A Resource Guide for Chinese food by Craig Butler
1. Divisions of the menu 2. Sample dishes 3. Cooking methods 4. Shapes 5. Styles 6. Flavors and what makes them that way 7. Putting it all together: the anatomy of a Chinese menu 8. How do we express the flavors of foods? 9. Some common Western and other foods 10. Focusing on your order and on table conversation
1. Divisions of the menu 类/類 lèi category cold “plate”
冷盤/盘
lěng pán
(appetizers)
meat
肉類/类
ròu lèi
雞肉 豬肉 羊肉 牛肉 鴨肉
vegetables
青菜類/类 qīngcài lèi 菠菜 bōcài also 蔬菜類/类 shūcài lèi hǎixiān lèi
jīròu chicken (鸡) zhūròu pork (猪) yángròu lamb niúròu beef yāròu duck (鸭)
spinach 白菜 báicài cabbage 四季豆 sìjìdòu green beans ("4 season beans") 豆苗 dòumiáo pea shoots
(海鲜类)
魚 yú fish (鱼) 蝦 xiā shrimp (虾) 龍蝦 lóngxiā lobster (龙虾) 魷魚 yóuyú squid (鱿鱼) 鮑魚 bàoyú abalone (鲍鱼)
tofu
豆腐類/类 dòufu lèi
豆腐 dòufu
soup
湯類
seafood
海鮮類
汤类
tāng lèi
tofu
菠菜豆腐汤 bōcài dòufu tāng 玉米汤 酸辣汤
spinach tofu soup yùmǐ tāng corn soup suānlàtāng hot and sour soup
2. Sample dish items Additional Resource: http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html (this is a compendium of Chinese dishes—both traditional and non—with clear photograph illustrations and step-by-step cooking directions) in simplified Chinese.
冷盤
肉類
青菜類 蔬菜類
冷盘 雙拼
双拼
shuāng pīn
四川泡菜
四川泡菜
Sìchuān pàocài
魚香肉絲
鱼香肉丝
yúxiāng ròusī
涮羊肉 辣子雞丁 京都排骨
涮羊肉 辣子鸡丁 京都排骨
shuànyángròu
yuxiang shredded [pork] meat lamb hotpot
làzijīdīng
spicy chicken cubes
Jīngdū páigu
Jingdu spare ribs
肉类
qīngcàilèi
青菜类 蔬菜类
shūcàilèi
乾扁四季豆 干扁四季豆 gānbiǎn sìjìdòu Kāiyáng báicài 開洋白菜 开洋白菜 sùshíjǐn 素什錦 素什锦 海鮮類
豆腐類
Kaiming cabbage vegetarian mix
糖醋魚 豆苗蝦仁
糖醋鱼 豆苗虾仁
tángcùyú
sweet-sour fish
dòumiáo xiārén
宮保魷魚 豆酥雪魚
宫保鱿鱼 豆酥雪鱼
Gōngbǎo yóuyú
shrimp with young snow pea leaves Gongbao squid
dòusū xuěyú
crispy bean topped cod
dòufu lèi
豆腐类
汤类
stir-fried string beans
hǎixiānlèi
海鲜类
麻婆豆腐 紅燒豆腐 家常豆腐 湯類
assorted cold sliced meats Sichuan pickled vegetables
麻婆豆腐 红烧豆腐 家常豆腐
mápó dòufu
Mapo tofu
hóngshāo dòufu
braised tofu
jiācháng dòufu
home-style tofu
tāng lèi
青菜豆腐湯 青菜豆腐汤 qīngcài dòufu tāng suānlàtāng 酸辣湯 酸辣汤 玉米蛋花湯 玉米蛋花汤 yùmǐ dànhuā tāng
vegetable tofu soup hot and sour soup corn and egg-drop soup
3. Cooking methods (做法) Cooking methods
火 stir-fry chǎo 炒
steam zhēng 蒸
boil zhǔ 煮
stew
fry in oil in flatbottomed pan jiān 煎
fire pot
dùn 燉/炖
roast, bake kǎo 烤
deep-fry zhá 炸
huǒguō 火鍋 / 火锅
4. Shapes (形狀 / 形状 x^ngzhu3ng) Shapes
形 cubes dīng 丁
roll juǎn 卷
sliver, thread sī 絲/丝
strips tiáo 條 (条)
x^ng slice piàn 片
piece kuài 塊/块
ball qiú 球/丸
5. Preparation styles (with reference to ingredients/flavors/textures/region) hóngshāo
brown sauce
糖醋
tángcù
sweet and sour
宮保
Gōngbǎo
red chili pepper hot!
紅燒
红烧
魚香
鱼香
yúxiāng
garlic, onion, ginger (things that bring out the fragrance of fish)
麻辣
麻辣
málà
numbingly hot!
sū
crispy
酥
6. Flavors and what makes them that way
味道
w7id3o
flavors
sour suān
sweet tián
salty xián
spicy-hot là
bitter kǔ
酸
甜
咸 /鹹
辣
苦
vinegar cù
sugar táng
salt yán
hot pepper làjiāo
bitter melon kǔguā
醋
糖
盐 /鹽
辣椒
苦瓜
soysauce jiàngyóu
醬油 / 醬油 Other important flavoring ingredients sesame oil hot bean paste sweet wheat sauce hoisin sauce (sweet and salty) curry MSG black pepper
máyóu là dòubànjiàng tiánmiànjiàng hǎixiānjiàng gālǐ wèijīng hújiāo
麻油 辣豆瓣醬 / 辣豆瓣酱 甜麵醬 / 甜面酱 海鮮醬 /海鲜酱 咖喱 味精 胡椒
7) Putting it all together: the anatomy of a Chinese dish name flavor style
The Anatomy of a Chinese Dish Name method ingredient(s) flavor làzi jī (hot!) 辣子 – 雞/鸡 pepper seed – chicken
Gōngbǎo 宮保 “palace” (is spicy hot)
jī 雞/鸡 chicken
hóng 紅/红 red (comes from soysauce)
shāo 燒 /烧 cooked
tián suān 甜酸 sweet-sour qīng 清 light
shape dīng 丁 cubes dīng 丁 cubes
dòufu 豆腐 tofu
zhūròu 豬肉 pork chǎo 炒 stir-fried
Dàndàn 擔擔 / 担担 “Dandan” style (spicy peanut sauce)
yú 鱼/魚 fish
piàn 片 slices
miàn 麵/面 noodles
nuòmǐ 糯米 sticky rice sù 素 vegetarian
chǎo 燒/燒 cooked
yā 鴨/鴨 duck
dòushǐ 豆豉 black bean sauce
zhēng 蒸 steamed
yú 鱼/魚 fish
qiú 球 balls
Complete the chart, writing in characters, using cues from the name regarding cooking method, chief ingredients, flavor, texture, and shapes, if indicated.
主要成份 zh}y3o ch5ngf7n (chief ingredients)
菜名 宮保雞丁
宫保鸡丁
紅燒牛肉
红烧牛肉
炒魚片
炒鱼片
炸蝦球
炸虾球
魚香肉絲
鱼香肉丝
糖醋鯉魚
糖醋鲤鱼
酥炸蝦
酥炸虾
炒鴨掌
炒鸭掌
番茄雞片
番茄鸡片
紅油雞塊
红油鸡块
北京烤鴨
北京烤鸭
做法
口味
Using three dishes from the Part 2 sample dishes, fill out the chart
flavor style
The Anatomy of a Chinese Dish Name method ingredient(s) flavor
shape
形狀
8. How do we express the flavors of foods? to be slightly on the (flavor) side
piān
偏 (flavor)
to be lacking
qiàn
欠
flavor is a little too strong
zhòng
重(了)一點
重(了)一点
heavy, thick
nóng
濃
浓
light and refreshing
qīngdàn
清淡
watered down, "thin" in taste
dàn
淡
tasty
kěkǒu
可口
thirst quenching
jiěkě
解渴
oily
yóunì
油膩
油腻
And for the elegant… qīngshuǎng
清爽不膩
清爽不腻
light and not oily
xiāng chuān qiān lǐ
香傳千里
香传千里
“the fragrance is conveyed a 1000 li”
jīngjì shíhuì
經濟實惠
经济实惠
“good food at a good price”
sè měi wèi xiān
色美味鮮
色美味鲜
attractive and savory
wèi měi wú qióng
味美無窮
味美无穷
“boundlessly delicious”
huí wèi wú qióng
回味無窮
回味无穷
“unforgettably delicious”
xiān wèi shí zú
鮮味十足
鲜味十足
“the flavor is absolutely fulfilling”
xiāng wèi pú bí
香味撲鼻
香味扑鼻
a fragrance that assaults the senses
lěng bīngbīng de
冷冰冰的
冷冰冰的
cold (and unappealing)
gān bābā de
乾巴巴的
干巴巴的
dried out (and unappealing)
suān liūliū de
酸溜溜的
酸溜溜的
(said of flavors or smells): sour (and unappealing)
sè xiāng wèi quán
色香味全
色香味全
jīnjīn yǒu wèi
津津有味
津津有味
appearance, fragrance and flavor are in full complement (are total, complete) (typically said of eating) with gusto, with relish
9. Some common Western and other foods Drinks milk
niúnǎi
juice
guǒzhī
牛奶 果汁
牛奶 果汁
薯片 薯條 糖果 口香糖
薯片 薯条 糖果 口香糖
麵包 意大利麵 意大利薄餅 壽司
面包 意大利面 意大利薄饼 寿司
青菜沙拉
青菜沙拉
Snacks and junk food potato chips
shǔpiàn
french fries
shǔtiáo
candy
tángguǒ
gum
kǒuxiāngtáng
Staple and other foods bread
miànbāo
spaghetti
Yìdàlì miàn
pizza
Yìdàlì bóbǐng
sushi (vegetable) salad
shòusī qīngcài shālā
10. Focusing on your order and on table conversation Questions/topics you might discuss among yourselves: Key words & expressions Should we order separately, or order together and share?
自己点 vs. 一起点、一起吃
What do you recommend/suggest?
建议/建議 jiànyì
This food smells (bad, good, like meat, like garlic, etc.) Therefore: looks like… Therefore: (eating) tastes like… Therefore: (drinking) tastes like …
闻起來/聞起來 看起來像____ 吃起來像____ 喝起來像____
Can I try some of that?
嘗一口 chǎng yì kǒu
Do we want to pack this up to take home? 打包 Questions/topics you would address to waiter/waitress: What’s your specialty? 拿手菜 náshǒucài Can we add some water to the teapot?
加水
Are there ______ inside? (peanuts, shellfish, etc.)
peanut: huāshēng huāshēng
I’m allergic to peanuts.
對花生过敏／過敏 guòmǐn
Is the ____ fresh?
新鮮 / 新鲜 xīnxiān
Is this bottled mineral water, or tap water?
矿泉水 kuàngquánshuǐ 自來水 tap
Can you not put MSG in it?
可以不放 味精 嗎？
How much longer [until the food is ready]?
还要多久? / 還要多久?
Can you turn down the air conditioning?
可以开小一点吗?
Could we have another _____?
可以再要一个____ 吗?
We spilled. Can we get some napkins?
打翻 dǎfàn; 紙巾/ 纸巾 zhǐjīn
Is the service charge included?
服務費 / 服务费 fúwùfèi
Check please.
账单 zhàngdān or 买单 mǎidān
Do you also accept credit card?
收信用卡 shōu xìnyòngkǎ
jiā shuǐ
from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html
from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html
from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html
from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html
from http://blog.sina.com.cn/lm/ruiblog/meishi.html