The uniqueness of Chinese soups

Soups occupy a separate niche in Chinese cooking, food culture and philosophy of life. “There are no bad foods, only bad cooks” – this saying is as relevant as ever when cooking soups in Chinese culture. A wide variety of products are used in the cooking process, so the finished result can impress with a wealth of flavors, colors, and aromas.

The main nuances to pay attention to

Just like other dishes, soups are not made for the future. Forget about liter pots of soup that are heated as needed. One of the peculiarities of Chinese cooking is that nothing is prepared “for later”. This rule is more relevant than ever when cooking soups.

During a meal, not one but several soups can be served at once, and it is not necessary that it will be at lunchtime, and the meal itself will begin with soup. The rule is relevant for any region of the country. Beef is practically not used for broth; soups are more often prepared on the basis of chicken, seafood, pork, and fish. According to the etiquette, all solid pieces of food are eaten first, and the broth is drunk or scooped out with a spoon. At the same time, a spoon is never used for solid pieces of food, only chopsticks.

A little bit of history

The first soups were eaten in China almost 5,000 years ago. It was then that ceramic and bronze utensils began to appear, and they were filled with soup. Those soups, whose recipes have survived to this day and are especially appreciated, began to appear around the 13th century AD.

It was then that the tradition of serving soup as one of the dishes on the table appeared. During a meal, it is considered impolite to fill your stomach with soup and not let you try other dishes. Gradually, the traditions of different regions began to differ, which is especially noticeable in northern and southern cuisine. The former is characterized by rich flavors and the use of strong spices. The southern cuisine is dominated by lightness and seafood.

An example of northern cuisine is a traditional sweet and spicy soup. It is also called Sichuan soup. It is thick, hearty, spicy, easily saturates and warms on cold evenings. Traditional for Thailand, Tom Yum is also popular in China, especially in the southern regions. The light creamy flavor invigorates and positively sets you up for a long meal. Traditional soup with funchoza and meatballs is more typical for central China. The base of the soups is the same, and unique ingredients are added by each hostess to achieve a unique taste, which makes her soup a signature dish.

It is not forbidden to drink a little broth before the main meal, as some Chinese believe that broth helps to speed up metabolism and excellent digestion.

Uniqueness and benefits of soups from China

A portion of liquid food can not only satiate, but also become a medicine and normalize blood circulation. Recovering from a long illness, gathering strength, and improving your own condition is not a complete list of recommendations that guide the preparation and consumption of soups.

Want to cool off on a hot summer day? Try ordering a portion of soup. It can be warm or even hot, but you will feel the cooling effect as a result.

You can easily lose weight, restore the balance of trace elements, cheer up and much more. Everything becomes possible after a serving of Chinese soup.