Lu Song Soup (罗宋汤), the Chinese borscht, is a beloved Shanghai home classic — a rich, sweet-and-sour tomato soup loaded with tender beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onion. It evolved from Russian borscht after the Russian diaspora brought it to Shanghai in the early 20th century, and the Chinese versionContinue Reading
Moo Shu Pork (木须肉) is a beloved northern Chinese stir-fry — tender shredded pork, silky scrambled egg, wood ear mushrooms, and crisp cucumber or lily flower tossed in a savory sauce. The name “moo shu” (wood flower) refers to the wood ear mushrooms and the egg that resembles blooming flowers.Continue Reading
Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns (流沙包), known as Liu Sha Bao, are the molten-lava stars of the dim sum cart — soft, fluffy white buns hiding a warm, savory-sweet golden custard that flows out the moment you tear them open. The filling is made from salted egg yolks, butter, andContinue Reading
Claypot Rice (煲仔饭), specifically Cured Meat Claypot Rice, is one of Cantonese cuisine’s most soulful one-pot dishes — fluffy rice cooked in a clay pot with Chinese sausage, cured pork, and a perfectly crackly golden crust at the bottom. Every grain absorbs the sweet, savory drippings of the cured meats,Continue Reading
Pounded Chili with Century Egg (擂辣椒皮蛋) is a rustic Hunan classic that combines two love-it-or-hate-it ingredients into one unforgettable dish — creamy, earthy century eggs smashed together with charred green chilies, garlic, and a zesty dressing. The chilies are roasted until smoky, then pounded with the eggs into a chunky,Continue Reading
Typhoon Shelter Crab (避风塘炒蟹) is one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated seafood dishes — whole crab deep-fried and tossed with a dramatic mountain of golden garlic crumbs, chili, and scallions. The name comes from the typhoon shelters of Victoria Harbour, where boat-dwelling cooks invented this style of cooking. It isContinue Reading
Ants Climbing a Tree (蚂蚁上树) is one of Sichuan cuisine’s most playful and delicious home dishes — glassy mung bean vermicelli stir-fried with savory minced pork, so that the tiny bits of meat cling to the translucent noodles like “ants climbing a tree.” It is saucy, garlicky, slightly spicy, andContinue Reading
Liang Pi (凉皮), also known as Cold Skin Noodles, is the ultimate summer street food of northwest China — chewy, translucent sheets of wheat starch noodles tossed with cucumber, bean sprouts, garlic water, and a bold chili-vinegar sauce. It is served cold, refreshing, and addictive, and it is one ofContinue Reading
Tomato Beef Brisket Soup (番茄牛腩汤) is a soul-warming Chinese home classic — tender beef brisket simmered for hours until it falls apart, in a rich, tangy tomato broth that is equal parts comforting and energizing. It is the soup Chinese families make on cold evenings, ladled over rice or slurpedContinue Reading
Oyster Sauce Beef (蚝油牛肉) is a beloved Cantonese stir-fry — tender, velvety beef slices glazed in a glossy, savory-sweet oyster sauce, often paired with crisp bok choy or broccoli. It is the dish that made Cantonese beef famous: silky from velveting, sweet from oyster sauce, and ready in under 15Continue Reading