The Perennial Plate - China

We hope to continue a dialogue about what ‘good food’ means and how to produce it.  We don’t want to tell anyone what to do, but instead get people to think about what they’re eating. We also want to encourage cultural exchange through positive stories and to connect people through a shared interest in food.

I would say if you see a long line of locals waiting by a street stall, it’s probably a good place to eat. That said, Sichuan peppercorns, Peking duck, DanDan noodles and various Xi’an noodles, dim sum and of course Donkey burgers are definitely worth a try. 

I think all Chinese food tastes good after midnight. But the best late night snack we had was spiced lamb kebabs. Northwest China has a large Muslim population and some of their cuisine has found its way into Beijing street stalls.  

There are wonderful yoghurt drinks in cute little ceramic containers that are available on the streets of Beijing.   

Pu’er tea, the aged and fermented tea from Southern China, is an acquired and delicious taste that shouldn’t be missed.  

The beer in China isn’t anything special, but it helps to cool off a burning mouth (maybe).

And then there are all those bubble teas and mango drinks from Taiwan.

Diverse
Spicy
Immediate
Strong
Bountiful

I was actually shocked by the food in China and how simple it was. Sure there are the places that serve the sweet and sour sauces, but a lot of Chinese cooking is fried vegetables with chilli and garlic. Some good things to have on hand at home are garlic and ginger, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and, of course, chilli.  There are also some pretty decent bottled sauces like oyster sauce, Sriracha and hoison that help replicate that experience.