Celestial flavor: what Chinese dishes Russians like
Next week, on January 29, is the Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. Especially for this event, many restaurateurs are sure to add Chinese-style dishes to their menus, because over the past thirty years, the cuisine of the Celestial Empire has been widely recognized in Russia and successfully adapted to the tastes of our compatriots. "Izvestia" found out what Chinese treats today are absolute favorites among Russians and how they are prepared by the capital's chefs.
What the most famous dish came from the imperial cuisine of China
The exquisite imperial style was formed in the kitchen of the rulers of China for several centuries and was gradually replenished with new treats, based on the personal predilections of the rulers. Gradually the recipes went beyond the palace and penetrated into the Beijing culinary tradition already in a more simplified version. The most striking example of such a dish is undoubtedly Peking duck, the method of preparing which has been known since the 14th century. Today it is one of the most famous and popular Chinese treats in the world.
- The duck is first aged in the aging chamber, then marinated in a broth with Chinese spices and flower honey, and before serving it is fried on a wok," Jacky Wu, the chef of the restaurant of modern Chinese cuisine Mume, told Izvestia. - Our guests can try homemade toasts with sliced duck skin and Thai mango, duck pieces in rice pancakes with two sauces - hoisin and plum, or duck mince pre-fried on a wok with san choy onions. And all these are variations on the theme of Peking duck.
Toast with Peking duck and mango slice
The peculiarity of Peking duck lies in its juicy meat and crispy flavorful crust, which is obtained from its skin, added to our edition the chef of the restaurant "Chinese Gratitude. Bar & Food" Zhang Xianchen. The bird must be of a certain age, no older than three months. It has a thicker layer of fat, which better retains moisture in the meat. In his restaurant, the chef cooks local ducks and chooses birds 30-45 days old, as their meat will not be too tough. The charcoal from fruit trees, on which Peking duck is roasted in the classic version, is also an important component that influences the flavor of the dish.
Peking duck
According to our interlocutor, there are other ways of cooking duck in China. For example, the bird is stewed in a rich broth until soft, so that the meat is easily separated from the bones, and then fried in hot oil until crispy and served with pepper and salt or your favorite sauce. To make salted duck, it is marinated in advance, then steamed or boiled until fully cooked, cooled and cut into pieces. This dish has a brackish, delicate flavor and is especially good in summer. More duck is braised in water with the addition of spices and seasonings on low heat until ready, and then boil the sauce to a rich state, so that the meat fully absorbs the flavor. It can be eaten both cold and hot, and this dish will have two completely different flavors.
What dishes came to Russia from Sichuan cuisine
Originating from Sichuan province and the neighboring municipality of Chongqing, the style of Chinese cuisine is characterized by bright flavors, strong spiciness and spiciness, which is achieved through the use of a variety of spices.
- We cook the way our mothers and grandmothers did, and 80% of the dishes on the menu are spicy," admits Li Bin, the chef of Chuanyu Sichuan cuisine restaurant. - In a small number of dishes we can reduce the spiciness, but not completely remove it.
Almost all Sichuan dishes are cooked on woks, quickly, to preserve the benefits and flavor of the product itself, our expert adds. One of the most popular treats among Moscow guests of his establishment is mapo tofu. The main ingredients of the dish are soft tofu in a spicy sauce made of fermented black bean paste and chili peppers, and ground beef fried to crispy perfection. Together they produce a perfect harmony of textures, and to offset the searing spiciness of the appetizer, it is usually served with boiled rice.
Mapo tofu
Another common Sichuan dish is gongbao chicken, which appeared in the mid-19th century. In the canonical version, the dish is fried cubes of chicken mixed with a special marinade.
- We use only chilled chickens for this treat, as their meat is more tender than that of chickens and they retain their flavor and texture better when fried," explained Chef Li Bin. - We fry the meat over high heat with hot pepper, sweet and sour sauce, sesame oil and peanuts. These ingredients make the dish more rich, while the chicken remains juicy.
Gongbao chicken
No less famous and popular among Russian fans of Chinese cuisine is a dish, the recipe of which is also usually associated with Sichuan cuisine - carp in sweet and sour sauce. Thanks to a special technology, this fish is completely stripped of bones in the process of cooking and loses its specific river flavor.
- For this dish we use mirror carps weighing one and a half kilograms, because for the ideal result the fish should be rounded, not elongated, - the chef of the Chinese restaurant Mr. Lee Alexander Kachinsky shared his experience. - Carp is cut "herringbone", so that the bones remain in it, but holes are formed through which the hot fryer gets inside, in which they burn out. It is important to maintain the right balance of temperature so that the carp does not dry out and, on the other hand, does not remain raw.
Carp in sweet and sour sauce.
According to our interviewee, an important role in this fish dish is played by the hot sauce (each chef has his own). It should have a certain attractive color and transparency, and it should harmoniously combine sour and sweet notes. At his restaurant, Chef Kaczynski tops the carp with green peas, pineapple chunks and pine nuts.
What popular treats have come to Russia from Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine includes culinary traditions characteristic of the Chinese province of Guangdong, especially its capital Guangzhou, as well as the regions surrounding the Zhujiang River Delta, which also includes the cities of Hong Kong and Macau. This school is characterized by the use of fish and seafood, rice, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, salted duck eggs, kai lan (broccoli), red beans, dried shrimp, hoisin sauce and lotus seeds. The main gastronomic specialty of Cantonese cuisine, which has found many fans in Russia, is undoubtedly dim sum.
- Dimsams differ from dumplings in shape, size, filling and the fact that they are steamed rather than boiled," explained Chef Jackie Wu. - The filling can be not only meat, but also vegetables and other foods. For example, we make dim sum with shrimp, pork, mushrooms and dried scallops (konpa). Or with shrimp and bamboo shoots. There is also a more "Russian" version with morels, mushrooms and beets. For me, this is an interesting gastronomic experiment, and my guests get to know the flavors familiar from their childhood.
Dim sum with shrimp and bamboo shoots; with morels, mushrooms and beets; shrimp, pork, mushrooms and konpoi
According to our interlocutor, dim sum in China is a light meal before work, so they are usually eaten in the first half of the day, washed down with green tea. Such a breakfast is a very ancient tradition (called yum cha). Peasants or traders used to drink tea with these snacks before going to the field or other business. In winter, the filling in dim sum may be pork, and in summer, it may be fruit.
- The dough for dim sum should be thin, very elastic, with the right ratio of rice flour, starch and water," adds Chef Kaczynski. - It is rolled so thin that it becomes paper-like. And molding dim sum requires a special skill that not everyone can master. For example, in our country they are molded exclusively by Chinese women who can do it with their eyes closed, and still they will be the same in weight and shape.
Fried milk with mango sauce
One of the most popular Chinese desserts, fried milk, is also of Cantonese origin. It is made from three types of milk - coconut milk, cow's milk and condensed milk. The mixture is first boiled in a wok until it becomes a thick cream, then poured into trays, frozen, and cut into bars when hardened. Before serving, these pieces are dipped in batter and deep-fried. The result is a fried bar with a stretchy milk filling, which is served with different sauces, for example, with mango or chocolate.
- Fried milk is a very interesting sweet, which I think brings us back to our childhood," says Chef Kaczynski. - It's like eating something Chinese, but the condensed milk makes you feel like your grandmother or mother made it for you.
