Flavours of China

While your local Chinese restaurant may claim to serve generic “Chinese food” actually in China this is categorised into four regions, eight varieties and five key flavours! Food is a huge aspect of Chinese culture, with large meals out with family, friends, colleagues and business partners a popular part of everyday life. 

The importance of food in Chinese culture

Food is probably one of the most popular and widely appreciated aspects of Chinese culture. While in the west we often see food as simply an essential part of everyday life, eating plain cereal and the same cheese and ham sandwiches every day, in China it is often celebrated as a major focus in life. 

When eating out with friends, typically all dishes (with the exception of small rice portions) are shared in the centre of the table rather than everyone ordering a single dish individually. This makes meals more of a social occasion, with great importance put on small gestures such as serving food to a close friend or guest. 

Visitors to China are always surprised at how cheap eating out can be and how frequently average Chinese families will enjoy food at a local restaurant. The food culture in China is truly a way of life, and so you can find small eateries on every street serving tasty snacks at very affordable prices. 

The Five Flavours and Four Regions

Before understanding food flavours in China, we must first learn a bit about the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) culture. According to TCM, it is important to have a balance of the five flavours: salty, spicy, sour, sweet and bitter. This not only improves the flavour of food, but is thought to have health benefits too. 

There are significant variations in food across China, but the country can be broadly categorised into four regions, each with its own distinct flavour:

• South: sweet, sour and light
• North: salty and heavy
• East: sweet and artistic
• West: hot and spicy

Finally, the fifth flavour (bitter) never quite took off in Chinese cuisine! However, you can find it in most traditional Chinese medicines, for example herbal teas, and it is often added to complement other flavours in a dish.

To find out more about the variations in food across China, check out this great video from GoldThread:

Eight Great Varieties

Chinese cuisine is further divided into eight “great varieties” exemplifying the most celebrated culinary styles. These provinces are particularly famous for their local food traditions and culture, with unique flavours and styles attracting foodies from around the world!

Sichuan: Famous for its spicy food, Sichuan province in mid-western China is the home of cute pandas and fiery hot peppers. One of the most famous dishes has to be Sichuan hotpot, which combines strong flavours with hot and numbing spices to really set your mouth on fire!

Jiangsu: Typical of Eastern Chinese cuisine, Jiangsu province offers many delicately presented dishes with sweeter flavours. They tend to be relatively light without strong spices, including plenty of seafood and vegetables.

Zhejiang: Located just next to Jiangsu province, the food in Zhejiang tends to be relatively similar, but with more of a focus on fresh flavours and less emphasis on aesthetics. Zhejiang chefs combine seafood and freshly picked vegetables to produce deliciously light and crisp dishes.

Fujian: Located between Guangdong and Zhejiang, Fujian food combines the best of East and Southern flavours, with seafood and soups being particular highlights. Dishes are often light and sweet, yet incorporating more spice and sour elements to enhance the flavour.

Hunan: While Sichuan may be the most famous Chinese province for spicy food, actually the cuisine in Hunan is known to be even hotter! Without the numbing Sichuan peppercorns, you can really experience the flavour of each dish, which combine crispy fresh ingredients with hot chilli peppers.

Anhui: Located just inland of Fujian province, Anhui food tends to focus on wild ingredients and heavier dishes such as stews. One of the most famous Anhui dishes is Mao dofu, a spicy snack made from stinky tofu.

Shandong: Typical of North Eastern China, Shandong food tends to be more meat-heavy, using large quantities of oil and salt in the cooking process. Popular local delicacies include hotpot, stir fried dishes and dumplings.

Cantonese: Cantonese food, originating from Guangdong province in southern China, tends to be sweet and light in flavour. Highlights include seafood dishes and dim sum – a collection of small canapé-style dishes enjoyed with friends.