China is very rich in its history, vibrant culture and people. Also, Chinese cuisine is a unique symbol of Chinese culture rich in heritage and culinary infusions. Today Chinese cuisine become world cuisine and has expanded its reach in many parts of the world, and today it is loved and enjoyed in many countries worldwide. Chinese food is in demand due to its unique cooking style, aroma, taste and colors, rich in flavors and with rich dining experience and off-course healthy. By this article you will know more about 15 Most Popular Chinese Dishes for every Chinese food lover.
As china is a very populated and this country also having a big landmass, therefore we can experience the difference in Chinese cuisine by region wise, according to the climate, local ingredients, cooking styles and preferences. But overall it is very unique in nature and in demand today in almost every part of the world.
How Chinese cuisine is diverse and can be experienced in China according to region:
Mostly Chinese cuisine can be identified as in North food is Salty, in South more of sweat, in Eastern Chinese cuisine is enrich with Hot and Spicy Food items and West china sour taste food is found.
North China: North side of china is famous for its wheat made noodles and steamed buns, and meat dishes and more inclusion of dried meat products. this all is mostly made with adding lots of salt. Therefore, we can say that more salt is used in northern Chinese cuisine. Dumplings, Hot Pot Peking Duck are the popular dishes in northern China area.
South China: Cantonese cuisine is one of the famous cuisines in southern part of China in which rice and seafood are the base of most of the dishes with its sweat and mild flavors. Char Siu, Sweat and Sour pork, Dim sum, Chow Mein, Lo Mein and congee, Steamed Rice and Fish are the famous dish from south Chinese cuisine. In South Chinese cuisine we can found use of more fresh food items grown locally with minimum usage of preservatives and sauce.
East China: Eastern Chinese cuisine is known for its hot and spicy flavors, it is a mix of seafood and soup based dishes. Jiangsu cuisine and, Haiyang Cuisine, which are the most popular in Eastern China. Nanjing Salted Duck, Yangzhou fried rice are the famous dishes in eastern part of China
West China: Western part of china is famous for its usage of spicy herbs and Saur Ingredients. Sichuan Cuisine and Hunan cuisine contributes the popularity of western Chinese cuisine. Chow Mein, King Pao chicken and fried rice are the popular dished from western china.
According to the traditional cooking styles infused with local regional flavors and ingredients, Chinese cuisine is derived in its eight popular cuisines which are Sichuan Cuisine, Hunan Cuisine, Shandong Cuisine, Zhejiang Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine, Anhui Cuisine and Cantonese Cuisine, all of these Chinese cuisine have unique dishes are popular in worldwide Chinese food lovers.
1. Peking Roaster Duck (Beijing Kaoya)
Peaking Duck or a Beijing Roasted Duck is very a famous dish originated from Beijing and is considered as one of the national popular dish in china. Peaking duck is a crisp meat dish and it is eaten with Pancakes, Sweat Bean Sauce, Soya Sauce and mashed garlic.
Peaking Roasted Duck was a royal dish in medieval China and today it is a “national dish of diplomacy” since 1970’s, when it was firstly served in the guest welcome feast arranged for a foreign guest by, Renowned Premier Zhou Enlai, who was a prominent Premier of People’s Republic of China. This dish was popularized as a gesture of honor to the guests, by many state heads, provincial officials, diplomats and foreign guests of China.
2. Kung Pao Chicken (Gongbao Jiding):
Kung Pao Chicken is a special dish from Sichuan cuisine, and it popular in china as well as in other parts of the world, the main ingredients of this dish is pieces of chopped chicken, dried chilli, cucumber and cashew of fried peanuts.
Western Chinese takeout restaurants, experimented with Chinas popular dish Kung Pao Chicken in the western cuisine, and today it is popular in western Chinese food lovers, they modified its original recipe with original chopped chicken pieces coated with corn starch, vegetables, smashed garlic and Sweet and Saur sauce before serving.
3. Sweet and Sour Pork (Tang-Cu Li ji)
It is a sweet and sour pork has a bright orange red color, it is 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 mixed with other meat items such as chicken, beef, pork ribs etc.
4. Hot Pot (Huo guo)
Hot pot, is one of the signature dish of China. It hails from Sichuan province or Chongqing. People cook in and eat directly from a hot pot of soup stock (broth) on induction or gas. Meat Slices, eggs, noodles, vegetables etc. can be added directly in the hot soup and enjoy the hot food directly from pot.
Hot pot is a very popular in China. Earlier these hot pots were popularly used in winter season. But Now a day’s, hot pot meals are available at restaurants and can enjoyed all the year and it is also a great way for socializing with friends and family. People gather around the hot pot and enjoy spending their eating and community time with fun.
5. Dim Sum (Dianxin)
Chinese people have very fond of hot pot meal, earlier hot pot were used in winter season only, but nowadays hot pot has been appearing on tables all year round in every season. It is a great way to socialize with friends and relatives. People gather around the pot to eat while chatting, eating, drinking, and having fun.
Dim sum is originated in Guangzhou city in China, Earlier Guangdong city residents have fond of drinking tea and morning lunch, and family lunches, that time Dim sum was invented. And now it is a popular snack of every social gathering.
6. Dumplings (Jiaozi)
Dumplings are traditional Chinese food and is widely popular in North China. Chinese dumplings are made of chopped meat or chopped vegetables wrapped in thin dough of multipurpose flour such as wheat flour and tapioca starch.
Dumplings can be made with steaming or frying, and its filing can be made of chopped meat, fine cut vegetables, Chicken, Beef, Shrimp etc.
Dumplings are popular Chinese new year evening treat. Making dumplings is a collaborative process and need contribution of all family members, this gives a great social time.
7. Ma Po Tofu (Mopo doufu)
Ma Po tofu is one of the signature dish of Sichuan cuisine, It has a long history of 100+ years This food consists of beancurd along with chopped meat pork or beef added with spicy sauce made with fermented black beans and chilli paste. Ma Po tofu is originated from Chengdu of Sichuan province. It is invented by Chen an old grand lady, her face was pockmarked therefore this food is called as Ma Po (Pockmarked Granny). This spicy and fragrant dish become popular today in not in China, but also in Japan and other parts of world.
8. Char Siu (char siu)
Char siu is a Cantonese cuisine dish, it is a roasted pork in Chinese languane “Char” means fork and “siu” means roasting, so “char siu” is a fork roasted pork. This is also added as a stuffing in steamed bun and is popular in China.
9. Chao Mein (chao mian):
Chao mein is a very popular Cantonese cuisine dish, in mandarin language Chao mian means stir-fried-noodles. It is basically a noodles stir and fried with adding chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, onion, celery and other vegetables and spices.
Chow mein was first invented by a Chinese lady named Shan Gu from Jingsu Province. She was a cooking for workers of dam to stop the flooding of Yellow river. She invented Chow mein, so it can be stored for longer time and can be easily boiled, fried with adding the toppings and frying.
10. Fried Rice (chaofan)
Fried rice is a dish made from frying the cooked rice and adding other ingredients. Fried rice can also be added eggs. Vegetables, seafood, or meat. Fried rice a very popular Chinese dish. It is easy recipe with using leftover rice and, meat or vegetables remaining from previous meal.
In 1644-1912 CE there was an important diplomatic official Li Hongzhang from Qing Dynasty, he asked his chief cook to prepare meal for a group of Chinese people and foreigner guests, the chef made fried rice which was enjoyed and acclaimed by all guests, and from then this dish was popular in Chinese people. Yangzhou fried rice is popular in China, it is made with fried rice added with shrimp, eggs and grilled pork.
11. Twice Cooked Pork Slices:
Twice cooked pork or double cooked pork is one of the most popular dish of Sichuan cuisine, Its Chinese name is huiguorou, which means “returned to the pot meat”. While making this dish, first pork is boiled in the pot firs, then it is cooked again by adding bean paste, fermented black soybeans garlic ginger and other spices and vegetables. This dish was created by Su Dongpo also known as Su Shi in the song dynasty era during (960-1279 CE) and he was a well know poet.
Su was decided to make a pork dish for his friends gathering, He kept pork in pot for boiling and walked out, he forgets about the dish. After return he found that the pork has turned very soft. He tasted the pork and its fat become softer and delicious, so he added other spices and ingredients in it and cooked again and served it to his friends, and surprisingly it was praised by them.
12. Sichuan Pork (shuizhu roupian):
Sichuan pork or poached pork is a very famous dish of Sichuan cuisine. It is a pork made with coating of egg white and starch with proper boiled in broth. The meaty broth is typically from Sichuan cuisine with its spicy taste, every meat become juicy due to its spiced additions.
13. Xialongbao (Small basket bun) or Shanghai bun:
Xiaolongbao is a kind of bun which is popular in Jingsu and Shanghai region. It is traditionally cooked in a small bamboo basket which gives this dish its name. This dish has a primary filling of pork along with beef, crab meat, shrimp, seafood and vegetable fillings. It is a best bun filled with soup and a very popular dish in China.
14. Zhajiangmian (Jaa Jyang Myen) or fried sauce noodles:
It is one of the most popular Shandong cuisine dish. It is made with thick wheat noodles topped with zhajiang sauce. This sauce if made by simmering pork or beef with salty fermented soybean paste. In Chinese language zhajiang mean fried sauce. Noodles are best small meal popular in Beijing.
This dish is originated in Shandong region, zhajiangmian was invented to Beijing by Qing Dynasty Emperor Guangxu during 1871 TO 1908 CE and empress Dowager Cixi. During their visit to Bejing to Xi’ an. They went to a traditional Chinese restaurant and ordered a bowel of zhajiangmian. They found it tasty and later they took the cook, who made that fried sauce noodles to their royal palace in Beijing. And since then Zhajiangmian is more popular in Beijing and around china.
15. Wonton Soup (hundun)
Wontons is a dumpling dish which is generally less in filling than its similar Jiaoozi and it is wrapped in more thin dough wrap. Wonton filling can be made of pork, diced shrimp, and it is served in soup (broth) and it can also be eaten as a deep fried.
We hope you are now aware about the above 15 most popular dish in china.
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