Chinese Grilling

The Chinese cooking tradition is possibly the oldest and richest in the world. Chinese Cuisine has a very distinct philosophy, that of the yin and yang of food. Whereas in the west you find that a proper meal is considered a balancing act between a main dish and various side dishes, among the Chinese, foods should be balanced in flavor, color, texture and other factors. The oldest example of this nutritional balancing is that of the yin (cool, bland foods) and the yang (hot, spicy foods). There are different conditions, seasons and temperaments that determine which side of the yin/yang you should lean most heavily on. For instance cold weather should be offset by more yang, while hot weather requires more yin. In this way, a Chinese cook is expected to not only prepare a good meal, but balance the meal with the world outside.

As for the preparation of Chinese foods, most people think of the Wok. It is in part this stereotype that keeps people from thinking of the grill as equipment for Chinese cooking. In fact there are many techniques for the grill in China, especially among the Cantonese. Like all cultures the Chinese learned to cook first on an open flame.

Not only do the Chinese grill, but the smoke and make Barbecue Sauce. Chinese Barbecue sauces are extremely varied in content but like American barbecue sauce have a few basic ingredients. A typical Chinese barbecue sauce will include soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and sesame oil. You will find sweet sauces, simple sauces, spicy sauces, fishy sauces, etc. Like American barbecue sauce the Chinese have many different kinds’ sauces for different dishes. Knowing the right sauce is the secret. You can easily add a Chinese flavor to most anything you grill by using a Chinese style sauce instead of the one you usually use. Try brushing Chinese barbecue sauce over grilled chicken.

Lastly, a few rules on presentation. The Chinese use forks, mainly as a cooking tool and not as an eating utensil. This means that the cook is expected to cut up the food into bit sized pieces before serving. Dishes are served family style, meaning you put together the parts of the dish, meats, vegetables, rice, etc. on one big plate and let the guests decide how much they want. Everyone gets what they want and how much they want. Each dish is a complete dish. This means that you put everything together before you serve. The Chinese don't eat compartmentalized meals like you find in the west with the meat sitting next to the vegetables or other sides. Side dishes are separate courses of one meal.