China: Recipes and Cuisine

Ants climbing trees (má yǐ shàng shù) is a Szechuan dish that gets its name from the resemblance of the small pieces of pork to ants on noodle "branches." Because it is easy and cheap to make, ants climbing trees is a traditional favorite of Chinese college students. Read more »

Bao, also known as baozi, are pillowy, soft buns that are either steamed or baked. They come with a variety of fillings and are a common item in dim sum shops. Bao are a favorite breakfast or mid-morning snack. Read more »

Originally from southeastern China, char siu barbecue is now a favorite all over Asia. The name translates as "fork-roasted," and describes the method of hanging strips of marinated meat on forked skewers and roasting them in an oven or over an open fire. Char siu is either the marinade itself or the roast barbecue pork that is the most common char siu dish. As a sauce, char siu is versatile and has endless variations. Also spelled cha siew or chashao. Read more »

Cu liu jiu is a popular stir fry from the area around Beijing. The vinegar adds a pleasant pungency without being overwhelming. Read more »

This simple vegetarian stir fry is a good wintertime dish. Tofu is paired with meaty shiitake mushrooms in a salty-sweet gravy. Read more »

Gung bo gai ding, better known as kung pao chicken, is a famous dish from the spicy repertoire of Guizhou province in south-central China. The story goes that kung pao was created by a palace guard (gong boa) who later became a provincial governor. The tasty meal was brought to the United States by immigrants from Sichuan province, who added peanuts to the original recipe. It has since become one of the most popular Chinese dishes in the United States. Read more »

Hong shao, or red-cooking, is a popular way to prepare meats in the Shanghai region of eastern China. Simmering in dark soy sauce gives the meat a reddish color and the dish its name. Red-cooked dishes often include a mix of meat and vegetables and are similar to a western stew. The sauce produced during hong shao cooking is sometimes reserved and used again and again, improving in flavor with each use. Families and restaurants often claim sauces that reach back for generations. Read more »

Kai yang bai cai is a very simple cabbage stir-fry that is served in every Chinese home. Read more »

Law bok gow is a favorite Cantonese dim sum treat, especially popular during Chinese New Year celebrations. Usually called daikon, turnip or radish cake in English, it is really more of a savory pudding. The recipe below is very basic, but law bok gow is normally studded with savory garnishes and lightly fried on both sides until golden brown. Sometimes spelled lo bark goh. Read more »

Longevity, or long-life, noodles are a popular Chinese dish for birthdays and Chinese New Year. As their name indicates, they symbolize living to a ripe old age. There are innumerable variations on the basic noodle dish; this one serves a simple broth over the yi mein egg noodles. It is very important not to cut or break the noodles while cooking or serving them. To do so would be very bad luck indeed. Read more »

This recipe makes a good filling for Chinese bao, siu mai, and potstickers. Read more »

While ketchup may seem a surprising ingredient in Chinese food, it is actually used and produces a very tasty sauce. Some purists scoff, however, and if you like you can substitute tomato sauce or tomato paste. Read more »

Shuan yang rou, or Mongolian hot pot as it is often known in the West, is a very popular Chinese dish, especially in Beijing, and is primarily eaten in winter, when cold winds blow down from Mongolia. It particularly popular for Chinese New Year. Yang rou is Mandarin for lamb, the favored meat for this dish. Shuan can be roughly translated as "to swish." Read more »

They may call them Singapore noodles, but this dish is Chinese through and through. The name may be a reference to the exotic curry flavor. Singapore noodles, or sing chow mai fun, are especially popular in the southern Cantonese part of the country and with Chinese populations overseas. As with all stir fries, have all your ingredients assembled and prepared before you begin cooking. Read more »

Siu mai (SHOO-my), or shaomai, are popular little steamed dumplings from southeastern China. They are sold by shops as a quick snack food or from carts in dim sum restaurants as part of a larger menu selection. Read more »

West Lake vinegar fish (Xi Hu Cu Yu) is one of the most famous dishes of the Zhejiang culinary tradition in eastern China. Fish poached and glazed with a sweet vinegar sauce, this dish is named after a large, beautiful lake in the city of Hangzhou. Good for Chinese New Year when serving whole fish is considered lucky. Read more »

Zhajiang mian is a popular, rib-sticking noodle dish from Northern China. It has been compared to the Italian spaghetti bolognese. Brown bean sauce is found in jars at most Asian markets. Names of other sauces often used in this dish include yellow bean paste, broad bean sauce, sweet noodle sauce and hot bean paste. There is no hard and fast rule. Use whatever sauce you like and can find. Read more »