Chinese food is widely available and varies significantly by region, providing various flavors, textures, and fragrances. In a world of constant fusion and adaptation, discovering authentic Chinese cuisine is enlightening and enables one to appreciate the real spirit of this legendary food legacy. Join us as we set out on a culinary journey through the core of China, where every dish reveals a story of culture, tradition, and skillful cooking.

  • Chicken Gong Bao
  • Chow Mein
  • Dim Sum
  • Jiaozi
  • Peking Duck
  • Sticky Rice
  • Wonton Soup
  • Zongzi
  • Fried Rice
  • Steaming Buns with Pork
  • Spring Rolls
  • Char Siu
  • Noodles with Stir Fry Sauce
  • Soup Dumplings
  • Steamed Eggplant
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Chicken Gong Bao

Chicken Gong Bao is a delicious, spicy Chinese chicken dish composed of chicken, peanuts, red chili, ginger, and a soy based sauce. It is referred to as Gōngbǎo in Mandarin, and is a classic Chinese dish from the Sichuan region.

Gong Bao Chicken served with rice.
Source: Alpha from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

It is believed that this dish is named after Ding Baozhen (1820-1886), who was a former governor of the Sichuan Province. He had the title of Taizi Shaobao, which is a title of the Gongbao.

Throughout its history, Chicken Gong Bao has remained a popular dish, and can even be found at most restaurants even if it is not on the menu!

Chow Mein

Chaomian is the official name of Chow Mein in Mandarin. This stir-fried noodle dish is sweet and simple to cook. Stir-frying thin egg noodles with cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and other vegetables in a wok with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings will produce chow mein. Chicken, beef, or seafood can also be added to the mixture to boost its protein content.

A picture of chow mein with 2 other chinese dishes.
The recipe is very customizable, which makes it one of the best choices for home cooks or restaurant goers.

Dim Sum

Dim Sum, diǎn xīn, is one of the most famous dishes in China and is commonly eaten from late morning to lunchtime. This popular dish is customizable and can be tailored to your taste buds and cravings! Whether you are eating dim sum at a restaurant or from street vendors, you can find this tasty meal as a sweet version, filled with fruit, or savory, filled with vegetables, meat or fish! Surely you'll find one that suits your palette!

Seven dim sum inside a bamboo steamer.
Discover the tasty flavors of dim sum the next time you go to a Chinese restaurant. Souce: Jason Leung

Jiaozi

Jiaozi is a type of Chinese dumplings that is commonly eaten on Chinese New Year because of the dumplings unique horn shape that is a symbol of good luck.

These dumplings are made from soft dough and are typically filled with vegetables and ground beef. Depending on your preferences, Jiaozi can be steamed, pan-fried, or deep fried.

Jiaozi in bamboo steamers.
Source: Angela Roma

Remember to tightly seal the dough by pressing the edges together to ensure that all the filling stays inside!

Peking Duck

Peking Duck originates from Beijing and has been enjoyed by thousands since the Imperial era. This national dish of China is known for its juicy meat and thin, crispy skin. Traditionally, Peking Duck is carved in front of diners and is commonly served with steamed pancakes, vegetables, and an assortment of dipping sauces.

Peking duck with sliced cucumber, spring onion, and steamed pancakes.
Enjoy the rich flavors of the plum sauce that covers peking duck and its crispy skin when you eat China's national dish. Source: Polina Tankilevitch

Sticky Rice

Known as Lo Mai Gai, Chinese Sticky Rice is a common Cantonese dish steam-cooked in lotus leaves with glutinous rice, chicken, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and other aromatics. The dish has a rich and savory flavor from the added soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings.

Chinese sticky rice is frequently consumed as a main course on celebratory occasions like Lunar New Year's Eve or as a component of dim sum.

A plate of stick rice topped with green onion
Chinese sticky rice is the perfect dish when you are wanting something tasty, but quick and easy!

Wonton Soup

Known as "hundun tang" in Mandarin, wontons are thin dumplings stuffed with a flavorful mixture of shrimp or pork. The dish is nourishing and comforting.

After being wrapped in thin flour, water, and salt dough, the wontons are boiled in a tasty broth with chicken or pork bones, ginger, garlic, and green onion. Before serving, wonton soup is frequently topped with extra cilantro and green onions. Wonton soup uses many common traditional Chinese cooking techniques.

A bowl of wont soup with a white spoon.
Wonton soup is the perfect recipe for colder weather!
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Zongzi

Known as Joong in Mandarin, Zongzi is a traditional rice dish made of different fillings from diced meat or pork belly to a sweet filling made of red bean paste, and then is wrapped in bamboo leaves. Zongzi can be either steamed or boiled to make the dish soft and chewy. This filling dish can be found all throughout China!

Someone eating Zongzi out of a bamboo leaf.
Whether you are craving something sweet or savory, Zongzi is the perfect traditional Chinese meal to try! Source: Getty Images

Fried rice

Fried rice, the salty asian carryout staple, is called" chǎofàn" in Mandarin and can encompass thousands of variations. In a preheated wok, cold cooked rice (usually leftovers from a day old)is stir-fried with chopped-up vegetables, meats, and eggs and seasoned with soy sauce.

Fried rice with celery and carrots on the side.
Fried rice is a fantastic dish for beginners to learn or for someone looking to create a quick and easy meal with leftovers. Source: Christopher Alvarenga

Common vegetables to toss into a fried rice dish are carrots, peas, onions, green onions, bean sprouts, and bell peppers and meats can include shrimp, beef, ham, and chicken. Refrigerated rice is critical because if you let it warm to room temperature, steaming it again will turn it mush.

Usually, it takes a lot of time for people to discover the secrets of Chinese cooking, but following our advice can easily make you a master in the kitchen.

Steaming Buns with Pork

The puffy dough buns, called “baozi” in Mandarin, are filled with aromatic minced pork and fragrant spices. Combine yeast, wheat flour, sugar, and water, then mix well to create the dough. Incorporate the minced pork mixture, and steam until fully cooked.

Steamed pork buns, which can be consumed as bite-sized food between meals or included in a meal course, can vary in taste due to being served alongside chili oil or soy sauces.

Buns with pork inside a steamer.
Steamed buns are a favorite comfort food in China and other Asian countries.

Remember to check out our easy Chinese recipes to make guests happy with the most delicious foods.

Spring rolls

These shatter-crisp packets filled with meat, vegetables, and sometimes vermicelli noodles are known as "Chun Juan" in Mandarin. The filling is made with a mixture of meat, vegetables, and, sometimes, vermicelli noodles that are as thin as thread.

This filling is seasoned with typical Chinese spicing — ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and the like — and then wrapped in thin dough wrappers made from flour, water, and salt. The rolls are deep-fried until shatter-crisp is deep golden and served hot as an appetizer or snack with a sauce for dipping made from vinegar, soy sauce, and chili paste in China and other Asian countries. Spring rolls are so good, they almost feel like a traditional Chinese dessert when made perfect.

A plate of spring rolls stacked in a pyramid shape.
What is your favorite filling to go into spring rolls?

Char Siu

Chinese barbecued pork, or Char Siu, is a well-known Cantonese dish prepared by roasting marinated pork until it becomes soft and caramelized. Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, garlic, and Chinese five-spice powder are common marinade ingredients that give the meat a savory and sweet taste.

As a main course, char siu can be eaten, sliced, and served with rice, noodles, or steamed buns. It is a well-liked Cantonese dish frequently eaten at family get-togethers and festive events.

Char Siu with a side of sauce
A plate of Char Siu is sure to spark your love of Chinese food! Source: Unsplash.com

Noodles with stir-fried sauce

The other name for the fried sauce noodles in Shandong province of China originated in their home province. The noodles are typically thick and chewy, coated with a tasty sauce from fermented soybean paste mixed with ground pork.

Chinese people across the country like this dish, which is produced by stir-frying noodles and sauce until they stick together correctly. Ultimately, it is an enjoyable, deep meal.

A bowl of noodles with stir-fry sauce and various vegetables.
A bowl of noodles with stir-fry sauce is the perfect dish to learn as a beginner.

Soup Dumplings

Small dumplings filled with delicious broth, shrimp, or minced pork are called Xiao Long Bao or soup dumplings. They are formed by wrapping the fillings and a small amount of gelatinized broth inside thin dough skins, which are then steamed.

When hot, these gelatinized broths become a tasty soup bursting in one’s mouth at each bite. Because they combine different flavors and textures very well, Chinese dim sum dishes such as soup dumplings have been popular for centuries.

5 dumplings a rectangle shaped grey plate.
Soup dumplings are a popular appetizer in many Chinese restaurants.

To improve the quality of your food preparation, you should know about the essential Chinese cooking equipment needed for each kind of food.

Chinese Steamed Eggplant

Liáng Bàn Qiézi, or Chinese Steamed Eggplant, is a simple, flavorful dish made with steamed eggplant mixed with sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

The dish is usually served cold or at room temperature so that the flavors can mingle. Because of its flavors, Chinese steamed eggplant is a well-liked side dish or appetizer in Chinese cooking.

3 eggplants on a pan lightly charred.
Chinese steamed eggplant makes for the perfect side dish due to its simple ingredients.

These classic Chinese dishes, which range from straightforward comfort food to intricate cuisine, provide an insight into China's rich and varied culinary legacy.

Traditional Chinese cuisine takes you on an adventurous journey through simple yet satisfying dishes. Each recipe tells a story about ingenuity, past customs, and a deft touch with Chinese cooking methods passed down for centuries.

It should be noted that apart from tasting deliciously good or having appetizing scents, all the dishes under review are tied to rich cultural heritage and ancient practices. Whether you're enjoying the simplicity of a steaming hot bowl of congee or going on a culinary tour through Chinatown's bustling streets, the world of Chinese cuisine awaits, ready to enchant and delight the senses.

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Jess

Experienced writer with a love of developing stories and engaging readers. Jess is passionate about reading, learning and discovering new cultures through traveling.