Chinese Breakfast Food Ideas for A New Taste Experience
If you want to enjoy a true Chinese style breakfast you will have to travel to that country, because there aren’t many places in North America that serve it. But don’t stay in a western-style hotel where you’ll be able to get your bacon and eggs, because that defeats the purpose of traveling to discover a new culture. If you’re interested in Chinese style cooking and want to make a traditional breakfast, here are some ideas for you.
Like most Asian dishes, rice plays a major role on the breakfast table. Unlike the elaborate many-course dinners we are accustomed to associating with Chinese food, breakfast in China is a quick, simple affair. Even on more leisurely weekends, a Chinese breakfast will take only minutes. Small, but full of calories, a Chinese breakfast will get you ready for the day.
Most Chinese breakfast foods are deep fried. The most common Chinese breakfast pastry is the Deep Fried Devil, a doughy braid that resembles a North American cruller, but is two to three times longer. Other choices in deep fried breakfast goodies consist of buns, noodles and pancakes.
The perfect accompaniment to these deep fried selections is another Chinese favorite known as congee. Congee is similar to porridge, but it’s made from rice or soybeans, and sometimes also features meats or vegetables to round out the selection. Oftentimes at home, congee is the only breakfast food, while the deep fried pastries are bought from breakfast street vendors who operate from 5am to 9am.
You would probably think that tea would be the beverage of choice for a Chinese breakfast, but you would be wrong. Since the breakfast porridge of congee can be quite watery (or milky, depending on what is used), it is the liquid part of the Chinese breakfast.
How does a Chinese breakfast stack up to other Asian countries? In contrast to the hurried Chinese breakfast, breakfast in Japan is a much more substantial affair. Called ‘morning rice’ in Japanese, rice is the main ingredient of a traditional Japanese breakfast. Replacing the congee of Chinese breakfasts is Miso soup, based on soybeans or rice. Another soybean based breakfast food in Japan is Natto, a combination of fermented soybeans, mustard, leeks, green onions and soy sauce, all served over a bed of rice.
Breakfast traditions vary in each of the Asian countries. In Korea, breakfast is a big meal because lunches are smaller. They usually feature fermented cabbage known as Kimchi, and soup made from pork or beef. In Thailand, breakfast is similar to the Chinese version, featuring Khao porridge and pa thong go pastries. In Singapore, the specialty is Kaya, a jam-like concoction of coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and eggs.
Quite a switch from the traditional western breakfast of bacon and eggs, Asian breakfasts are just as tasty and filling, but quite possibly more nutritious.
Find more great meal ideas at the Cooking Site. We have lots of recipes, cooking tips and fascinating facts about food to keep you reading for hours!
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