Asian cuisine styles can be broken down into several regional styles that have roots in the peoples and cultures of those regions. The major types can be roughly defined as East Asian with its origins in Imperial China and now encompassing modern Japan and the Korean peninsula; Southeast Asian which encompasses Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Viet Nam, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines; South Asian derived the states that once made up British India – Burma, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan as well as several other countries in this region of the continent; Central Asian and Middle Eastern.

Mongolian cuisine

Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and Mongolian styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited. Due to geographic proximity and deep historic ties with China and Russia, Mongolian cuisine is also influenced by Chinese and Russian cuisine.

Features



Buuz
The nomads of Mongolia sustain their lives directly from the products of domesticated animals such as cattle, horses, camels, yaks, sheep, and goats, and sometimes game. Meat is either cooked, used as an ingredient for soups or dumplings (buuz/khuushuur/bansh), or dried for winter (borts). The Mongolian diet includes a large proportion of animal fat which is necessary for the Mongols to withstand the cold winters and their hard work. Winter temperatures as low as -40 °C and outdoor work require sufficient energy reserves. Milk and cream are used to make a variety of beverages, as well as cheese and similar products.
The nomads on the countryside are self-supporting by principle. Travellers will find yurts marked as "guanz" in regular intervals near the roadside, which operate as simple restaurants. In the yurt, which is a portable dwelling structure, Mongolians usually cook in a cast-iron or aluminium pot on a small stove, using wood or dried animal dung (argal) as fuel.

Typical dishes


Khuushuur

                                          

The most common rural dish is cooked mutton, often without any other ingredients. In the city, every other locale displays a sign saying "buuz". Those are dumplings filled with meat, which are cooked in steam. Other types of dumplings are boiled in water, or deep fried in mutton fat. Other dishes combine the meat with rice or fresh noodles into various stews (tsuivan, budaatai huurga) or noodle soups (guriltai shol).
The most surprising cooking method is only used on special occasions. In this case, the meat (often together with vegetables) gets cooked with the help of stones, which have been preheated in a fire. This either happens with chunks of mutton in a sealed milk can, or within the abdominal cavity of a deboned goat or marmot ("Boodog").
Milk is boiled to separate the cream (öröm, clotted cream). The remaining skimmed milk is processed into cheese ("byaslag"), dried curds (aaruul), yoghurt, kefir, as well as a light milk liquor ("Shimiin Arkhi"). The most prominent national beverage is airag, fermented mare's milkA popular cereal is barley, which is fried and malted. The resulting flour (arvain guril) is eaten as a porridge in milk fat and sugar or drunk mixed in milk tea. The everyday beverage is salted milk tea ("Süütei Tsai"), which may turn into a robust soup by adding rice, meat, or Bansh. As a consequence of the Russian influence during socialism, vodka also has gained some popularity with a surprising number of local brands (usually grain spirits).
Horse meat is eaten in Mongolia and can be found in grocery stores.
For dessert, Mongolians have boortsog, a type of Mongolian biscuit or cookie.

Indian cuisine

Indian cuisine is characterized by the use of various spices, herbs and other vegetables and sometimes fruits grown in India and also for the widespread practice vegetarianism across many sections of its society. Each family of Indian cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, it varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse Indian sub continent.
India's religios beliefs and culture have played an influential role in the evolution of its cuisine.However, cuisine across India also evolved due to the subcontinent's large-scale cultural interactions with ancient greece,mongols,persia and west asia making it a unique blend of various cuisines across Asia The spice trade between India and Europe  is often cited as the main catalyst for Europe's Age of discovery. The colonial period introduced European cooking styles to India adding to the flexibility and diversity of Indian cuisine. Indian cuisine has had a remarkable influence on cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast asia.
The staples of Indian cuisine are rice, atta (whole wheat flour), and a variety of pulses, the most important of which are masoor (most often red lentil), channa (bengal gram), toor (pigeon pea or yellow gram), urad (black gram) and mung (green gram). Pulses may be used whole, dehusked, for example dhuli moong or dhuli urad, or split. Pulses are used extensively in the form of dal (split). Some of the pulses like channa and "Mung" are also processed into flour (besan).
Most Indian curries are cooked in vegetable oil. In North and West India, peanut oil has traditionally been most popular for cooking, while in Eastern India,\mustard oil is more commonly used. Coconut oil is used widely along the western coast and South India, Gingelly oil is common in the South as well. In recent decades, sunflower oil and soybean oil have gained popularity all over India. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, known as Vanaspati ghee, is also a popular cooking medium that replaces Desi ghee, clarified butter (the milk solids have been removed).
The most important or frequently used spices in Indian cuisine are chilli pepper, black mustard seed (rai), cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi, manjal), fenugreek (methi), asafoetida (hing, perungayam), ginger (adrak, inji), coriander (dhania), and garlic (lassan, poondu). Popular spice mixes are garam masala, which is usually a powder of five or more dried spices, commonly including cardamom, cinnamon, and clove. Each region, and sometimes each individual chef, has a distinctive blend of garam masala. Goda masala is a popular sweet spice mix in Maharashtra. Some leaves are commonly used like tejpat, coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf and mint leaf. The common use of curry leaves, curry roots is typical of all South Indian cuisine. In sweet dishes, cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, and rose petal essences are seasoned.




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asian cuisine

Tools Used in Asian Cuisine

Chopsticks are an important part of Asian culture. Their popularity and widespread use across Asia have a long and rich history. They come in all shapes and forms, from golden chopsticks engraved with calligraphy to disposable bamboo wari-bashi. Regardless of the form they take, chopsticks have evolved into an important icon of Asian culture and an important part of history. 

It is believed the first chopsticks were developed over 5000 years ago in China. Early Asian man would retrieve his food from the fire using sticks or branches broken from trees. Later, as the population grew and resources became scarce, people would cut food into smaller pieces to save fuel because the smaller portions cooked faster. This eliminated the need for knives, and chopsticks became the utensil of choice. 
The onset of Confucianism is believed to have further cemented the use of chopsticks as the primary Asian eating utensil. Confucius taught, “The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” Confucius’ disdain for the presence of knives at the kitchen table, coupled with the popularity of his teachings no doubt contributed to the expanding use of chopsticks among the population. 
By 500 A.D., chopsticks had spread from China to other countries such as Korea, Vietnam and Japan. While initially only used for religious ceremonies in Japan, chopsticks quickly gained popularity there as well, and their use became as widespread as the rest of Asia in no time. 
Chopsticks come in many different forms. Bamboo tends to be the most popular material to make them from. There is lots of it in Asia, it is easy to split and it is especially resistant to heat. Other popular materials were wood and bone, and chopsticks made of precious metals were not uncommon among the wealthy. It was believed that silver chopsticks would turn black upon contact with poisoned food, although this has since been disproved. 
Chinese chopsticks are called Kuai-Zi, which means “quick little fellows”. 
They are typically 9 to 10 inches long, rectangular in shape, with blunt ends. Japanese chopsticks originally resembled tweezers made from bamboo, with the two pieces joined together at one end. By the 10th century they became two separate pieces. They are slightly shorter than their Chinese counterparts (7 to 8 inches long), are typically rounded and taper to a point. 
It has been said by using chopsticks it improves memory, increases finger dexterity and can be useful in learning and improving skills such as Chinese character printing and brush painting. Many Asian superstitions revolve around chopsticks as well. For example, if you find an uneven pair at your table seating, it is believed that you will miss the next train, boat or plane you are trying to catch. Also, dropping your chopsticks is a sign of bad luck to come. 
 
In addition to unique cuisines from Asia, western cultures were also introduced to the unique tools used to prepare Asian foods. Perhaps the most important is the wok. The wok is the most important piece of cooking equipment in southeast Asia and China. Because traditional Asian households did not have resources to make or buy several different pans for different types of cooking, the traditional wok was developed with a unique rounded bottom that provides a range of cooking temperatures in one pan, thereby becoming a nearly universal staple of Asian households.
Similarly, the cleaver developed as another versatile cooking instrument as it can be used to perform all the functions of an entire set of cooking knives and utensils common in the average western kitchen -- general chopping, slicing, dicing, carving, crushing, scooping, etc. And of course, we can't forget about the quintessential Asian eating instrument -- the chopstick. Although its true origins are unknown, a Chinese legend notes that the philosopher Confucius, living in China around 500 B.C., influenced the development of chopsticks through his non-violent teachings. The widely-accepted belief was that because knives were associated with war and death, Confucius urged his followers not to use them at the dinner table, which supposedly led to the invention of chopsticks as a substitute.
Asian food is generally a blend of several tastes together -- sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and bitter. While western palates tend to segregate tastes, Asian cuisine emphasizes a combination of flavors and textures, often within a single dish. Blends of rice or noodles with vegetables and/or a protein source may also include something crunchy, such as nuts, or something softer, such as raisins.
Another difference is rather than adding a ground powder to a dish (as is common in the U.S.), Asian cooks, especially in the southeast region, prepare spice blends though various techniques including blending whole spices and freshly grinding them, and preparing curry blends. Other unique ingredients provide flavor, texture, and color to define various Asian cuisine. The popularity of Asian cooking shows such as "The Iron Chef" is just one example of how popular and even trendy Asian cuisine has become.

The 'Fusion' of Asian American Cuisine

As different Asian immigrants have come to the U.S. to begin their lives as Americans throughout history, they have brought their cuisine and cooking traditions with them, along with the centuries-old tradition of bringing together the family or a large group of friends and relatives to socialize over a big meal. As restaurants opened to serve the early Chinese and Japanese immigrant communities in various cities in the U.S., westerners got their first taste of traditional Asian cuisine. But inevitably, assimilation and acculturation took place, not just in terms of the individual, but also as applied to Asian food as well.
Soon, Asian restaurants that wanted to broaden their appeal and customer base beyond their own ethnic patrons had to modify or invent new 'ethnic' food that would appeal more readily to the western palate. This eventually led to the creation of uniquely 'Americanized' Asian dishes such as chop suey, egg rolls, fortune cookies, and recently, 'Asian-inspired' fast food salads.
These days, traditional Asian cuisine is undergoing another transformation but instead of being combined with western tastes, the result comes from combining elements and styles from different Asian cultures into a new fusion style of pan-Asian dishes. Many of these early fusion dishes were synthesized from Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and Chinese cuisines (along with a few French influences), although other Asian cultures are slowly being 'mixed' into the trend. Many of these fusion restaurants also tend to be aimed at a slightly more upscale clientele and are concentrated mainly in the major metropolitan areas around the U.S.
Along with being seen as new and trendy, these Asian fusion dishes also appeal to many customers because they tend to be lighter and are perceived to be healthier than other types of "ethnic" cuisine. In fact, many westerners are only now understanding the health benefits of many Asian foods. Many nutritionists point out that America's biggest health problems -- heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and many cancers -- are seen far less often in Asian countries. One reason is, not only is physical activity that blends spirituality with fitness (such as tai chi) more common in Asian societies, but experts are finding that Asian diets also play a key role.
Research shows that the average Chinese adult, for example, eats half as much fat and one-third less protein than the average American. The Chinese rely heavily on grains, fruits, and vegetables. Meat is rarely the main ingredient in a meal; instead, small amounts are offered up in dishes composed mainly of vegetables and rice. The popularity of eating fish in many Asian countries is also linked to lower incidences of many of the chronic health problems that are more common in the U.S., as is the drinking of green tea for its antioxidant benefits. Ethnic grocery stores and frozen Asian dinners have enjoyed explosive growth in recent years, further reflecting the rising popularity of Asian food.
However, a healthy diet that took centuries to achieve may be lost in just decades. Many observers are noting that obesity and heart disease is slowly becoming a problem in many Asian urban areas, as more Chinese, Japanese, etc. are copying the unhealthy eating habits of normally associated with Americans and flocking to fast food restaurants that seem to be growing exponentially across Asia. It seems ironic that the blending of eastern and western cuisines can have such different results for each culture involved.

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