Chinese Food Culture - Chicken Wings

Honey Chicken Wings (YOUnique Cafe) 

One important difference between the Chinese food culture and the American food culture is the attitude toward white meat and red meat.

In the Chinese culture, red meat is undoubtedly preferred over white meat.  Chinese people believe that the meat around bones are more juicy and "bouncy" - a word that is constantly being used to describe food, which refers to the type of texture that is not too hard and not too mushy, but a bit chewy, and such texture is usually tied with freshness of the food being served.  White meat, on the other hand, is thought to be dry and hard.

Among all the red meat on a chicken, chicken wings and chicken legs are considered the best parts.  As a chicken moves around when it's alive, it moves its wings and legs much more frequently than the other parts on the body (i.e. the chest), thus the meat on wings and legs are mainly composed of muscles, and are more juicy and "bouncy" when cooked.

With this perspective in mind, it becomes logical that for hundreds of years in China, chicken wings and legs were usually served as something special and precious, and were given to the unique someone such as respectful guests and beloved children.

Have you being treated as a special someone yet?    O(^_^)O

YOUnique Recommendation:  Honey Chicken Wings, Garlic Chicken Wings

Garlic Chicken Wings (YOUnique Cafe)

Chinese Food Culture - Vegetable

Steamed Choy Sum (YOUnique Cafe)

"食不可無綠" is a popular Chinese saying that has been passed on from generations to generations.  It can be translated as "food without greenish is unacceptable", which indicates the importance of green ingredients in the Chinese food culture. 

According to a well-known newspaper in China, the People's Daily, the vegetable consumption per capita in China yields to an estimate of 311 kg, "well above the world average of 105 kg" in 2001.  Vegetable makes up a major part of Chinese people's daily diet, along with grains and other starchy products.  Meat is usually served in a relatively smaller amount.  This diet structure corresponds with WHO (World Health Organization)'s recommendation of "a minimum of 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day for the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity".

Nowadays, the importance of vegetables in daily diet has been a well-known concept.  In the Chinese food culture, steam and stir-fried are the two most common ways to cook vegetables.  The cooking process is done in a short period of time, thus preserving all the precious nutrients in our vegetables.

Did you have your vegetables today?      O(^_^)O

YOUnique Recommendation:  Steamed Choy Sum with Oyster Sauce, Chinese Broccoli with Cracknels

Chinese Broccoli with Cracknels (YOUnique Cafe)

Sources:

"China's Per Capita Vegetable Consumption Above World Average", Oct. 28, 2011, People's Daily.  http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200110/28/eng20011028_83348.html

"Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Around the World", http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/fruit/en/