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Thali

🇨🇳 The food of China

122 dishes from China, best known first, across 60 cities and regions.

Chinese cooking is shaped by a vast range of climates, local crops, and centuries of migration and trade. Its many regional styles use staples like rice and wheat, and balance flavors and textures with a focus on color, aroma, and nutrition. The cuisine’s diversity and techniques have influenced food cultures across Asia and the world.

  • Chopsticks and the wok are key utensils in Chinese cooking.
  • The first restaurants in the modern sense appeared in Song dynasty China.
  • Soy sauce is used in cooking, not added at the table.
  • Chinese food therapy links meals to health and balance.
  • Rice dominates in the south, wheat in the north.

The cooking of China

Chinese cuisine covers a huge variety of dishes and traditions, shaped by geography, history, and local customs. The food changes from north to south and east to west, reflecting what grows best in each region. Cooking methods range from stir-frying in a wok to steaming, braising, and baking. Flavors are balanced for taste, color, and aroma, often drawing on principles from traditional Chinese medicine. Meals are built around shared dishes, and attention is paid to the harmony of ingredients and presentation. Over time, outside influences—through trade, migration, and conquest—have added new foods and techniques, making Chinese cuisine one of the world’s most varied.

Staple foods in China

Rice is the main staple in the south, often served steamed or as congee, a rice porridge eaten for breakfast. In the north, wheat is more common, used for noodles, breads, and dumplings. Millet and other grains are also traditional. Meat is usually used in small amounts, with vegetables and grains making up most of the meal. Soy sauce, tofu, and chili oil are common seasonings and ingredients.

From region to region in China

Regional cooking in China is highly diverse. Cantonese food from the south is known for fresh ingredients and mild flavors. Sichuan cuisine from the west uses chili and spices for heat and numbing sensations. Shandong cooking in the north features wheat-based foods and seafood, while Jiangsu (including Huaiyang) in the east is famous for refined techniques like braising and stewing. Fujian, Hunan, Anhui, and Zhejiang each have their own specialties, from seafood and soups to wild herbs and pickled foods. Preservation methods like drying, salting, and fermenting are common across regions.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Chinese cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of China

Guangdong 9Beijing 7Fujian 7Guangzhou 4Hangzhou 4Shanghai 4Sichuan 4Guizhou 3Tianjin 3Anxi County 2Chengdu 2Chongqing 2Fuzhou 2Guangxi 2Jiangnan 2Nanjing 2Shaanxi 2Shandong 2Suzhou 2Wuyi Mountains 2Xi'an 2Xinjiang 2Yangzhou 2Yunnan 2Zhejiang 2Bozhou 1Chang'an 1Changsha 1Changzhou 1Chaoshan 1Chaozhou 1Chuzhou 1Gansu 1Geleshan 1Hainan 1Hebei 1Henan 1Hohhot 1Jiangsu 1Jilin 1Jinan 1Lanzhou 1Linhai 1Longjing 1Luzhou 1Manchuria 1Meijiawu 1Minnan region 1Nanxiang 1Ningbo 1Pu'er 1Qiandao Lake 1Quanzhou 1Shanxi 1Shaoxing 1Shi Feng 1Tongxiang 1West Lake 1Wuhan 1Wuxi 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Candy 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSmall sweet treats made mainly from sugar or sweeteners Sweet or dessert, Snacks CaviarFish or seafood 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreSalt-cured fish roe, most prized from sturgeon of the Caspian and Black Sea Sauce, pickle or ferment, Snacks Soy milkVegan豆奶 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA plant-based drink made by soaking, grinding, and boiling soybeans Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Chuanr串 🇨🇳 ChinaGrilled skewers of meat, seafood or vegetables from northern China Grill or roast, Dinner, Snacks Tofu skin roll 🇨🇳 ChinaTofu skin wrapped around a savoury filling, served steamed or fried as dim sum Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Iced teaVegan 🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreChilled tea served over ice, sometimes sweetened or flavored with fruit Drink, Lunch, Dinner Mooncake月饼 / 月餅 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA round Chinese pastry with sweet or nutty filling, eaten at the Mid-Autumn Festival Pie or savoury pastry, Tea time, Snacks Pierogi 🇵🇱 Poland and 6 moreDumplings of unleavened dough filled with savory or sweet mixtures Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Spring roll春卷 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA thin wrapper rolled around vegetables or meat, served fried or fresh Main dish, Snacks, Lunch Wonton云吞 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings with a thin wrapper, filled and served in soup or fried Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner Baozi包子 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSteamed wheat buns filled with meat or vegetables, common across China and beyond Main dish, Breakfast, Snacks Zongzi粽子 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSticky rice parcels with sweet or savoury fillings, wrapped in leaves and steamed or boiled Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Jiaozi餃子 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreChinese dumplings with meat or vegetable filling, served boiled, steamed or fried Dumpling, Breakfast, Lunch Butter teaབོད་ཇ་ 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreA hot Himalayan drink of tea, yak butter and salt, churned to a creamy texture Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Red bean pasteVegan 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreSweet or plain paste made from boiled adzuki beans, used in East Asian desserts Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Dim sum点心 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA variety of small Chinese dishes served with tea, often for brunch Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Dumpling 🇨🇳 China and 5 morePieces of dough, plain or filled, cooked by boiling, steaming or frying Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Odenおでん 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreJapanese one-pot dish of assorted items simmered in soy-flavored dashi broth Soup, Dinner, Lunch Nian gaoVegan年糕 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSticky rice cake enjoyed at Chinese New Year for good luck Sweet or dessert, Snacks Sugarcane juiceVegan 🇮🇳 India and 6 moreFresh juice pressed from sugarcane stalks, sold widely as a street drink Drink, Snacks Fish ball魚丸 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft balls of minced fish, boiled or fried, eaten across Asia and Northern Europe Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Tangyuan汤圆 / 湯圓 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreGlutinous rice balls, often filled, served in sweet or savory broth Sweet or dessert, Snacks MantouVegan馒头 🇨🇳 ChinaSoft, steamed wheat buns eaten across northern China Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Egg tartVegetarian蛋撻 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA small pastry tart with a sweet egg custard filling, found in Cantonese cuisine Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time EdamameVegan枝豆 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreYoung green soybeans boiled or steamed in their pods, often served salted Main dish, Snacks, Lunch Jian duiVegetarian 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreFried glutinous rice balls coated with sesame seeds and filled with sweet paste Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time YoutiaoVegan油條 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreLong, golden-brown strips of deep-fried dough eaten across East and Southeast Asia Street food, Breakfast, Snacks Stinky tofuVegetarian臭豆腐 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreFermented tofu with a strong aroma, sold as a snack in China and Taiwan Street food, Snacks Xiaolongbao小笼包 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreSmall steamed buns with a savoury filling and hot soup inside Dumpling, Breakfast, Snacks SōmenVegetarian素麺 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreVery thin wheat noodles served cold or in soup across East Asia Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner Chicken feetMeat 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChicken feet cooked and eaten in soups, stews, snacks and street foods worldwide Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Shumai烧卖 / 燒賣 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese dumplings filled with seasoned meat, often served as dim sum Dumpling, Breakfast, Lunch Roujiamo肉夹馍 🇨🇳 ChinaFlatbread filled with stewed meat, a street food from Shaanxi, China Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Parotta 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLayered flatbread from South India, soft and flakey, made with refined flour Bread, Breakfast, Lunch TanghuluVegan糖葫芦 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreSkewered fruit coated in a crisp sugar shell, a classic Northern Chinese street snack Sweet or dessert, Snacks Cha siu baoMeat叉燒包 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreCantonese steamed or baked buns filled with barbecue-flavored pork Street food, Lunch, Snacks DouhuaVegan豆花 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSoft tofu served as a sweet or savoury snack across East and Southeast Asia Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks HotteokVegetarian호떡 🇰🇷 South Korea and 2 moreKorean street pancake with a sweet, nutty filling Street food, Snacks Apam balikVegetarian 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreA folded sweet pancake filled with peanuts and sugar, sold at roadside stalls Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Tea eggVegetarian茶叶蛋 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreEggs simmered in spiced tea, marbled with dark lines under the shell Street food, Snacks Korean fried chickenMeat치킨 🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreCrispy fried chicken from South Korea, often served with sauces and pickled radish Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SachimaVegetarianᠰᠠᠴᡳᠮᠠ 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreSweet, airy strips of deep-fried dough held together with sugar syrup Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks Scallion pancakeVegan蔥油餅 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreLayered Chinese flatbread with scallions, pan-fried until crisp and chewy Bread, Snacks gua baoMeat割包 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSteamed folded bun filled with braised pork belly and condiments Street food, Snacks, Lunch Kuih粿 / کوءيه / kue 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 5 moreBite-sized sweet or savoury snacks made from rice or glutinous rice flour Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks Pineapple bunVegetarian菠蘿包 🇭🇰 Hong Kong and 3 moreA sweet bun with a crunchy, golden cookie crust, popular in Hong Kong Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time Roasted chestnutsVegan 🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreChestnuts cooked over heat and sold as a warm street snack in autumn and winter Street food, Snacks Qingtuan青团 🇨🇳 ChinaGreen glutinous rice dumpling filled with sweet or savory paste, eaten at Qingming Festival Dumpling, Snacks
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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