Cheung Fun (肠粉), also known as Rice Noodle Rolls, is one of the most comforting dishes on the dim sum cart — silky, steamed rice noodle sheets rolled around shrimp or beef, then drizzled with sweet soy sauce. The noodles are impossibly smooth and tender, gliding across the plate withContinue Reading
Scallion Oil Noodles (葱油拌面), known as Cong You Ban Mian in Chinese, is a beloved Shanghai home classic — springy wheat noodles tossed in a fragrant scallion-infused oil, with a splash of soy sauce for that perfect salty-sweet balance. Despite having only four ingredients, it is one of the mostContinue Reading
Spicy Crayfish (口味虾), known locally as “Mala Xia” or “Youqiang Xia”, is Hunan’s most beloved summer street food — whole crayfish smothered in a fiery sauce of dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and beer, served piled high on metal trays. Eating it is a hands-on, messy, utterly addictive ritual thatContinue Reading
Wonton Noodle Soup (云吞面) is Cantonese cuisine’s most iconic noodle dish — springy egg noodles in a clear, golden broth topped with delicate shrimp-and-pork wontons. The three pillars of a great wonton noodle soup are: bouncy noodles, silky wontons, and a clean, sweet broth. Here is how to make itContinue Reading
La Zi Ji (辣子鸡), or Chongqing Spicy Chicken, is one of the most iconic dishes of Sichuan-Chongqing cuisine — crispy, bite-sized chicken nuggets wok-fried until golden, then tossed with a dramatic mountain of dried red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. The fun of eating it is hunting for the chicken piecesContinue Reading
Spring Rolls (春卷) are the ultimate Chinese snack — a golden, shatteringly crisp wrapper encasing a savory filling of shredded pork, cabbage, carrots, and glass noodles. They are named after the Spring Festival, when they are traditionally eaten to symbolize wealth and fresh beginnings, and served with sweet chili dippingContinue Reading
Oyster Sauce Broccoli (蚝油西兰花) is proof that the simplest dishes are often the best — crisp-tender broccoli florets tossed in a glossy, savory-sweet oyster sauce glaze with just a whisper of garlic. It is the vegetable dish that converts vegetable skeptics, and it goes from wok to table in underContinue Reading
Clear Pork Rib Soup (清炖排骨汤) is the quintessential Chinese home soup — a crystal-clear, lightly seasoned broth that lets the pure pork flavor shine. Unlike Western stews, this soup is intentionally subtle, with just ginger, scallions, and a touch of salt coaxing flavor from pork ribs and daikon radish overContinue Reading
Chicken Feet (凤爪), also known as Phoenix Claws, is one of the most iconic dim sum dishes — tender, gelatinous chicken feet braised in a savory black bean sauce until the skin is practically falling off the bone. It is the dish that separates adventurous dim sum eaters from tourists,Continue Reading
Changde Beef Noodle Soup (常德牛肉面) is Hunan’s gift to the noodle world — wide, flat rice noodles swimming in a deep, aromatic beef broth that has been simmered with star anise, cassia, and Sichuan peppercorns until it is dark, rich, and intensely beefy. Tender shaved beef, pickled vegetables, and aContinue Reading