter taste and health qualities

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Carom (ajowain)- is to flavor breads and root vegetables.

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Saffron-to color and flavor rice and desserts

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staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta (whole wheat flour), the most important are masoor (most often red lentil), chana (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea or yellow gram), urad (black gram) mung (green gram).

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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 chana and "Mung" are also processed into flour (besan). LAMB!

Deep frying  Shallow frying  Steaming  Roasting  Stir-frying 

Japanese Cuisine

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It is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food ( 旬 , shun), quality of ingredients and presentation. Japanese cuisine are exotic and beautiful. It is easily one of the healthiest in the world, with its concentration on fresh fish, seafood, rice and vegetables. The Japanese love of beauty and simplicity turns slices and chunks of raw fish into miniature works of art. Regard their food very highly- fuel for both the body and the soul.

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is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food, quality of ingredients and presentation . Food is presented in small quantities in the right bowl or plate to bring out its distinct appearance, taste, aroma and texture.

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The Japanese eat three meals a day, and afternoon and late-night snacking is normal. Rice was commonly boiled plain and called gohan or meshi, and as cooked rice has since always been the preferred staple of the meal, the terms are used as synonyms for the word "meal."

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A standard Japanese meal generally consists of several different okazu accompanying a bowl of cooked white Japanese rice (gohan,), a bowl of soup and some tsukemono (pickles). The most standard meal comprises three okazu and is termed ichijū-sansai (; "one soup, three sides"). Different cooking techniques are applied to each of the three okazu; they may be raw (sashimi), grilled, simmered (sometimes called boiled), steamed, deep-fried, vinegared, or dressed.

Water-based cooking gives lightness and delicateness of flavor. Sashimi or otsukuri, tempura, sushi and yakitori Sashimi- various kinds of raw fish taken with a dipping sause of soy and wasabi (green horseradish) Shoyu – soy sauce together with miso (bean paste is fundamental Japanese food Tofu mainstay on the Japanese table Sake or tea is served with meals Mugicha –an iced tea made from unhusked barley brewed with tea

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Rice Beans Eggs Flour Fruits Fu (wheat gluten) Meats Crab (Kani) Roe Seaweed

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Mushrooms Noodles Soy products Seafood Vegetables Finned fish Sea mammals Shellfish Processed seafood

Grilling  Pan-frying  Stewing/simmering  Deep frying  Pickling  Stir-frying 

Most popular food in the world Five distinct styles of cooking: Peking or Shantung= delicacy of flavor Szechwan – hot and spicy Honan – spicy, sweet ans sour Fukien – famous for clear soup, seafood dishes and subtlety of flavoring Cantonese = combination of many styles with emphasis on stir-fried dishes and subtle flavor. Excels in the steamed dumplings of various kinds known as dim sum

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It is a harmonious integration of color, redolence, taste, shape and the fineness of the instruments. Chinese cuisines are colorful, aromatic and delicious. food is prepared in bite-sized pieces, ready for direct picking up and eating. Vegetarianism is not uncommon or unusual in China Chinese cuisine's entree normally strives for three to five colors, made up of the main ingredient, with more secondary ingredients of contrasting colors and textures

Fish  Chicken  Pork  Scallion  fresh ginger  root garlic  chili pepper 

aniseed  Cinnamon  peppercorn or  sesame oil  wine 

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boiling stewing braising frying steaming crisping baking simmering Includes also stir frying which means stirring and tossing ingredients in very little oil over high heat. Fast cooking

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is known for being hot and spicy and its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). Often Thai food is served with a variety of spicy condiments to embolden dishes. The fish are traditionally presented in pairs, placed head-to-tail on a round bamboo dish. Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce.

• Thai meal usually consists of soup, rice, two or more kaeng dishes (with gravy), and as many Krueng kieng (side dishes) as possible • Beautiful fruit carving of melon, pawpaws, lamoot, madarins, pomelos ans champoos and rambutan accompany the meals • To complete a perfe ct Thai meal is an ice cream made from fresh coconut milk. • Mainstay of Thai flavoring combination is kapi, a native shrimp paste • Bai toey – pandanus leaves

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Nam pla-fish sauce Shrimp paste Thai eggplants tamarind palm and coconut sugars lime juice coconut milk Broccoli prik Thai (Thai pepper) rice and tapioca flour nahm prik pao (roasted chilli paste).

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pahk chee (cilantro or coriander) rahk pahk chee (cilantro/coriander roots) curry si-yu dahm (dark soy sauce) gung haeng (dried shrimp) pong pa-loh (five-spice powder) tua fahk yao (long beans or yard-long beans) nahmahn hoi (oyster sauce)

KOREAN CUISINE

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meals are named for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany the ubiquitous rice, soup, and kimchi (fermented vegetables). Three dishes, five dishes, and up to twelve side-dish meals are served depending upon the circumstances. Korean food derives its pungent flavours from various combinations of sesam oil, soybean paste, soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger and, most importantly, chilli pepper, which gives it its distinctive spicy taste.

For centries,the Koreans have eaten the the products of the sea,the field, and the moutain because of the features of Korean peninsula and a distinguish climate makes Korean food more abundant.Korean foods are very special,exotic,and particular. The most distingushing feature of the Korean food is the spiceness. The basic seasonings-red pepper,green onion,soysauce,bean paste, garlic,ginger,sesame,mustard,vinegar,wine have been combined in various ways to enhance Korean foods.

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"Kimchi" is the best known Korean food. It is vegetable dish, highly seasoned with pepper,garlic,etc. It is served with every kinds of Korean meals and it stimulates the appetite like pickles. Large quantities of "kimchi" are usually made in late fall or early winter for the winter. the making at this time is called "kimchang". "kimchi" contains amounts of good nutritions such as vitamin C,and fiber.

• Korean food has various side dish. Favorite side dishes are beantaste soup, broiled beef,fish,cabbage "kimchi", and steamed vegetables. "the full course Korean meal "is called "Hanjoungshik".It is composed of grilled fish, steamed short ribs, and other meat and vegetable dishes with steamed rice,soup,and"kimchi".

• Koreans also like meat dishes. is one of the famous dish to Westerners. "pulgoki" is generally called "Korean barbecue". It is marinated in a sause made with soysauce,garlic,sugar,sesame oil ,and other seasonings, and cooked over a fire in front of table. For the other special food, "kalbi" , the short ribs of beef or pork is also good.The recipe is similar to "pulgoki".

• Soups ,"guk" and "cchigue" in Korean vary in taste and potency. Through the history, the soup culture was developed because of the famine or cold weather. When our ancestors were short of food, they made soup with small amount of vegetables and beef bones . Also the hot soup could play a role in protecting the cold . "maeuntang" is spicy,hot seafood soup that includes white fish,vegetables,boybean curd,redpepper powder. "twoenjang-guk" is a fermented soybean paste soup with baby clams in its broth. For the soups, there are other kinds of soups such as "miyokguk","kimchi-cchigue".

• Vegetable dish is also popular in Korea. Korean traditionally eat more vegetables with rice in main meal than meats and the vegetable dishes are various in kinds and tastes. Korean call dishes made with only vegetables "namool".There are two kinds of which are "saengche" , cold and raw "namool" and "saengche" , warm and steamed "namool".

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rice, vegetables, fish, seaweed and tofu (dubu in Korean)

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Kimchi - vegetables (usually cabbage or white radish) which are commonly fermented in a brine of anchovies, ginger, garlic, green onion and chili pepper. There are infinite varieties which are served as side dishes. Bulgogi - beef (and sometimes pork) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and chili pepper, cooked on a grill at the table. It is a main course, and is therefore served with rice and side dishes. Bulgogi literally means "fire beef" and is often called "Korean BBQ."

•Bibimbap - rice topped with vegetables, beef and egg, and served with a dollop of chili pepper paste. A variation of this dish, dolsot bibimbap, is served in a heated stone bowl, in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. variously romanised as Yukhoe, yukhoe, yuk hoe, Yuk'oe, Yuk-hae, Yuk Hwea, Yuk Whe but often plain "yuke" is a popular version, comprising raw beef strips with raw egg and a dash of soy sauce mixed with Asian pear

•Galbi - ribs, either pork or beef, cooked on a metal plate over charcoal in the centre of the table, and accompanied by rice and various side dishes •Songpyeon - cake served at Chuseok (MidAutumn Festival) decorated with sesames, soy beans, and chestnuts.

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Gimbap (literally seaweed rice) - A Korean dish consisting of rice and strips of vegetables, egg, ham and pollock, rolled in laver (seaweed) and sliced. This is a popular snack or child's lunch, similar to and could be the precursor for Japanese sushi rolls.

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Naengmyeon (literally cold noodles) - this summer dish consists of several varieties of thin, hand-made buckwheat noodles, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth, raw julienned vegetables, and often a boiled egg and/or cold beef.

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Gochujang (hot chilli pepper paste) is an indispensable condiment.

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Samgyupsal - Pork bacon cut from the belly, served in the same fashion as Kalbi. Sometimes cooked on a grill with kimchee troughs at either side. Commonly grilled with garlic and onions, dipped in ssamjjang and wrapped in ssangchu.