Number 1 Chinese Food

There is a Chinese saying that goes, "Habits differ from those within 100 li, and customs differ from those within 10 li". In China, due to the differences and diversity in geographical environment, historical development, and other aspects, the diet and lifestyle are different in different places. Chinese food shows that. Tasting authentic Chinese food is one way you can experience Chinese culture. The following are different categories of Number 1 Chinese food.

1. Baozi – No 1 Chinese Food for Breakfast

As one of the representatives of traditional Chinese food, baozi (Chinese steamed stuffed bun) has now become one of the most common Chinese foods for breakfast. Its convenience allows many people to take it away to eat. Therefore, a few fragrant steamed stuffed buns with a cup of hot soy milk have become the first choice for many people in the morning.

The outer layer of baozi is made of fermented dough and is usually wrapped with filling. There are many kinds of steamed stuffed buns, which can be divided into meat buns, vegetable buns, sweet buns, and so on. Meat buns are mainly filled with pork, beef, shrimp, etc., while vegetable buns are usually filled with vegetables, tofu, carrots, etc. Red bean buns, creamy custard buns, and sugar buns are sweet and are preferred by sweet tooth lovers.

2. Barbecue – No 1 Chinese Food at Midnight

Nighttime snack is an important part of China's nightlife and the "fourth meal" of the day. Barbecue stalls are usually located on the streets and are one of the busiest places at night. Every night, the restaurant's barbecue area or street barbecue stalls are always filled with diners. People sit together, chatting while waiting for the food.

Chinese late-night barbecue is not only a taste pleasure but also carries a social function. At night, friends gather and family meals are often chosen to eat at barbecue stalls. The seasoning of barbecue is the key to the flavor of barbecue. Barbecue stall owners usually adjust the spices to meet the tastes of different diners.

3. Peking Roast Duck – No 1 Chinese Food in Beijing

As a No. 1 Chinese food, Peking roast duck is one of the most must-eat Chinese foods when visiting Beijing. Beijing roast duck was once a famous imperial dish. In the Qing Dynasty, roast duck was also known as a popular food among the people. Delicious Beijing roast duck usually has a rosy color and fatty but not greasy meat.

Beijing roast duck must be eaten in the right season. Winter, spring, and autumn roast duck taste best. When eating Beijing roast duck, the waiter will bring the roasted duck to your table and slice it thinly on-site. Sliced duck meat is usually served with sliced scallion, cucumber slices, sweet sauce, and other ingredients. Choose two or three slices of duck meat dipped in sauce and put them on the pancake. Add sliced scallion and cucumber slices, roll up pancakes, and serve.

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant is a famous time-honored roast duck restaurant in Beijing, with a history of more than 100 years. They are good at hanging roasted duck. Their roasted duck has a beautiful appearance, with a crispy skin and tender meat. Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant uses a closed oven to make ducks. Another famous roasted duck restaurant is Siji Mingfu. The roasted duck has a jujube red color, shiny duck skin, and tender duck meat.

4. White Cut Chicken – No 1 Chinese Food in Cantonese Cuisine

No chicken, no banquet! White cut chicken is not only a home dish, but also a common dish at holiday banquets. White cut chicken is common in southern cuisines, especially in Guangdong. It is loved by people for its light and original tastes. White cut chicken will not be cooked with too much seasoning, but simply boiled with water. Authentic white cut chicken has yellow chicken skin and white meat.

5. Jiaozi – No 1 Chinese Food in Spring Festival

Dumplings are the signature food of Chinese New Year. Dumplings are usually served as part of the New Year's Eve dinner in northern China. During the Chinese New Year, almost every family makes dumplings by themselves. Families get together to make dumplings, which symbolize family reunion and harmony. Wrap the filling into the dumpling skin, and fold it in half. Pinch the edges tightly, and a delicious dumpling is created.

Dumplings are shaped like ingots so they are endowed with the symbolic meaning of wealth. The ingot is an ancient Chinese currency made from precious gold or silver. Therefore, eating dumplings during the Spring Festival means that the New Year is rich and auspicious. Eating dumplings on New Year's Eve also symbolizes the transition between old and new years.

There is a wide variety of fillings in dumpling, such as pork, beef, lamb, seafood, vegetables, and other options. When making dumplings, people often add special fillings such as coins, candies, peanuts, jujubes, chestnuts, etc. Those who eat these special fillings are believed to have good luck in the New Year. There are various cooking methods for dumplings, including boiling, steaming, and frying.

6. Tangyuan – No 1 Chinese Food in Lantern Festival

The Chinese New Year has passed, and the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year reaches another climax. During the Lantern Festival, there is a custom in southern China to eat tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), ball-shaped Chinese food made of glutinous rice flour. As the shape of tangyuan is round, people give it a symbol of reunion and happiness. Eating tangyuan also means a family reunion and a happy life.

People make glutinous rice flour into dough and then make dough skin. Wrap in a variety of fillings and rub into a ball. So tangyuan is made. In the south, tangyuan has thin skin and a soft texture. There are also various fillings for it, including black sesame, red bean paste, peanut butter, jujube paste, meat, etc.

Tangyuan is made of glutinous rice so it is not easy to digest. The elderly and children should eat less. Tangyuan usually contains high sugar and fat, so it should be eaten in moderation.

7. Zongzi – No 1 Chinese Food in Dragon Boat Festival

Zongzi is No 1 Chinese food eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival (the fifth day of lunar May). It is said that Zongzi is to commemorate Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet in the Chu State. It is said that Qu Yuan took his own life in despair by drowning himself in the Miluo River. The local people threw bamboo tubes filled with glutinous rice along the river to prevent fish from gnawing on Qu Yuan's body. This later evolved into Zongzi eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Nowadays, Zongzi has become a favorite food in people's daily lives. You can taste it not only at the Dragon Boat Festival but also in daily life. Therefore, if you travel to China, you can also easily taste Zongzi.

The filling, the leaves used to wrap and the shape of Zongzi vary greatly from region to region. The shape of Zongzi is mainly pyramid-shaped or pillow-shaped. Zongzi is generally divided into sweet zongzi and salty zongzi. Sweet zongzi is filled with bean paste, jujube paste, dried fruits, and other fillings, with a sweet and fragrant taste. The fillings of salty zongzi are based on pork, ham, egg yolk, and mung beans.

8. Moon Cake – No 1 Chinese Food in Mid-Autumn Festival

Moon cake is the best Chinese food to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, people will worship the Moon Goddess - Chang'e. Eating moon cakes and appreciating the moon are indispensable customs for the Mid-Autumn Festival in China. Moon cakes are usually eaten with tea.

The theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival is the family reunion. The shape of the moon cake is basically round, meaning "reunion". In addition to the common round shapes, there are also lotus-like shaped and square-shaped moon cakes.

Due to the different eating habits in different parts of China, there are various types of moon cakes, such as Cantonese moon cakes, Beijing-style moon cakes, Shanghai moon cakes, Teochew moon cakes, Yunnan-style moon cakes, and more. Among various moon cake styles, Cantonese moon cakes are particularly famous. Lotus paste moon cake, bean paste moon cake, and char siu mooncake are representative Cantonese moon cakes.

9. Hot Pot – No 1 Chinese Food in Winter

In China, hot pots are common Chinese dishes in cold winter. Chinese people like hot food. Hot pot can be cooked and eaten immediately, which is popular among Chinese people. The cooking process of a hot pot is simple. You only need to boil the ingredients in the soup. Then remove it and serve it with dipping sauce. Different hot pots require different dipping sauces to achieve the best taste experience.

When it comes to hot pot, Sichuan or Chongqing Hot Pot usually comes to mind first. As No 1 taste Chinese food, Sichuan hot pot is a hot and spicy dish that can't be missed by any foodie who likes spicy. Sichuan hot pot is famous for its spicy flavor, while Chongqing pays attention to the use of beef butter, and the hot pot soup base is full of fragrance.

Beijing Copper Hot Pot: Mutton is the main character of Beijing Copper Shabu Hot Pot. The mutton is sliced thin and evenly, making it easy to boil.

Yunnan Wild Mushroom Hot Pot: Because of its unique natural environment and climatic conditions, Yunnan has a wide variety of high-quality wild mushroom resources, such as collybia albuminosa mushroom, tricholoma matsutake mushroom, bolete mushroom, enoki mushroom, pleurotus eryngii mushrooms, etc. These mushrooms are picked from the mountains of Yunnan which is fresh with high nutritional value.

10. Tofu – No 1 Chinese Food for Vegetarians

If you don't eat meat, tofu is the best Chinese cuisine for you. Tofu is mainly made from soybeans. Soybeans are made into soy milk and then solidified.

Tofu can be made into various delicious foods. Mapo Tofu is a famous Chinese dish. Cut the tofu into small pieces and stir-fry it with seasonings such as bean paste, chili, and Sichuan peppercorns. Mapo Tofu has a delicious spicy flavor and rich taste. Tofu pudding (douhua) is a popular traditional Chinese snack, which mainly has a salty taste in the north and a sweet taste in the south.

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