Chinese food: discover traditional cuisine

CONGEE – a comforting rice porridge that’s eaten throughout China, often for breakfast.

CHAO FAN – simple and iconic fried rice. Stir-fried with eggs, vegetables, meat, or seafood, flavored with soy sauce. A staple across Chinese households and restaurants worldwide.

MANTOU – plain steamed wheat buns that are a staple in northern China.

CHINESE SCALION PANCAKES – flaky, layered flatbreads made from wheat flour dough that’s rolled out, brushed with oil, sprinkled with chopped scallions, rolled up, and then flattened and pan-fried until crispy and golden. Unlike Western pancakes which are made from batter, these are made from a dough that’s worked to create multiple crispy layers, resulting in a savory, flaky texture similar to pastry but chewier.

BAOZI – soft, fluffy steamed wheat buns with fillings: meats, red bean paste or veggies. A common breakfast snack.

JIAOZI – thin wheat dough dumplings filled with meat and/or vegetables, steamed, boiled on pan-fried.

WONTON – southern China sphere-shaped dumplings filled with minced pork and seasoned vegetables. These dumplings consist of a thin wrapper made from flour, eggs, and water, which is then filled and served in a clear broth as wonton soup. Wontons can also be deep-fried and served as an appetizer.

XIAOLONGBAO – steamed dumplings, which originated in Shanghai and the Jiangnan region. Xiaolongbao uses a slightly thicker, leavened dough and contains solid filling AND soup inside the dumpling itself (the signature feature). Xiaolongbao have a distinctive pleated crown with a twist at the top.  These dumplings are prepared in a bamboo steaming basket xiaolong.

CHUN JUAN – spring rolls, wrapped in thin wheat dough, filled with various mixed veggies, meat, or seafood, and deep fried until crispy. Northern Chinese spring rolls tend to be smaller with wheat flour wrappers, Southern Chinese versions often use rice paper wrappers. Served as appetizers or dim sum, often accompanied by sweet plum sauce, hot mustard, or other dipping sauces.

JIANBING  – A savory Chinese crepe/pancake street food, made from a thin batter of mung bean, wheat, or millet flour spread on a circular griddle. Traditionally topped with a beaten egg spread directly on the cooking crepe, cilantro, scallions, sweet bean sauce, or hoisin sauce, crispy wonton crackers (baocui), and chili sauce and folded into a rectangle for easy eating on the go. Popular breakfast street food throughout China, especially in northern regions.

ZONGZI – glutinous sticky rice dumplings filled with meats and beans, wrapped in bamboo leaves, and steamed or boiled.

ZHA JIANG MIAN / ZHAJIANGMIAN – Beijing’s “fried sauce noodles” where thick wheat noodles are topped with a rich sauce made of minced pork and fermented soybean paste, served with julienned cucumber and soybean sprouts. Each diner mixes their own bowl to their liking.

LAMIAN – pulled noodles, hand-made at the spot.

CHONGQING NOODLES / XIAO MIAN – spicy wheat noodles are not just popular in their home region but have spread throughout China as Sichuan cuisine has grown in popularity nationally. The dishes are typically low-priced, and are a common street food. There are two main types of xiao miandishes: noodles with soup and noodles without soup. Myriad of meats and vegetables can be used in this preparation, sichuan pepper, spring onions, chili oil.

CHOW MEIN – Cantonese stir fry noodles, veggies, and sometimes meat or tofu.

LO MEIN – Cantonese noodle dish with veggies, meat or seafood, sometimes wontons. The biggest difference between chow mein and lo mein lies in the translations of their names: chow mein is fried, and lo mein is tossed. Lo mein tends to be saucier and of a more slipper texture.

LIANGPI – cold noodles made from wheat and rice flour.

NOODLE SOUP

DAN DAN MIAN – a Sichuan classic made with wheat noodles in a spicy sauce. The hand-pulled noodles are central to the dish’s appeal.

GUO QIAO MI XIAN – “Crossing the Bridge Noodles” where rice noodles are served with scalding hot chicken soup and an array of raw ingredients (meat, seafood, vegetables) that cook when added to the soup at the table.

CHOW FUN – wide rice noodles stir-fry, a cornerstone of Cantonese cuisine. The rice noodles develop a distinctive “wok hei” flavor.

LO MAI GAI – sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves with chicken and mushrooms. The glutinous rice absorbs all the savory flavors.

MA PO TOFU

BEAN CURD (fermented tofu)

PICKLED VEGETABLES – various vegetables or fruits that have been fermented by pickling with salt and brine or marinated in mixtures based on soy sauce or savory bean pastes.

BUDDHA’S DELIGHT – various veggies and fungus cooked in soy sauce liquid till tender. Traditionally enjoyed by Buddhists, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world.

KUNG PAO / GONG BAO CHICKEN – spicy stir fried dish of cubed chicken, peanuts, veggies, chiles and Sichuan peppercorn.

PEKING DUCK – a dish from Beijing. The duck meat is characterized by its thin, crispy ski, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. Served with spring onion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce, with pancakes rolled around the fillings.

SPICY FRIED CHICKEN

HOT POT – the broth is the base component of this dish and it can be either meat based, fish based, mushrooms or veggies based. The heart of hot pot is really the combination of these elements.

CHAR SIU –Cantonese-style barbecued pork, seasoned with five-spice powder, fermented red tofu, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sherry or rice wine, and glazed with a sweet coating.

HUIGUOROU – double cooked pork. The pork is simmered, sliced, and then stir-fried with garlic sprouts, baby leeks, cabbage, bell peppers, onions, scallions, or other veggies. The sauce may include Shaoxing rice wine, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, chili bean paste.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK – sized pieces of pork that are battered and deep-fried until crispy, then coated in a vibrant sweet and sour sauce. The pork is marinated briefly before being coated in a batter made from cornstarch and egg and sauced with sugar, vinegar, say sauce and tomato paste mixture. This dish exemplifies the Chinese cooking principle of combining opposing flavors (in this case sweet and sour) to create a harmonious whole.

BRAISED PORK BELLY – pork belly meat cooked in a combination of ginger, garlic, chili, sugar, star anise, light and dark soy sauce, and rice wine. Meat is cooked till the fat and skin are gelatinous, while the sauce is usually thick, sweet and fairly sticky. Served with steamed rice and dark green veggies.

CHICKEN FEET (FENG ZHAO) – Particularly popular as dim sum, braised or deep-fried with black bean sauce.

BRAISED PIG’S FEET (TI PANG) – Often braised in soy sauce and spices, considered a delicacy.

HUSBAND AND WIFE LUNG SLICES – a cold Sichuan dish made from thinly sliced beef offal (typically lungs, heart, and tripe) seasoned with chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices. A signature dish of Sichuan cuisine, renowned for its numbing flavor. Despite the name, “lung” is often replaced with beef shank or other offal.

STIR-FRIED PORK LIVER – pork liver stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and vegetables in a savory soy sauce-based glaze.

PIGS BLOOD TOFU – congealed pig’s blood cut into cubes, similar to tofu, often cooked in soups or hot pot.

WEST LAKE VINEGAR FISH – a grass carp served in a tangy sweet vinegar sauce made from Zhejiang black vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, creating a perfect balance of flavors.

SICHUAN POACHED FISH IN CHILI OIL – boiled fish is heavy on the oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried red chili peppers, all used to flavor the delicate fresh fish filets at the center of this dish.

SWEET AND SOUR MANDARIN FISH – a whole fish, usually yellow croaker or sea bass, deep-fried until crispy and served with a sweet and sour sauce. The scoring pattern makes it resemble a squirrel’s tail, hence the name.

STEAMED FISH WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS – a delicate Cantonese dish where fresh fish is steamed with ginger, scallions, and soy sauce, highlighting the natural flavors of the fish.

BRAISED FISH IN BROWN SAUCE – fish braised in a rich sauce made with soy sauce, rice wine, and rock sugar, often garnished with spring onions and ginger.

FISH HEAD WITH CHOPPED CHILIES – a famous Hunan dish where a large fish head is steamed with fermented chopped chilies, creating a spicy and savory combination.

SILVER CARP FISH SOUP – a light and nutritious soup made with fresh silver carp, ginger, and Chinese herbs, popular throughout China.

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID – tender squid pieces coated in a light batter, deep-fried until crispy, and tossed with spicy salt, black and Sichuan pepper, and chilies. A popular dish found in restaurants throughout China.

SHANGHAI’S DRUNKEN SHRIMP – fresh shrimp quickly marinated in Shaoxing wine, creating a delicate flavor that highlights the natural sweetness of the seafood. The dish is often served slightly raw in Eastern China or fully cooked in other regions.

BRAISED SEA CUCUMBER – a luxury dish where sea cucumber is slow-braised in rich brown sauce with mushrooms and other ingredients. Highly prized for its texture and nutritional value.

BUDDHA JUMPS OVER THE WALL – a complex soup containing various seafood ingredients like abalone, sea cucumber, and dried scallops, along with other luxury ingredients. Legend says it smelled so good that even Buddha would jump over a wall to eat it.

SOY EGG – boiled egg marinated in sweet soy sauce over the course of a few days or hours.

TEA EGGS – hard-boiled eggs marinated in tea, soy sauce, and spices, creating a beautiful marbled pattern. These are a common street food and snack.

STEAMED EGGS / EGG CUSTARD – traditional Chinese dish found all over China. Eggs are whisked with water ato achieve a more tender texture. Sesame oil, soy sauce, or chicken broth may be used to add additional flavor, also solid ingredients (mushrooms, clams or cram meat) can be added.

TOMATO AND EGG STIR-FRY – a homestyle comfort dish combining scrambled eggs with stewed tomatoes, extremely popular across China and considered a staple home-cooked meal.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP – known for its distinctively spicy and tangy flavor, achieved white pepper (for heat) and black vinegar (for sourness), featuring tofu, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and wisps of beaten egg in a thickened broth. The soup gets its texture from the combination of cornstarch-thickened broth and strands of egg that are streamed into the hot liquid, creating delicate ribbons throughout.

EGG DROP SOUP – a simple soup where beaten eggs are slowly stirred into hot broth, creating delicate ribbons.

SWEET SOUP BALLS – glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste, peanut paste, or red bean paste, served in sweet soup.

MOON CAKES – traditional pastries eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival, with various fillings like lotus seed paste, red bean paste, and salted egg yolks.

SWEET RED BEAN SOUP – this is a truly pan-Chinese dessert, served both hot and cold. The simplicity of its ingredients (red beans and sugar) makes it accessible everywhere.

SESAME BALLS – crispy deep-fried glutinous rice balls coated with sesame seeds and filled with sweet red bean paste or lotus seed paste.

EIGHT TREASURE RICE – a festive dessert made with glutinous rice, eight different dried fruits and nuts, and sweet red bean paste, often served during special occasions and holidays.

TANGYUAN – a traditional Chinese dessert made of glutinous rice shaped into balls that are served in a hot broth or syrup.