[cloudmountain]

The majority of Chinese were so food-deprived that they HAD to eat ANYTHING. That's why their sauces have always been so thick. Put enough hot sauce on rat and no one knows WHAT they're eating.
The French developed sauces as well, to disguise old/rotten food.

I've always liked Japanese food as it's hallmark is FRESH, fresh, fresh, as in sashimi, almost raw. It is FLASHED in hot and then cold water.

Their hot pots are cooked right on the table where one adds the fresh veggies and then fresh, raw meat.
One can always see and smell what they are about to eat.

[SeekAndFind]

The British went overseas and conquered the world to get away from their own cooking.