Well, I would like to know how Chinese food is like in the West from people that live there. I would like to learn about their POVs. Cause I've heard alot how people hate chinese food, its soggy, deep fried with lots of oil, and well generally lousy. And the names that the chefs gives the good is ridiculous! Like chop something.
This is a story for example. I read it in reader's digest or some other magazine. The reporter went to a chinese restaurant. The chef said his dish was traditional and famous back in a province of China, dating back to the Qing Dynasty. ( For all those that do not know about the Qing Dynasty, it was the last dynasty to rule China, from 1600+ till 1911.)Anyway, when the reporter went to China to check it out, the officials and people there did not know anything about the dish! It was a fake.
Well so just to repeat, what are your feelings about Chinese food, do you like it? Real Chinese food isn't the fried noodly takeaway stuff I usually see portrayed in American culture.
Nichodemus ( I'm from Singapore btw, a Singaporean Chinese.)
Err...it's considered an aphrodisiac, and an extremely valuable one at that. Because you know, it's not so easy to go up to a tiger and chop off his ****. These rare things are almost always more medicinal in purpose rather than nourishing or even tasty.
Yup...It's weird to think about as someone who's from the United States, but I think we're the only people to try to coat as much stuff in batter as physically possible, sooo...What foods you find appealing basically just depends on perspective and background.
Yeah. Until recently, Chinese people have never really grasped the idea of a salad. To them, eating raw vegetables makes them feel like animals. That's why Chinese vegetables are almost always cooked, contrary to what that Chinese Chicken Salad with the water chestnuts and the mandarin oranges may have you believe.
If we go for another example, Chinese people are not very big on marinades. Sure, we do have sauces and stuff, but they really don't have that stuff slathered on as liberally as say, American baby-back ribs. Americans like covering their food with something: batter, bread crumbs, and the like. Chinese people don't.
Most Asian food in general cooked in western countries are either soaked in oil or really soggy. Many restaurants make many false claims about their dishes. They don't even use fresh ingredients! A local news paper published an article saying Chinese people sell food with too much fat and Indians sell food that's spoilt. Talk about being narrow minded.
Don't know about Indian food, but I can attest that Chinese food can be really fatty. Ever tried oxtail soup? That stuff is just as bad as batter fried bacon.
Nicodemus: Chop suey as it is known is supposed to be an American invention. However, I've seen and eaten it in China where it's just an expedient way to get rid of leftovers. Basically you stir-fry any veggies or meat lying around and serve it on rice. I have trouble seeing why the origin is so contested when it's basically stir fry. However, the Chinese word for chop suey (za sui) literally means cooked intestines. That was the original meaning, at least.
You people must have not have eaten the Western Chinese food that I have. There is a very high-quality Chinese restaurant close to where I live (a small town in the MIDWEST) that is run by Chinese immigrant's sons, and their food is very good. They have everything from Western-influenced Chinese food to authentic food like, say, pot-stickers, vegetable stir-fry, and other things of that nature. ---------------- If you ever come to America, then try some of out signature foods, like California Rolls, sweet-and-sour chicken, and burritos! It's as authentic American food as you'll get!
I go to Stir Fry 88 every chance I get. I usually get the Bourbon chicken, lo mein, and fried rice. Maybe an eggroll or two. I just go with the basics. It tastes good and it fills me up!
