Chinese cuisine boasts incredible diversity and richness. This guide highlights some of the most famous dishes you should try during your visit. From the delicate balance of flavors to vibrant colors and unique presentation, experiencing Chinese food is a cultural adventure.
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China cuisine
| Must try food in China
Shanghai cuisine
Peking Duck: A Culinary Legend
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Peking duck is an iconic dish, representing the pinnacle of Chinese culinary artistry. The preparation is meticulous: ducks are marinated with a blend of spices, including maltose, red vinegar, and five-spice powder, before being expertly roasted. The result? Incredibly crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. It’s traditionally served with pancakes, scallions, and a sweet sauce.
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Sweet and Sour Pork: A Globally Beloved Classic
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Sweet and sour pork transcends borders, a testament to its deliciousness. The key lies in the perfectly balanced sauce—a harmonious blend of vinegar’s tartness, sugar’s sweetness, and the savory richness of the pork. The sauce, typically made with rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, tomato sauce, garlic, ginger, and pepper, coats the pork, creating a delightful textural and flavor experience.
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Sichuan Tofu (Mapo Tofu): A Spicy Delight
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Sichuan tofu, particularly Mapo Tofu, showcases the bold flavors of Sichuan cuisine. Despite its simple preparation, the dish is anything but simple in taste. Silken tofu is combined with flavorful ingredients including shiitake mushrooms, minced meat, and a complex blend of spices like oyster sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, and chili peppers, resulting in a harmonious yet exciting culinary experience.
| Must try food in China
| Must try food in China
Yangzhou Fried Rice: A Culinary Masterpiece
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Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou fried rice is a sophisticated dish that belies its simple ingredients. The masterful combination of char siu, Chinese sausage, peas, and vegetables creates a rich and unforgettable flavor profile. The careful balance of ingredients is key to the dish’s magic.
Wonton Noodles: A Delicate Balance
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Wonton noodles demand expertise and precision. Perfectly cooked noodles, tender wontons with flavorful fillings, and a delicately balanced broth all come together in this classic dish. The chef’s skill is evident in the texture of the noodles, the thinness of the wonton wrappers, and the depth of flavor in the broth.
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| klook | Must try food in China
Stinky Tofu: A Unique Chinese Street Food
Stinky tofu, a popular street food in China, is made from fermented tofu. The fermentation process, which varies by vendor, creates its distinctive pungent aroma and flavor profile. Various spices and ingredients are added during marinating, contributing to the unique taste of each batch. Despite its name, many find its strong aroma and umami flavor intensely satisfying.
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| Must try food in China
Incredible smell stinky tofu, must eat in china | Must try food in China
Hainanese Chicken Rice: A Simple Yet Elegant Dish
Hainanese chicken rice is renowned for its simple yet elegant preparation. The chicken is meticulously poached in a flavorful broth, often resulting in tender, juicy meat. This broth is then used to cook the rice, infusing it with a delicate chicken flavor. The dish is typically served with a selection of fresh vegetables and condiments, offering a balanced and flavorful meal. The combination of succulent chicken and fragrant rice provides an unforgettable dining experience.
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Chicken rice is a deceptively simple dish (Credit: Asia File/Alamy) | Must try food in China
Chinese Hot Pot: A Social and Flavorful Experience
Chinese hot pot is a communal dining experience characterized by a simmering broth in a central pot. Diners select from a vast array of ingredients, including meat, seafood, vegetables, and noodles, which are cooked directly in the broth. Popular broth variations include Thai, Mala (spicy and numbing), Sichuan spicy, beef, tomato, and mushroom. The customizable nature of hot pot makes it a perfect way to cater to individual preferences, while the shared cooking and dining creates a fun and engaging social experience.
Malatang hotpot | Must try food in China
Spicy Chengdu hotpot | Must try food in China
Longevity Noodles: A Symbol of Long Life and Good Fortune
Longevity noodles, originating in Zhejiang province, are unique for their uncut length. Eating an entire noodle without breaking it symbolizes a long and healthy life, making it a significant dish for celebrations and special occasions. The noodles themselves can vary, but the uncut nature and the wish for longevity behind them are central to the tradition .
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Liu Sha Bao (Molten Custard Salted Egg Buns): A Delightful Sweet and Savory Treat
Liu Sha Bao are delightful buns filled with a molten mixture of salted egg yolk and condensed milk. The contrasting flavors of sweet and salty create an irresistible combination, with the creamy filling offering a textural contrast to the fluffy bun. They are a popular treat, showcasing a clever blend of Chinese culinary techniques and flavor profiles.
| must eat food in china
| must eat food in china
| must eat food in china
| must eat food in china
Dong Po Rou (Braised Pork Belly): A Culinary Masterpiece
Dong Po Rou, or braised pork belly, is a classic dish known for its meltingly tender texture and rich flavor. The pork belly, carefully chosen for its ideal fat-to-lean ratio, is braised slowly until fall-apart tender. A complex blend of spices, including garlic, pepper, sugar, fish sauce, and wine, infuses the pork with a unique depth of flavor. The result is a truly indulgent and unforgettable culinary experience.
| must eat food in china
| must eat food in china
Dongpo pork | must eat food in china
Jiaozi and Har Gow: A Dumpling Delight
Jiaozi and Har Gow represent two popular types of Chinese dumplings. Jiaozi, typically filled with pork or shrimp, are characterized by their thin, translucent wrappers. Har Gow, on the other hand, feature thicker wrappers and are often pleated at the top, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. Both offer a delicious combination of savory filling and delicate dough that are quintessential examples of Chinese cuisine.
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Nanjing Jiaozi | must eat food in china
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Buddha Jumps Over the Wall: A Sumptuous and Nutritious Feast
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Must-Try Dishes of Chinese Cuisine
This guide explores a selection of iconic Chinese dishes, highlighting their unique preparation methods and cultural significance.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (佛跳墙)
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Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a luxurious and complex dish, considered a delicacy. Its preparation involves individually steaming ingredients like shark fin, pig’s trotters, chicken breast, dried scallops, and abalone to preserve their flavors and nutrients. These are then combined in a clay pot, braised with Shaoxing wine and ginger for approximately 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. The name suggests the irresistible aroma is so captivating it would make a Buddha break his vegetarian vows.
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Beggar’s Chicken (叫化鸡 – Jiāo Huà Jī)
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Beggar’s Chicken transcends its culinary appeal; it’s a testament to Chinese culinary ingenuity and history. Fresh chicken is marinated with ginger, lemon leaves, garlic, and spices. Then, it’s wrapped in foil and clay before being baked. This unique method seals in moisture and intensifies the flavors during the cooking process.
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Duck Noodles (鸭肉面)
Duck noodles offer both deliciousness and nutritional value. The dish typically features tender duck meat, noodles, and a flavorful broth infused with a blend of aromatics such as osmanthus flowers, star anise, and cloves. The noodles are cooked in the broth, absorbing its rich flavors.
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Roasted duck and pork noodles
Nian Gao (年糕) – Chinese New Year Sweet Rice Cake
The nest cake looks delicious.@shutterstock
Nian Gao, a traditional glutinous rice cake, holds significant cultural weight in China, particularly during Lunar New Year celebrations. It symbolizes family unity and prosperity. Made from simple ingredients like glutinous rice flour, sugar, and often banana leaves or coconut milk, its preparation is a testament to patience and precision.
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Guoqiao Mixian (过桥米线) – Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles
This Yunnan specialty begins with a rich, flavorful broth. Diners then add ingredients like noodles, fish or shrimp, quail eggs, vegetables, and seasonings directly to the simmering broth at the table. The hot broth cooks the ingredients as they are added, creating a personalized and interactive dining experience.
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Chinese Lamb Hot Pot (羊肉火锅)
Lamb hot pot is a hearty and flavorful meal. Thinly sliced lamb is cooked in a simmering broth infused with herbs and spices. The lamb is typically dipped briefly into the hot pot to ensure it remains tender and juicy, preserving its natural sweetness. The fragrant broth and the savory lamb combine for a satisfying experience.
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Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles (兰州拉面)
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Originating in Gansu province, Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles are a testament to culinary skill. The rich broth is often made with bone stock, infused with radish, peppers, and greens. The noodles themselves are the star, requiring considerable skill to achieve their characteristic thinness, evenness, and chewiness.
Cantonese Spring Rolls (广东春卷)
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Cantonese spring rolls are made with a blend of meat (often pork), shrimp, crab meat, century eggs, and spices, wrapped in thin rice paper and deep-fried to a golden brown. The simplicity of the ingredients belies the delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Crispy Fried Noodles (炸酱面)
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Crispy fried noodles are a stir-fried noodle dish featuring a blend of vegetables, meat, or seafood, and spices. The noodles are fried until crisp, providing a satisfying textural contrast to the other ingredients. The dish is a testament to the range of textures and bold flavors within Chinese cuisine.
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Popular Chinese Dishes: A Culinary Journey
Kung Pao Chicken, a Sichuan and Guizhou specialty, is renowned for its vibrant flavor profile. The dish expertly balances tender chicken, crunchy peanuts, and a signature spicy chili kick. Each bite offers a complex interplay of spice and sweetness, creating a memorable culinary experience.
Roujiamo: China’s “Burger”
Roujiamo, often called the Chinese hamburger, is a popular street food originating in Shaanxi province. This savory treat features a crispy, fried bread roll filled with shredded meat or other ingredients. It exemplifies the delicious and inventive street food culture found across China.
Tanghulu: Candied Fruit Delights
Tanghulu, a ubiquitous Chinese candied fruit snack, is a common sight on busy streets, easily identified by its vibrant red hue and bamboo skewers. Hawthorn berries, citrus fruits, and cherry tomatoes are frequently used, creating a variety of sweet and tangy flavors. Each piece offers a unique taste experience.
Tanghulu candy
Candied Chestnuts: A Sweet and Crunchy Treat
Candied chestnuts are a beloved traditional Chinese snack, frequently found at street stalls and night markets. These treats are known for their sweet and crunchy texture.
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The preparation involves roasting fresh chestnuts until golden brown and crispy, then coating them in a smooth layer of melted sugar. This process results in a delightful combination of sweetness and satisfying crunch.
Chinese cuisine
Exploring Chinese cuisine is a journey into a rich and diverse culinary heritage. Each dish is a testament to the country’s unique ingredients, cooking techniques, and time-honored recipes.
This post originally appeared on Klook Vietnam and was translated and edited by VisitFamousplaces.com. Please contact us if you believe any images or text belong to you.
