Here Are 5 Most Famous Cuisines Of China

China is a vast country, and each of the more than 30 provinces and autonomous regions has developed its own special dishes and unique flavors that reflect the region, culture, and local specialities. Within this expanse of spices and ingredients are eight styles of cooking that are considered the great, showcase cuisines, backed by years of history, ambitious chefs, and a range of incredible dishes. Here is an intro to help the avid diner begin their culinary tour.

# Sichuan

Sichuan cuisine is one of the most popular in China, famous for its brash flavors, mouth-tingling pepper, and sweat-inducing heat. The province is characterized by the iconic numbing and spicy characteristics, but Sichuan cuisine should not be judged by the pure power of its spiciness alone. The cooking here is as diverse and exuberant as the complex topography (and population) from which it springs. In fact, chilies did not even make it to China until the 16th century from the New World, and Sichuan cuisine quickly picked it up as a way to balance the effect of the prickly ash, which was already iconic in its cuisine. Today, its capital (Chengdu) buzzes with foodies who delight in everyday eating, and the city houses chefs who are both rooted in tradition and some of the most innovative in China, who are buoyed, not shackled, by its deep-rooted history.

# Hunan

This is another spice-filled region, with dishes characterized with as a dry-spicy heat (ganla), as well as pickled and fermented flavors. In addition to dry chili flakes, one of the most famous chili pastes that hail from the region is a chopped chili paste made from vinegar, fresh chili peppers, and salt. It makes for a sour, spicy addition to dishes ranging from simple noodles to the beloved steamed fish heads. The Hunanese are also masters of fermentation, and spicy, pickled vegetables are served with every meal. This is also the region from whence Chairman Mao Zedong hailed, and it was rumoured he loved spicy flavors so much that he sprinkled ground chilies onto slices of watermelon.

# Guangdong

The great joke about Guangdong, or Cantonese, cuisine is that the Cantonese will 'eat anything that has four legs other than a table, anything that flies other than an airplane, and anything that swims other than a submarine.' However, don’t let this deter you. Cantonese cuisine is lauded for its focus on bringing out pure flavors, the result being bright, crisp vegetables, steamed fish, and elaborate, lightly sautéed dishes.

Cantonese cuisine is also well regarded for its roasted meats, like lacquered barbecue pork, burnished golden pigeons, and crisp, flavorsome goose. Perhaps most famous of all is the dim sum that hails from the region: elaborate and delicate steamed dumplings, custard buns, radish cakes, and more eaten in the mornings with tea.

# Fujian

This is another delicate cuisine that focuses on light, deep flavors, with particular influence on seafood and mountain vegetables. The Fujianese are known for their traveling spirit, and the cuisine here has also influenced the flavors in Malaysia and Taiwan. Shrimp paste, fish sauce, shacha sauce (made of soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilis, brill fish, and dried shrimp), and red yeast rice are some of the unique seasonings used, imparting delicate, salty, and decidedly umami depths to each dish. People of Fujian also have a very deep love for soup and broth, to the point that they have a saying 'without soup, it is not a mea'. This means that a lot of dishes use broth in cooking, leading to soupy, stew-like dishes, most famously geng .

# Zhejiang

Zhe cuisine features highly refined flavors and the dishes reflect the the fertility of the province and closeness to the sea; think fresh vegetables, rice, and seafood. The province is home to the city of Shaoxing, which is known for producing China’s most famous version of yellow wine (xx huangjiu), not unlike a rich sherry and used as much for cooking as it is drinking. In fact, seafood like mini crabs and snails are often cured in a combination of yellow wine and a salt brine, which is served cold and is reminiscent of ceviche. Zhejiang is also home to Hangzhou, which is surrounded by lush teafields and was famous as the home of the poets. Accordingly, Hangzhou cooks some of China’s most elegant dishes, as the poets required food that cultivated as their minds.