Shandong cuisine 鲁菜

鲁菜，又叫山东菜，历史悠久，影响广泛，是中国饮食文化的重要组成部分，成为中国四大菜系之一，以其味鲜咸脆嫩、风味独特、制作精细享誉海内外。齐鲁大地依山傍海、物产丰富、经济发达，为烹饪文化的发展、山东菜系的形成，提供了良好的条件。
Shandong cuisine, also known as Shandong Cai, has a long history and enjoys extensive influence. As one of the four major Chinese cuisines, it is an important component of Chinese cooking culture. The fresh, salty, crisp and tender features, unique flavor and exquisite cooking lend Shandong cuisine a good reputation both at home and abroad. The province of Shandong is near mountainous regions and by the sea. It has abundant resources and a developed economy, which have provided favorable conditions for the development of culinary culture and the formation of Shandong cuisine.
鲁菜的特点
The features of Shandong cuisine
鲁菜讲究调味纯正，内地以咸鲜为主，沿海以鲜咸为特色，具有鲜、嫩、香、脆的特色。十分讲究清汤和奶汤的调制，善于以葱香调味。烹制海鲜有独到之处。
Shandong Chefs value pure flavors above all. Inland flavors are mainly salty freshness, and coastal areas are characterized by freshly salty flavors. The features are freshness, tenderness, fragrance and crispiness. Shandong cuisine chefs devote particular care to the seasoning of clear soup and creamy soups and they are adept at using scallion flavor as a seasoning. There are specific characteristics in cooking seafood.
山东古为齐鲁之邦，地处半岛，三面环海，腹地有丘陵平原，气候适宜，四季分明。海鲜水族、粮油畜牲、蔬菜果品、昆虫野味一应俱全，为烹饪提供了丰盛的物质条件。庖厨烹技全面，巧于用料，注重调味，适应面广。其中尤以“爆、炒、烧、塌”等最有特色。瞬间完成，营养素保护好，食之清爽不腻；烧有红烧、白烧，著名的“九转大肠”是烧菜的代表；“塌”是山东独有烹调方法，其主料要事先用调料腌渍入味或夹入馅心，再沾粉或挂糊，两面塌煎之金黄色。放入调料或清汤，以慢火焅尽汤汁，使之浸入主料，增加鲜味。山东广为流传的锅塌豆腐、锅塌菠菜等，都是久为人们所乐道的传统名菜。鲁菜还精于制汤。汤有“清汤”、“奶汤”之别。经过长期实践，现已演变为用肥鸡、肥鸭、肥肘子为主料，经沸煮、微煮、“清哨”，使汤清澈见底，味道鲜美。奶汤则成乳白色。用“清汤”和“奶汤”制作的数十种菜，多被列入高级宴席的珍馔美味。
Shandong was previously known as the State of Qi and Lu. The province is located on a peninsula, embraced on three sides by the sea. There are hills and plains in the province’s central region. The climate there is mild with four distinct seasons. There are all kinds of seafood and aquatic creatures, grains, oil, domestic animals, vegetables and fruit, insects and game, providing abundant conditions for cooking. Chefs of this cuisine have a comprehensive repertoire of cooking techniques and make the most of materials, focusing on versatile seasonings and dishes’ inclusiveness. Quick frying, stir-fry, braising and “Ta sautéing” are the most distinctive of these styles. The dishes are prepared in a short time so as to preserve the nutritional value of the ingredients. Dishes taste clear and light. Shandong cuisine’s braising involves braising in soy sauce and braising in sauce without soy sauce. The well known dish “braised intestines in brown sauce” is representative of braised dishes. “Ta sautéing” is a cooking technique specific to Shandong cuisine. The main ingredients are required to be pickled in sauce for taste or stuffed and coat with flour or starch and fried until a golden brown color is achieved. Sauces or clear soup are added and the whole dish is stewed over a gentle heat till the soup is dried so that the liquid is soaked up to bring fresh flavor. The popular dishes, sautéed bean curd and sautéed spinach with starch paste are both famous traditional dishes well loved by many people. Shandong cuisine’s soups are also great. The soups are either clear soups or creamy soups. Chicken, duck and the upper legs of pork have become the main ingredients of clear soups over time and through a process of refinement by boiling, stewing with gentle heat and “clearing”, then the soup will be clear to the bottom and delicious. Shandong cuisine’s creamy soups are milky white. Tens of dishes made from clear soups and creamy soups are exceptional dishes served in grand banquets.
烹制海鲜有独到之处：在山东，无论是参、翅、燕、贝，还是鳞、介、虾、蟹，经当地厨师妙手烹制，都可成为精彩鲜美的佳肴。仅胶东沿海生长的比目鱼（当地俗称“偏口鱼”），运用多种刀工处理和不同技法，可烹制成数十道美味佳肴，其色、香、味、形各具特色，百般变化于一鱼之中。以小海鲜烹制的“油爆双花”、“红烧海螺”、“炸蛎黄”以及用海珍品制作的“蟹黄鱼翅”、“扒原壳鲍鱼”、“绣球干贝”等，都是独具特色的海鲜珍品。
Seafood dishes have their own special set of techniques for preparation. In Shandong, all sea cucumber, shark’s fin, bird's nest and shellfish, as well as shrimps and crabs and those with scales and shells are utilized by excellently skilled local chefs in the preparation of magnificent, delicious dishes. The flatfish inhabiting coastal areas of Jiaodong Peninsular (known as “Piankou fish” by locals) can be used to create dozens of delicious dishes through the use of various cutting techniques and a host of skills specific to the area. These dishes have distinctive features in terms of color, fragrance, taste and form; they are full of variation. Cooked with small seafood, fried kidney and sleeve-fish, braised whelk with brown sauce and fried oysters as well as braised shark’s fin with crab yolk, braised abalone with shell, fried scallop in the shape of silk balls and so on, are all delicacies made from sea food which posses distinctive features.
善于以葱香调味：在菜肴烹制过程中，不论是爆、炒、烧、熘，还是烹调汤汁，都以葱丝（或葱末）爆锅，就是蒸、扒、炸、烤等菜，也借助葱香提味，如“烤鸭”、“烤乳猪”、“锅烧肘子”、“炸脂盖”等，均以葱段为佐料。
Effective seasoning with scallion flavor: During the cooking process of quick-fried dishes, stir-fried dishes, braised dishes and sautéed dishes or soups, shredded scallion (or scallion ends) is used for stir frying. The flavor of scallion is even used for steamed, braised, fried and roasted dishes etc. to render food more palatable. For example, roast duck, roast suckling pig, fried pork hock and the fried mutton all have scallion as a flavoring.
随着历史的演变和经济、文化、交通事业的发展，鲁菜又逐渐形成了济南、胶东两地分别代表内陆与沿海的地方风味。
As a result of progress and developments in economy, culture, transportation, the two local flavors of Jinan and Jiaodong which respectively stand for ‘inland’ and ‘coastal’ areas have gradually formed within Shandong cuisine.
鲁西、鲁北禽蛋菜、泰安以豆制品为主要原料的素菜，以及鲁中地区具有齐国遗风的肉、鱼菜，各具特色。
The poultry and egg dishes of Western Shandong and Northern Shandong, the bean based vegetable dishes of Taian and the meat and fish dishes of the ancient State of Qi which was located in central Shandong all have their own distinct attractive qualities and characteristics.
著名的菜肴有：九转大肠、德洲扒鸡等。
Famous dishes include: braised intestines in brown sauce and Dezhou braised chicken.