Free Chinese Vegetarian Recipes Online

One of the most remarkable aspects of Chinese cooking is the approach to vegetables. They are of the utmost importance. This emphasis is due partly to the influence of Buddhist monks, who established strict vegetarian rules. Small wonder this resulted in the development of extraordinary skill in preparing vegetables.

The main difference between the Chinese method of cooking vegetables and the Western way is that in the Chinese way, vegetables are cooked only long enough to bring out all their qualities of crispness, tenderness and brightness of color. The vegetables are served at the peak of their flavor. This does not mean that they are served raw; even in salads, the vegetables will usually be cooked briefly.

Cutting is of the utmost importance in the preparation of vegetables. Vegetables are cut, blanched and parboiled in such a way that the final cooking can be completed at one time, even though the textures of the individual vegetables differ greatly. The soft leafy vegetables require less cooking than the tougher ones.