The history of typical Chinese food It can be traced back to about 1000 years ago, with varied cooking styles, techniques and ingredients that have evolved over time.
Generally a traditional Chinese meal will have a carbohydrate or starch, such as noodles, rice or rolls, accompanied by sautéed vegetables, fish or meat.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Fresh vegetables are common in this kitchen, especially mushrooms, water chestnuts and bamboo. Tofu is also popular.
In the north of China , wheat accompaniments such as noodles and steamed buns dominate the table, while in southern China rice is more popular.
Fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, fresh ginger and powder of five species are used for seasoning.
The flavors and cooking styles vary according to the region; the most prominent are Cantonese, Szechuan, Shandong, Fujian, Hunian, and Jiangsu.
10 Typical dishes of the food of China
1- Boiled dumplings
They are one of the most popular traditional Chinese dishes; Essentially they come from Cantonese food. They have a long history dating back to about 1800 years ago and they are a popular food in northern China.
This dish consists of small balls of thin dough stuffed with cut vegetables, pork or meat. Other fillings include sliced shrimp and chicken.
Dumplings or dumplings can be cooked fried, boiled or steamed. Traditionally these balls are dipped in a mixture of black vinegar and chili sauce, which adds a spicy, bitter and unique flavor to the dish.
A traditional dumpling from west of China is called momo . In this region, it is common to stuff the dumplings with yak meat.
2- Beef noodles
They can be found in almost any part of China; They are considered the most typical food of the nation.
There are many variations of this dish, since each restaurant and each house are prepared differently.
A popular variation is the soup of boiled noodles with roasted beef and a mixture of vegetables.
The Lanzhou version originated during the Tang Dynasty and is considered one of the three most famous fast foods in China.
In this dish the soup is clear, white Chinese radish, spicy paprika, garlic, coriander and taffy noodles are used; the meat comes from the yak. Many times the noodles are made by hand.
3- Sweet and Sour Pork
This pig has a particular orange color, but a very distinctive bittersweet flavor. It is a very popular Cantonese dish, considered as a Jiangsu dish whose literal translation is pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce.
The northwest China version of this meal is made by frying small pieces of pork in a potato starch mixture; Fry until the meat is golden and crispy. Then, they are placed in a caramel sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger.
The Cantonese version is made with vinegar, preserved plums and hawthorn flakes,
Currently, pork can be substituted with chicken, beef or even ribs.
4- Ma Po Tofu
This is one of the most typical foods of Chinese Chuan cuisine; It has a history of more than 100 years.
He Ma It is a spicy and hot flavor that only comes from the powder of chili, a condiment widely used in the kitchen of Chuan.
The milky tofu is enriched with green onion cut into pieces and reddish-brown minced beef.
5- Chow Mein
Chow Men is the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese symbols that mean: fried noodles. Generally speaking, this dish consists of noodles, a type of meat (usually chicken, beef, shrimp or pork), onion and celery.
To make the chow mein, the noodles need to be cooked for a while in boiling water. After they are cooled, they begin to make a step by step to sauté them in a wok with the vegetables and meat.
6- Spring Rolls
The spring rolls are a kind of Cantonese dim sum in a cylindrical shape. The filling can be vegetables or meat, and its flavor can be sweet or salty.
After the fillings are wrapped in the wrappings of the pimavera rolls, they are fried. This is what gives this dish its characteristic golden color.
This dish is especially typical in Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
7- Wontons
Since the Tang Dynasty (618-907) it has been customary for the Chinese to consume this dish during the winter solstice.
The most versatile form of wonton It is a straight triangle, similar to an Italian tortellini. This dough can be stuffed with chopped pork or shrimp cut into small pieces.
Commonly the wantons They are boiled and served in the soup, although sometimes they are also fried.
8- Stew of Lamb
The stew or pào mó It is a typical food of Xi'an. A popular version is the one that is served with lamb, although it is also made with beef or pork.
Instead of serving with noodles, this stew uses pieces of unleavened bread (which causes it to absorb a complex flavor).
This dish is served with chili sauce and pickled garlic on one side. The idea is that these companions eat alone, along with the stew.
These elements enhance the flavors of the dish, as well as being said to ward off evil spirits.
9 Chinese Burger (Rou Jia Mo)
It is the Chinese answer to a western hamburger. They are known as rou jia mo (which means meat in a bun).
They are usually made by placing a piece of bun stuffed with marinated pork in a stone oven.
The pork should be cooked overnight in a large pot with a variety of spices including cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.
The idea is that after so many hours the meat easily falls apart to be inserted into the hamburger. It is believed that this filling ( rou ) can be traced to about 2 thousand years ago.
This dish is considered as cultural heritage of the Province of Shaanxi.
10- Roast Duck Beijing
It is the most famous typical dish of Beijing and is known throughout the world. It is considered one of the most national dishes of China.
Peking duck is known for its thin and crunchy skin. The sliced duck is often eaten with pancakes, or sweet bean sauce or soy with crushed garlic.
References
- The 8 most popular chines dishes you should try. Retrieved from chinahighlights.com
- 12 traditional chines foods you've got to try (2017). Recovered from travelfreak.net
- 10 most popular chines dishes (2017). Retrieved from food.ndvt.com
- Lanzhou beef noodles (2014). Recovered from chinadaily.com.cn
- Chinese hamburgers (2017). Retrieved from thewokislife.com
- Sweet and sour chicken (2013). Recovered from prezi.com
- Lanzhou beef noodles Recovered from chinascenic.com