SOUP:

The Chinese conception of soup is that it should be clear, tasty and good to look at. Only Province or Pleasant Soups such as Szechuan Hot and Sour, Winter Melon and Taiwan Corn and Crab are rich and creamy.

RICE:

Chinese rice when made to any exact formula is in itself a meal, unblemished by sauces, vegetables, etc. Long grain is the most popular in the South. Oval or sweet rice is also used for sweets or pearl balls.

NOODLES:

China outnumbers every country in the world (Italy included) in the number and styles of noodles and dishes made with noodles of different ingredients such as wheat, peas, taro, rice, spinach, etc.

LAMB:

Lamb forms the principal meat diet of Chinese Moslems from Mongolia, Singiang and Manchuria. Many of these dishes have been accepted by the Chinese, especially in the Hunan Province known for its Hunan Lamb and scallions.

PORK:

Pork is the principal meat of China. It is used in Red Cooking, in which the meat is pot -roasted in soy and five-spice and cooked for 4-5 hours. This meat is used all over China in dishes too numerous to count. Sweet and sour pork, double-cooked pork from Szechuan and barbecued pork are all familiar dishes.

BEEF:

In China beef is used sparingly because most of the beef is used as labor animals. Very little is used for food. The meat is usually tough and unlike pork only certain parts are tender.

CHICKEN:

Chicken is one of the most versatile items in China because of its availability and convenience. There is hardly any difference in its' use in Chinese cooking and it is easily interchangeable in recipes except for cooking times.