Do you like Chinese food? 🍛

And even if you answer “Yes, I adore her!”, It doesn’t matter, I have something to surprise you with. 😊

Chinese cuisine- not something monolithic, like, for example, Russian cuisine. Our dumplings or pancakes from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg and Sochi are about the same.

Not so in Chinese cuisine. Each area has its own favorite food. And their own characteristics. And if you love Northeastern 锅包肉 Guobao rou, no one in the south has heard of it.

In general, I have prepared a selection of the most popular dishes in different provinces. And if you are going to China this summer, then it will be very useful for you 🔥

Bon Appetit! 慢慢吃 😊

1. Beijing: Peking roast duck 北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā

Roast duck in Peking style is celebrated as "the most tasty dish in the world". It has a golden brown, crispy crust, tender meat and a sharp taste. This combination made her popular both at home and in other countries.

2. Tianjin: Baked Pork Fillet 锅塌里脊 Guōtā lǐjí

Baked pork fillet is made from pork tenderloin. The dish has a bright yellow color and a fresh delicate taste.

3. Hebei: donkey meat cakes 驴肉火烧 Lǘ ròu huǒshāo

This snack is popular in northern China. First appeared in the city of Baoding, Hebei Province. Stuff the cake with minced donkey meat and you get Luzhouhoshao. The appetizer is hearty, but not greasy, crispy and with a pleasant aftertaste.

4. Shanxi: Boiled-fried pork with mushrooms 过油肉 Guò yóu ròu

It was originally considered a dish for the elite, and then went to the people and spread throughout the Shanxi province. It is characterized by a rich golden color, soft, tender meat. The dish itself is salty with a touch of vinegar.

5. Inner Mongolia: Mongolian Boiled Lamb Meat 手扒羊肉 Shǒu bā yángròu

Boiled lamb meat - a traditional dish Mongolian shepherds for thousands of years. It is eaten with the hands.

6. Heilongjiang: Crispy Fried Pork 锅包肉 Guō bāo ròu

This iconic Northeast Chinese dish is made with pork. First, the pork tenderloin, cut into slices, is marinated, coated with starch paste and fried until golden brown. Brown, poured with sweet and sour sauce. The dish turns out crispy on the outside and tender inside, sweet and sour in taste.

7. Jirin: steamed white fish 清蒸白鱼 Qīngzhēng bái yú

Since ancient times, fishermen who hunted on the Songhua River boiled white fish to greet friends and relatives in this way. Over time, this dish gained fame and became the main dish during local festivities.

8. Liaoning: Braised pork with vermicelli 猪肉炖粉条 Zhūròu dùn fěntiáo

Braised pork with vermicelli is a dish well known in northeast China and especially popular during cold winter Vermicelli absorbs the taste of meat, and becomes satisfying, but not greasy.

9 Shanghai: Red Braised Pork 红烧肉 Hóngshāo ròu

Red pork stew is a classic Shanghai dish. Basically, the meat is taken from the subperitoneum. In the process of cooking, it becomes satisfying, but not greasy, and very pleasant to the taste. Shanghai people, confirm!

10. Jiangsu: Braised Pork Meatballs in Brown Sauce 红烧狮子头 Hóngshāo shīzi tóu

Usually this dish is served during holidays. It consists of 4 brown meatballs, symbolizing the blessedness of life, longevity and happiness. Often served as a final dish at weddings, birthdays and other celebrations.

11. Zhejiang: fish from Xihu Lake in vinegar 西湖醋鱼 Xīhú cù yú

This dish is made from fish caught from Xihu Lake in Hangzhou. First, the fish is kept in a cage for a couple of days so that the excrement comes out. And then they cook. As a result, the fish has a very fresh, sour sweet taste.

12. Anhui: Huangshan Chinese Smelly Bass 黄山臭桂鱼 Huángshān chòu guì yú

This dish was invented by a businessman who was returning home by boat. Because of the long journey, the groupers he was carrying began to smell bad. His wife did not want to throw away the fish and she poured it soy sauce and oil. Surprisingly, it turned out quite tasty.

13. Fujian: Buddha jumps over the wall 佛跳墙 Fútiàoqiáng

"Buddha jumping over the wall" is the most famous dish of Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. This dish uses as many as 18 ingredients: sea cucumber, abalone, shark fins, fish lips, ham, pork underbelly, hooves, tendons, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, etc. A multi-tasking dish: it nourishes Qi, cleanses the lungs and intestines, protects against colds, and something else.

14. Jiangxi: steamed pork in rice flour 粉蒸肉 Fěnzhēngròu

Ingredients: pork tenderloin, rice powder and other seasonings. Rice flour and meat exchange aromas, forming a delicious taste of the dish.

15. Shandong: Braised intestines with brown sauce 九转大肠 Jiǔ zhuǎn dàcháng

A classic Shandong dish. Blanch the intestines in boiling water, then fry, add additional ingredients and fry, stirring, for small fire before the fragrance. With this dish, you can experience five taste sensations at once - sour, sweet, fragrant, spicy and salty.

16. Henan: 烩面 huì miàn stewed noodles

Traditional local snack made from noodles, lamb meat, vegetables and other ingredients. Well known for its wonderful taste and reasonable price.

17. Hubei: Three Mianyang Steamed 沔阳三蒸 Miǎn yáng sān zhēng

"Three steamed dishes" are steamed meat, fish and vegetables (you can add amaranth, taro, legumes, pumpkin, carrots and lotus root to taste). Thanks to meat and vegetables, the dish has a balanced composition of nutrients. Fragrant, has an original taste, fresh and non-greasy.

18. Hunan: Steamed fish heads with hot peppers 剁椒鱼头 Duò jiāo yú tóu

This dish combines the wonderful taste of fish heads with the sharpness of finely chopped red pepper and has unique taste. Famous for its bright color tender meat fish and spicy taste.

19. Guangdong: white chicken, cut into pieces 白切鸡 Bái qiē jī

A characteristic feature of this dish is the simple preparation without the use of additional ingredients, preserving the product's own taste. The Qingping Restaurant in the Liwan District of Guangzhou City is considered the best in cooking, so the dish has a second name - “Quingping Chicken”.

20. Guangxi: rice noodles with snails 螺蛳粉 Luósī fěn

Rice noodles with snails are the most popular snack in Liuzhou city. Combines sour and spicy taste, freshness and sharpness.

21. Hainan: Wenchang Chicken 文昌鸡 Wénchāng jī

Chicken Wenchang tops the "Four Hainan dishes". It is a juicy chicken with a thin skin and crispy bones, very fragrant, satisfying, but not greasy. Yummy)

22. Sichuan: Mapo tofu ("pockmarked old woman's tofu") 麻婆豆腐 Mābō dōfu

Mapo tofu is a traditional Sichuan dish. The main ingredient is tofu (bean curd). The dish tastes hot, spicy, sweet, crispy and tender.

23. Chongqing: Spicy Chicken 辣子鸡 Làzǐ jī

Pepper is mixed with chicken pieces and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Chicken pieces are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sesame aroma and a burning taste. Try it, you will surely like it.

24. Guizhou: fish in sour soup酸汤鱼

Fish in sour soup is a unique dish of the Miao people. It boasts a spicy-sour taste and excites the appetite well.

25. Yunnan: Chicken and fish noodles 过桥米线 Guò qiáo mǐxiàn

A must for travelers to Yunnan. It consists of three parts: broth, rice noodles and additional ingredients. The broth has a very strong aroma: it is prepared according to special recipe from large bones of an old chicken and long-boiled Xuanwei ham.

26. Shaanxi: lamb soup with pita 羊肉泡馍 Yángròu pào mó

This snack represents the city of Xi'an. Since the reign of the Tang and Song dynasties, many Muslims have visited the city. It was they who created this dish: strong broth, rotten meat and soft pieces pitas. For an amateur.

27. Tibet: Tibetan blood sausage 藏族血肠 Zàngzú xiě cháng

In Tibet, when farmers and shepherds slaughter sheep, they use the blood in the following way: pour it into the small intestine and boil it in water. This is how they get the famous local dish - black pudding.

28. Xinjiang: whole fried lamb 烤全羊 Kǎo quán yáng

Whole fried lamb is a famous dish in Xinjiang province. For him, they take a young fat lamb, coat it with a special sauce and roast it on fire. This dish can be found in the markets and bazaars of Xinjiang.

29. Qinghai: Stir-fried lamb dough pieces 羊肉炒面片 Yángròu chǎomiàn piàn

This tasty and nutritious dish has a mild flavor and is easy to digest. Which is very important, by the way)

30. Gansu: Lamb Hexi 河西羊羔肉 Héxī yánggāo ròu

Lamb Hesi - one of delicious recipes northwestern cuisine of China. Preparing in clay pot, which gives soft meat, red color and fragrant aroma.

31. Ningxia: steamed lamb meat 清蒸羊羔肉 Qīngzhēng yánggāo ròu

It is a common snack popular in northwest China in the Tongxin and Haiyuan regions. This delicious dish is served in many local restaurants.

32. Hong Kong: Beef meatballs 牛肉丸 Niúròu wán

Beef meatballs are a popular snack in southern China. In Hong Kong, they are juicy and long-lasting. They will take a little longer to chew than regular food.

33. Macau: bacalhau 马介休 Mǎjièxiū

Bacalhau is a popular Portuguese dish in Macau. The main ingredient is salted cod. Such fish can be fried, stewed or boiled. It is served in many restaurants in Macau and is a must try dish.

34. Taiwan: Three Cup Chicken 三杯鸡 Sān bēi jī

Chicken "Three cups" popular dish in Taiwan. It owes its name to three components of the sauce: rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Thanks for the inspiration to the site http://www.chinawhisper.com

Successful practice!

Svetlana Khludneva

P.S. Take care of yourself!

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It has long ceased to be exotic, and is popular with gourmets around the world. It is not necessary to visit a restaurant to eat Chinese food, the recipes with photos offered in this article will help you easily cook it at home. Dishes prepared according to traditional recipes, can be served both for family gatherings and guests on holidays.

Chinese Food: Noodle Recipe

The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire are very fond of rice flour or a flour mixture of soy and green beans. The preparation of such noodles is a long and laborious process.

It will take only 2 ingredients: half a glass of water and 250 grams of any flour - rice or soy. You need to knead a cool dough, which then cool well. Next, the dough is rolled out very thinly, it must be pulled, tossed, folded in half when it reaches its maximum length. You need to continue such manipulations until you get a lot of thin, long threads from the dough, folded in half over and over again - this is noodles.

This is such an easy Chinese meal! The recipe is simple, but takes a lot of time and effort. Today it’s easier to buy noodles in a store than to bother like that, but it’s so inexpensive.

Chinese Rice with Egg and Onion

There are a lot of rice recipes in Chinese food! If you are a rice lover, then try cooking it in a new way. The Chinese know a lot about cooking this cereal, because it is the basis of Chinese cuisine. Let's take the simplest ingredients that every housewife has in stock. This side dish goes well with both meat and fish.

To cook rice you will need:

• half a glass of rice;
• 250 ml of water;
• head onion;
• a small bunch (about 50 grams) of green onions;
• one egg;
• a tablespoon of sunflower oil and soy sauce;
• a third of a teaspoon of salt.

This small food set makes 2 servings of a delicious traditional Chinese food. Recipe step by step cooking see below.

How to cook Chinese rice

1. Pre-boil water in the amount indicated above.
2. Put the rice in boiling water, add salt, cover with a lid.
3. From the moment of boiling, you need to cook rice for 15 minutes. During this time, you can not interfere with the cereal and open the lid.
4. If after 15 minutes the water has not boiled away completely, then you need to evaporate it: open the lid and turn on the gas at maximum power, stir the cereal, otherwise it will burn.
5. Transfer the rice to a wide dish, it needs to cool slightly.
6. The onion must be peeled, cut into small cubes, fry in sunflower oil for three minutes.
7. Put the rice to the onion in the pan, fry everything together for a couple of minutes.
8. Break the egg into a bowl, beat a little, then pour it into the rice with onions, mix, fry everything together until the egg is ready.
9. Next, you need to turn off the fire, put the rice in a deep dish. Then pour in the soy sauce, put the chopped green onion, mix.

Everything, the dish can be laid out on plates. Chinese food, the recipes that we offer, is universal. It can be served as a separate dish, or you can add meat ingredients. The same applies to all meat dishes described below. They can be served with or without any side dish.

Sweet and sour meat

We propose to consider the preparation delicious meat according to this recipe. Chinese food is notable for the fact that the taste is difficult to guess, it is both sour, and sweet, and salty, and spicy - real gourmets will appreciate it!

To cook meat in Chinese you will need:

• 400 grams of any meat, but it is better to take beef or boneless chicken;
• two chicken eggs;
• half a glass of flour;
• half a glass of sunflower oil;
• three tablespoons of soy sauce;
• some salt;
• a teaspoon of sugar and the same amount of dried paprika or Korean carrot seasoning.

The dish will appeal to everyone who does not like onions in any form!

How to cook sweet and sour meat

Such a dish should be prepared "yesterday". That is, in order to serve it on the table tomorrow, we begin to prepare today, since the meat must be marinated for a day, so that in the end it turns out tender and soft.

1. The meat must be cut into thin, long pieces, rinsed, then put on a paper towel so that the moisture is gone.
2. Mix the meat with seasonings, sugar and salt, soy sauce, a spoonful of sunflower oil. Cover the dish with a lid or wrap cling film, put in the refrigerator to marinate for a day.

The next day, you can start cooking the dish itself.

1. Prepare a batter of two eggs and half a glass of flour. If it turns out too thick, then you can dilute it with milk, water or mayonnaise.
2. Heat in a frying pan or deep fryer sunflower oil, the amount of which should be such that the pieces of meat are completely immersed in it.
3. Mix meat with batter, or dip each separately, fry until red.

Such meat - The recipe at home can be modified, for example, to remove sugar from the ingredients, because not everyone likes the sweet taste in meat dishes. As a result, the meat will be fragrant, with a slight sourness, tender and very tasty. The main thing is to marinate for at least a day in soy sauce.

Pork with sweet and sour sauce

Is it possible to cook real restaurant Chinese food at home? The recipe offered here was borrowed from the chefs of Chinese restaurants; this is a traditional dish that is very fond of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire.

To cook meat you will need:

• 0.6 kg pork tenderloin without fat;
• a third of a glass of soy sauce;
• big carrot;
• 4 tablespoons of starch;
• a teaspoon of sesame;
• two teaspoons of chopped parsley (you can take both fresh and dried);
• a glass of vegetable oil.

Ingredients for sweet and sour sauce:

• half a glass of water;
• two tablespoons of sunflower oil;
• three tablespoons of 9% vinegar;
• 4 tablespoons of sugar, two - tomato paste(not ketchup, but thick paste);
• half a teaspoon of sesame oil.

There are no supernatural products on the list, everything is simple and affordable. The preparation itself is also easy, everyone can handle it, even those who have never cooked Chinese food. We will describe the recipe step by step, so you will not get confused.

Chinese cooking pork

1. The meat needs to be frozen so that it can be easily cut into thin layers. Cut, pour soy sauce and marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Next, add starch, mix well to wrap each piece.
3. In a deep fryer or in a deep frying pan, you need to heat the sunflower oil, fry the pieces in it on both sides for about three minutes to form a golden crust.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the oil, place it on a paper towel at a distance from each other so that all excess fat is absorbed into it.
5. Carrots need to be grated for Korean carrots, or cut into thin, long strips, mixed with parsley.

1. Put sugar and tomato paste in a saucepan, turn on low heat, stirring, fry until the sugar dissolves.
2. Then add water and vinegar, simmer for a couple of minutes.
3. Next, you need to add 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil, you can take what is left in the deep fryer after frying the meat.
4. Put the meat in the sauce, then the carrots and parsley, mix well, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the meat with sesame seeds when serving.

Rice prepared according to the recipe in this article is suitable as a side dish. You can simply boil rice, cook mashed potatoes, noodles (at least Chinese, at least ordinary), or any other side dish.

Chinese sweet and sour meat

cooking recipes sweet and sour sauces for meat in China, there are many, and this allows every lover of exotic food to choose more preferred. We suggest considering delicious option cooking meat traditional chinese cuisine.

For 4 servings you will need:

• a pound of pork with a small layer of lard (if you don’t like lard, then take it without it);
• 200 grams of pineapples;
• onion head;
• carrot;
• bell pepper;
• a tablespoon of starch, the same amount of flour;
• half a glass of soy sauce;
• some salt.

For sauce:

• 4 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• two tablespoons of sugar and table vinegar (9%).

Cooking sweet and sour meat

1. We wash the meat, cut into wide, thin slices;
2. Soy sauce should be mixed with starch and flour, salt, pour meat over it, put in the refrigerator to marinate for half an hour.
3. Carrots, onion cut, fry until golden brown, then add pineapple and bell pepper, diced.
4. Fry the meat in a small amount of oil on both sides. When the second side is browned, pour in the mixture of tomato paste with vinegar and sugar, simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Next, pour in the sauce in which the meat was marinated, spread the fried vegetables, salt, if thick, add a little water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.

by the most the best side dish for such meat it will become simple boiled rice. You can also serve meat without a side dish, because it has a lot of vegetables.

Chicken in Chinese sauce

This is also a menu item. Chinese restaurant. The chicken is easy to prepare, all the ingredients are available. As a result, the dish turns out to be very tasty and fragrant, it will not leave anyone indifferent!

Products for cooking:

• 400 grams chicken breasts;
• two bell peppers;
• two cloves of garlic;
• two tablespoons of soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and sunflower oil;
• three tablespoons of water;
• a teaspoon of starch, half - salt;
• a tablespoon of sugar;
• parsley and sesame - to taste.

How to cook Chinese chicken

1. The first step is to properly cut the breasts - into thin strips and only along the fibers;
2. Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan, fry the pieces on both sides until white.
3. In the same pan, fry the bell peppers, cut into strips. Ideally, if the top of the pepper is soft, but remains elastic inside - check with a fork.
4. Now we prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, salt, starch, soy sauce, Apple vinegar and water.
5. We transfer the meat to a pan with pepper, pour over the sauce and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the liquid thickens.
6. When serving, sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and parsley.

Rice or Chinese noodles are ideal as a side dish.

In this article, we have suggested popular ways to cook Chinese food at home. Recipes with photos will help you cook these wonderful dishes correctly and very tasty. Bon Appetit!

The attitude to food in China is characterized by three words: everyone eats everything. In a local's plate, you can see something previously alive, dead, flying, floating, walking, growing and blooming. This does not mean that the Chinese do not care about their diet at all. Food here affects the minds, behavior and daily routine of the layman no less than any other religion.

Imagine how you look into the eye of a kaleidoscope, only instead of beads in it - all kinds of tastes. Twenty such kaleidoscopes will give you a rough idea of ​​Chinese cuisine. Everything here is too varied. In China, they say that the north is salty, the south is sweet, the east is spicy, and the west is sour. For the Chinese, tasting food from other provinces is like traveling, and finding famous dishes in one province from another is quite easy. You can taste northern Peking duck in eastern Shanghai, and Szechuan sauce in southern Guangzhou. However, before diving into the fragrant and spicy world of local Chinese dishes, it is worth mentioning a few ubiquitous dishes.

FOR EVERYBODY

Rice for the Celestial Empire - like bread. It is eaten by people of all ages, backgrounds and at any time of the day. It is usually glutinous, fine-grained unleavened rice, the simplicity of which well overcomes the difference in tastes of the main dishes. In conveyor canteens, it is served with meat and vegetable side dishes, is not a separate dish and costs symbolically ¥ 1. In street restaurants, ask for rice for free.

Rice can also be an independent dish - for example, fried rice chaofan(炒饭). It is cooked in a bowl-shaped pan with thick walls and a narrow bottom - it is easy for the cook to constantly stir the dish in it for strong fire. The most popular variety is tribute to chaofan(蛋炒饭), egg fried rice, green peas and bacon.

Soup In China, it is considered a healing food. The liquid cleanses the body, and the individual ingredients are supposed to cure diseases, improve mood and grant immortality in the future. During large feasts, soup is served to clear the mouth of the taste of the previous dish. Most soups are made with chicken or pork broth (they don't have much flavor). Popular and vegetable broth based on seasonal salad or Chinese cabbage. This is often served free as an aperitif, in a glass or mug (included in the order price).

“The texture of the soup is like jelly, but the cost is like a small spaceship”

Soups have a neutral taste and do not always contain meat. They can be ordered by vegetarians and people who are not ready to put their stomach and liver into acquaintance with Chinese cuisine. Dishes that can be prepared even at home - egg soup with tomatoes(fanjie tribute hua tang 番茄蛋花汤), chicken bouillon with scraps of eggs(tribute hua tang 蛋花汤) or clam, onion and tofu soup(qindan qiuhuo 清淡去火汤).

Of the delicacies gourmets prefer turtle soup(chia yu tang 甲鱼汤). Turtle meat, despite its healing properties, is quite tough and difficult to cook. When ordering it in a restaurant, be prepared to wait at least an hour. Often served at weddings or celebrations shark fin soup(and chi 鱼翅). While scientists doubt the ethics of killing sharks just for the sake of food, ordinary Chinese joyfully devour it on holidays. Shark fin, according to beliefs, cleanses the blood of toxins, improves the skin and restores potency. Has a similar effect imperial nest soup(yang in 燕窝). By consistency, it resembles jelly, and by cost - a small spaceship.

A more satisfying main dish - noodles. Wheat(mian 面) common in the north of the country, rice(fen 粉) - in the south. Regardless of the raw material, a steaming bowl of noodles with meat or vegetables can be ordered at any restaurant for ¥8-10. Foreigners most often order it because of the cheapness, predictability of the composition and satiety. Classics of the north noodles in beef broth(nu rou mien 牛肉面). The broth in the noodles is hot enough to warm a traveler in a normally unheated diner. "Drawn" noodles(lao mian 撈麵) comes from Gansu province but is popular all over the country. It is fried with beef, vegetables and herbs like cilantro or garlic, or served with meat broth.

Another popular flour dish is dumplings. In Chinese, there are 12 names for their varieties. The simplest of them is jiaozi (餃子), flat oblong dumplings with meat, cabbage or egg. They are eaten with soy sauce, salt, broth and garlic.

An important place in the diet of the Chinese is occupied by soy products. 80-90% of Chinese adults are lactose intolerant, so soy milk or dou qian (豆漿) is much more common in the market than the animal. It is slightly sweeter and less fatty than cow's. The range of derived dishes is amazing - yoghurts, cheeses, desserts, coffee foam. Another important product for the Chinese is prepared from it - tofu, soy milk curd, rich in protein. Historically, it has been valued as a substitute for expensive meat. Now bean curd is an important product for vegetarians. Tofu doesn't have a distinct taste of its own, so it's just a cooking chameleon. soft tofu(hua dou fu 滑豆腐) is used to make sweet puddings, sweets, salads and soups. hard tofu(dou gan 豆干) smoked and fried - this is how spicy snacks with red pepper and spicy Szechuan sauce. A Shanghainese dish popular throughout China is stinky tofu. This street delicacy smells like a pile of rubbish that has rotted in the sun for three days. However, trays with chow dofu(臭豆腐) there are always long queues.

“This street delicacy smells like a pile of rubbish that has rotted in the sun for three days. However, there are always long queues at the stalls with it.”

The most famous soy product for foreigners is the eponymous sauce(jiangyu 酱油). Bottles of soy sauce are on the tables in any diner, along with salt, pepper and toothpicks. The taste and smell of the classic soy sauce made from beans, wheat, soy and water is no different from Western counterparts, but there are variations. For example, sweet soy sauce is served with rice flour desserts, sour soy sauce with meat and seafood.

The Chinese love to eat outside. A common street snack - steamed pies baozi(包子). They look like manti, but the dough resembles a savory biscuit in texture. The filling is pork with cabbage, a mixture of cabbage and pumpkin. There are also sweet baozi with bean paste. Another popular snack is skewers. jianbing(串儿). The strung foods and spices vary from stall to stall. Most often they sell beef skewers, chicken wings and seaweed, richly seasoned with cumin, coriander and pepper.

For the Chinese, there is no concept of "dessert" - both a side dish and meat can have a sweet taste. After the main meal, fresh pineapples, tangerines, strawberries and caramelized apples are sometimes eaten. Classic sweetness - mooncakes yuebins(月餅). The gingerbread got its name from the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people watch the moon. During this festival, the Chinese receive boxes of gingerbread from friends, family, and colleagues. The yuebins themselves can be made from hard or puff pastry, stuffed with sweet beans, nuts, fruits, and even ice cream.

BY REGION

China consists of 23 provinces with their own history and nationalities living there, so the dishes are different everywhere. Cooking features and ingredients can vary even within the same city. For convenience, the “Eight Great Culinary Schools” are singled out - it was they who had the greatest influence on the culinary map of the country.

Shandong

Where: northeast, coast of the Yellow Sea
Briefly: seafood, vegetation, diversity

Shandong cuisine has been influenced by proximity to water and a climate favorable to fruits, vegetables and grains. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic and zucchini are the main guests on the table of the inhabitants of this province. local snack digua basses(拔絲地瓜), or caramelized sweet potato, is served with soy sauce, which enhances the already sweet taste. Another popular delicacy is corn. It is boiled, sometimes slightly fried and served on the cob.

Shandong cuisine is known for a variety of culinary techniques, from pickling to high-fire frying. Most seafood, such as abalone or sea cucumber, is preferred to be stewed. Shrimp, squid and sea ​​fish more popular than animal meat due to its availability. However, this is where the best guifei chicken, or imperial chicken, is cooked. Shandong vinegar is distinguished from sauces, which, out of a sense of pride in the product, is added to everything conceivable and unthinkable.

SICHUAN

Where: southwest
Briefly: fiery, fat, satisfying

It will take a long time to get used to the heavy and spicy dishes of Sichuan province. But after such an acquaintance, even kharcho drowning in red pepper will seem insipid. The culprit of the sharpness of all dishes is Sichuan pepper, or Chinese coriander. It is used together with red pepper to make an oily sauce. ma la(麻辣), the heat of which makes the tongue go numb. The inhabitants of the province definitely prefer meat: pork, beef, chicken, duck, and especially rabbit meat. Notable dishes- Chick gongbao(宫保鸡丁) and Szechuan style pork(回锅肉). As a seasoning for meat, a mixture of Sichuan pepper and salt, fried in a wok until brown, is served. Local chefs have a very rich imagination - this is the only way to explain duck or rabbit blood jelly (毛血旺), "fish flavored pork"(鱼香肉丝) and "ants on a tree"(蚂蚁上树). When cooking the latter, not a single ant was harmed: the name of the dish was given by the appearance of the pieces minced pork on crystal noodles that resemble insects on a branch.

GUANGDONG/CANTON

Where: south
Briefly: omnivorous, varied, strange

Guangdong Province is the worst place to return animals after reincarnation. Locals eat everything - snakes, raccoons, crocodiles, monkeys, turtles, mice and cats. In the summer there is a festival of eating dog meat. Famous dishes - chicken stew with snake(鸡烩蛇) and monkey brain soup(猴脑汤). The meat is served with one of the local sauces: oyster, plum or black bean sauce douchi(豆豉). Common snack - century egg(皮蛋). Usually this is a duck or quail egg, which is soaked in a special marinade without access to air. As a result, the protein turns black, and the egg has a strong ammonia smell. Advantages - it is stored for several years and is an excellent souvenir.
If you don't feel like eating someone's murzik stew, then try local fruits: mango, papaya, dragon's eye and durian. Here, in a warm climate, they are the juiciest and cheapest.

FUJIAN

Where: Taiwan island, south
Briefly: gentle, sweet, fresh

Fujian cuisine is similar to Shandong cuisine with an abundance of seafood, vegetables and fruits. They are thinly sliced, almost chopped, and stewed for a long time - this is how a traditional side dish is prepared. Mushrooms and plant parts are also often used, such as bamboo shoots or lotus root. The province is rich in sugar cane plantations, so the dishes have a sweetish or sweet and sour taste. From seafood, carp, herring, shellfish, squid, shrimp and oysters are used. Oyster omelette(蚵仔煎) is made from egg yolks with the addition of starch and is very tender and airy. The most popular dish in the province "Temptation of the Buddha"(佛跳). More than 30 ingredients are needed to make it, including exotic quail eggs, the pancreas of a pig and the swim bladder of a fish. A mixture of all products should give such a flavor for which even the Buddha will jump over the wall after him.

HUNAN

Where: southeast
Briefly: spicy, oily, colorful

Hunan cuisine is characterized by the use of smoked meats, mixing different types meat and a lot hot pepper. For the last point, this cuisine is often compared to Szechuan cuisine. Dishes here are cooked in pots or fried, onion and garlic are added to everything. Chefs care not only about compatibility different products, such as trepang, River fish and pork, but also about the compatibility of colors. The dishes look like paintings from the abstract era - for example, fiery red chickens dong'an(东安鸡). Another manifestation of abstractionism - carp squirrel(松鼠鯉魚). According to legend, the cook was ordered to cook the carp so that it did not look like a carp, so as not to incur the wrath of the emperor. For the cook, everything ended well, but the fish, even when fried, resembles a squirrel very remotely. Sweet chili is added to the carp, stewed tomatoes and lots of salt.

CUISINE OF JIANGSU PROVINCE

Where: East
Briefly: soft, simple, smart

Compared to the rest of China, Jiangsu uses few spices. All attention is paid to the taste and aroma of the original product. For the same reason, it is often cooked here by stewing or boiling, because when frying with a temperature, the real taste of the product disappears. The main dish of the province is a stew of turtle and chicken in wine with a mysterious name "Farewell, my concubine"(银鱼炒蛋). Another meat delicacy - stewed pork ribs (红烧排骨), known for their sweet taste and delicate texture.

ANHUI

Where: East
Briefly: fragrant, delicate, uncomplicated

Anhui cuisine is the sister cuisine of Jiangsu Province. In cooking, simplicity is valued, in products - freshness. The Anhui people add wild herbs to the prepared dish, and stewing is their preferred cooking method. Unlike Jiangsu, seafood is used much less frequently here. Poultry meat prevails over any other - for example, popular winter pheasant(雪冬山鸡) and huangshan stewed pigeon (黄山炖鸽).

ZHEJIANG

Where: East
Briefly: fresh, delicate, fishy

The main meat consumed in Zhejiang is pork and fish. Pork dong pu(東坡肉) is slow cooked with yellow wine. Thus, the fat becomes more tender and soft. Rolls are also popular here. zongzi(粽子), in which the whole family takes part in cooking. Sticky rice is stuffed with pork or sweet bean stuffing and then wrapped in a steamed flat sheet. Traditionally, the leaf should be bamboo, but for the sake of unusual taste wrapped in corn, banana or lotus leaves. The main product supplied from the province - green tea longjing(龙井茶). It is harvested and processed by hand, so it costs many times more than other varieties. Despite the price, longjing is considered best tea China due to the sweet aftertaste and light aroma.

Other cuisines that are not included in the "Great Eight", but anyway
contributed to the food image of the country:

Uighur cuisine (north). The Uighurs are a Turkic people living in the Xinjiang region. The Uyghurs profess Islam, their diet does not include pork and alcohol. Mostly Central Asian dishes are prepared, such as pilaf or lagman. Uighur restaurants are popular with tourists and locals alike and can be found from the north to the south of the country. The main reason for adoration is that there are photos of dishes on the menu. Rice is usually served with beef, mushrooms, potatoes and peppers. You can ask to do the same, but without meat - even a vegetarian version will saturate two adults.

Beijing Cuisine (Northeast). For rare ingredients and rich taste, it is often called "imperial". The most famous dish Peking duck(北京烤鸭) with a sweet crispy crust.

Harbin cuisine. Harbin is a city in northeast China near Russia. Its cuisine has been greatly influenced by Russian cooking - Moscow is brewed here. Borsch(莫斯科红菜汤) and eat a lot of black bread. Local dumplings are shaped like Russian ones: they are round and small, and not oblong, like their Chinese counterparts. Dishes are served in broth and heavily salted.

Shanghai Cuisine (East). Pungent, sour, smelly and predominantly outdoorsy. The meat is cooked using wine, which is why Shanghainese dishes are sometimes referred to as "drunk".

FROM THIRST

Surprisingly, the most popular drink in China is plain hot water. Tip: Buy a reusable container before you travel and save ¥2 a bottle on water. There are coolers at train stations, airports, supermarkets and even theaters. You can not weigh down your luggage and buy a mug on the spot. The store near your hotel may not have bread or eggs, but there will be thermoses and special plastic bottles for sure. Boiling water for the Chinese is both a drink and medicine, a way to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. hot water served free before meals in restaurants to improve appetite, and doctors advise drinking it daily - the more the better.

Although the true national drink of China is water, the local drink is more famous abroad. tea. A cup of tea is a way to say "thank you", a sign of family reunion and an important mediator in human relationships. For a traditional tea ceremony, go to the "tea house". Green tea is many times more popular than black, and the most common is buckwheat. It is considered cheap and simple, and is served mostly for free. Added to tea dried fruits and flowers, but never sugar or honey - it spoils the true taste.

You can buy tea both in bulk supermarkets and in specialized stores. The advantage of the latter is a large selection of popular and rare varieties, beautiful packaging and the opportunity to try any of the varieties presented in the assortment. The big minus is the price. A 500g oolong costs at least ¥100. A similar oolong can be bought in a supermarket for ¥20.

Influenced by the Western fashion for "to go" beverages, Chinese entrepreneurs have launched a multimillion-dollar milk tea industry. Usually green tea soy milk and floating red beans, which must be "pulled out" with a straw. Also popular are tea with jelly pieces, fruit tea with mango or papaya pulp. To the windows of the giants of the market, such as SoCo and Royal Tea in the morning and evening, there are multi-meter queues. On the Internet, you can even hire a person to stand in line for you.

But you will meet coffee to go infrequently. Rich black coffee is a rarity here. The drink is expensive - ¥25 for an American, ¥30 for a cappuccino or latte. You can drink a cup either in European pastry shops or in franchised coffee shops. Small coffee shops are very rare, but Starbucks can be seen in large cities almost more often than ATMs. Its popularity is due to the brand name, as well as the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the Western world.

Another popular drink among children and teenagers is freshly squeezed fruit juices. The most popular flavors are mango, papaya, dragon's eye and citrus. Often the drink is served with whipped cream, pieces of fruit, and crumbled biscuits on top.

After the first visit to the club, the myth of non-drinking Chinese falls apart and crawls into a corner in disgrace. Drinking a bottle of beer at dinner is the norm for an ordinary resident. The beer here is not very high quality and strong, you won’t get drunk with all your desire. Fortress light beer the most famous brand Tsingtao (Tsingtao) - 4.5%. As for the degree higher, the Chinese drink a lot and extremely chaotically. rice vodka baijiu(白酒) mixed with red wine hongju(红酒), with beer and homemade tinctures. Baijiu has a sharp specific smell and a high percentage of alcohol - from 40 to 60%. The weaker version is called huangjiu(黄酒), which translates to " yellow wine". It is sipped from peaches, rice or plums, so huangjiu has a pleasant sweet smell. Baidze and wine are drunk warmed from small cups. A popular souvenir from China - red bottles Jin Jiu(劲酒). This is a sweetish tincture with the aroma of herbs, vaguely reminiscent of Bitner's balm in taste. You can drink in China from the age of 18. The sale has no restrictions - you can buy alcohol at any time of the day.

DETAILS

At Chinese food there is no clear division into morning, afternoon and evening. If you want to eat pork with rice and soup for breakfast, no one will forbid you. In addition, there is no division into “first”, “second” and “dessert” - products are served on the table as they are ready in a chaotic manner. The eating hours are known to everyone, and the Chinese adhere to them since childhood:

7:00-9:00 - breakfast;
11:30-14:00 - lunch;
19:00-21:00 - dinner.

There are a lot of people in the restaurants during lunch and dinner. Near the entrance to the most popular places there are a dozen plastic chairs - this is how visitors wait for their turn to enter the restaurant. Sometimes the wait is delayed for several hours. If the hunger is too strong, they order food at home. More or less large establishments have delivery within half an hour, food containers are left in special “lockers” at the entrance or handed over personally.

In search of food, the traveler will most often come across small restaurants on the ground floor of the building, or chifanki. They have no doors and heating, but low prices. They serve local meat, fish, a set of vegetable snacks, noodles and, of course, rice. Pastry shops are popular lately, where you can buy pastries and bread. Chinese bread is sweeter and softer than European bread and is baked with red beans or raisins. If doubts bind the soul, you can walk to the nearest KFC, McDonalds or Pizza Hut. You won’t be able to try a burger or pizza “like at home” - there are more spices in Chinese fast food.

They eat with chopsticks in China. They are wooden and long to make it easier to get the pieces out of common meals. In some restaurants, for hygiene reasons, special steel nozzles are given to the chopsticks. Soup is eaten with a small wide spoon with a deep bottom. The broth without noodles and meat is drunk directly from the plate.

The most popular place for gatherings is ho go, aka hot-pot (火锅), aka Chinese samovar. In the institutions of the same name, visitors cook their own food in a large vat with sauce. Sometimes the container is divided into two parts - for soft sauce and for spicy. When it boils, various meats, vegetables or greens are thrown into the vat, they are taken out with chopsticks as they are ready and eaten with butter. Ho go is not to be walked alone: ​​large tables with built-in pot holes can accommodate up to 20 people.

For the Chinese, eating is a social affair. It is an act of togetherness, an opportunity to be with friends and family. Basic meat and fish dishes originally designed for two, so that you can share it with someone. Many Chinese people call their spouses or children via video during lunch - so, sitting alone in a restaurant, they are still not alone.