Authentic Chinese food is rarely like the North American versions found in Chinese restaurants throughout the West. More than one traveler has taken to the streets of Beijing only to be disappointed that General Tso’s chicken is hard to find.
And as you probably already guessed: fortune cookies are not a “thing” in China.
China is a huge and diverse place with millennia of history and culinary influences. China didn’t really open up enough until the 1960s and 1970s to share authentic Chinese food with the rest of the world.
Many of the familiar Chinese dishes that originated in California were adaptations of immigrants from the southern province of Guangdong. These dishes represent only a small portion of the spectrum of Chinese cuisine. The “Chinese food” that was first shared with the world was largely adapted and altered, and all fairly well came from one region.
Everyone is familiar with those ubiquitous classics found on every menu at every neighborhood Chinese restaurant in North America. Seasoned fans don’t even need to look at a menu. You know sweet and sour chicken, Mongolian beef, fried rice, and other family favorites are on offer.
What is authentic Chinese food?
The cuisine that Westerners refer to as “Chinese food” originated primarily in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s. Jack Kerouac and many of the infamous “Beats” were fanatics. Chinese food was an inexpensive option for these cash-strapped artists, and the popularity of Eastern philosophy was growing. Visiting Chinatown was a cultural experience in itself.
This fusion food, which later spread throughout the country and the world, was obviously catered to current tastes and prepared with locally available ingredients. Even vegetables are often different. Western versions of broccoli, carrots, and onions rarely appear in authentic Chinese food.
The authentic Chinese food dishes that were adopted by Western restaurants have some fundamental differences. For chicken, Westerners often prefer boneless, white breast meat. Chinese dishes often use dark meat, connective tissue, organs, and small bones as nutritional value.
American-Chinese food tends to be less spicy than the authentic versions. In the United States, additional soy sauce and sugar are added to dishes that typically don’t require much sweet or savory flavor.
Soups and sauces are often made from powder packets sold by large Asian food conglomerates, hence the reason many Chinese dishes and soups taste consistent in restaurants across the United States.
Where to find authentic Chinese food?
If you travel a street or two away from tourist areas in China, finding English on menus is understandably rare.
Don’t accept the old traveller’s myth that memorizing or writing the chicken symbol (鸡) is enough. The symbols that follow are most likely for the feet, neck, or internal organs – the flawless white breast meat preferred in the West is not always the default!
Hostels and hotels in Beijing that cater to travelers can put some of their favorite dishes on the menu, at the very least, to help with their culture shock new to China. Many familiar offerings, for example egg rolls, are of Chinese origin, but differ in taste and texture from the versions served in North America.
If Beijing isn’t an option, head straight to the nearest Chinatown, International District, or Asian community and just ask. Many Chinese restaurants have non-English menus with completely different offerings; they are often kept behind the counter for fear that some dishes will be considered “offensive” or confusing to non-Chinese customers.
China is a great place; Authentic cuisine varies widely throughout. Ask if you can prepare something special from the cook’s region. You may need to provide some input for the dish (eg choice of meat, rice, noodles, etc.).
Note: Many “Chinese” restaurants in the United States are actually owned and staffed by entrepreneurs from Vietnam, Burma / Myanmar, and elsewhere in Asia. Don’t be surprised if your attempt to say hello in Chinese doesn’t always work!
Authentic Chinese cuisine that is popular in the West
Although most of the favorite Chinese food dishes that we know of in the West are not available in China, there are some authentic dishes that were adopted and then Americanized:
- Egg Foo Young – The brown colored Chinese omelette is a native Chinese dish.
- Kung Pao Chicken: Although Kung Pao chicken is an authentic Sichuan dish, the western version is usually less spicy than the fiery original.
- Orange Chicken and Cashew Chicken: Again, don’t expect perfect chunks of white chicken breast in the authentic versions. Also, the American versions are much thicker and sweeter.
- Moo Shu Pork: Although this pork dish is available in China, it can be difficult to find.
- Lo Mein: Typically one of the cheapest dishes on offer, lo mein noodles can be eaten throughout China and are part of many stir-fry dishes. Lo mein simply means “scrambled noodles”, they are usually made from wheat flour.
- Fried Rice – Many varieties of fried rice are eaten throughout Asia, most of the time as a way to safely make leftover rice from the day before. Even President Obama ate nasi goreng, Indonesia’s simple fried rice dish, on his 2010 visit to the country.
- Buddha’s Delight: This healthy vegetarian dish got its name because many Buddhists follow vegetarian diets. It is traditionally enjoyed on the first day of a lunar new year for health and to give animals a rest. Buddha’s delight is often expensive because it can have up to 20 different types of ingredients, including tofu! However, the dish will not delight vegans: sometimes it contains eggs or fish sauce.
- Wonton Soup: That ubiquitous salty broth is easy to find in China, though the soup may contain noodles and meat balls instead of pork-filled wontons. Wonton soup is generally enjoyed as a meal in itself and not as a side.
General Tso’s Chicken
Perhaps the best known of all Chinese food offerings, no one is completely sure who General Tso came up with the chicken. The leading theory suggests that a Chinese immigrant first created the famous dish while cooking for a restaurant in New York City. The debate is so heated that a documentary was produced on the origins of General Tso’s chicken.
Even if we’re not sure who served the first round of General Tso’s chicken, it’s a good example of how so many familiar dishes came about. Chinese immigrants experimented with local ingredients and techniques adapted to suit the tastes of local customers – Westerners.
Ironically, General Tso’s Chicken has been around the world: it is catching on in more restaurants in Taiwan and mainland China.
Do the Chinese eat with chopsticks?
Yes! Although some tourist restaurants may provide utensils for lost Westerners, you are expected to know how to handle a set of chopsticks in most places.
Chopsticks in China are usually made of wood or plastic rather than the metal ones that are more popular in Korea. Millions of trees are cut down each year to produce disposable toothpicks, and poisonous chemicals are used in production. Consider bringing your own pair of chopsticks on the go. At home, decline those disposable sticks when they are offered to you; get a nice reusable set to keep.
If you think you’ll be dining at a banquet or in more formal settings, learn the basics of Chinese table manners and, just in case, how to survive a Chinese drinking session. There are some faux cultural passes on the table that are best avoided.
Are fortune cookies authentic?
Not! Fortune cookies actually originated in Kyoto, Japan during the 19th century and later became famous in Chinese restaurants in California. Fortune cookies will not be offered as a dessert after an authentic meal in China. You will have to choose those lucky lottery numbers in another way.
Those crispy wonton strips included with your meal are also an Americanized creation.
Are Egg Rolls Authentic Chinese Food?
Yes, however, the fried egg rolls served in Chinese-American restaurants are thicker than authentic Chinese spring rolls. While Chinese-American egg rolls are chock-full of cabbage and pork, Chinese spring rolls are often thinner and contain local mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables.
Is there MSG in Chinese food?
Usually. Monosodium glutamate is actually a Japanese creation, and Japan is the world’s largest per capita consumer of MSG , but the Chinese are most often blamed for the use of MSG in food.
The term “Chinese restaurant syndrome” was even coined to describe the general feeling of malaise after eating at a Chinese buffet. MSG is the subject of many studies and much debate. But it doesn’t matter if you have a glutamate sensitivity or not, overeating and mixing many different types of foods prepared in heavy oil in Chinese buffets is sure to make you feel bad. It’s not the MSG!
Avoiding MSG by eating authentic Chinese food can be difficult. Even restaurants that claim not to use MSG often use it anyway or prepare dishes with ingredients that already contain MSG. But don’t panic! A forerunner scan of your pantry may surprise you: MSG shows up in many soups, sauces, salad dressings, cold cuts, processed foods, and Western-brand snacks that you’re probably already eating on a regular basis. Many of the major food brands infiltrate it into American food.
Because consumers have become more label-savvy, food companies often hide MSG under other names , such as autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed protein, or soy protein isolate so consumers won’t notice.
Don’t expect to feel bad all the time while traveling in China due to MSG in local food. MSG is a salt, so drinking extra water helps flush it out of the body.
Eating street food in China
Eating street food in cars and markets is not only a cheap and delicious way to eat, it can be safer than eating in restaurants!
Unlike restaurants where no one knows what lurks in the kitchen, you can see the level of cleanliness around a street cart. Also, unlike restaurants, you have direct interaction with the cook. They don’t want to make their customers sick!
The competition is fierce among the street food carts; Cooks who regularly make customers sick don’t stay in business for long. You will often find the most delicious and authentic Chinese food on the street carts.
