Why isn't cheese used in most Asian cuisine?

Answer 1

Because there aren't that many dairy cows in Asia so it's not a big part of the cuisine.

Most of the animals are beast of burden to help plow fields and carry loads... Dairy cows generally just eat and produce milk so they would actually take food (less food for the people) to produce milk.

Answer 2

first reason

most of asian countries have not been introduced to cheese till the early 20th century(as far i know my countries history)

So, our tongues are acquaintant to rice

2nd reason

cheese are darn expensive compared to western countries

cheese here can cost 4 times than in france in same weight

3rd reason

Eventhough now there's cheese in the market, most of these cheese are not suitable for cooking, since they are usually KRAFT sliced cheese

Although there are cooking cheese available today, they're really rare and only available in major hypermarkets and internationally-owned supermarkets(like Cold Storage)
I dont say cooking cheese arent available at all, but the ones that is plenty is cheese meant to be used for pasta

4th reason
Because of their rarity, we dont know almost anything about cheese's types except for mozzarela, cheddar, parmessan, bleu(for most people)
So, we are all like what is presidente and some only god knows what cheese name
and more

Last but not least,

Our mothers has never used cheese before in their cooking and most of asian cuisine come from traditional cuisines

So there you have it

Answer 3

Dairy has never been a part of Asian cuisine (barring India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet).

Answer 4

because most asian cuisines are either spicy or saucy. and cheese doesnt normally go well with the dish. even asian salads doesnt normally have cheese in them.

Answer 5

I spent 41/2 years in different Asian countries. The just don't have the ability to obtain and keep dairy in most places. Most don't have the room to raise the cattle and where they do most don't have refrigeration. So It really hasn't caught on widely.

Answer 6

It's a chicken/egg thing. Some Asian/African peoples are 90-100% lactose intollerant. Here is an interesting study about the phenomenon:

Sherman and former Cornell undergraduate student Gabrielle Bloom '03, now a graduate student at the University of Chicago, compiled data on lactose intolerance (the inability to digest dairy products) from 270 indigenous African and Eurasian populations in 39 countries, from southern Africa to northern Greenland. Their findings will be published in a forthcoming issue of Evolution and Human Behavior.

On average, Sherman and Bloom found that 61 percent of people studied were lactose intolerant, with a range of 2 percent in Denmark and 100 percent in Zambia. They also found that lactose intolerance decreases with increasing latitude and increases with rising temperature, and especially with the difficulty in maintaining dairy herds safely and economically.

A major challenge in interpreting the data, Sherman noted, was to resolve the puzzle that about 13 lactose-tolerant populations live side-by-side with lactose-intolerant populations in some parts of Africa and the Middle East.

"The most likely explanation is nomadism," Sherman concluded. All 13 of the populations that can digest dairy yet live in areas that are primarily lactose intolerant were historically migratory groups that moved seasonally, Sherman said. Their nomadism enabled them to find suitable forage for their cattle and to avoid extreme temperatures. "Also, the fact that these groups maintained small herds and kept them moving probably reduced the pathogen transmission rate."

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, some 30 million to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, including up to 75 percent of African Americans and American Indians and 90 percent of Asian Americans. Common symptoms include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea that begin about 30 minutes to two hours after eating or drinking foods containing the milk sugar lactose. The use of lactase enzyme tablets or drops or lactose-reduced milk and similar products can help the lactose intolerant digest dairy products.

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Sherman's study concludes that adults from Europe can drink milk because their ancestors lived where dairying flourished and passed on gene mutations that maintain lactase into adulthood. The research, he said, is an example of Darwinian medicine, a new interdisciplinary field of science that takes an evolutionary look at health, and considers why, rather than how, certain conditions or symptoms develop. Sherman, for example, recently investigated why spices are used and why morning sickness occurs.

"Both appear to serve an important function to protect the individual," Sherman said. "Spices contain antimicrobial compounds, and they may be used to destroy food-borne pathogens, especially in hot climates. Nausea and vomiting early in pregnancy also may protect women and their embryos from food-borne pathogens and other toxins."

A Darwinian medicinal view complements traditional medicine, Sherman said, because if researchers can better understand why a symptom occurs, such as a fever, runny nose or allergy, they can better evaluate whether it is best to eliminate or tolerate it.

Answer 7

Asian food usually has lots of rice ( trust me I'm asian myself)well, half asian) Cheese and rice don't go together, I've tried it. : P

Answer 8

Because most asian food is accompanied by rice, and cheese and rice do not go well. Trust me, I knoe by experience. However, I have tried sushi with cheese in it. It tasted ok... but sort of like metallic???

Answer 9

Cheese and rice don't go together???? WTF???? Cheese and rice rock...throw in some broccoli and you got an awesome side dish.