Top Five Chinese Dishes we Can’t Help but Scoff

Do you ever look at a Chinese menu and feel overwhelmed by the huge variety of dishes? Take away the worry of choosing by going for one of the top five Chinese dishes. These are tried and trusted favourites with diners around the world, including ourselves.

Sweet and Sour

All kinds of food can be served in sweet and sour sauce, including pork, chicken and shrimp. The sauce is made by mixing white rice vinegar and soy sauce with spices and sweeteners such as sugar or honey. Sweet and sour sauce has a distinctive bright orange and red colour and can include pineapple and vegetables such as sliced peppers and onions.

Chow Mein

Chow Mein noodles are cooked in boiling water, allowed to cool and then stir-fried, when meats and vegetables such as onions, celery, bean sprouts and cabbage are added. Chow Mein noodles can be left soft or served crispy, sometimes called ‘Hong Kong style,’ so it is best to check with the restaurant which style they are serving.

Kung Po Chicken

This dish also known as Gong Bao Chicken. It comes from the Sichuan region of China and is a wonderfully spicy dish of chicken, chili and peanuts that can be served with rice or noodles. Some restaurants coat the chicken in corn-starch and fry it, but it is a healthier option to simply dice the chicken and simmer it in sauce.

Won Tons

These sticky little dumplings are irrestible and there are even whole restaurants devoted to them. They are made from thin dough that is shaped into a triangle and filled with minced pork or chicken, shrimp and vegetables. They are often steamed but they can be deep-fried and a delicious option is to serve them in a soup. It is traditional in China to eat wontons in the winter, but they are delicious all year round.

Peking Duck

This Beijing dish is often considered China’s national dish. Duck is cooked in its skin and thinly sliced, then eaten with pancakes topped with sweet bean or plum sauce.

Come try these dishes and much much more at The Dragon Court Restaurant.

So which staple chinese dishes are missing from this delicious banquet? Leave a comment below.