When we think of western diets, we think of steaks, burgers and fries, and we usually associate oriental cuisine with rice, fish, and soup. While there are many similarities between Western and Eastern cuisine, there are several distinct differences that put them at opposite ends of the cultural spectrum.
There may be many differences between Eastern and Western cultures, but they both enjoy good food and family dinners. So while there may be some superficial differences in the way each dish is prepared, they all essentially serve the same social purpose of getting people together for dinner.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest differences between Western and Eastern diets!
Weight
One of the most notable differences between Eastern and Western foods is portion size. Western portions are much larger than traditional Oriental dishes, and what is considered larger in Eastern cultures is only a regular size in the eyes of Westerners.
The larger weight of Western societies is partly responsible for the higher incidence of obesity and heart disease in Westerners than in Eastern countries. A common criticism of the Western diet is that we eat too much and too often, while Eastern cuisine is considered light but still has a feeling of fullness.
raw material
Many of the main ingredients in most Western foods are missing in about 70% of oriental cuisine, and the same is true for oriental cuisine. In Western cuisine, the proportion of meat used is much larger than in Eastern cuisine.
In Eastern cooking, meat is only part of the whole meal, while in Western cooking; meat is the protagonist of the show. Think about how many Western foods are just large chunks of meat on a plate, surrounded by some light salads that are easy to overlook. Oriental cuisine is more of a mixture of meat and vegetables, arguably providing better nutrition.
Eastern cuisine also uses rice in a more diverse way, while Western cuisine treats rice more as a side dish. If Western dishes use rice entirely, it is because they are making dishes with oriental flavors, and rice is the mainstay of many Eastern cultural diets.
In Western cooking, rice is usually handled in the same way as steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes. In contrast, most Oriental meals are incomplete without rice. Sometimes pasta can be used instead of rice, but many recipes will contain both ingredients if they can.
seasoning
Western food pays great attention to the use of seasonings. All Western-style dining venues have a wide variety of sauces and dressings, including ketchup, gravy and mustard.
Oriental food also uses quite a few seasonings, including basil, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, lemongrass, garlic and ginger. Oriental cuisine also uses many sweet sauces, such as soy sauce, in many dishes.
taste
In Western food, the focus is on finding ingredients that are "paired" with each other. This means that Western food tries to create a controlled taste that is very similar from start to finish.
This approach is reversed in oriental cuisine, and it tries to combine as many different and contrasting flavors as possible. That's why so many people find oriental cuisine to be a vibrant combination of flavors that keep them coming back.
Country differences
While eastern and western cuisines can be compared more broadly, both can be subdivided into hundreds of different cultural regions and ethnic characteristics. For example, the definition of Italian cuisine is very clear, while the differences between different regions of China can be even more confusing.
In many ways, regional differences in Eastern cuisine are more fluid, while Western cuisines are more rigidly defined. However, oriental cuisine is only a strong definition among large cultural groups, such as the difference between Thai and Japanese cuisine.
That being said, many oriental restaurants will also serve more than one cultural cuisine. Chinese and combinations of Vietnamese or Thai and Singaporean are common because chefs can easily transfer their skills between dishes.
There are some distinct differences between Western and Eastern cuisines, which makes eating each food a completely different experience. While many new dishes try to combine Eastern and Western elements, there are still clear differences between the two styles of cuisine, which make it difficult to compromise with each other.