| Pineapple Chicken (View) (China) |
Far Eastern cuisine (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, etc.) is characterized by a wide variety of flavors, fresh ingredients, and quick cooking techniques like wok-frying or steaming. It strikes a subtle balance between sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. Rice, noodles, soy, seaweed, fish, seafood, and vegetables occupy a central place. Seasonings—soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, chili pepper, and aromatic herbs—add richness and finesse.
Chinese cuisine is very diverse depending on the region (spicy Sichuan cuisine, mild Cantonese cuisine, spicy Hunan cuisine, etc.). It features wok, dim sum, roast duck, and a variety of soy and rice dishes.
Japanese cuisine is refined and minimalist, emphasizing freshness. Sushi, sashimi, ramen, tempura, and more feature seafood, rice, and seaweed, with careful presentation.
Korean cuisine has strong, spicy flavors and many fermented dishes like kimchi. Rice, Korean barbecue (bulgogi), and spicy soups are served with numerous small dishes (banchan).
Vietnamese cuisine is light and fragrant, with a balance of fresh herbs, lemongrass, ginger, and fish sauce. Pho soup, spring rolls, rice noodle dishes.
Thai cuisine is an explosion of flavors: sweet, salty, sour, and spicy all balanced. Curry, pad Thai, tom yum soup, lots of aromatic herbs and coconut milk.
