Top Ten Chinese Foods

Many people mix up won tons and dumplings, but there are three major differences. First, they have different starting shapes; won tons make use of a 6cm square or isosceles trapezoid base while dumplings us a 7cm diameter circular base. Second, the "skin" used for won tons is much thinner than the "skin" used for dumplings. Finally, won tons are always found in soups while dumplings are dipped in condiments and sauces

Main Ingredients: pork, shrimp, vegetables and green onions.

#6 Dumplings (饺子)

During the Spring Festival, Chinese families will get together and have dumpling parties. It is said that the dish was invented by Zhang Zhongjing, one of the finest Chinese physicians in history. Dumplings have a 1, 800 year long history which is why it is one of the most popular traditional foods in China and extremely popular in Western countries.
They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying or baking.

Dumplings feature thin skin, soft stuffing, and unique shapes. Dumpling stuffings are various, including pork, beef, cabbage, carrots, and/or onions among others. Deep cultural meanings are usually associated with this dish, for example dumplings stuffed with celery is called "qin cai jiao" in Chinese, which is a homophone for the phrase that means "hard working and lots of wealth."

Main Ingredients: meats, vegetables and flour

#5 Spicy Tofu (Mapo doufu) (麻婆豆腐)

Spicy Tofu, known in Chinese as "mapo doufu", is one of the most famous dishes from Sichuan cuisine. The dish features the trademark "hot" spiciness along with the characteristically tongue-numbing nature of Sichuan's flavorful food.

Spicy Tofu can be found in restaurants all over China, as well as in Korea and Japan, where the flavors are adapted to local tastes. The Japanese style still retains the "spiciness", even though spicy is not the preferred taste in Japanese cuisine, and is coupled with Japanese rice.

Main Ingredients: tofu (Bean Curd) and beef

#4 Egg-fried rice (炒饭)

Originally from China's ancient western regions, egg-fried rice has now become part of Chinese people's daily cuisine. Famous for its aromatic smells, soft textures and handsome presentation, one can easily find this popular dish anywhere in China, from high class hotels to family-run restaurants on the street.

While it is fairly easy to make, there are some points that should be kept in mind: use left-over rice rather than newly-cooked rice for better taste. Additionally, before frying, the rice should be churned up.