When it comes to cuisine, China is a veritable culinary paradise. But where should you start among the many different types of Chinese cuisine? Here are some of the most popular foods that you must try!
- Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are fried pancakes with various fillings. The most well-known are those from Shanghai and Guangdong. The Chinese New Year is inextricably related to the name of these delicacies – spring rolls were traditionally served to commemorate the end of winter and the start of spring for the Chinese.
Depending on your preferences, your go-to spring rolls recipe might include sweet or savoury fillings. Sweetened bean paste is a fantastic choice for those that prefer a sweet filling. Chinese cabbage and shredded pork are particularly popular for a savoury version, with shredded bamboo shoots and mushrooms added for good measure! Perfect spring rolls should have crispy skins and delicate filling.
- Sweet and Sour Pork
Pork in a sweet and sour sauce is a Chinese staple. Its combination of sweet and sour flavours and vivid appearance are irresistible. Because some individuals don’t eat pork, several eateries will use chicken or tofu, demonstrating how delectable the flavour is.
The dish is particularly well-liked in Shanghai.
- Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken is a popular Chinese dish that was popularised by a TV show in the United States. It’s made from diced chicken with peanuts, cucumbers, and peppers cooked together. This red cuisine is mildly spicy and flavorful, with soft meat.
- Ma Po Tofu
Chen Ma Po owned a modest restaurant in Chengdu in 1862. Her tofu was both delicious and attractive. People adored her tofu dish, which they dubbed “Ma Po Tofu.”
Ma Po Tofu is tofu that has been sautéed in a hot and spicy sauce. Tofu, minced beef (or pork), chilies, and Sichuan peppers are the major ingredients, which accentuate the fiery and spicy characteristics of Sichuan cuisine.
- Dumplings
Zhang Zhongjing, a prominent traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, developed dumplings over 1,800 years ago. To cure frostbitten ears in the winter, Doctor Zhang stuffed little dough wrappers with stewing mutton, black pepper, and some warming herbs. He boiled these dumplings and gave them to his patients till the Chinese New Year arrived.
People followed Zhang’s recipe and produced dumplings to celebrate Lunar New Year and recover from frostbitten ears! It remains a classic Chinese New Year snack in the modern day too.
Hopefully these popular Chinese dishes will give you some inspiration for your next meal!
