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What is a Tian?

Malcolm Tatum
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Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 71,906
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Well known in some cultures as a prepared dish with layered ingredients, the tian can be thought of as a casserole with a specific arrangement of components. It can be served hot or cold, and may be composed of all sorts of ingredients. A simple vegetable tian allows various types of vegetables to be arranged in layers, with each successive layer complimenting the taste of the previous one. The popular seven-layer salad, which begins with a layer of lettuce on the bottom and then builds up to a final dressing topping with bacon bits, provides both a visual impact as well as being delicious.

Tians also can be composed of layers of edibles that are baked or cooked in some manner. For example, a dessert could be constructed with of successive layers of cake, fudge, whipped cream, and some sort of topping, such as chocolate slivers or shaved almonds.

It is possible to include meat in a tian as well. For example, hamburger could be cooked first, and then other items, like potatoes and green beans that are coated with a mushroom sauce, could be layerd on top. Chunks of diced chicken or turkey could also be used to great effect.

An onion tian is a popular French dish that requires a few simple ingredients. Many choose to use a clear dish, so that the beauty of the layers can be enjoyed along with the taste. A traditional one is made with yellow beans, diced zucchini, and green beans, each of which is cooked and layered in the dish, along with a layer of sauteed onions of any color. In most cases, the more colorful the onions, the more attractive the appearance of the finished tian. For a topping, French fried onions or a simple breadcrumb layer works very well. From the sides, the colors of the beans and green vegetables are accentuated by the translucent nature of the onions.

Tians are usually simple to make and prepare. With both plenty of flavor and visual appeal, it is the ideal way to dress up a meal while still keeping mealtime fun and casual.

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Malcolm Tatum
By Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including DelightedCooking, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.
Discussion Comments
By calpat — On Mar 24, 2011

Would lasagna be considered a tian? It definitely has layers, which seems to be the qualifying characteristic, but there is no visual appeal to it. At least there's not, in my opinion.

Is the visual appeal an important aspect of a tian?

By roxytalks — On Mar 23, 2011

My favorite dessert sounds like it is a tian. I don't know how to make it myself, but my relatives bring it over on holidays.

It has a crumbly, almost graham cracker like layer on the bottom, with a layer of chocolate pudding on top of that, and a layer of whipped cream to top it off. It's so good!

By heath925 — On Mar 21, 2011

I had never heard of a tian before, but I think that the dip my husband usually makes, to take to parties as a dip to pass, would qualify as one.

It's a dip that is made of a layer of canned chili (with or without beans according to preference), a layer of cream cheese, and a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. All of this is put into a casserole dish and then baked in the oven.

When it has cooled just enough to eat, you dip tortilla chips in it for a delicious snack. It's a hit everywhere he takes it!

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing...
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