A Resource Guide for Chinese food by Craig Butler 1. Divisions of the menu 2. Sample dishes 3. Cooking methods 4. Shapes 5. Styles 6. Flavors and what makes them that way 7. Putting it all together: the anatomy of a Chinese menu 8. How do we express the flavors of foods? 9. Some common Western and other foods 10. Focusing on your order and on table conversation 1. Divisions of the menu 类/類 lèi category

cold “plate” 冷盤/盘 lěng pán (appetizers)

meat 肉類/类 ròu lèi 雞肉 jīròu chicken (鸡) 豬肉 zhūròu pork (猪) 羊肉 yángròu lamb 牛肉 niúròu beef 鴨肉 yāròu duck (鸭)

vegetables 青菜類/类

also

蔬菜類/类

qīngcài lèi shūcài lèi

菠菜 bōcài spinach 白菜 báicài cabbage 四季豆 sìjìdòu green beans ("4 season beans") 豆苗 dòumiáo pea shoots

seafood 海鮮類

(海鲜类)

hǎixiān lèi 魚 yú fish (鱼) 蝦 xiā shrimp (虾) 龍蝦 lóngxiā lobster (龙虾) 魷魚 yóuyú squid (鱿鱼) 鮑魚 bàoyú abalone (鲍鱼)

tofu 豆腐類/类 dòufu lèi

豆腐 dòufu tofu

soup 湯類

汤类

tāng lèi 菠菜豆腐汤 bōcài dòufu tāng spinach tofu soup 玉米汤 yùmǐ tāng corn soup 酸辣汤 suānlàtāng hot and sour soup

2. Sample dish items Additional Resource: http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html (this is a compendium of Chinese dishes—both traditional and non—with clear photograph illustrations and step-by-step cooking directions) in simplified Chinese. 冷盤 冷盘

雙拼 双拼 shuāng pīn assorted cold sliced meats

四川泡菜 四川泡菜 Sìchuān pàocài Sichuan pickled vegetables

肉類 肉类

魚香肉絲 鱼香肉丝 yúxiāng ròusī yuxiang shredded [pork] meat

涮羊肉 涮羊肉 shuànyángròu lamb hotpot

辣子雞丁 辣子鸡丁 làzijīdīng spicy chicken cubes

京都排骨 京都排骨 Jīngdū páigu Jingdu spare ribs

青菜類 青菜类 qīngcàilèi

蔬菜類 蔬菜类 shūcàilèi

乾扁四季豆 干扁四季豆 gānbiǎn sìjìdòu stir-fried string beans

開洋白菜 开洋白菜 Kāiyáng báicài Kaiming cabbage

素什錦 素什锦 sùshíjǐn vegetarian mix

海鮮類 海鲜类 hǎixiānlèi

糖醋魚 糖醋鱼 tángcùyú sweet-sour fish

豆苗蝦仁 豆苗虾仁 dòumiáo xiārén shrimp with young snow pea leaves

宮保魷魚 宫保鱿鱼 Gōngbǎo yóuyú Gongbao squid

豆酥雪魚 豆酥雪鱼 dòusū xuěyú crispy bean topped cod

豆腐類 豆腐类 dòufu lèi

麻婆豆腐 麻婆豆腐 mápó dòufu Mapo tofu

紅燒豆腐 红烧豆腐 hóngshāo dòufu braised tofu

家常豆腐 家常豆腐 jiācháng dòufu home-style tofu

湯類 汤类 tāng lèi

青菜豆腐湯 青菜豆腐汤 qīngcài dòufu tāng vegetable tofu soup

酸辣湯 酸辣汤 suānlàtāng hot and sour soup

玉米蛋花湯 玉米蛋花汤 yùmǐ dànhuā tāng corn and egg-drop soup

3. Cooking methods (做法)

Cooking methods

火

stir-fry steam boil roast, bake deep-fry chǎo zhēng zhǔ kǎo zhá 炒 蒸 煮 烤 炸

stew fry in oil in flat-

bottomed pan fire pot

dùn jiān huǒguō 燉 / 炖 煎 火鍋 / 火锅

4. Shapes (形狀 / 形状 x^ngzhu3ng)

Shapes

形 x^ng

cubes sliver, thread slice piece ball dīng sī piàn kuài qiú 丁 絲 / 丝 片 塊 / 块 球 / 丸

roll strips juǎn tiáo 卷 條 (条)

5. Preparation styles (with reference to ingredients/flavors/textures/region) 紅燒 红烧 hóngshāo brown sauce

糖醋 tángcù sweet and sour

宮保 Gōngbǎo red chili pepper hot!

魚香 鱼香 yúxiāng garlic, onion, ginger (things that bring out the fragrance of fish)

麻辣 麻辣 málà numbingly hot!

酥 sū crispy

6. Flavors and what makes them that way

味道 w7id3o flavors

sour sweet salty spicy-hot bitter suān tián xián là kǔ 酸 甜 咸 /鹹 辣 苦

vinegar sugar salt hot pepper bitter melon cù táng yán làjiāo kǔguā 醋 糖 盐 /鹽 辣椒 苦瓜 soysauce jiàngyóu

醬油 / 醬油 Other important flavoring ingredients sesame oil máyóu 麻油 hot bean paste là dòubànjiàng 辣豆瓣醬 / 辣豆瓣酱 sweet wheat sauce tiánmiànjiàng 甜麵醬 / 甜面酱 hoisin sauce (sweet and salty) hǎixiānjiàng 海鮮醬 /海鲜酱 curry gālǐ 咖喱 MSG wèijīng 味精 black pepper hújiāo 胡椒

7) Putting it all together: the anatomy of a Chinese dish name

The Anatomy of a Chinese Dish Name flavor method ingredient(s) shape

style flavor làzi jī dīng (hot!) 辣子 – 雞/鸡 丁

pepper seed – chicken

cubes

Gōngbǎo jī dīng 宮保 雞/鸡 丁

“palace” (is spicy hot)

chicken cubes

hóng shāo dòufu 紅 / 红 燒 /烧 豆腐

red (comes from soysauce)

cooked tofu

tián suān zhūròu 甜酸 豬肉 sweet-sour pork

qīng chǎo yú piàn 清 炒 鱼/魚 片

light stir-fried fish slices

Dàndàn miàn 擔擔 / 担担 麵 / 面

“Dandan” style noodles (spicy peanut sauce)

nuòmǐ qiú 糯米 球 sticky rice balls

sù chǎo yā 素 燒 / 燒 鴨 / 鴨

vegetarian cooked duck

dòushǐ zhēng yú 豆豉 蒸 鱼/魚

black bean sauce steamed fish

Complete the chart, writing in characters, using cues from the name regarding cooking method, chief ingredients, flavor, texture, and shapes, if indicated.

菜名 主要成份 zh}y3o ch5ngf7n (chief ingredients)

做法 口味 形狀

宮保雞丁 宫保鸡丁 紅燒牛肉 红烧牛肉 炒魚片 炒鱼片 炸蝦球 炸虾球 魚香肉絲 鱼香肉丝 糖醋鯉魚 糖醋鲤鱼

酥炸蝦 酥炸虾

炒鴨掌 炒鸭掌

番茄雞片 番茄鸡片

紅油雞塊 红油鸡块

北京烤鴨 北京烤鸭

Using three dishes from the Part 2 sample dishes, fill out the chart

The Anatomy of a Chinese Dish Name flavor method ingredient(s) shape

style flavor

8. How do we express the flavors of foods? to be slightly on the (flavor) side piān 偏 (flavor)

to be lacking qiàn 欠

flavor is a little too strong zhòng 重(了)一點 重(了)一点

heavy, thick nóng 濃 浓

light and refreshing qīngdàn 清淡

watered down, "thin" in taste dàn 淡

tasty kěkǒu 可口

thirst quenching jiěkě 解渴

oily yóunì 油膩 油腻

And for the elegant… qīngshuǎng 清爽不膩 清爽不腻 light and not oily

xiāng chuān qiān lǐ 香傳千里 香传千里 “the fragrance is conveyed a 1000 li”

jīngjì shíhuì 經濟實惠 经济实惠 “good food at a good price”

sè měi wèi xiān 色美味鮮 色美味鲜 attractive and savory

wèi měi wú qióng 味美無窮 味美无穷 “boundlessly delicious”

huí wèi wú qióng 回味無窮 回味无穷 “unforgettably delicious”

xiān wèi shí zú 鮮味十足 鲜味十足 “the flavor is absolutely fulfilling”

xiāng wèi pú bí 香味撲鼻 香味扑鼻 a fragrance that assaults the senses

lěng bīngbīng de 冷冰冰的 冷冰冰的 cold (and unappealing)

gān bābā de 乾巴巴的 干巴巴的 dried out (and unappealing)

suān liūliū de 酸溜溜的 酸溜溜的 (said of flavors or smells): sour (and unappealing)

sè xiāng wèi quán 色香味全 色香味全 appearance, fragrance and flavor are in full complement (are total, complete)

jīnjīn yǒu wèi 津津有味 津津有味 (typically said of eating) with gusto, with relish

9. Some common Western and other foods

Drinks

milk niúnǎi 牛奶 牛奶 juice guǒzhī 果汁 果汁

Snacks and junk food potato chips shǔpiàn 薯片 薯片 french fries shǔtiáo 薯條 薯条 candy tángguǒ 糖果 糖果 gum kǒuxiāngtáng 口香糖 口香糖

Staple and other foods bread miànbāo 麵包 面包 spaghetti Yìdàlì miàn 意大利麵 意大利面 pizza Yìdàlì bóbǐng 意大利薄餅 意大利薄饼 sushi shòusī 壽司 寿司 (vegetable) salad qīngcài shālā 青菜沙拉 青菜沙拉

10. Focusing on your order and on table conversation Questions/topics you might discuss among yourselves:

Key words & expressions

Should we order separately, or order together and share? 自己点 vs. 一起点、一起吃 What do you recommend/suggest? 建议/建議 jiànyì This food smells (bad, good, like meat, like garlic, etc.) 闻起來/聞起來 Therefore: looks like⋯ 看起來像____ Therefore: (eating) tastes like⋯ 吃起來像____ Therefore: (drinking) tastes like ⋯ 喝起來像____ Can I try some of that? 嘗一口 chǎng yì kǒu Do we want to pack this up to take home? 打包 Questions/topics you would address to waiter/waitress: What’s your specialty? 拿手菜 náshǒucài Can we add some water to the teapot? 加水 jiā shuǐ Are there ______ inside? (peanuts, shellfish, etc.) peanut: huāshēng huāshēng I’m allergic to peanuts. 對花生过敏／過敏 guòmǐn Is the ____ fresh? 新鮮 / 新鲜 xīnxiān Is this bottled mineral water, or tap water? 矿泉水 kuàngquánshuǐ 自來水 tap Can you not put MSG in it? 可以不放 味精 嗎？ How much longer [until the food is ready]? 还要多久? / 還要多久? Can you turn down the air conditioning? 可以开小一点吗? Could we have another _____? 可以再要一个____ 吗? We spilled. Can we get some napkins? 打翻 dǎfàn; 紙巾/ 纸巾 zhǐjīn Is the service charge included? 服務費 / 服务费 fúwùfèi Check please. 账单 zhàngdān or 买单 mǎidān Do you also accept credit card? 收信用卡 shōu xìnyòngkǎ

from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html

from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html

from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html

from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html

from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html