A main feature of southern, Cantonese Chinese food, 点心 (diǎnxin) is a favorite of both Chinese and internationals! The idea of Dim Sum is to share small portions of many steamed dishes. Sharing is caring! Popular items include barbecue buns, chicken feet, bean-flavored spare ribs, cakes, and shrimp dumplings.
The activity of talking with family/friends and sharing dim sum is called “drinking tea.” This is usually done on a Saturday or Sunday, late morning to late afternoon.
.svg){kind=small}
面 (biángbiáng miàn) is a testament to China’s humor, creativity, and love for food, all in one! The character for “” (biang) is the Chinese language’s most complex word, with 43 strokes to write it! Although there is a humorous story behind this word, the focus here is the Chinese food!
Biangbiang noodles are extremely wide and long and come in a variety of flavors. If you want to try the best, you need to travel to Xi’an, home of the Terracotta Warriors. Domestically, they are one of China’s biggest tourist attractions.
A pinnacle of Shanghai Chinese food, 小笼包 (xiǎolóng bāo) are similar to Chinese dumplings except one defining difference. Little dragon buns are filled with soup! Be careful not to burn yourself or make a mess on your clothes when eating these! Although some of the best made buns are in Shanghai, these delicious “little dragons” are easy to find across the nation.
Who says Chinese don’t eat bread? These little cakes may look like something ordinary. However, they are actually very special. Cross between an American biscuit and a British Scone, the 烧饼 (shāo bing) is easy to find on the streets of Beijing.
Unlike sesame buns, these dense cakes have a strong sesame taste, infused with unique Chinese seasonings. These tasty cakes are well deserved on this top ten list of Chinese food!
Finally, we reach our first noodle dish! Not only did the Chinese invent noodles, they have perfected them through the preparation of hundreds of different noodle dishes! 担担面 (dàndàn miàn) consists of thin wheat noodles, spicy red oil soup base, ground pork, green onions, dehydrated soybeans (for crunch-factor), bok choy, and vinegar.
As true for many of these dishes, dandan noodles may be prepared in a number of ways; however, the traditional Sichuan recipe must have spicy peppers and ground pork!
红烧肉 – Red Braised Pork
Of all the dishes on this list, 饺子 (jiǎozi) is the most classic Chinese food. Although eaten year round, Chinese dumplings are a traditional food for the Chinese New Years. During this time, families will make the dumplings by hand. Flavors vary from all vegetable to pork and cabbage. Virtually anything can be placed inside.
The dish is most commonly served with a sauce for dipping. While everyone’s sauce is different, it usually consists of garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and Shaoxing rice wine.
Especially if your trip to China is short, there is no need to pack much more than clothes and some necessary personal effects. Shelves of Chinese markets are full of recognizable and trustworthy western brands, including Pantene, Colgate, Nike, Kellogg’s, and Nestle.
Instead of packing extra socks and large-sized tubes of toothpaste, save yourself some back-ache later by purchasing these items as needed while traveling in China. If possible, just take one backpack. The transportation hubs that you will be frequenting are extremely crowded. The fewer the baggage, the less the hassle of pushing through these huge crowds.
That’s staggering Population and appalling Pollution. Travelers and expats in China often let these two P’s get in their way of enjoying their vacation or work experience. At all costs, don’t let yourself be defeated by the mental pitfall of these two problems in China. China is a developing country and is nowhere near the living standard level as any western country!
There are many ways that one can get ready for these two societal problems of China. Firstly, be open-minded. Understand that these issues have developed out of circumstances that the average Chinese person has no control over, so avoid blaming anything on the commoners that you come across on your journey. Secondly, do some research and watch videos. Get an insight at to what it will feel like before plunging into this vastly different society.
Spice Mouse!
重庆火锅 – Chongqing Hotpot
Poo poo platter, General Tso’s chicken, and Mongolian beef are some of our favorite Chinese dishes. While this fare has its own unique culinary intrigue, they are all distinctly different from the Chinese food of the Middle Kingdom. For some, this article may be a perspective changer, and for others, it could bring about nostalgia. For all, it will cause mouth watering!
Additionally, learn how simple it is to order these dishes at a Chinese restaurant with the help of our short guide at the end!
While China’s territorial disputes in the South China Sea take all the media coverage of China these days, China’s territorial disputes have been a hot topic of discussion since the 1950s. Every decade, China has shifted its attention to a different country to argue claims. Beijing opted for easy prizes with smaller countries first and then moved onto larger, more controversial zones as China became stronger.
By 2016, China had disputed territorial claims with every single neighboring country…
China IQ 中華智商 