soup in Chinese meals
fox...@my-dejanews.com
soup first as is usually done in America.
Is that true?
Thanks for any answers.
---
Matt F.
veni vidi legi
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Steve Sundberg
>I heard once that, in China, people eat the soup last - as opposed to having
>soup first as is usually done in America.
>
>Is that true?
I'd heard that a noodle dish was to be served as the final course to a
Chinese meal, noodles being analagous to "long life." My own
obeservations and experience overseas and in the US are that there
really don't appear to be any firm rules one way or the other; I've
seen soup consumed at the beginning -- and end -- of Chinese meals. I
would assume such a more rigid practice might be based on a particular
regional, local or even family tradition more than that there are any
correct or wrong rules that are universally observed.
Alas, no mention of soup or noddles is specifically made at this site
describing a Chinese meal [http://www.hanwei.com/culture/food.htm]:
"The Chinese have a number of rules and customs associated with
eating. For example, meals must be taken while seated; there is a set
order of who may be seated first among men, women, old and young; and
the main courses must be eaten with chopsticks, and soup with a spoon.
Chinese banquets are arranged on a per table basis, with each table
usually seating ten to twelve persons. A typical banquet consists of
four appetizer dishes, such as cold cut platters or hot hors
d'oeuvres; six to eight main courses; then one savory snack-type dish
and a dessert. The methods of preparation include stir-frying,
stewing, steaming, deep-frying, flash-frying, pan-frying, and so
forth. A dish may be savory, sweet, tart, or piquant. The main colors
of a dish may include red, yellow, green, white and caramel color.
Food garnishes, such as cut or sculptured tomatoes, Chinese white
radishes, cucumbers, and so forth, may be used to add to the visual
appeal of a dish. All of these elements contribute to making Chinese
food a true feast for the eyes and nostrils as well as the tastebuds."
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smoky duck
table sharing all dishes. Usually, family style, all dishes are served at
the same time (for 2-6 people, at least 3-5 dishes and a soup plus rice).
In this case, soup is served in a big bowl, everyone will help themselves to
a small soup bowl, smaller than the regular rice serving bowl. So, you can
have your soup any way you'd like to.
Banquet, dishes are served one at a time. Starter is always a platter of
few kinds of cold cut. Every 3-4 dishes, usually, there will be something
soupy. It could be a soup, something braised in stock and served with it,
or a noodle in soup dish.... Commonly, it will have at least 2 kinds of
soupy dishes (not necessarily consommé type of soup, Chinese like their soup
with lots of stuff in it, for example, Hot & Sour, Egg Drop...)
Will, it doesn't matter how Chinese have their meal, soup will never be
served first and/or by itself.
By the way, do you know, European have their salad after the main course and
before the cheese course or desert?
fox...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message <77lm79$lcv$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>I heard once that, in China, people eat the soup last - as opposed to
having
>soup first as is usually done in America.
>
>Is that true?
>
Karen Anderson
When a dish you ordered was cooked it was served without waiting for any
of the other dishes. If the soup was done first that was when you got
it. If you ordered rice it usually came last as it took longer to
cook. I remember one sweet and sour fish dish, a specialty of Jinan,
where they took the remains of the fish when you were done and then made
a soup from it. In that case the soup came last (it was also
delicious).
Luv N Cal
case for all kinds of occasions, including formak extravagant banquets and
family dinners at home.
I always thought this was true of anywhere else in the Chinese community, but
i guess not?
Luv N Cal
>case for all kinds of occasions, including formak extravagant banquets and
>family dinners at home.
Sorry. That's a typo. I meant "formal banquets."
Timothy Ng
matter.
According to my personal understanding, soup could first of all be regarded as
one of the main courses in a banquet, a liquid to quench thirst in a home style
of meal in particular southern China, a tonic concotion for vigorizing the body
or a soothing agent at the end of a meal.
In terms of banquet, as many people mention the appetizers could be cold cuts,
Chinese style salads, there are also nuts and even fruits are consumed in the
first part of banquet. Of course, it really depends on the regional custom.
However, the term "entree" is generally mis-used in our North American culture;
entree is a perfect term for the pair of hot dishes after the mixed platter in a
regular Cantonese banquet format, before the usual five main courses, "da cai",
or the grand dishes. About twenties years ago, a consomme was often served at
the fourth course, before the fish. Fish, "yu" in Chinese, carries the same
pronouncation as plenty; therefore, it makes some symbolic gesture to wish
everyone at the table would have plenty in life. When the fish is served, it
also signifies the banquet is coming to its end soon. Of course, just a
suggestion of having plenty is not enough, and the host often worries that the
guests would still feel hungry at that point. Then noodle and rice now may be
served, and a sweet soup and Chinese petit fours to be followed. This is only
the Cantonese banquet style.
At home, "da cai" are seldom served, and in fact, the opposite items, called
"xioa cai" are preferred. These small dishes are to delight everyone at home, to
stimilate one's appetit, and to show off the home cook's wit in terms of new
creations or whimsical concotions, either the cook is the housewife, mother or
hired maid. Anyway, in this case, nourishment is the key to home cooking, and
thus the health of the household becomes more important than just being grand.
Soup is often a tonic to regulate the body, to balance one's hormone...etc,
whatever wonders they believe the soup would do. Soup is therefore served often
served before the meal starts, so when one's stomach is empty, the absortion is
considered better; or just before the rice and dishes are served together. Not
rarely, the soup is once agian served after the meal for further nourishment. In
such household, it is not uncommon that this sort of soups would be served at
any time of the day, like at breakfast, snack time, bedtime...etc.
However, in the Szechuan tradition, a very strict format is applied to their
banquet system. The soup is often served within the framework of "da cai".
However, it positon varies according to the balance of the sucessive sequence of
the dishes. It often arrives in the form of consomme, very seldom to be a
regular hot and sour soup, for it is a regular fare, not considered as a da cai.
The Sezchuan style of consomme is of extreme clarity, often called " the boiled
water", it must be clear like spring water and sometimes it is colourless. One
interesting point in Szechuan banquet, a sweet course is part of this da cai
frame work, so it is not unusual to see a meat dish but cooked sweet, like the
old fashion minced meat of Occidental cooking was made from real meat, such as
vension.
In the southern part of China, many region have their own tradition of having
the soup through out the whole meal, and the diners would serve themselves with
a small quantity of soup, but many times, as a thirst quencher. And often, there
is folk banquet, where soup is served once every set of four dishes, called "the
water banquet".
Anyway, this has become very lengthy, but I hope I have contribute a little
information and you may find it interesting and helpful
Yours,
Timothy Ng