View source for Asian cuisine

{{Short description|Culinary traditions of Asia}}
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[[File:Asia (orthographic projection).svg|thumb|Location of [[Asia]]]]
'''Asian cuisine''' encompasses several significant regional cooking styles of [[Asia]]: Central Asian, East Asian, North Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and West Asian. Cuisine is a distinctive way of cooking practices and customs,<ref>[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cuisine "Cuisine."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426005908/http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cuisine |date=April 26, 2013 }} [http://www.thefreedictionary.com Thefreedictionary.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813004829/https://www.thefreedictionary.com/cocktail+lounge |date=August 13, 2018 }}. Accessed June 2011.</ref> usually associated with a specific [[culture]]. Asia, as the largest and most populous [[continent]], is home to many cultures, each with its own characteristic cuisine. Asian cuisine, also known as Eastern cuisine, is considered the "culture of food within a society" due to the beliefs, cooking methods, and the specific ingredients used throughout the entire process.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |date=2015-01-01 |title=Executive summary of "Practising conviviality: social uses of ethnic cuisine in an Asian multicultural environment" |url=https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-11-2015-054 |journal=Journal of Consumer Marketing |volume=32 |issue=7 |doi=10.1108/JCM-11-2015-054 |issn=0736-3761|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Asian cuisines are also renowned for their spices. A key taste factor in Asian cuisine is “umami” flavor, a strong savoriness prominent   in Asian cooking, which can be achieved through fermented food or meat extract.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Hajeb |first1=P. |last2=Jinap |first2=S. |date=2015-05-12 |title=Umami Taste Components and Their Sources in Asian Foods |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2012.678422 |journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition |language=en |volume=55 |issue=6 |pages=778–791 |doi=10.1080/10408398.2012.678422 |pmid=24915349 |issn=1040-8398|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Ingredients common to many cultures in [[East Asia|East]] and [[Southeast Asia]] include rice, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, chilis, dried onions, soy, and tofu. [[Stir frying]], steaming, and [[deep frying]] are common cooking methods.

While rice is common to most Asian cuisines, different varieties are popular in the various regions. [[Glutinous rice]] is ingrained in the culture, religious tradition and national identity of [[Laos]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sattaka|first=Patcha|date=2016-12-27|title=Geographical Distribution of Glutinous Rice in the Greater Mekong Sub-region|url=https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/mekongjournal/article/view/73311|journal=Journal of Mekong Societies|language=en|volume=12|issue=3|pages=27–48|issn=2697-6056|access-date=June 11, 2021|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108105756/https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/mekongjournal/article/view/73311|url-status=live}}</ref> Basmati rice is popular in the [[Indian subcontinent]], [[jasmine rice]] is often found across [[Southeast Asia]], while long-grain rice is popular in China and short-grain in Japan and Korea.<ref name=quaker>{{cite web|url=http://www.ricearoni.com/rar_flavorsOfTheWorld/asian/ |title=The flavors of Asia |publisher=[[Quaker Oats Company]] |access-date=2008-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070604051405/http://www.ricearoni.com/rar_flavorsOfTheWorld/asian/ |archive-date=June 4, 2007 }}</ref>

[[Curry]] is a common dish in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. Curry dishes have their origins in the Indian subcontinent. Countries in Indochina typically use a coconut milk base in their curries; countries in Southwest Asia typically use a yogurt base.<ref name=kraft>{{cite web |url=http://www.kraft.com.au/CookingSchool/CookingBasics/AsianCuisine/CuisineAreasOfAsia/ |title=Cuisine Areas Of Asia |publisher=[[Kraft Foods|Kraft Foods (Australia)]] |year=2007 |access-date=2008-12-20 |archive-date=February 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225030658/http://www.kraft.com.au/CookingSchool/CookingBasics/AsianCuisine/CuisineAreasOfAsia/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Historical timeline ==
{{Expand section|date=February 2022}}
A heavily influential aspect of Asian culture is the food, especially the various traditional ways of Asian cuisine and cooking.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Asian Cuisine & Foods : Asian-Nation :: Asian American History, Demographics, & Issues |url=http://www.asian-nation.org/asian-food.shtml#sthash.Sz0TpRnP.dpbs |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=www.asian-nation.org |language=en |archive-date=August 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813011704/http://www.asian-nation.org/asian-food.shtml#sthash.Sz0TpRnP.dpbs |url-status=live }}</ref> Although many Asian cultures often share the traditions of bringing the family or group together to socialize or have celebrations over a meal, the various cultures of Asia each developed their own individual ethnic cultural takes on food through the interaction of history, culture, and environment.<ref name=":0" /> Asian cuisine is often associated with multiculturalism with specific foods linked to many different cultures.<ref name=":1" />

== Central Asian cuisine ==
{{Main|Central Asian cuisine}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Central Asia (orthographic projection).svg|Location of [[Central Asia]]. 
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Most Central Asian nations have similar cuisines to each other as well as their neighbors, taking many features of the neighboring cuisines of West and East Asia, particularly [[Iran]] and [[Mongolia]].  A dish known as "plov", or "osh", for example, is a widespread variation of [[pilaf]]. However, many of the same countries use [[horse meat]] and [[mutton]] as the most common meats, similar to [[beef]]. This is owing to [[Mongolian cuisine]]. In [[Kazakhstan]] and [[Kyrgyzstan]], the cuisine has evolved to meet the needs of a nomad lifestyle.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

[[Kumis]] is a widespread drink among [[Turkic peoples]], especially in Central Asia.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

Central Asia is also noted for being the birthplace of [[yogurt]]. Like kumis, it is widespread among Turkic peoples.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

== East Asian cuisine ==
{{Main|East Asian cuisine}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
East Asia (orthographic projection).svg|Location of [[East Asia]]. 
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East Asian cuisine includes [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]], [[Hong Kong cuisine|Hong Kong]], [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]], [[Korean cuisine|Korean]], [[Macanese cuisine|Macanese]], [[Mongolian cuisine|Mongolian]], [[Taiwanese cuisine|Taiwanese]], and [[Tibetan cuisine|Tibetan]] food. Considering this is the most populated region of the world, it has many regional cuisines (especially in China). Examples of staple foods include [[rice]], [[noodle]]s, [[mung bean]]s, [[soybean]]s, [[seafood]]<ref name=":2" /> (Japan has the highest per capita consumption of seafood), [[mutton]] (Mongolia), [[bok choy]] (Chinese cabbage), and [[tea]].{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

== North Asian cuisine==
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
North Asia (orthographic projection).svg|Location of [[North Asia]].
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North Asian cuisine is often synonymous with [[Russian cuisine]], due to all of North Asia being a part of the Russian Federation. However, some cultures or areas of Siberia have in-depth cuisine, such as the [[Yakuts]] (or Sakha) and [[Yamal cuisine]]. [[Buryats]] also have their own cuisine, although it is very similar to that of the related [[Mongolian cuisine|Mongolians]].

[[Pelmeni]], originally a [[Great Perm|Permic]] or [[Yugra|Ugric]] dish, has entered into mainstream Russian cuisine as a well-known dish, but it can still be considered part of the Yamal cuisine for its area of origin.  Some speculate them to be a simplified version of the Chinese [[wonton]].  In [[Siberia]], pelmeni is frozen outdoors to preserve the meat inside throughout the long winter.  In [[Yamal Peninsula|Yamal]], other types of drying and preservation are common.  Key ingredients in most northern Siberian cuisine include fish and [[Vaccinium vitis-idaea|cowberries]], sometimes known as lingonberries in Europe and North America.  Yakuts, like many other [[Turkic peoples|Turkic-speaking peoples]], traditionally enjoy [[kumis]] as a common drink.

== South Asian cuisine ==
{{Main|South Asian cuisine}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:South Asia (orthographic projection) without national boundaries, with ambiguities indicated.svg|Location of South Asia
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South Asian cuisine includes [[cuisine]]s from the [[Indian subcontinent]]. Food items in this region are generally rich in spices, however it also caters a blend of multi-cuisine culture from all across the world. Food is flavored with various types of chili, black pepper, cloves, condiments and other herbs and spices. Use of flavored butter and [[ghee]] is prominent in many places. Turmeric, coriander, and cumin are often used to make curries.

The multitude is inclined more towards the usage of mustard, groundnut, sunflower and soybean oil for cooking. Usage of refined oil to make [[Puri (food)|pooris]] is quite famous.  [[Puri bhaji]], [[idli]], [[Dosa (food)|dosa]], [[dal baati]], and [[Litti (cuisine)|litti]] are among the most popular and representative dishes of Indian cuisines.

Vegetables are generally eaten with a type of bread called [[chapati]], which is the staple food of the region. Rice is generally taken with [[dal]] to moisten it in northern India, or with curd in southern India. 

Tea and coffee are prominent all across with the former available at every street corner. Egg dishes are also available in similar fashion.

Common meats include lamb, goat, fish, and chicken. As cattle are considered sacred in [[Hinduism]], [[beef]] is less common than in [[Western world|Western]] cuisines. Prohibitions against beef extend to the meat of cows, and [[yak]]s to some extent. [[Pork]] is considered a [[haram]] by all Muslims, and is avoided by some Hindus. Other minorities also prohibit the use of meat to abjure violence. Fish is commonly used in South India, Sri Lanka and the Bengal region, i.e. Bangladesh and the West Bengal state of India. The Northern region diet mostly consists of wheat and other major crops.

== Southeast Asian cuisine ==
{{Main|Southeast Asian cuisine}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Southeast Asia (orthographic projection).svg|Location of [[Southeast Asia]].
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Southeast Asian cuisine includes a strong emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with a strong aromatic component that features such flavors as citrus and herbs such as [[Kaffir lime|lime]], [[coriander]]/[[cilantro]] and [[basil]]. Ingredients in the region contrast with the ones in the East Asian cuisines, substituting [[fish sauce]]s for sauce<ref name=":2" /> and the inclusion of ingredients such as [[galangal]], [[tamarind]] and [[lemongrass]]. Cooking methods include a balance of [[stir-frying]], boiling and steaming.

== West Asian cuisine ==
{{Main|West Asian cuisine}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
Western Asia (orthographic projection).svg|Location of [[West Asia]].
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West Asian cuisine significantly overlaps with the Middle Eastern cuisine and the inclusion of the [[South Caucasus]].

West Asian cuisine is the [[cuisine]] of the various countries and peoples of West Asia. The cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity.<ref name="globalgourmet">[http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mideast/mestback.html "The Middle East: Background."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526000000/http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/mideast/mestback.html |date=2017-05-26 }}, [http://www.globalgourmet.com Globalgourmet.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980126050915/http://www.globalgourmet.com/ |date=1998-01-26 }}. Accessed January 2007.</ref> Some commonly used ingredients include [[olive]]s and [[olive oil]], [[pita]]s, [[honey]], [[sesame]] seeds, [[Phoenix dactylifera|date]]s,<ref name="globalgourmet"/> [[sumac]], [[chickpea]]s, [[mentha|mint]] and [[parsley]]. Some popular dishes include [[kibbeh]] and [[shawarma]].

Cereals constitute the basis of West Asian diet, both historically and today. [[Wheat]] and [[rice]] are the major and preferred sources of staple foods. [[Barley]] is also widely used in the region and [[maize]] has become common in some areas as well. Bread is a universal staple, eaten in one form or another by all classes and groups practically at every meal.

Butter and clarified butter (also known as Semna) are, traditionally, the preferred medium of cooking. Olive oil is prevalent in the Mediterranean coastal areas. Christians use it during Lent, when meat and dairy products are excluded, and Jews use it in place of animal fats such as butter to avoid mixing meat and dairy products.

Lamb and mutton have always been the favored meats of West Asia. Pork is prohibited in both Islam and Judaism, and as such is rarely eaten in the region. Prominent among the meat preparations are grilled meats, or [[kebab]]s. Meat and vegetable stews, served with rice, bulgur, or bread, are another form of meat preparation in the region.

Vegetables and pulses are the predominant staples of the great majority of the people in the West Asia. They are boiled, stewed, grilled, stuffed, and cooked with meat and rice. Among the green leafy vegetables, many varieties of cabbage, spinach, and chard are widely used. Root and bulb vegetables, such as onions and garlic, as well as carrots, turnips, and beets are equally common.

== See also ==
* [[List of Asian cuisines]]

== References ==
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