Chinese cuisine is a regional Chinese cuisine with common features (food is cut into small pieces so that there is no need to additionally cut the finished meal on a plate).
National cuisine of China
In general, Chinese cuisine is based on the use of rice, vegetables, cereals, and soybeans. It is worth noting that the role of rice in China is enormous - it is an addition to any dish (rice is cooked both loose and liquid), but in Northern China, in addition to rice, they consume steamed noodles.
Peking cuisine is dominated by meat dishes (lamb, Peking duck); in Cantonese cuisine - fish dishes and non-traditional recipes, for the preparation of which the meat of insects, cats, snakes, dogs is used; In Sichuan cuisine, dishes are baked or steamed (try duck wrapped in green tea leaves and baked, or chicken with peanuts); and in Shanghai cuisine, rice vodka and various spices are preferred to meat dishes, and exotic seafood in the form of shaggy freshwater crab, eel and octopus is also held in high esteem.
Popular Chinese dishes:
- Dim sum (steamed dumplings served in bamboo baskets);
- noodle soup with mushrooms;
- Hunguigo (sweet rice cakes);
- soybean pie stuffed with fish;
- pork cooked in sweet and sour sauce.
Where to taste the national cuisine?
Going to national institutions, you should keep in mind that first they serve tea, then cold snacks, a hot dish, rice, and only after all of the above - soup.
In Beijing, you can look at the “Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant” (they cook excellent Peking duck here), in Shanghai - in “Jia Jia Tang Bao” (the specialty of this establishment is Chinese dumplings: you can order steamed dumplings, with crab, pork and other fillings), in Hong Kong - in "Tang Court" (here guests are offered to enjoy crispy eel with lemon and honey sauce), in Guangzhou - in "Restaurant Snake" (this institution will appeal to fans of exotic: all kinds of snake dishes are served here). Tip: Chinese visitors are advised to go to restaurants licensed to serve foreign tourists (written in English, they are posted in a prominent place).
Cooking courses in China
At the Chinese cooking courses in Beijing, you will be taught how to cook Chinese noodles, duck dishes, Chinese dumplings, dishes in sweet and sour sauce, and will also give lectures on Peking duck (the program is designed for 5 days, after which the participants will be issued diplomas) …
It is advisable for gourmets to visit China to celebrate the International Culinary Festival (Guangzhou, December) - along with traditional Chinese cuisine, they will be able to enjoy the dishes of Guangdong province (stew of meat and rice).
