Chinese restaurants are among the most common type of cuisine in all of America. Likely, you have ordered takeout at the one around the corner from you. You order by number and have it delivered to your door. Maybe you’ve even tried using the chopsticks that come with your order too.
Yet, what’s less common in America is authentic Chinese food. Most of these enterprising restaurants have altered the tastes to suit the American palate. In other words, they’ve added more sugar and the offerings tend to be greasier. Some of the foods you see in American Chinese restaurants don’t exist anywhere in China. Crab Rangoon, a beloved appetizer in American Chinese restaurants, is just one such example.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get authentic Chinese food in America though. You just have to look for a place where the Chinese locals in your town go to eat. Then, order your food differently. Here’s what to choose instead of beef with broccoli!
– Soup dumplings
This might be harder to find in smaller cities, but in big cities with a Chinatown population, if you ask for these, you’re going to be amazed. These are Shanghai’s famed dumplings that you eat on a spoon. Bite into them to let the soup trickle out onto the spoon and then eat it all up.
– Scallion pancakes
Egg rolls and spring rolls in America are not even close to the ones you get in China. Instead, go for the scallion pancake if you can find one.
– Roast duck
Most Chinese restaurants will have this on the menu, and it’s probably one of the most authentic things you’ve always skipped over. Traditionally, it’s served with thin crepes, scallions, and hoisin sauce to wrap up and eat together.
– Stir-fried pork in spicy sweet sauce
In Chinese, it’s called ‘yu xiang rou si’ and it’s way better than your old standby of beef with broccoli. Fact: broccoli isn’t a native vegetable to China. But this pork dish will be a wonderful replacement. It features shredded pork in a spicy hot garlicky sauce with an array of colorful vegetables.
– Chinese noodles
If you always order lo mein, you’re not getting the authentic Chinese-style version of it. Instead, see if you can order ‘zha jiang mian.” It’s a noodle dish with stir-fried pork and fermented soybean paste that has way more flavor than the Americanized version.
Ever wonder why Chinese restaurants don’t have desserts beyond the fortune cookie or ice cream? Chinese people don’t eat desserts, at least not in the way Americans do. You can’t even find a fortune cookie in China! What they do serve after meals though is fresh fruits. Oranges are by far the most common offering as they are considered a lucky fruit. The next time you feel like Chinese food, try ordering something that’s more authentic and discover why the real stuff is so much better!