Chinese food has one of the most popular culinary heritages globally, so you can rest assured that there are several types of Chinese food you can try whenever you visit the country.
A traditional Chinese dinner consists of carbohydrates or starch, such as noodles, rice, buns, vegetables, fish, meat stir-fries, or meals.
Fresh veggies like mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo, and even tofu are used extensively.
In North China, wheat-based noodles and steamed buns are popular, but rice is popular in South China.
Short-grain sticky rice, grown all over Southern China, is incredibly delicious. Furthermore, each dish aims to balance three factors: look, scent, and flavor.
They emphasize the food’s visual appeal, using a variety of colors. Fish sauce, five-spice powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, root garlic, fresh ginger, and other spices and seasonings are used liberally to create a complex flavor and aroma.
Because China is such a large country, regional cuisines range significantly due to variances in climate, history, local foods, dining habits, etc.
1. Dim Sum
One of the most popular street foods from the northeast, widespread throughout northern India, is now available at your home! Veggie or meat-stuffed little bite-sized rounds.
Dimsum spices are a delicious steamed snack to satisfy those late-night desires.
2. Hot and sour soup
Isn’t it wonderful to curl up with a steaming bowl of soup in the winter? A hot and sour broth is used in this soup.
It’s made with the goodness of cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, a spicy twist of white or red pepper, and vinegar for sourness.
3. Fried Rice (Chaofan)
Fried rice (chofàn) is a popular type of Chinese food made with fried, cooked rice and various other components, such as eggs, vegetables, fish, or meat.
One of the most popular Chinese dishes is fried rice. You can easily make fried rice home using leftover rice and other meat or vegetables from the previous meal.
Furthermore, Li Hongzhang, a senior diplomatic official in the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), asked his chef to prepare a dish that would appeal to Chinese and foreign palates.
The chef prepared fried rice, which the foreign guests and officials enjoyed.
4. Peking Roasted Duck
Peking duck (Beijing koy) is a well-known Beijing dish that has gained international acclaim and is regarded as one of the types of Chinese national food.
The crispy, thin skin of Peking duck is prized. Slices of Peking duck are frequently served with pancakes, sweet bean sauce, or soy sauce with crushed garlic. In Beijing, it is a must-try meal.
5. Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is a popular Sichuan-style dish that both Chinese and Western visitors enjoy.
The main ingredients are diced chicken, dried chile, cucumber, and fried peanuts (or cashews).
Furthermore, People (Chinese takeout) in Western countries have invented a Western-style kung pao chicken, including cornstarch, chopped chicken, vegetables, sweet and sour sauce, and mashed garlic.
6. Stinky Tofu
Stinky tofu is fermented with a strong stench (and it’s thought that the stronger it smells, the better it tastes).
Tofu is fermented for several months in a mixture of fermented milk, meat, vegetables, and aromatics, similar to cheese.
In addition, depending on the location, it can be eaten chilled, steamed, stewed, or deep-fried with chili and soy sauce on the side.
7. Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and sour pork is vivid orange-red in color and has a delightful sweet and sour flavor.
At first, there was only sweet and sour pork, but the meal was modified to suit demand.
Other ingredients, such as chicken, beef, or pig ribs, can now replace the pork.
8. Hot Pot
Hot pot, also known as hugu, is a popular type of Chinese food, particularly in Sichuan Province and Chongqing.
People cook and eat from a simmering soup stock (broth) on a gas/induction hob in the center of the dining table, surrounded by meals and condiments.
However, people can add and boil whatever they want in the broth. The broth, from which all the meat slices and veggies derive their taste, is the key to whether a hot pot is delicious.
In addition, Hot pot is a popular dish among Chinese people. Previously, the hot pot was only served during the winter, but currently, it may be found on tables all year. I
9. Quick Noodles
Noodles are a mainstay in every home, and they are not only a kid’s favorite food but also enjoyed by adults.
Here’s a recipe for easy noodles you can make at home. Toss in all of your favorite vegetables and create your masterpiece.
10. Dumplings
Dumplings are popular types of traditional Chinese food, particularly in North China. Minced meat and chopped veggies are in thin dough covering Chinese dumplings.
Minced pork, chopped shrimp, beef, ground chicken, and veggies are popular fillings. Dumplings can be prepared in many ways, including boiling, steaming, and frying.
Dumplings are also a traditional dish on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
However, it is said that the more dumplings you eat during New Year celebrations, the more money you will make throughout New Year because they resemble Chinese silver ingots (ancient Chinese capital).
11. Congee
Rice porridge, or congee, is a filling and easy-to-digest meal (particularly breakfast). Congees vary according to the region: Some are thin, others are thick, and some contain grains other than rice.
Meat, veggies, ginger, boiled eggs, tofu, soy sauce, mung beans, and sugar can make it savory or sweet. Because it’s so comforting, congee is also considered food therapy for when you’re unwell.
12. Chinese Hamburger
Although a pita-like baguette packed with soft braised pork isn’t quite what we’d call a hamburger, it’s fantastic nonetheless. The street cuisine is from Shaanxi in northwest China, and the beef contains over 20 spices and condiments.
Some believe it is the original hamburger because it has existed since the Qin period.
13. Char Siu
Char Sui means “fork roasted” in Cantonese. It’s a Cantonese roast pork dish served with rice or noodles. It’s also utilized as a baozi filler (a kind of steamed stuffed bun).
14. Chow Mien
The Cantonese pronunciation of the Mandarin chomiàn, which means stir-fried noodles’ is chow mein. Noodles, meat (typically chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork), onions, and celery are stir-fried together in this dish.
However, the noodles must be boiled in boiling water before using chow mein. After they’ve cooled, it’s time to stir-fry them.
15. Zhajiangmian
Made with chewy, thick wheat noodles and topped with Zha Jiang sauce, a rich blend of ground pork and fermented soybean paste.
These “fried sauce noodles” from Shandong province are delicious (or another sauce, depending on where you are in China).
It’s available everywhere in China, from street vendors to fine dining establishments.
16. Sichuan Pork
Sichuan pork, often known as ‘poached pork slices,’ is a famous Sichuan dish.
Pork is simmered in broth with an egg-white and starch coating to retain its freshness and softness.
The meaty broth has a spicy flavor that is distinctive from Sichuan cuisine.
When eating, you’ll notice that pieces of beef are dripping with fluids and have a fresh, spicy aroma.
17. Wonton Soup
Chinese dumplings (hndùn) are a type of dumpling. Wontons, unlike jiaozi, have a smaller filling and are enveloped in considerably thinner dough wrappers.
Wontons come in various shapes, depending on how they’re produced.
They resemble silver ingots, making them a promising ‘wealth-invoking’ meal.
Furthermore, the most common fillings for wontons are minced pork or diced shrimp.
Wontons are usually boiled and served in broth, although they can also be deep-fried.
