IndexChaozhou cuisineChoice of foodPreparation methodsFlavor principlesRules for consumptionChaozhou cuisineAlso known as Chiuchow cuisine, or Chaoshan cuisine, it originated in the Chaoshan plain about a thousand years ago; one of the four subcategories of Cantonese cuisine, or Yue cuisine. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Chaozhou Peninsula covers an area of ​​3,600 square kilometers in the easternmost part of China's Guangdong province; and has a total of 140 kilometers of coastline; characterized by a humid subtropical climate, characterized by relatively high temperatures and precipitation uniformly distributed throughout the year. Chaozhou territory has an extensive water network: the Han River flows throughout the city, while the Huanggang River flows southward through Chaozhao's Raoping County, emptying into the South China Sea. These two major rivers provide abundant water to the peninsula, supporting agriculture. Chaozhou is mountainous, hilly areas make up two-thirds of the total area. The highest peak in the area is Mount Wusong, 1,498 meters above sea level. Choice of Food Chinese cuisine generally follows the principle of living off what the locality offers, especially in the days when transportation was underdeveloped. Land and climate determine natural resources, which in turn control the range of ingredients for a cuisine. The humid subtropical climate, long coastline, extensive river networks and mountainous forms: the advantageous geographical position guarantees the Chaozhou region rich natural resources from both the sea and the mountains, which have laid the foundation of Chaozhou cuisine with a wide diverse range of dishes compared to other Chinese cuisines. The diverse food choices allow Chaozhounese to choose seasonal ingredients, shaping the food culture of Chaozhou cuisine with an explicit and deeply rooted obsession with freshness. The Chaozhounese in particular have taken advantage of the Han River, or more commonly called "the Mother River" by locals - the delicious shrimp, oysters, crabs, jellyfish, eels and all kinds of fish are common prey; while the fertile river banks are optimal for growing rice, sweet potatoes and all types of vegetables, which eventually forged the famous seafood and vegetarian dishes of Chaozhou cuisine. Generally, Chaozhou banquets contain 10 main dishes, while seafood accounts for 70%, leading to the saying "not a Chaozhou banquet without seafood". Method of preparation The Chinese want the freshest of the fresh, so dishes are always prepared "from scratch". Different from North America, where food is packaged in plastic wrappers stored in freezers; The Chinese shop almost every early morning at their local markets which sell live and dead animals in the open, the butchers would kill the poultry, fish and reptiles right in front of you, so the freshness of the ingredients is guaranteed. Chaozhou cuisine tends to be gentle and delicate ̶ in an effort to preserve the natural umami of the ingredients, steaming, poaching, boiling and braising are the main cooking methods where oil is used only in relatively small quantities. Other cooking methods, such as frying, baking, and stir-frying, play a more significant role in other Chinese cuisines except Chaozhou. Monosodium glutamate (abbreviated, MSG) is a chemical naturally present in seafood. It interacts with our taste buds to give food the taste of umami, or the taste of.