From the noisy stalls of New York's Chinatown to the fine dining restaurants of London, the aroma of Chinese food has long since become the common language of foodies around the world. They don't rely on their appearance to win, but use taste to tell stories and use culture to hook souls. Foreign data shows that classic dishes such as dumplings and kung pao chicken have firmly occupied the C position in the menus of overseas Chinese restaurants, and even foreigners have learned to use chopsticks to dip spring rolls in sauce.
Behind this boom is the precipitation and innovation of Chinese cuisine for thousands of years. As early as the Tang Dynasty, the Silk Road brought barbecue and pasta to Central Asia; During the Song Dynasty, maritime trade allowed southern seafood spices to spread overseas. In modern times, a large number of overseas Chinese immigrants brought the taste of their hometown to Europe and the United States, and improved it into a "foreigner-exclusive" Chinese flavor. For example, more than 70% of the Chinese food menu in the United States comes from the influence of immigrants from Guangdong and Sichuan, while fried spring rolls and sweet and sour chicken in the United Kingdom are the standard in almost every takeaway restaurant. These dishes not only satisfy the taste buds, but also become a bridge of cultural exchange, making foreigners sigh while eating: "It turns out that China is so good at eating!" ”
When it comes to "popularity", the numbers don't lie. In 60, statistics from the American takeaway platform DoorDash showed that the number of Chinese food orders ranked among the top three, and dumplings and fried rice were the order trump cards; A YouGov survey found that more than 0% of Brits eat Chinese food at least once a week, and Kung Pao Chicken and Mixed Sauce Noodles are their favorites. This kind of global "taste carnival" does not rely on fancy marketing, but on the solid historical heritage and addictive unique taste behind each dish. Next, let's take a look at the top ten most popular Chinese delicacies abroad and see how they "fly" from the Chinese stove to the foreigner's table!
Dumplings are simply the "spokesperson of Chinese cuisine" abroad. Legend has it that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Zhongjing cooked soup with dough and meat filling in order to cure the frozen ears of the villagers, and since then he has this heart-warming little baby. When it comes to foreign countries, it is called "Dumpling", and in Chinese supermarkets from New York to Sydney, frozen dumplings are always in demand. The recipe is simple: chop the pork and cabbage, wrap it in a thin dough, boil or fry it, and dip it in vinegar and chili oil. Bite down, the skin is thin and the filling is tender, the juice is overflowing, and the foreigner exclaims: "This is more powerful than pizza!" No wonder it has become a must-have "Internet celebrity" at Chinese New Year parties abroad.
According to legend, Ding Baozhen, the governor of Sichuan in the Qing Dynasty, loved to eat this dish, and after the improvement, it spread and became a business card of Sichuan cuisine. Stir-fry diced chicken, peanuts and dried chili peppers, add some sweet and sour seasoning, and the pot is bright and attractive. In foreign Chinese restaurants, it has been changed to be sweeter and milder, but the slightly spicy and fresh aroma still makes foreigners want to stop.
It's easy to make it at home: cut the chicken breast into cubes and marinate it, stir-fry the ingredients quickly, and it's done in 5 minutes. It tastes crispy and spicy, like a party in your mouth, and even picky eaters have to give a thumbs up.
Spring rolls originated in the Tang Dynasty to welcome spring, and later evolved into a festive snack. The thin dough is coated with shredded meat and vegetables, fried until golden brown and crispy, and dipped in sweet or spicy sauce. In the UK, it was improved into the "Spring Roll", which has almost become the standard for Chinese takeaways, even in supermarket freezers. It's not difficult to fry a plate by yourself: roll up the filling, fry it in the pan until it squeaks, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and eat a mouthful full of fragrant, no wonder foreigners say: "This is more addictive than French fries!" ”
The history of fried rice cannot be traced precisely, but the wisdom of the Chinese to stir-fry with leftover rice has long made it the king of household dishes. Abroad called "Fried Rice", from California Chinese restaurants to Thai street stalls, eggs, green beans, diced carrots are fried in clear grains, and the aroma of soy sauce is fragrant. The method is super down-to-earth: put the cold rice in the pot, serve with some shredded meat or shrimp, and stir-fry a few times. The taste is salty, fragrant, soft and glutinous, and the foreigner sighs after eating: "This leftover rice is better than my main dish!" ”
Peking duck originated in the court of the Yuan Dynasty and became famous all over the world after the improvement of the Ming Dynasty. The duck is roasted with fruit wood until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender, sliced and wrapped in pancakes, with shredded green onions and cucumbers, and dipped in sweet noodle sauce. In foreign countries, it is the signature of high-end Chinese restaurants, and Americans call it "Peking Duck", and when you eat it, you have a serious face, as if you are completing a ceremony. It's not realistic to bake at home, but buying ready-made roast duck slices can bring out a sense of happiness. Crispy and juicy, full of oily aroma, the foreigner bluntly said: "This duck can make me quit burgers!" ”
Mapo tofu is the masterpiece of Chen Mapo, the proprietress of a small shop in Chengdu in the late Qing Dynasty, fried with tofu, minced beef, and bean paste to make a spicy and fragrant flavor, and the red oil is enjoyable to watch. In Japan and the United States, it was changed to be more gentle, but the spicy energy still made foreigners praise it while wiping sweat. It's not difficult to make at home: cut the tender tofu into cubes, stir-fry with spicy sauce, and get out of the pot in 10 minutes. It tastes smooth and tender, like a tongue dancing, and the foreigner shouts after eating: "This tofu has magic!" ”
Mixed sauce noodles originated in the folk of Beijing, and were introduced to the court in the Qing Dynasty and became the soul of old Beijing. Stir-fry the minced pork sauce, pour it on the strong noodles, serve with cucumber shreds and bean sprouts, mix well and serve. Abroad it is called "Zhajiangmian", and South Korea has even improved it into a national cuisine. Cooking your own bowl is simple: the noodles are cooked, the sauce is sautéed until fragrant, and it is good to mix. Salty and fragrant, the noodles are smooth and tender, and the foreigner said after eating: "This noodle is more flavorful than pasta!" ”
Sweet and sour pork ribs originated in the south of the Yangtze River, and were popular all over the country during the Qing Dynasty. In foreign countries, it was changed to "Sweet and Sour Pork", and the sweetness was doubled, and even children can't put it down. It's also easy to cook at home: the pork ribs are fried and fried, wrapped in sweet and sour sauce and stir-fried, and the pot is sweet and sour. Bite into it, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sweet and sour intertwined, foreigners exclaim: "This is better than candy!" ”
Barbecued pork is the handle of Guangdong roasted meat, in the Ming Dynasty, the pork was roasted with charcoal, brushed with honey sauce, and roasted to shine brightly. Abroad, it is called "Char Siu", and it can be seen everywhere from Hawaii to Canada. It's not complicated to bake a plate yourself: the pork belly is marinated, the oven is at 180 degrees for half an hour, and the aroma fills the house. The meat is tender and juicy, sweet and salty, and the foreigner sighs after eating: "This meat can make me give up steak!" ”
Originated in Guangdong and introduced to Hong Kong during the Qing Dynasty, wonton soup has become a warm memory on the streets. Stuffed with shrimp and pork in a thin crust, boiled in clear chicken broth and sprinkled with chopped green onions. Abroad, it is called "Wonton Soup", which is an appetizer in Chinese restaurants. You can also make it at home: wrap the wonton, cook in the soup for 5 minutes, and the fragrance is fragrant. The soup is fresh and tender, like drinking a bowl of happiness, and the foreigner said after drinking: "This soup can cure all my unhappiness!" ”
From the Chinese stove to the world, these delicacies not only retain the essence of thousands of years of inheritance, but also incorporate the flavors of foreign lands. They are not only food, but also messengers of culture, with nostalgia and creativity, which make foodies around the world fall in love with them. If you want to feel the charm, try it on the weekend and make a plate of dumplings, stir-fry a bowl of mapo tofu, or order a takeaway Peking duck. The taste jumps on the tip of the tongue, the story is fermented in the heart, and as you eat, you will also discover: Chinese food is really good at telling stories!