China’s cuisine has evolved into one of the great cuisines of the world. For more than 5,000 years, food has played an auspicious role in nearly all aspects of Chinese society from health and medicine to business and celebration and it is no less important today. The overall importance of food in China can’t be understated; upon greeting, Westerners will inquire about your health, the Chinese will ask if you’ve eaten.
Rich in scenic beauty, China’s geography spans a wide spectrum from fertile plains to high mountains. Its climate is also extremely broad in scope, ranging from sub-arctic to subtropical with everything in between. This combination of varied geography, climate and sheer land size produces an extraordinary cornucopia of fruit, vegetables, meats and seafood, and has evolved into one of the most interesting, creative and widely enjoyed cuisines of the world.
Emphasis on the freshness, flavor and texture of ingredients is key to fine Chinese cooking. To get the most out of even simple ingredients, a variety of techniques is used to highlight and accent food qualities. Quick cooking with a wok and deep-frying are universal to most styles of cooking in China. You’ll also find other cooking methods such as steaming, roasting, barbecuing, stewing, poaching and braising used extensively.
Many of the coastal and boarder regions of China have adopted outside influences into their cuisine. In general the farther south you travel the more tropical the weather, affording better growing conditions and the lighter and more refined the food tends to be. With harsh winters and short growing conditions, northern and western regions tend to offer much heartier cuisine. Traders, missionaries and invading peoples have all had their persuasion in how gastronomy has evolved in various regions. New world foods such as tomatoes and corn are now common ingredients throughout China, in Hong Kong you’ll find the use of mayonnaise and chilies have directly influenced an entire genre of food from Sichuan. In ancient times and even today, those living in the remote areas didn’t travel extensively and there have been few outside influences from other cultures. The foods they eat and their cooking, essentially their entire way of life, has been insulated and has remained the same for countless generations. If you visit these remote places, you’ll have a fascinating opportunity to have a taste of ancient history.
One note for vegetarians or those who don’t eat pork – if a dish has an unnamed meat, that meat is usually pork. Strict vegetarians and vegans will find it hard to avoid meat or meat products altogether. Some restaurants will simply pick out the most obvious pieces of meat from their dishes or may use lard in their cooking. The best way to avoid meat is to tell the service staff you’re allergic to meat or Buddhist. Here are two helpful phrases “I don’t eat meat” (wǒ bù chī hūn de 我不吃荤的) or “I only eat vegetables” ( wǒ zhǐ chī sù de 我只吃素的). Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is also widely used, you can always ask for none (bú yào wèijīng 不要味精).
NORTHERN CHINA
The cuisine of northern China centers on Beijing and includes the provinces of Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and the northeast, which is collectively known as dongbei in Chinese. The harsh northern climate consists of blistering hot summers and cold dry winters matching the strong, bold and salty flavors of this region. Stir-frying, stewing, and deep-frying are typical ways of cooking fairly basic ingredients such as chicken, mutton, fish and tofu. There tends to be an emphasis on meats, with vegetables taking a back seat. Common condiments include bean pastes, dark soy sauces, vinegar and sugar resulting in dishes with rich brown sauces. Pungent, aromatic and forceful flavors from garlic, ginger and spring onion dominate as well.
Wheat is the staple grain that grows well here and you’ll find an abundance of wheat products in the form of buns, noodles, dumplings and pancakes. Look for hand pulled noodles being made to order – an exciting and artful demonstration of skill. A master noodle puller can create strands of noodles so fine they’re called “dragon’s whiskers (lóngxū miàn 龙须面).” Also, look for “hand shaved (dāoxiāo miàn 刀削面)” noodles made to order served with flavorful soups or dumplings (jiǎozi 饺子), which are a universal simple pleasure served with vinegar and hot chili oil for dipping. Try dumplings with pork and cabbage, egg and chives or pork and black mushroom fillings, which are standard combinations available in most dumpling houses.
There’s also a strong Muslim influence introduced by Central Asian traders who made their way along the Silk Road. You can taste their influence in the form of barbecued lamb skewers (yángròu chuànr 羊肉串儿) flavored with cumin seed or lamb stir-fried with vegetables. Mongolian hotpot (huǒ guō 火锅)is a year round specialty that is especially welcome in the winter. Set in the middle of your dining table is a simmering pot of flavorful broth, spiced with hot oil if you like, in which you cook paper thin slices of lamb, beef or pork, chunks of chicken and seafood as well as vegetables, a sesame paste dipping sauce spiced to your liking accompanies this. Nearly anything can be found cooking in a hotpot – for the adventurous try ordering cubes of duck blood.
Lakes and rivers are a reliable source of freshwater fish. Look for “squirrel fish” (sōngshǔ guìyú松鼠桂鱼) a dish made with mandarin fish, a type of freshwater bass. Ask to see it before it’s cooked to ensure that it is “swimming fresh.” Most restaurants expect patrons to ask, and it’ll be ceremoniously brought directly to the table for your inspection. The fish is carefully filleted then deep-fried and artfully served with a sweet and sour tomato sauce. This is a favorite in Beijing as the Chinese pronunciation is a homonym for “expensive.”
Peking duck (běijīng kǎoyā 北京烤鸭) is the most famous dish of Beijing. Your best bet is to find it at restaurants that specialize in it. After roasting in a wood fired oven, watch a master chef carve the duck, skillfully wielding a thin bladed cleaver to carefully slice it. The delicacy you are after is the crispy duck skin – paired with scallion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce all wrapped in thin flour pancakes. If there’s one dish to seek out when in Beijing, the duck is it.
The influence of the imperial court on northern Chinese cuisine is probably the largest influence on diversity. The standards and demands of this elaborate cuisine are no longer practiced in its full indulgence, but the skills and flavors are of great influence on the standards used for banquets and celebrations today. For the truly indulgent, take part in an imperial banquet. Recipes are based on those that once graced the tables of emperors.
Ten Representative Northern Dishes:
Beef with spring onions (qīngcōng chǎo niúròu 青葱炒牛肉) – a dish of beef and spring onions that is flavored with soy sauce sugar and sesame oil.
Cabbage rolls with mustard oil (jièmò báicài 芥末白菜) – Chinese cabbage brushed with mustard oil, rolled up and steamed, a simple dish that reflects it humble northern roots.
Earthen jar pork (guàn ròu 罐肉) – fatty pork belly, the same cut as bacon, is cooked slowly in a clay jar, creating a very rich brown sauce and succulent pork.
Hand pulled noodles in soup (chēn miàn 抻面) – literally pulled by hand, this soup is “flavored” with various things as red-stewed beef or pork, pickled vegetables, or with shredded chicken and a big dollop of chili sauce.
Mongolian hotpot (huǒ guō火锅) – thought to be first practiced by Mongolian soldiers using their helmets to prepare meals, today uses simmering cauldrons of soup over charcoal, used to individually cook all manner of meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. Soup may be spicy hot depending on personal taste.
Mu shu pork (mùxū ròu 木须肉) – despite being used on a variety of menus everywhere, this is actually a northern dish originating from Beijing. Pork cut into shreds is combined with black mushrooms, wood ear fungus, cabbage and accompanied by pancakes and hoisin sauce.
Peking duck (běijīng kǎoyā 北京烤鸭) – most famous dish from Beijing, multi-step preparation that results in succulent crisp skin eaten with scallion, cucumber and a sweet brown sauce, wrapped in a thin wheat pancake.
Stir-fried eggs and tomatoes (fānqié chǎodàn 番茄炒蛋) – this simple dish is relatively modern in that tomatoes are a “new world” ingredient, yet today has become a staple dish in the north.
Shandong sweet and sour carp (shāndōng tángcù yú 山东糖醋鱼) – deep fried carp with a sauce based on sugar and vinegar.
Stewed sea cucumber with crab eggs (shāndōng xièhuáng hǎishēn 山东蟹黄海参) – a Shandong specialty, sea cucumber, also known as sea slugs, readily absorbs flavors and have an almost crunchy texture. The crab eggs lend a rich subtle flavor to the otherwise bland sea cucumber.
EASTERN CHINA
The cuisine of eastern China tends to revolve around Shanghai and the surrounding provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu. Although Shanghai cuisine is often spoken of, it’s hard to define because it’s derived from the areas surrounding Shanghai. The fertile plains of the Yangtze River offer a rich variety of fish and produce. The style of cooking tends to be lighter than in the west and north. Relatively refined soups, braised and stir-fried dishes flavored with ginger, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and rice vinegar are balanced by using sugar. Look for “red-stewed” (hóngshāo 红烧) foods especially red-stewed pork (hóngshāo ròu 红烧肉), a specialty of the region.
Seafood and fish are important components in eastern region cuisine. Try shrimp cooked with tea leaves and garnished with vinegar, frog stewed with mushrooms, clams stir-fried with scallions, or crab coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. Steamed freshwater hairy crab from Yangcheng Lake is a much sought after specialty that’s in peak season in October and November. The rich, creamy and intensely flavored roe of the crab is the most luxurious part, though be prepared to get your hands messy to extract the meat.
A must try is the Shanghai steamed dumplings (xiǎolóng bāo 小笼包) served with vinegar for dipping. Often found in street market food stalls as well as in restaurants. This Shanghai standard is sometimes elevated to luxury status with the addition of crabmeat or hairy crab roe.
Ten Representative Eastern Dishes:
Beggar’s chicken (jiàohuā jī 叫化鸡) – traditionally a whole chicken flavored with Shaoxing wine, is first wrapped in lotus leaves then with clay and cooked in a fire.
Dongpo pork (dōngpō ròu 东坡肉) – a red-stewed, braised pork dish, usually cooked in an earthenware vessel, is named after distinguished poet Su Dongpo of the 11th century, succulent and rich.
Dragon Well tea prawns (lóngjǐng xiā 龙井虾) – prawns cooked with fresh Dragon Well tea leaves, a specialty in the Hangzhou region.
Hot and sour soup (suānlàtāng 酸辣汤) – deliciously spicy with a tinge of vinegar, this soup is full of sliver of meat, tofu, bamboo shoots and egg.
Lion’s head meatballs (shīzi tóu 狮子头) – these meatballs are said to resemble a “lion’s head” accompanied by a “mane” of bok choy, made with pork, deep fried and braised in a rich brown sauce.
Red-stewed pork (hóngshāo ròu 红烧肉) – braised pork leg dish made with Shaoxing rice wine, dark soy sauce, five-spice powder and rock sugar.
Sweet and sour pork (gǔlǎo ròu 古老肉) – deliciously deep fried pieces of pork are drenched in a sweet and sour sauce with chunks of pineapples.
West Lake beef soup (xīhú niúròu gēng 西湖牛肉羹) – this famous soup is named after West Lake of Hangzhou made with beef, peas and eggs.
West Lake poached fish (xīhú cùyú 西湖醋鱼) – originally from Hangzhou, the fish is first marinated with ginger, soy sauce, sugar and black vinegar, poached whole then sauced with the marinade.
Yangzhou fried rice (yángzhōu chǎofàn 扬州炒饭) – this well-known fried rice dish uses shrimp, peas, and scrambled eggs. It is distinctly flavored with chicken stock, Shoaxing wine, thin soy sauce and sesame oil.
SOUTHERN CHINA
Rich and prosperous southern Chinese cuisine is dominated by Guangdong Province and is best characterized by fresh flavors and textures using cooking techniques that preserve the integrity of ingredients. As a gateway to the new world, all manner of food products from the rest of China – fresh and preserved, flowed through Guangdong. Expect many foods to be lightly seasoned with simple flavors and literally all cooking techniques used – don’t be surprised to see salt, clay or lotus leaves wrapped around something tasty to eat. The subtropical climate provides an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, a profusion of fish and seafood (fresh and all manner of dried), as well as poultry and pork. If you want to see a veritable zoo, you only need visit a local market; the Cantonese are known to pretty much eat anything in the name of eating well. Common exotics include dogs, cats, and frogs – you’ve been warned.
Fresh seafood in southern China is perhaps the best available in China. Nearly all restaurants have swimmingly fresh fish and seafood, which is the standard. Look for the live tanks filled with incredible varieties of fish, clams, crab, abalone and lobster – pretty much anything that swims. You can go to the live tanks and just point your finger at anything you want. Try clams or crab stir-fried with ginger and spring onion; nearly any seafood can be done this way. Whole fish steamed until just cooked and seasoned with light soy sauce and sprinkled with scallions is a classic dish. If you love seafood, southern China is the place to be.
“Yum cha” or literally “drink tea” is perhaps the most social of all dining traditions in China and is a must especially when in Hong Kong or Guangzhou. From morning to mid-afternoon, small snacks or tidbits called dim sum, or “touch of the heart” are served with bottomless pots of hot tea. It’s a time to socialize and catch up with friends and family or just read the morning paper while snacking on a variety of savory and sweet items that are steamed, fried or baked. There are perhaps thousands of different dim sum items to choose from but it couldn’t be any easier to order. Just point at anything you like on the dim sum cart that is wheeled about and you are served immediately.
Fresh vegetables are abundant in southern China and are usually cooked with reverence – usually very simply to retain color, flavor and texture. They’re typically stir-fried with a bit of garlic and a minimum of oil or cooked “in soup”. Try Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, or pea shoots stir-fried with garlic. Pea shoots are the tender young tendrils of the pea vine, they taste a bit like fresh peas. Most vegetables are cooked with some crunch and texture remaining, and seasoned very lightly with soy sauce, oyster sauce, or a chicken stock based sauce.
The world’s original deli is perhaps the famous Cantonese roast or barbecued meats. Pork and duck are favorites and can’t be missed – you can find them prominently displayed in shop windows. Try crispy roast pork, barbecued duck or salt baked chicken cut to order with a side of rice to make a quick lunch.
When visiting southern China, remember that the Cantonese people live to eat.
Ten Representative Southern Dishes:
Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (háoyóu jièlán 蚝油芥兰) – a very simple classic preparation for Chinese broccoli or other vegetables such as lettuce, using oyster sauce which makes the dish, premium oyster sauce starts with 40 liters of oysters to yield 1 liter of sauce.
Clay pot chicken (hǎinán jīfàn 海南鸡饭) – chicken, long grain rice, sweet pork sausage and black mushrooms are cooked in a clay pot and served with a soy, rice wine, sugar and sesame oil based sauce.
Drunken prawns steamed with rice wine (zuì xiā 醉虾) – steamed with Shaoxing wine, or other rice based wine, live shrimps are “drowned” by letting the shrimp swim in rice wine before they are steamed.
Barbeque pork (mìzhī chāshāo 蜜汁叉烧) – that’s usually dark red on the outside and juicy and succulent on the inside, often served as a side dish or on top of rice or noodles.
Pepper and salt fried shrimp (jiāoyán xiā 椒盐虾) – seasoned with pepper and salt, the shrimps are cooked very crisp resulting in shrimp shells that are crunchy and edible, if cooked whole the heads may be eaten as well.
Pig knuckle stew (báiyún zhūshǒu 白云猪手) – a pig knuckle is first boiled then slowly stewed in a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt, this dish has a sweet tangy zest.
Roast duck Cantonese style (guǎngdōng kǎoyā广东烤鸭) – this roast duck does not have the crispy skin of Peking duck, but is more flavorful, it’s marinated with five spice powder, soy and sugar or honey, typically some marinade is poured into the ducks cavity before roasting.
Roast pigeon (kǎo gē 烤鸽) – best when plain roasted and accompanied by pepper-salt for dipping, the rich succulent flavor of pigeon is not masked by anything, typical of Cantonese cuisine.
Salt baked chicken (yán kǎo jī 盐烤鸡) – a whole chicken is buried in salt using a large wok and cooked creating an “oven” to producing amazingly succulent chicken.
Whole steamed fish (qīngzhēng quán yū 清蒸全鱼) – nearly any variety can be used, more of a universal Cantonese technique than a dish, often uses slivers of scallion and ginger, thin soy sauce and a quick dousing of smoking hot oil, usually uses whole fish and steamed until just cooked.
WESTERN CHINA
Western Chinese cuisine includes influences from Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi and the Xinjiang areas. The fertile plains and terraced hills of the western Chinese heartland are fed by the Yangtze River and its tributaries that offer a garden of produce. Flavors are characteristically spicy and pungent – most often associated with chilies, though chilies are not indigenous to China. In fact, chilies were originally brought to the region by Portuguese traders and missionaries, and for the last several hundred years have been used quite extensively. One word of warning – genuine Sichuan food will be absolutely the hottest food you’ve ever eaten.
Though highly prominent, chilies aren’t the only ingredient used in western Chinese cooking. Typical flavors also come from vinegar, garlic, onions, ginger, sesame oil and a very curious spice called Sichuan peppercorn, also known as prickly ash. Sichuan peppercorns have a very strong numbing effect (má là 麻辣) on the mouth when eaten. You’ll know it if you’re eating an authentic version of mapo tofu (mápó dòufu 麻婆豆腐) – your tongue will hang out of the mouth because it has an extraordinary level of Sichuan peppercorns and chilies. Not to be left out, the Sichuan version of hotpot has a fiery level of chili.
Pork, freshwater fish, eggplant, soybeans and legumes such as peanuts are prominent ingredients as are bamboo shoots, mushrooms and rice from the mountains. Typical cooking methods include frying, frying without oil called dry frying, pickling and braising as well as stir-frying. Fish-flavored shredded pork (yúxiāng ròusī 鱼香肉丝) gets its curious flavor from liberal use of ginger, garlic, vinegar, chili and spring onion but no fish.
There is a strong ethnic minority presence in this area of China and the use of goat’s milk for cheese is an example of their influence. Muslim influences also show up in goat meat and dried beef dishes, reflecting a historically nomadic lifestyle. Try the slightly sweet-cured Yunnan ham (xuānwēi huǒtuǐ 宣威火腿), and crossing-the-bridge noodles soup (guòqiáo mǐxiàn 过桥米线).
The Xinjiang influence in western China is very much Arabic in origin, strong in lamb and mutton, with a distinct Muslim flavor. In fact, you’ll find authentic Arabic flat bread (náng 馕), baked in ovens very similar to the Indian tandoor. Mutton kebabs seasoned with toasted cumin are very popular and tasty and should not be missed. Fruit as well has an Arabic influence featuring fresh melons, grapes, apricots and raisins.
Ten Representative Western Dishes:
Ants climbing up a tree (máyǐ shàngshù 蚂蚁上树) – a spicy dish of bean thread noodles and pork that resemble ants climbing trees.
Bang bang chicken (bàngbang jī 棒棒鸡) – a classic Sichuanese cold platter made with chicken, cucumber and bean thread noodles, dressed with a sesame based sauce.
Crispy shredded beef (dēngyǐng niúròu 灯影牛肉) – thought to originate from Sichuan or Hunan uses carrots, spring onion, garlic and chili, sauced with sugar, vinegar and soy.
Dan dan noodles (dàndàn miàn 担担面) – noodles with a spicy sauce made with hot chilies and ground pork.
Dry fried green beans (gānbiān sìjìdòu 干煸四季豆) – sometimes yard long beans are used though always cut into bit size pieces, first deep fried, and then stir-fried with ground pork and Sichuan peppercorns.
Kung pao chicken (gōngbǎo jīdīng 宫保鸡丁) – this classic dish from Sichuan is made with chicken, chili and peanuts.
Mapo tofu (mápó dòufu 麻婆豆腐) – a classic Sichuan dish literally meaning “pockmarked grandmother tofu” using tofu, ground pork, copious quantities of red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, it’s named after an old woman thought to have first made this dish in her restaurant.
Mouth watering beef (shuǐzhǔ niúròu 水煮牛肉) – named because this dish is so good it “makes your mouth water with anticipation,” beef is cooked with a very large quantity of chili laced oil, effectively poaching the beef with hot oil, this dish is also made with fish or lamb as well.
Smoked fish (xūn yú 熏鱼) – originating from Guangxi, this fish dish is not smoked, but takes on a smoky quality from first being marinated with five spice, ginger, Shaoxing wine, and sugar, deep fried then marinated again.
Twice cooked pork (huíguō ròu 回锅肉) – pork is first boiled, then stir-fried with peppers, chili and soy.
BASIC DINING ETIQUETTE & CUSTOMS IN CHINA
Dining etiquette in China can be quite intricate and daunting at first. You’ll probably make a few faux pas, but with a little basic understanding and realization that most practices are intended to make the guests feel comfortable and honored, you’ll soon be able enjoy China’s cuisine without worry.
One of the first things you will do at the table is drink tea. Be sure to pour tea for those around you first and your own teacup last – it’s considered bad form to fill yours first or even worse, just fill your own. Even if the teacups of those around you are full, you should dribble a little anyway, this is considered polite. One reoccurring theme, which is mainly directed at the host, is to make sure your guests always have a full plate and cup.
When using chopsticks, never point them directly at people and never stick them standing upright in your rice bowl – this is a reminder of the incense burned at funerals. To serve yourself or others use a clean spoon solely for taking food from communal plates, though it is perfectly acceptable to either take food directly with your own chopsticks at informal settings. If you serve someone with your own chopsticks, use the blunt ends that don’t go into you mouth.
If you’re invited to be a guest at a meal, your host will want to ensure that there’s more than enough food for everyone. If your host miscalculates (usually not often), don’t be surprised if he orders more food to “save face” to prove their generosity and graciousness. Along this same theme, don’t be surprised to find your host serving you choice morsels of food whether you ask for it or not, this is another sign of generosity – be sure to accept gracefully.
If you are a particularly important guest, fish will likely be served and the host may serve you the fish’s head (which is considered a very choice part of the fish). If you aren’t particularly fond of fish heads, just graciously accept, be brave and tuck in. It may embarrass (make him lose face) or even insult your host to return or refuse the fish’s head. A better tactic would be to serve your host the fish’s head first as a gesture of thanks for being so generous. Be gracious if at anytime you feel the need to decline a serving.
When most Westerners make arrangements to eat, it’s assumed that each person will pay their own share, unless it’s been specifically stated that one person is treating. In Chinese custom, unless amongst friends or in an informal setting, it’s the inviter that pays for the meal. It’s polite to make an effort to pay, but expect strong resistance. It’s a common sight in many Chinese restaurants to see two people loudly arguing after a meal – they’re fighting for the right to pay.
When in doubt, do as your host does or simply ask – just remember that your host ultimately wants you to have a good time and feel welcome.