The types of soups in chinese cuisine is quite different from western soups.
There are 8 distinct Chinese cuisine that are widely recognized by the Chinese whether those in China or overseas. They are:
- Anhui cuisine 安徽菜
- Fujian cuisine 福建菜
- Guangdong cuisine 广东菜
- Hunan cuisine 湖南菜
- Jiangsu cuisine 江苏菜
- Shandong cuisine 山东菜
- Sichuan cuisine 四川菜
- Zhejiang cuisine 浙江菜
Each has their own distinct types of soups. Even with such geographical diversity, there are some common threads that make chinese soups chinese.
One of the most important type of chinese soups is herbal soups. The addition of chinese herbs in soups as food rather than medicine to promote general health and well-being is not unique to chinese cuisine but is probably one of the most developed.
The single most popular soup cooking technique in chinese cooking is slow simmering. This type of simmered soups are full of flavour and nourishment. Ingredients are slowly simmered to softness and tenderness. The use of dried chinese goods such as dried scallops, fish maw and black chicken typifies this type of soup.
Coming up a near second is the other popular soup cooking technique: quick boiling. Using pre-made soup stocks and ultra fresh ingredients such as green leafy vegetables, seafood and thinly sliced meat, delicious and nutritious soups can be whipped up in under 30 minutes. I'm sure most chinese mums and some dads know how to put together a simple egg drop soup or a tofu soup for the family.
Another important type of soups is noodle soups. I don't think I would be boasting if I said that the Chinese excel at making noodles and with all sorts of ingredients too. Mostly wheat and rice but there are also noodles made with pork and beans. All of these go very well with well-made soup bases. The permutations are endless although there are a few classic favorites like the beef noodle soups and wonton noodles.
The use of cornstarch or potato starch to thicken soup and sauces is uniquely chinese. The most well-known is obviously the hot and sour soup, the westlake beef soup and the Teochew fish maw soup.
Last but not least, the rice congee. Some called it rice soup, rice pudding and chinese rice porridge. It is perhaps the most unique type of soups as well as the single most important dish in chinese cuisine. Children grew up on it and we live on it during famine. We have it when we are not feeling well or feeling down. It is an all round comfort food.
Time to try some of these different types of soups.
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