The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from an area in the central western part of China, a province known as Sichuan culturally distinct. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty in the fifteenth century. However, it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that stem from Sichuan province and make their way in the field of international cuisine.
The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid, and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in a way that differs significantly from other regions of China. Cantonese cuisine is known for its hot and spicy dishes, though naturally there Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong flavor.
An overview of culinary history and trends reveals that, for the most part, spice areas were heavily tended to areas in the fresh food supply was not as reliable as in places that traditionally used a lighter hand in use spices. The climate of Sichuan is conducive to faster food spoilage. This, particularly in the past, made the food preservation techniques needed themselves left a strong flavor, such as salting, pickling, drying and smoking. Therefore, spices serve to mask the taste of the fresh food and those that have been preserved by methods that affect their natural flavors. In addition to masking certain flavors, the use of hot spices such as chili peppers, tends to be more common in warm climates, as the sweat that they can produce is thought to cool the body.
Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is based upon bringing together five basic sensations: sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter. The balance of these elements in a dish or regional cuisine can vary, according to need and desire, especially as influenced by the availability of food, culture and climate.
In Cantonese, there are a variety of ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These include a variety of chilies, peppercorns in various types, Sichuan peppers, which are actually a type of fruit, not pepper, and produce a numbing effect in addition to their warm flavor. Sichuan peppers, also called flower pepper and mountain pepper, are a traditional part of the Chinese five spice powder, or at least those that are modeled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations common to regional Chinese cuisine.
Other ingredients commonly used in Cantonese cuisine to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of sugars, such as sugar beet root and sugar cane, as well as local fruits for sweetness. Bitter comes from different varieties of pickles and pickled. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of bitterness that complements other flavors. Other spices and flavors include garlic, ginger, dried orange peel, bean paste and sesame oil. Salt is important for Cantonese cuisine, and the area produces only salt flavors that help distinguish the other regional cuisines of China authentic Cantonese cuisine.
Cantonese cuisine is characterized by its rich traditional flavors, derived from a culture of hundreds of years and are shaped in part by the natural forces of weather. Authentic Cantonese cuisine offers a unique dining experience consists of feelings of adventurous and creative taste.
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