Cai and Fun FoodsA meal in Chinese cuisine will usually consist of two main components: the cai portion, which consists of fish, meat, or vegetables, and the fan portion, which consists of rice or noodles. Unlike in an American dish, however, the cai is NOT meant to override the taste of rice or noodles, but to enhance the flavor.

It’s no surprise that rice is often used in a meal – after all, rice was first grown in China. Noodles were slowly integrated into meals as China began encountering other cultures. Today, these fan ingredients are essential in almost every Chinese meal.

Of all the cai foods, pork is the most widespread and best loved meat. Mutton, fish, shellfish, poultry, pork, and soy products are other cai foods that are used in abundance. These cai foods are cooked in an astonishing array of different ways – stir frying, stewing, baking, roasting, blanching are all used often. Many times a variety of cooking methods are all used during the preparation of a single dish!

The cai and fan components of a meal help to balance the correct Yin and Yang forces in a food. The contrast in the colors and the tastes of each element are representations of the duality nature of the yin and yang.

The cai and fan components are so important, even China’s poorest carefully try to incorporate these elements in their meals. These meals will usually consist of a simple grain food (like rice) with some sort of meat substitute. Oftentimes, the substitute will consist of a variety of vegetables.

So, when cooking Chinese food, remember to maintain the right portions of cai and fan. They help balance your meals out and you make your meal more like an authentic Chinese dish.