Chinese
Mapo tofu
Silken tofu in a fiery, numbing sauce of fermented bean paste and Sichuan pepper.
China
Chinese Cuisine
Chinese cuisine is a continent of cooking styles under one name — eight great regional traditions ranging from the bold spice of Sichuan to the delicate dim sum of Guangdong. What threads through them all is a philosophy of balance (yin and yang, hot and cold) and the wok, the single most important cooking vessel in the world’s most populous cuisine.
Introduction
About Chinese Cuisine
Chinese cooking has been documented for over 3,000 years. Confucius himself wrote about the etiquette of eating. Trade routes spread noodles west and introduced chilies from the Americas, which Sichuan cooking adopted with extraordinary enthusiasm.
Chinese emigration carried regional cuisines around the world, where they evolved — from chop suey in America to the Cantonese dim sum that became a global Sunday ritual.
The pantry
Key Ingredients
The classics
Popular Chinese Dishes
Chinese
Kung pao chicken
Stir-fried chicken with peanuts, chilies, and a glossy sweet-savory sauce.
Chinese
Peking duck
Crisp-skinned duck carved tableside, wrapped in pancakes with hoisin and scallions.
Chinese
Dim sum
A parade of small plates — har gow, siu mai, bao — served with tea.
Chinese
Fried rice
Day-old rice tossed in a screaming-hot wok — the ultimate refrigerator clean-out.
One country, many tables
Regional Chinese Cuisine
Sichuan
Numbing Sichuan pepper, chilies, and bold fermented sauces.
Cantonese
Freshness and restraint — dim sum, steamed fish, and roast meats.
Hunan
Hot, sour, and smoky — cooking that is unapologetically assertive.
Shanghai & Jiangsu
Sweet, soy-dark braises and the refined, careful cooking of the east.
How it is cooked
Cooking Techniques
- Wok hei (wok breath)
- Velveting meat
- Steaming
- Red braising
- Hand-pulled noodles
Cook the classics
Chinese Recipes
Vegetable Fried Rice
20 minEasy
Beyond the plate
Food Culture
Food is the center of Chinese social life — meals are shared, dishes arrive family-style, and eating together is the primary way people connect. The kitchen values frugality and resourcefulness: nothing is wasted, and leftovers become new dishes with remarkable creativity.
Learn the staples
Related Ingredients
Level up
Related Cooking Guides
Good to know
Common Questions
What is wok hei?
Literally “wok breath” — the smoky, charred aroma a well-seasoned wok at very high heat gives food. It is the signature of great Cantonese stir-frying.
Is Chinese food all about soy sauce?
Soy sauce is a cornerstone, but the cuisine also runs on fermented bean paste, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sesame, and a vast range of regional seasonings.
What is the easiest Chinese dish to cook at home?
Fried rice and stir-fries are the gateway — they teach the wok, the heat, and the seasoning instinct. A carbon-steel wok and high heat are the only real requirements.