chinese foods cuisine

Sweet and Sour Pork (or Chicken) 糖醋里脊 /tung tsoo lee-jee/

Sweet and sour pork has a bright  orange-red color, and a delicious sweet and sour taste. At the very beginning there was only sweet and sour pork, but to meet demands, there have been some developments on this dish. Now, the pork can be substituted by other ingredients like chicken, beef or pork ribs. Read the DIY recipes of sweet and sour pork ribs.

Gong Bao Chicken 宫保鸡丁 /gong baoww jee-ding/

This is a famous Sichuan-style specialty, popular with both Chinese and foreigners. The major ingredients are diced chicken, dried chili, and fried peanuts. People in Western countries have created a Western-style gong bao chicken, for which the diced chicken is covered with cornstarch, and vegetables, sweet and sour sauce and mashed garlic are added.

Ma Po Tofu 麻婆豆腐 /mah por doh-foo/

Ma po tofu is one of the most famous dishes in Chuan Cuisine with a history of more than 100 years. Ma (麻) describes a spicy and hot taste which comes from pepper powder, one kind of condiment usually used in Chuan Cuisine. The milky tofu is enriched with brownish red ground beef and chopped green onion. It is really a tasty delicacy. Read the DIY recipes of ma po tofu.

Wontons 馄饨 /hwnn-twnn/

Since the Tang Dynasty (618–907), it has been a custom for people to eat wontons on the winter solstice (in solar terms the longest day, which always occurs on December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern Hemisphere). The most versatile shape of a wonton is simple a right triangle, similar to Italian tortellini. Wontons are commonly boiled and served in soup or sometimes deep-fried. The filling of wontons can be minced pork or diced shrimp.

Dumplings 饺子 /jyaoww-dzrr/

With a long history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings are a traditional food widely popular in China, especially in North China such as in Zhengzhou, Chengde, Dalian, Harbin, etc. Dumplings generally consist of minced meat and finely-chopped vegetables wrapped into a thin and elastic piece of dough skin. Popular fillings are mince pork, diced shrimp, fish, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. They can be cooked by boiling, steaming, frying or baking.Dumplings are the symbol of Chinese food, and a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Spring Rolls 春卷 /chwnn jwen/

Spring rolls are a Cantonese dim sum dish of cylindrical shape. The filling of spring rolls could be vegetables or meat, and the taste could be either sweet or savory. After fillings are wrapped in spring roll wrappers, the next step is frying. Then the spring rolls are given their golden yellow color. It is a dish especially popular in Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian,Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, etc.

Chow Mein 炒面 /chaoww-myen/

The "Chow mein" is the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese characters above, which means stir-fried noodles. Generally speaking, this stir-fried dish consists of noodles, meat (usually chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork), onions and celery. For making chow mein, the noodles need to be cooked in boiling water for a while. After they becoming cool, then move to the step of stir-frying.

Also read Gluten Free Travel in China

Peking Duck 北京烤鸭 /bay-jing kaoww-yah/

Peking duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing, enjoying world fame, and considered as one of China’s national dishes. Peking duck is savored for its thin and crispy skin. The Sliced Peking duck is often eaten with pancakes, sweet bean sauce, or soy with mashed garlic. Visitors in Beijing also can relish other delicious delicacies, such as Mongolian hot pot, Bifengtang prawns and shredded potato. More information on Beijing food.