The lack of pasture land for grazing means that there are less milk and dairy products in the Chinese diet. Therefore, they use the soy bean to provide protein and calcium. It is made into doufu or bean curd. The Chinese also use fresh ginger root, garlic, scallions, and rice wine or vinegar to enhance the flavor of the vegetables and the doufu . Another geographic fact which has affected food patterns over the centuries is the scarcity of fuel available for fires.
Cooking needs to be done quickly.
Dicing, slicing, shredding or cubing food into small pieces before cooking prepares it for quick stir frying or steaming and braising in hot liquid off the fire. And, with small pieces of meat or vegetables, there is always a little bit to go with every bit of rice or noodles. Stir frying, one of the common Chinese cooking techniques, serves the dual purpose of cooking food quickly using little fuel and preserving the flavor and texture of the food. In addition, stir frying uses little oil compared to Western frying techniques. The Chinese are well aware of the importance of maintaining the fertility of the soil.