Beyond Sweet and Sour Chicken: Regional Chinese Cuisine

Beyond Sweet and Sour Chicken: Regional Chinese Cuisine
By Qing Hua

When looking at a country as a huge and diverse as China, it should be no surprise that there are regional variants in types of cuisine. While many people are familiar with Chinese food from their local take-out place, Chinese cooking has a vast array of different dishes that go well beyond what could be offered on a one page menu. Lately, many home chefs have been focused on trying to recreate traditional dishes in their home kitchens. Looking through various types of cuisines can help any cook get inspired and focus on one or two regional dishes.

Szechuan Cuisine

Originating in the Western part of China, Szechuan cuisine is traditionally a very spicy and pungent type of cooking. Many traditional Chinese recipes have risen from Szechuan cooking including things like Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken and Dan Dan Noodles. Most dishes in Szechuan cooking use a wide array of techniques. The most common technique used are stir frying and steaming. One of the most commonly used ingredients is the extremely fragrant Sichuan Pepper as well as broad bean chili paste.

Peking Cuisine

Northern cuisine, or Peking cuisine, brings together the many cultures of northern China. Some of the most legendary dishes with a vast history have originated in this region including Peking Duck and Mongolian Hotpot. Many of these dishes also have a regal flare, with Beijing being the historical seat of power for China. With that, the focus tends to be on the meats in most dishes. Other common foods in this region include an array of noodle and dumpling dishes, as well as some flavorful dark sauces to be used for dipping and or dressing noodles and meats.

Cantonese Cuisine

One of the more reserved and balanced flavor profiles comes from Cantonese cooking. Traditionally, these Chinese recipes use a wide array of ingredients, even things like offal, snakes, and chicken feet. Some of the most commonly exported Chinese sauces originate in Cantonese cuisine like Hoisin Sauce and oyster sauce. These sauces are used to enhance and balance out dishes where salt, soy sauce and sesame oil play a key role. Some traditional dishes of this region include chow mein and lo mein dishes, as well as steamed fish and vegetables in oyster sauce.

Eastern Cuisine

In eastern Chinese recipes, the sea plays a huge part in cooking. With a wide array of fresh seafood available, Eastern or Shanghai cuisine offer a different flavor profile than many other regions of China. With a strong emphasis on the use of vinegar, dishes have bright and strong flavors. Along with some of the most enjoyable dishes, also come some notorious ones like Thousand Year Old Eggs and Stinky Tofu. These are by no means the definition of Shanghai cuisine, but can be commonly found in street market stalls and stores. Other, much more recognizable dishes include Xiao Long Bao, a dumpling enjoyed throughout the day, and local Hairy Crab.

If one tried to compile all the Chinese recipes into one book, it would be a massive endeavor that would take years to attempt. By focusing on one region's recipes, home cooks can begin to gain an understanding of that certain area before moving onto another. Learning to cook Chinese food may seem like a tremendous endeavor, but by looking regionally, it suddenly becomes much more manageable.

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