COLD LUNCHES, A FOREIGN CONCEPT
Having an entire meal that is cold, such as in the form of a salad or sandwich, is a startlingly foreign concept to many Chinese. In China, dishes are almost always served hot, and even chilled appetisers are accompanied by a bowl of freshly steamed rice. Fire control is a central tenet of Chinese cooking and “wok hei”, translated as “breath of the wok”, is something chefs dedicate entire careers to mastering.
The propensity towards a hot lunch is no different in Singapore, where even on a hot, sunny day, you’d find Singapore foodies tucking into piping hot bowls of bak kut teh or laksa.
While entirely cold dishes do exist in Asia, they tend to require much skill to prepare and consist of elements that have been cooked for a considerable amount of time. Korean naengmyeon, for example, is a combination of beef broth that has been simmered for hours and fermented radish, producing a deeply umami and complex dish that belies its simple appearance.
Even banh mi on the streets of Vietnam is an elaborate affair, consisting of radish and carrot pickles, pate, and meat options that range from pork terrine to roast pork belly.
WHAT WE EAT IS WHO WE ARE
Food and drink is also, of course, deeply connected to culture and identity.
Discerning the puzzlement of the Chinese when encountering cold meals for the first time lies in an understanding of Chinese traditional medicine, which teaches that our bodies respond better to warm food and beverages.
Source: CNA
