Top 8 Most Popular Chinese Dishes

Chinese cuisine is one important part of Chinese culture, and it is famous for color, aroma, taste, meaning and appearance. Find out top 8 popular Chinese dishes!

See the Top 8 most popular Chinese Recipes You Must Try!

1， Sweet and Sour Pork 糖醋里脊 (tángcù lǐjǐ)

Introduction to Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork, known as 糖醋里脊 (tángcù lǐjǐ) in Chinese, is a beloved dish in Chinese cuisine, celebrated for its vibrant flavor and eye-catching appearance.

Texture and Uniqueness

The dish features a perfect blend of crispy and tender textures. The pork is first coated in flour and starch, then deep-fried to achieve a golden, crispy exterior, while maintaining a tender interior.

Best Way to Enjoy

Sweet and Sour Pork is best enjoyed fresh and hot. It pairs excellently with steamed white rice, which complements its bold flavors.

Origin Story

This iconic dish has evolved from ancient Chinese cooking methods that expertly combine sweet and sour flavors, a technique that has been perfected over centuries.

Culinary Tradition

Sweet and Sour Pork falls under the broader category of Cantonese cuisine, known for its emphasis on fresh ingredients and balanced flavors.

Spread of Cantonese Cuisine

Cantonese cuisine is renowned worldwide, particularly in regions with significant Chinese diaspora communities.

Simple Recipe Guide

1. Ingredients: Pork loin, flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar.
2. Preparation: Cut pork into bite-sized pieces, coat in flour and starch.
3. Cooking: Deep-fry pork until golden, then stir-fry with sweet and sour sauce until well-coated.

2, Kung Pao Chicken 宫保鸡丁(Gōngbǎojīdīng)

Texture and Uniqueness: Kung Pao Chicken combines crunchy peanuts and tender chicken pieces with a vibrant mix of chili peppers and cucumbers, offering a fresh, crispy texture that’s spicy yet not overwhelming. Its unique taste blends sweet, sour, and a hint of spice.

Best Way to Enjoy: This dish is best served hot, with steamed rice or noodles, enhancing the spicy flavors.

Culinary Tradition: As a staple of Sichuan cuisine, Kung Pao Chicken showcases the hallmark of bold spiciness and piquant flavors typical of the region.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Boneless chicken breast, dried chilies, roasted peanuts, cucumber, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch.
2. Preparation: Cube the chicken and marinate in soy sauce and cornstarch.
3. Cooking: Heat oil in a pan, fry the chilies until they start to darken, then add the chicken. Once the chicken is nearly cooked, add cucumbers and peanuts, stir-fry for a few minutes. Finish with a splash of vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar to enhance the flavors.

Now, let’s continue with the next dish:

3, Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐(mápó dòufǔ)

Texture and Uniqueness: Mapo Tofu is celebrated for its silky texture contrasted with the crunchy bites of ground beef or pork. The dish is renowned for its fiery spiciness and deep, complex flavor profile.

Best Way to Enjoy: Serve hot over a bed of fluffy white rice which helps to temper the spiciness.

Culinary Tradition: This iconic dish from Sichuan cuisine is known for its use of Sichuan peppercorns, which impart a unique numbing sensation.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Soft tofu, ground beef or pork, Sichuan peppercorns, fermented broad bean paste, chili oil, garlic, and scallions.
2. Preparation: Cube tofu and blanch in boiling water to keep it firm.
3. Cooking: Brown the meat with garlic and peppercorns, add broad bean paste, then incorporate tofu and a splash of chili oil. Simmer until flavors meld.

4,Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork 鱼香肉丝 (Yúxiāngròusī)

Texture and Uniqueness: Despite its name, Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork contains no fish; instead, it gets its name from the sauce traditionally used in fish recipes. The dish features thin strips of pork stir-fried with wood ear mushrooms and vegetables, offering a unique, tangy and slightly sweet flavor.

Best Way to Enjoy: It pairs beautifully with a bowl of jasmine rice, allowing the rice to absorb the rich, flavorful sauce.

Culinary Tradition: This dish is a classic example of Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold use of garlic, ginger, and fermented components to create a complex flavor profile.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrots, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili paste.
2. Preparation: Julienne the pork and vegetables. Soak and slice the wood ear mushrooms.
3. Cooking: Stir-fry the pork with garlic and ginger until golden, add vegetables and mushrooms, and finish with a sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili paste to bind all the flavors together.

5, Sautéed Shrimp with Cashew Nuts
腰果虾仁 （yāoguǒ xiārén)

Texture and Uniqueness: This dish combines the tender texture of shrimp with the crunch of roasted cashew nuts, coated in a light, savory sauce.

Best Way to Enjoy: Ideal when served hot, alongside a serving of light, fluffy rice or noodles to complement the delicate flavors.

Culinary Tradition: A popular dish in Guangdong cuisine, this recipe reflects the region’s preference for fresh, lightly seasoned seafood dishes.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Shrimp, cashew nuts, egg whites, cornstarch, salt, cooking wine.
2. Preparation: Marinate the shrimp in a mixture of egg whites, cornstarch, and a dash of salt.
3. Cooking: Quickly sauté the shrimp until they turn pink, add cashew nuts, and splash with a bit of cooking wine for an extra layer of flavor.

6，Jiaozi 饺子 ( jiǎozi )

Texture and Uniqueness: 1,800 years agao,  the sage of Chinese medicine – Zhang Zhonejing (张仲景) invented Jiaozi to cure the frostbitten ears.  Nowadays, dumplings can be filled with a wide variety of things, pork, beef, mutton, seafood and chopped vegetables, then wrap it into a thin piece of dumpling skin and pinch the wrapper into the shape of an ear.

Best Way to Enjoy: They can be boiled, steamed, fried, or served in soup, each method offering a different texture and taste experience.

Culinary Tradition: Dumplings are traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year and other festivals, symbolizing wealth and prosperity.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Dumpling wrappers, ground pork, cabbage, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil.
2. Preparation: Mix ground pork with finely chopped cabbage, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil for the filling.
3. Cooking: Spoon the filling into each wrapper, fold and pinch to seal, then boil, steam, or fry as desired.

7, Peking Roasted Duck  北京烤鸭 (Běijīng kǎoyā)

Texture and Uniqueness: Known for its thin, crispy skin and tender, flavorful meat, Peking Duck is a world-renowned dish from Beijing.

Best Way to Enjoy: Traditionally served with thin pancakes, sweet bean sauce, and fresh spring onions, allowing diners to make small wraps with balanced flavors. Peking duck (北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā) is savored for its thin and crispy skin and tender meat(外焦里嫩wài jiāo lǐ nèn), often served with pancakes and soy sauce with garlic. and considered as one of China’s national dishes.
toast duck  烤鸭 kǎoyā                      thin pancake 薄饼 báo bǐng
sweet bean sauce 甜面酱tiánmiàn jiàng, spring onions 小葱(xiǎo cōng)

Culinary Tradition: As one of China’s national dishes, it showcases the sophisticated art of Chinese roasting techniques.

How to Cook:

1. Ingredients: Whole duck, maltose or honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, pancakes, spring onions, cucumber.
2. Preparation: Air-dry the duck after coating it in a mixture of maltose and soy sauce to achieve crispy skin.
3. Cooking: Roast in a hot oven until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender, typically served sliced with accompaniments.

Famous  Roasted Duck Restaurants in Beijing

• 全聚德 Quanjude Roast Duck,about 150 years history
• 便宜坊 Bian yi fang , more than 600 years history
• 大董烤鸭 Dadong Roast Duck  Morden style

8, Hot-pot 火锅 (huǒguō)

Hot Pot (pinyin: huǒ guō) origins from north part of the country;

Texture and Uniqueness: Hot-pot is an interactive dining experience where diners cook a variety of raw ingredients in a communal pot of simmering broth, resulting in tender, flavorful bites.

Best Way to Enjoy: It’s best enjoyed in a group, making it not just a meal but a social event, with diners selecting and cooking their own ingredients.

Culinary Tradition: Originating from the Mongolian and Sichuan traditions, hot-pot has various regional variations, from fiery spicy to mild and aromatic broths.

How to Cook:

1. 1. Ingredients: A selection of thinly sliced meats, vegetables, tofu, seafood, and noodles.

1. Preparation: Prepare and arrange all ingredients raw and sliced for easy cooking.
2. Cooking: Diners cook their chosen ingredients in the simmering broth at the table, customizing their meal to their taste.

Famous Hot-Pot Brands

-Haidilao Hotpot  海底捞
-Donglaishun Hotpot  东来顺
More famous hot-pot restaruants in Beijing see Tripadvisor Review!

There is a variety of delicious meals in China. After reading Top 8 puplar Chinese dishes, you should try today! More about Chinese Drinking Culture!