This week the Hutong School blog was visited by a guest blogger: Operation:Falafel

One day or the other, most of us try to cook Chinese food that we find comfort in. Whether we take a stab at the egg-fried rice with Szechuan chicken or the chow mein noodles with a tasty sauce, we are always mesmerized by the taste of the dish.

Chinese food is simply irresistible! Do you want to know the delicious secrets that make Chinese food absolutely mouthwatering? Check it out below.

China is a large country and every region of the country practices different culinary styles. The entire Chinese menu of amazing dishes is made by keeping in mind the different culinary styles present in the country. The famous eight include Cantonese, Anhui, Hunan, Fujian, Shandong, Zhejiang and Szechuan styles. These eight varieties of taste are influenced by their ethnic origins and tasty ingredients.

The restaurant Falafel uses some pretty unique and special ingredients, but the ones used in Chinese food are exceptional. They are crazy about using vegetables and they even include veggies like tree fungi, bitter cucumber, pomelos, yams and weed-like plants. Another common ingredient present in Chinese food is soybean. It is used in the preparation of tofu, soy milk, fermented black beans and soy sauce. These ingredients have potential health benefits and they also make the food taste great.

Rice is a stable in Chinese cuisine. No dish is complete without rice on the side. It often accompanies soups, noodles, meat dishes, sauces, sweet dishes, and is also used in making wine.

Did you know that the ingredients in Chinese dishes could help reduce the severity of eczema? The disease makes the skin scaly, dry, and itchy. Chinese dietary therapy suggests that eating Chinese food helps in reducing the severity of the disease. Any guesses on how the foods can help? Chinese food contains a minimum amount of cow’s milk, damp forming food, and oily ingredients all of which are potential risk factors for aggravating the disease.

Believing in the phrase, ‘the first bite is with the eyes’ Chinese chefs and restaurants take the art of presenting food very seriously. They are eager to impress guest and to make sure that they serve the food in full style. The soup is served with a side of crunchy crackers, noodles in a bowl topped off with sauce, and the pairing of vibrant seafood with lively greens.

The chefs in China are quite creative which is why they can cook one dish a dozen different ways. Unlike the delicious falafel wraps, which are eaten with hot sauce or the tahini sauce, which gives it a different taste. Chinese food that is cooked in different styles invokes different parts of your palette. For instance, if you take a fish you can enjoy it five or six different ways. You can steam, stew, fry, roast, sauté, pickle, or marinate the fish using a variety of different ingredients.

Chinese cuisine is great for making use of quality spices and ingredients. The exotic food presentation and the amazing health benefits never fail to impress guest and this is why it is loved in China and all around the world!