Oriental Food - Climb aboard for Oriental excess

Taking culinary ideas from China and Japan could bring some much-needed custom into your pub, says Richard Fox

Ask most Westerners to name an Oriental dish and you're likely to get answers ranging from chicken chow mein to - well, chicken chow mein. There will be some who can name prawn toast, roast duck with shiitake mushrooms, and even the odd tofu and water chestnut, but, by and large, our impression of the Orient on the food front is about as exotic and stimulating as bonsai hunting at the local garden centre.

For an area that contains a high proportion of the world's population, and a rich cultural heritage that dates back to a time when we were eating dirt, that's not really very impressive. For starters, the Gobi desert - home to the awesomely tasty cooking of Mongolia - isn't exactly well represented in the high-street food hierarchy, any more than Chinese restaurants are rich in the traditions of the genre they represent.

But a little local knowledge goes a long way and can add value, flavour and tremendous interest to your daily offering.

It might first be useful to define what area the Orient actually consists of. Thailand, Malaysia and Korea, while very much part of the region, really fall into the south-east Asian school of cookery and warrant independent

analysis on that basis.

This basically leaves China and Japan - enough stuff there to keep every taste, creed and off-the-wall macrobiotic bean freak satisfied for a lifetime.

Chinese ideas to take away

Let's kick off with China then. It's a pretty awesome area to try to bracket under one culinary style. Indeed, it would be as inappropriate to do so as to put Mozart and Motorhead on the same musical bill. Let us, for the sake of clarity, divide the country into four, clearly defined regions: Peking (north), Cantonese (south), Shanghai (east), and Sichuan (west).

Of those four areas, Cantonese is the one that will be most familiar to us, and what we generally perceive as being Chinese food. But, as with all things that cross the boundary into western populist culture, it gets used and abused. And what a shame that is, because this region is the haute cuisine of all of China - and that's no mean feat.

This is in no small part due to the influx of chefs who travelled through China after fleeing the overthrow of the Ming dynasty in 1644. Arriving in the south, they must have felt like little Jamie Olivers turning up in Italy's gastronomic heartland.

They finally wound up at Grand Canton Central - and had a veritable array of the richest produce you could wish to chance upon. Because the climate is warm, wet and mild, produce is in no short supply - particularly of fruit and vegetables - and, with Canton boasting a coastline, all manner of fresh seafood.

Tracing dim sum to its roots

This region of China however, is responsible for spawning one of the country's - and now the world's, most popular feeding frenzies: dim sum.

I know from bitter experience the financial and stomach expanding danger of finding myself in London's Chinatown

- starving hungry, and with time on my hands. That gluttonous Western instinct takes over and you emerge some time later practically rolling out barrel-fashion, wishing

you'd taken it just a little easier.

Dim sum is a concept well worth considering if you're looking for some early doors menu inspiration - or weekend brunch-time sharing platters. In fact it is widely believed

that dim sum was the first ever breakfastlunch combo, creating the original brunch concept. Obviously these are cooking methods that are unlikely to be in your fingertip

repertoire. However, the methods are quick and simple and can be picked up from a variety of cookbooks.

Moving north, Peking experiences a harsh climate. As such, noodles replace rice, and soy beans are widespread. But this region is most famous for its Peking duck. Thinned with a little sesame oil and flavoured with chilli, ginger and garlic, it's a classic. It is rubbed with spices, salt and sugar and then air-hung to dry for longer than your local environmental health officer would appreciate.

Serve up with the hoisin sauce, some shredded shallot, cucumber and Chinese pancake, available at any Chinese supermarket, and you've got a tasty feast worthy of any menu.

In contrast to the volatile climate of the north, the Shanghai province - which includes China's largest city, Shanghai - is fertile. Fruit and vegetables grow easily so there is a rich culture of vegetarian cooking. Add to this the proliferation of fresh fish, the best soy sauce in china, and a penchant for a little rich sweetness, and

you've got inspiration for the best stir-fry dishes this side of the Yangtze.

The Sichuan region to the west is the chilli capital of China. Using both dried and fresh, as well as some kick-ass pepper, garlic and onions, you've got the base for some flavour packed curries. This area is also rich in rice,

wheat, corn, mushrooms and citrus fruit.

In contrast to westernised Chinese restaurants, any western experiences of Japanese food are usually pretty close to the real thing. Let's face it, it's pretty hard to fake raw fish.

However, there is a lot more to this revered food form than a slab of uncooked tuna. For a start, there's an almost reverential approach to the raw ingredient. In the UK we far too often have scant regard for the quality of our produce

or indeed the manner in which it matures.

The Japanese approach to food is reflected in their utmost respect for nature. Ingredients are always of the highest quality, as fresh as the driven snow - and always in season.

Clearly, there are certain practical barriers to flooding your menu with an extensive range of sushi. Apart from the fact that your punters might not like it, there's the fact

that you'll have to bin anything not sold on the day of delivery.

After the freshness and cut of the fish, the rice is the key component. Sushi rice is short grain, and sticky. It's also extremely quick and easy to make: covered in an equal volume

of water, brought to the boil with a lid on, simmered for 10 minutes (keep the lid on), and then left to stand (still with the lid on) for 10 minutes is all the cooking required.

Salt, sugar and rice vinegar are then mixed in to gain that perfect balance of flavour.

We can always learn from other cultures, as they can from us. And this is never more relevant than in the wonderful world of food. Selling your menu is all about creating

attractive, appetising, well-presented and properly prepared dishes.

Embracing the Orient on this culinary level can be inspirational. Whether it's a regular Chinese banquet on a Tuesday night in February, or a year-round sushi offering,

there are ideas to be had for creating interest and stimulating profit. And don't forget the chopsticks - it takes longer to eat the food, so you'll sell more beer!