Authentic vs. Westernized Chinese Food 正宗中餐和西式中餐真的一样吗? America is known as “a melting pot,” with populations from Europe, Asia and other continents all joined together. ____1____ The history of westernized Chinese food started in the mid-1800s. According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History ( 美国国家历史博物馆 ), many Chinese immigrants had trouble landing a job in America. To make a living, some of them opened restaurants. Over the years, Chinese cuisine has made its way into the mainstream and has been adapted to reflect Western influences. ____2____ The Chinese food found in Western restaurants is mainly cooked through frying. Many dishes are cooked using various frying methods. However, traditional Chinese food is rarely cooked through frying. Instead, methods such as stewing ( 煨 ), braising ( 炖 ), baking, steaming, boiling and fermenting ( 发酵 ) are more commonly used. Another big difference between authentic and westernized Chinese food is the ingredients used. ____3____ Some ingredients — like broccoli ( 西兰花 ), carrots, onions, tomatoes and dairy products ( 乳制品 ) — are not often used in authentic Chinese cooking. In addition, while you can find some Western cuisines that use strange meats — like pig ears — most Western cultures are pretty conservative about the meats they consume. Authentic Chinese food, in contrast, uses a wider variety of protein sources, including tofu, snake, chicken feet, duck blood, jellyfish ( 海蜇 ) and many more that Westerners generally wouldn’t choose to eat. The cuisine also has a stronger taste. ____4____ The Chinese food found in Western restaurants is mainly cooked through frying. Many dishes are cooked using various frying methods. However, traditional Chinese food is rarely cooked through frying. Instead, methods such as stewing ( 煨 ), braising ( 炖 ), baking, steaming, boiling and fermenting ( 发酵 ) are more commonly used. ____5____, but Western palates ( 味觉 ) adapt to new flavors easily. Therefore, it may only be a matter of time before authentic Chinese food becomes popular in America! (节选自 Reader ’ s Digest ) A. Deep frying food is quick, which is why you can usually get your Chinese takeout in just a few minutes. B. Many of the most popular Chinese dishes in the West are not served in Chinese restaurants at all. C. Most cultural groups brought their customs and cuisines along with them. D. One of the main differences between authentic and westernized Chinese food lies in cooking methods. E. There are so many regions of China, and they all prepare their dishes a little bit differently. F. Westernized Chinese food features vegetables that are common in Western cuisines. G. Indeed, there are numerous differences between authentic and westernized Chinese cuisine