On Staple Foods — The Sino Scene

RICE & BREAD

Words by Chloe Chan

Rice [ 米 Mǐ ] is a staple food in Chinese culture, similarly to how Bread is the staple food in English culture. There are many versions of rice types, long grain, medium grain and short grain. Growing up in our household we would be accustomed to eating bread at breakfast or lunch for the western aspect, then when dinner comes it is our Eastern Asian meal with rice. Rice is central with different side dishes everyday to accompany it. In our Chinese cuisine, we have a preference to steamed Jasmine rice, renowned for its soft, fluffy texture and a light floral aroma. It is slightly sticky which makes it great for soaking in the sauces from the side dishes.

When we eat bread, it can be in the form of buttered toasts, sandwiches, croutons, and for dessert, it turns into bread and butter pudding. The versatility of a food that can be both savoury and sweet is what makes it a staple food. A food that you reach out to time and time again.