The history of Chinese food is as old as the country itself. Many exquisite foods have emerged during the long period of growth, and many are being eaten now. Some are festival meals that are consumed more regularly on special occasions, while others are consumed more frequently in ordinary life. If you enjoy Chinese cuisine, these are the some finest traditional Chinese foods you must try.
Chinese provinces’ preferences for seasoning and culinary skills are influenced by historical context and ethnic groups. Because China’s temperature varies from tropical in the south to subarctic in the northeast, geographical characteristics such as mountains, rivers, forests, and deserts have a significant impact on the local accessible elements. The changing of Chinese food is also influenced by imperial royal and nobility preferences. Ingredients and culinary techniques from various cultures have gradually been included into Chinese cuisines as a result of imperial expansion and trade.
- Dumplings
Dumplings are the most well-known traditional Chinese food, having been devised more than 1,800 years ago by medicinal scholar Zhang Zhongjing. Mutton was used in Chinese herbal medicine at the time to prevent colds and treat chilblains in the winter. Dumplings were a common meal throughout the Three Kingdoms Period (220 – 280 AD). Dumplings became popular in China throughout the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589 AD), and people ate them combined with soup.
- Chinese Noodles
Noodles are one of the most traditional Chinese foods. About 4,000 years ago, Chinese people began eating noodles. Noodles used to be a little dough sheet. Thin noodles in the shape of strips came later, during the Jin Dynasty (265 – 420 AD). A type of cooled-in-cold-water noodle appeared during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD). Long noodles were also connected with longevity at the period, thus people began to eat longevity noodles on their birthdays.
- Steamed stuffed buns
Steamed stuffed buns are a type of Chinese traditional dish that consists of a flour dough wrapper with filling. It is said that Zhuge Liang, an accomplished politician and military strategist of the Three Kingdoms Period, devised it for sacrifices to deceased warriors in combat. Originally, the stuffing consisted of minced beef and mutton. Stuffing became more diverse as time went on. The Song Dynasty established the name we use today.
- Glutinous Rice Balls
Glutinous Rice Balls are a traditional Chinese dish as well as a Lantern Holiday and Winter Solstice festival snack. They’re filled with sticky rice flour and formed like balls. Glutinous Rice Balls date back to the Song Dynasty in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. The filling comprised black sesame seeds, white sugar, and fat at the time. The fillings now come in a variety of flavours, including black sesame, rose, walnut kernel, date paste, pumpkin, fruits, pork, and chicken, among others. They’re frequently boiled and served with a mild soup; for extra flavour, rice wine and white sugar are sometimes added.
- Moon Cake
Moon Cake is a traditional Mid-Autumn Festival dish in China. It is round, which symbolises family reunion. It is also a sacrificial sacrifice to Moon God on Mid-Autumn Festival. The Taishi cake, which dates from the late Shang Dynasty (17th century BC – 1046 BC) and the early Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC – 256 BC), is thought to be the Moon Cake’s forerunner. Moon Cake was a royal food during the Tang and Song Dynasties, but it was later made available to the general public. Up to the Ming Dynasty, eating Moon Cake on Mid-Autumn Festival had become popular. During the Qing Dynasty, skills improved and the Moon Cake evolved into many different styles.
