Document Analysis

Members in my discourse community of Chinese Food Culture like to discuss the methods of how to cook some traditional dishes. These days, they are discussing about how to cook a dish called Gan Bian Si Ji Dou which also named sauteed green beans with minced pork. One of the members provided them with the recipe in website. To be more specific, the document is a recipe for making dry-fried string beans with a Sichuan twist. The author is also a blogger who like to share Chinese food and cooking methods. Her name is Judy and she was born in Shanghai, China, but she has gone to America at age 16 till now. She is fluent in both Chinese and English, so she is willing to translate some traditional Chinese recipe and cooking methods to English and share them with people who are interested in them. Absolutely, she want to share a passion for food and cooking, and the aim is to provide their readers with easy-to-follow and delicious recipes.

 

There are many beautiful images in this document, this website. The document includes several images of the finished dish, the ingredients used, and the cooking process. The author uses the images to help readers visualize the steps involved in making the dish. The images are high-quality and clear, making it easy for readers to see the texture and colors of the ingredients used. The author also uses images to showcase the finished product, which can be appealing and motivating to readers who want to try the recipe. In addition, the author takes pictures of each step of cooking respectively, which can help readers understand each step more intuitively and clearly. And each picture is accompanied by a text explanation. Compared with taking a video to describe the process steps, the picture plus text explanation is more convenient for those who try to follow the steps while cooking.

 

The document is targeted at people who enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes and are interested in Chinese cuisine, especially for this dish, sauteed green beans with minced pork. The language and style used in the document assume a basic level of understanding of cooking techniques and terminology. For instance, the authors use terms like "blanching" and "soaking" without explaining what they mean, which suggests that they are writing for an audience that already understands these terms. And some of the words in the recipe are just pinyin translation from Chinese, so the audience and readers should know some Chinese.

 

The purpose of the document is to provide readers with a step-by-step guide to making the Sichuan cuisine, Gan Bian Si Ji Dou. The author also provides background information on the dish, including its origin and cultural significance. This information helps readers understand the dish's cultural context and the role it plays in Chinese cuisine. 

The document is set up as a recipe, with clear steps and measurements to follow. The writing is straightforward, with a mix of informative and conversational language, which helps to make the instructions easy to follow. The author also uses personal anecdotes and insights to build rapport with their readers. For instance, they share the story of how the aunt introduced them to the dish and how it became a staple in her household. This personal touch makes the document more relatable and engaging for the readers. 

 

The tone is friendly and engaging, and the authors use a conversational style to make the recipe feel accessible and easy to follow. They also use humor to keep the readers engaged and motivated. She also mentions other more famous traditional Sichuan cuisine like Dan Dan Noodles and Ma Po Tofu to attract audience in reading this Sichuan dish. And she lists this dish in Both English and Chinese.

 

The author of the document use a combination of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos appeals. They use Ethos by establishing themselves as credible and trustworthy sources of information on Chinese cuisine. They use Pathos by appealing to readers' emotions and experiences with food. For instance, they use the introduction to share their personal story of how they discovered the dish, which helps to create an emotional connection with the readers. For logos, the website is beautifully designed. Next to the title, there are many cartoons of Chinese food, it makes the website looks more vividly. Moreover, in the end of the document, there is a digital form of recipe, which can be simple conclusion of the whole document. Also, the structure of the document is well-organized. Each part has its own subtitle.

 

After reading this document, I still have a few questions, such as how the dish would taste with different ingredients or if it can be made in bulk and stored for later use. Overall, the document says that the discourse community values a shared passion for food and cooking, a desire to explore new tastes and cultures, and a commitment to providing clear and accessible instructions for making delicious dishes. The community values authenticity and a deep respect for the history and culture of traditional Chinese cuisine.

 

Work Cited

Judy. (2020, August 25). Gan Bian Si Ji Dou: Sichuan dry fried string beans. The Woks of Life. Retrieved February 18, 2023, from https://thewoksoflife.com/dry-fried-string-beans-sichuan/