Serves: 5

China is a nation steeped in more than 5,000 years of history few realize that its culinary heritage has been developed and perfected for this length of time as well. Perhaps through isolation-the country is enclosed by the world's highest mountains, a vast desert and the Great Wall-the Chinese have developed an artful style of cooking that, with patience and attention to detail, achieves simplicity, balance and harmony.

It takes some time to prepare recipe ingredients, but very little time to cook them, and in the end, the result is something that pleases all the senses. Chinese food is pleasing to the eye because it has attractive color and shape. It is fragrant with the aroma of fresh ginger, lemon or garlic it contrasts sweet and sour, hot and cold, and smooth and crunchy. It tantalizes us with the explosive of cellophane noodles when they are immersed in hot oil. The flavor may be exquisitely subtle or rousingly bold.

Chinese meals strive for balance, both nutritionally and aesthetically. A typical meal includes rice, soup and one dish from each of the following groups: meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. All dishes served at a traditional Chinese meal are prepared in different styles (stir-fried, deep-fried or steamed), and all have equal importance none is the "main" dish.

As important as a balanced meal or balance among the dishes is the desire to expose contrasts. Cold dishes usually begin a banquet, hot dishes follow. One dish may be smooth, another crisp one dish may highlight color, while another displays dark and light or even pale ingredients. Textures, too, within a dish may vary. Smooth tofu may be served with crunchy lotus root or water chestnuts. But as with the opposites yin and yang, there is harmony.

There are no hard-and-fast rules with Chinese cooking. You can be as creative as you like, with no limit to the number of dishes you can prepare with the fresh produce you may have on hand or can find in most markets. You need no special equipment, just a few sharp knives, a spatula or two, plenty of bowls and a good skillet or Dutch oven, if you don't own a wok.

Much of Chinese cuisine uses oil and salt (or salty ingredients such as soy sauce, bean sauce and dried seafood). Many of the recipes in this collection have reduced the amount of oil needed, but a nonstick skillet or wok can reduce the oil even further. If salt is a concern, look for low-sodium soy sauces. You might also consider omitting the second amount of salt for seasoning if you use canned broths, which contain a considerable amount of salt.

From "Betty Crocker's New Chinese Cookbook." Text Copyright 2005 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

More Recipes from the Betty Crocker's New Chinese Cookbook Cookbook:
01- Forward
02- Chinese Cooking Basics
03- Cooking Methods
04- Cutting
05- Chinese Utensils