Browse Techniques

Cantonese roast duck is the civilian counterpart to Peking Duck — equally complex in preparation, faster in execution, and defined by a deeply lacquered skin that shatters on the bite and flesh perfumed from within by a spiced marinade sealed inside the cavity. Where Peking Duck is a ceremony, Cantonese roast duck is a meal: displayed hanging in restaurant windows across the Cantonese diaspora, sold by the half or quarter, eaten over rice or noodles. The preparation involves inflating the duck with air to separate skin from flesh (so the fat renders completely), filling the cavity with a mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, five spice, and star anise, sealing it shut with a metal skewer, then coating the outside with a malt syrup glaze. The duck is then air-dried — traditionally hanging overnight in a cool, ventilated space — before roasting at high heat. The drying stage is everything: it dessicates the skin so that when it enters the oven, it caramelises immediately rather than steaming. The result is that unmistakeable combination of shattering exterior and juicy, spiced, fat-rich interior.

Qing zheng yu — steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion — is the canonical Cantonese test of technique and ingredient quality. There is nowhere to hide in this dish: the fish must be impeccably fresh, the steaming time precise to the minute, and the sauce assembled with care because it arrives on the table as the principal flavour agent. A whole sea bass (or grouper, tilapia, or snapper) is scored on each side, stuffed loosely with ginger, and placed on a heatproof plate over vigorously boiling water. The fish steams for 7–10 minutes depending on weight — a chopstick inserted at the thickest point should encounter no resistance. As the fish steams, a sauce is made: light soy sauce mixed with a little sugar and a splash of Shaoxing wine. When the fish is ready, all the liquid that has pooled on the plate is discarded (it carries off the fishy odour compounds released during cooking), julienned scallion and ginger are laid across the fish, and the sauce is poured over — then smoking-hot neutral oil is poured directly over the aromatics, producing a theatrical sizzle that wilts the scallion and releases its fragrance into the sauce. This dish requires nothing beyond fresh fish and perfect timing — it is restraint as philosophy.

Anhui cuisine (one of the Eight Great Cuisines) is defined by its use of mountain and forest ingredients: wild herbs, bamboo shoots, dried mushrooms, and preserved mountain vegetables. The Huizhou mountains produce ingredients not found elsewhere in Chinese cooking: xiansun (fresh bamboo shoots preserved in salt), stone chicken (rock frog — shi ji), and the prized Huizhou black mushroom (huang shan zhi ye hei gu). The cuisine embraces strong preserved flavours alongside fresh mountain produce.

Chinese Buddhist cuisine (zhai fan, 斋饭) spans 2,000 years, with temple kitchens developing extraordinary mock-meat techniques using wheat gluten (mian jin), tofu skins (fu pi), mushrooms, and lotus. The goal is not merely to imitate meat but to achieve complex textures and umami depth that satisfy and nourish without harming life. Major centres: Hangzhou's Lingyin Temple, Shanghai's Jade Buddha Temple.

A deceptively simple Cantonese dish: silken tofu, gently warmed or served at room temperature, dressed with a soy-based sauce containing sesame oil, light soy, and finished with crispy shallots, scallion, and a drizzle of hot oil. The dish appears effortless but reveals quality of tofu — the finest Japanese or Cantonese silken tofu has a sweetness and delicacy that inferior varieties cannot match.

The craft of making jiaozi at home is a social ritual across China — families gather to fold dumplings together. The dough, filling, and folding technique are all transmissible skills. Pork and Chinese chive (jiu cai) is the most beloved filling combination — the chive's sulphur compounds create a distinctive fragrance that mellows in cooking. The 20-plus fold (bao jiao zi) is the standard technique.

Hong shao dou fu: firm tofu pan-fried until golden, then braised in a soy-oyster sauce-sesame oil mixture. One of the most widely cooked dishes across all Chinese households — a vegetarian alternative to hong shao rou that uses the same braising framework. The tofu must be fried first to develop a crust that holds during braising.

Su gao tang (素高汤) — superior vegetarian stock — is the foundation of Chinese Buddhist temple cooking. Made from dried mushrooms (shiitake, porcini), dried kelp (kombu), dried tofu skin, dried lily buds, and vegetables, it achieves umami depth comparable to meat-based stocks through the combination of glutamates (kombu), guanylates (shiitake), and inosinates. The synergy produces stock that can satisfy where meat stocks normally dominate.

Hong you bao dan: soft-fried eggs (bao dan — 'wrapped egg' — egg with crispy edges, runny yolk) drizzled with Sichuan chili oil, soy sauce, and spring onion. A simple but technique-requiring egg preparation: the egg is slid into very hot oil so the white sets and crisps at the edges while the yolk stays runny, then finished with chili oil dressing. The home-cooking version of a restaurant classic.

Liang cai: the cold appetiser tradition of Chinese cuisine — multiple small cold dishes served before the hot dishes to stimulate appetite and cleanse the palate. Classic cold dish categories: marinated (lu wei), dressed (ban), smoked, pickled, and cold-braised. A proper Chinese banquet begins with 4–6 cold dishes arranged decoratively on a platter.

Nian gao: glutinous rice cake given as gifts and eaten during Chinese New Year — the name is a homophone for 'year higher' (年高), symbolising advancement year over year. Cantonese version: steamed round cake of brown sugar and glutinous rice flour, sliced and pan-fried. Northern version: flat rice cakes stir-fried with vegetables. Shanghainese version: cylindrical white rice cakes stir-fried in savoury dishes.

Suan la tang: the ubiquitous hot-and-sour soup of Chinese restaurant menus. The Sichuan version (the original): tofu, wood ear mushroom, lily buds, shredded pork, egg ribbons in a broth seasoned with white pepper, Chinkiang vinegar, and soy — the sourness from vinegar, the heat from white pepper (not chili). The Beijing-restaurant version has evolved to use chili — this is the more common international version.

Suan la tang (酸辣汤) — hot and sour soup — is one of the most widely eaten Chinese soups, with Northern (Beijing/Shandong) and Southern (Sichuan) variants. The Northern version uses wood ear fungus, day lily buds, tofu, pork strips, and bamboo shoots in a white pepper and vinegar base. The heat comes entirely from white pepper (not chili) and the sour from Chinkiang vinegar — a balanced, warming soup.

Stir-fried pork liver is a classic Chinese fast-stir (bao chao) preparation demanding the highest wok heat and fastest execution. The liver is sliced thin, soaked in cold water to purge blood, then stir-fried for literally 60–90 seconds at maximum heat with ginger, spring onion, and soy. Over-cooking renders pork liver grainy and bitter; perfect execution produces silky, just-cooked, mineral-rich slices.

Ba bao zhou (八宝粥) — eight treasure congee — is the most celebrated Chinese medicinal food dish, eaten particularly on the seventh day of the lunar new year (Laba). Eight (or more) nourishing ingredients are simmered together: red dates, lotus seeds, longan, goji berries, peanuts, different glutinous rice varieties, barley, and dried lily. Each ingredient carries TCM health properties.

Jiaozi at Chinese New Year: the northern Chinese tradition of making and eating dumplings as a family on New Year's Eve. The dumpling's shape resembles ancient gold ingots (yuan bao) — symbolising wealth. One dumpling in the batch is traditionally filled with a coin — finding it brings luck. The act of making jiaozi together is as important as eating them.

Nian ye fan: the Chinese New Year's Eve reunion dinner — the most important meal of the Chinese year. Every dish carries symbolic meaning: whole fish (yu) = surplus (the word sounds like 'abundance'); dumplings (jiaozi) = wealth (shaped like gold ingots); tang yuan = family unity (round = wholeness); nian gao = advancement; spring rolls = wealth (gold bars); longevity noodles. The meal must include all family members and should feature the symbolic dishes of the family's home region.

New Year ji (chicken): whole chicken — cooked whole with head and feet intact — is the essential offering at the New Year altar (bai shen) and the subsequent New Year feast. The chicken must be presented whole and intact — cutting it before the ritual offering is inauspicious. The character for chicken (ji) is also the first syllable of ji xiang (auspicious/lucky) — hence its ritual importance.

Dou gan (豆干) — pressed tofu — is tofu that has been compressed under weighted boards to expel most of its water, transforming the soft block into a dense, chewy, protein-rich ingredient. It slices cleanly, holds its shape in stir-fries, absorbs marinades deeply, and develops a chew that no soft tofu can provide. Essential to Chinese Buddhist cuisine and Sichuan cold dishes.

Cha ye dan: eggs hard-boiled, shells cracked (not removed), then simmered for 1–2 hours in a spiced tea broth (black tea, soy, star anise, cinnamon, five spice, salt). The cracked shells allow the dark, aromatic liquid to seep in, creating a beautiful marbled pattern and deeply flavoured white. Sold on virtually every street corner across China.

Chun juan: spring rolls of the Chinese New Year — thin wheat-starch or rice paper wrappers filled with stir-fried vegetables and pork/shrimp, then deep-fried until golden. The wrapper must be thinner than the Vietnamese rice paper version; the filling must be dry (excess moisture causes wrapper burst during frying); the roll must be tight.

Xi hong shi chao ji dan: the most universally cooked Chinese home dish — stir-fried tomatoes and eggs. Appears simple but has significant technique: the egg must be large-curded and barely set; the tomato must release its juice to form a light sauce; the balance of salt and sugar must enhance the tomato's natural flavour. Every Chinese person has a version; every version is slightly different and deeply personal.

A deceptively simple dish that is deeply satisfying: whole long green peppers (typically mild/medium heat) seared in a dry wok or frying pan until the skin blisters and 'tiger-stripe' chars develop across the surface, then dressed with soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. The skin charring creates complex smoky notes while the pepper remains tender-crisp inside. A quick home dish and popular restaurant appetiser.

Fu pi (腐皮) — tofu skin — is the film that forms on the surface of hot soy milk, lifted and dried into sheets or rolled sticks (fu zhu). One of the most versatile Chinese ingredients: fresh fu pi is silky and delicate; dried fu pi rehydrates to chewy; rolled fu pi (fu zhu) becomes al dente. Used in Buddhist cooking as mock meat, in Cantonese braised dishes, as dim sum wrappers, and in cold starters.

Pai huang gua (拍黄瓜) — smashed cucumber — is the most ubiquitous Chinese cold starter: cucumbers are smacked with the flat of a cleaver to break them irregularly, then tossed with garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chili, and salt. The irregular fracture surfaces capture more dressing than slices would. Found from street stalls to Michelin restaurants, it is deceptively simple.

Classic Northeastern Chinese stir-fry of three summer vegetables — aubergine (eggplant), potato, and green pepper — each deep-fried separately before combining in a garlic-soy sauce. The name means 'three fresh things from the earth'. Despite its humble ingredients, the preparation is labour-intensive and requires excellent technique.

Dongbei version of sweet and sour pork — originally created for Russian diplomats in Harbin in the early 20th century. Thinly sliced pork loin coated in potato starch only (no batter), double-fried until shatteringly crisp, then tossed in a sauce of rice vinegar, sugar, and minimal soy. The sauce coating is thin and tangy, not the thick red sauce of Cantonese sweet and sour.

Northeastern Chinese winter comfort dish of pork belly and glass noodles simmered with suan cai (Chinese fermented Napa cabbage). The fermented cabbage provides a bright sour note and tenderises the pork. One of the defining dishes of Dongbei cuisine alongside jirou fan and di san xian. Often cooked in a traditional clay pot.

The delicate skin that forms on the surface of heated soy milk is lifted and dried to create tofu skin (fu zhu or dou fu pi). Fresh tofu skin is silky and tender; dried tofu skin (sheets or sticks) requires rehydration. The versatility is extraordinary: fresh for delicate wraps and braised dishes; dried sticks in soups and stir-fries; smoked tofu skin as a meat substitute. A fundamental Chinese plant-based protein tradition.

Ultra-silken, barely-set tofu served as a dessert or breakfast with sweet ginger syrup (southern style) or savoury toppings (northern style). Made from hot soy milk coagulated with gypsum (calcium sulfate) or glucono delta-lactone (GDL) — producing a texture far more delicate than any commercial silken tofu. The northern-southern divide on sweet vs savoury is a defining Chinese food debate.

Glutinous rice parcels wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves for the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu, 5th day of 5th lunar month). Filled regionally: northern (jujube, red bean paste — sweet), southern/Cantonese (pork, egg yolk, salted egg, mushroom, shrimp — savoury). Tied in specific patterns and boiled for 2–4 hours.

La ba zhou: the ritual congee of La Ba Festival (8th day of 12th lunar month, approximately January). Eight or more ingredients simmered together: glutinous rice, red dates, lotus seeds, goji berries, longans, peanuts, walnuts, mung beans, adzuki beans. The dish commemorates Buddha's enlightenment and marks the beginning of Chinese New Year preparations.

Luo si fen: the pungently fragrant rice noodles of Liuzhou, Guangxi — nationally famous for their polarising smell (from the dried snail broth and fermented bamboo shoots). Fresh rice noodles in a slow-simmered river snail broth, topped with fermented pickled bamboo shoots, peanuts, fried tofu puffs, dried tofu, fresh coriander, and chili oil. The fermented bamboo smell is alarming; the taste is addictive.

The Zhuang people's foundational culinary tradition of glutinous rice: steamed in bamboo steamers, used in wrapped parcels (zong), coloured with plant dyes (five-colour sticky rice), fermented into rice wine, and pressed into cakes. Glutinous rice is the cultural grain of Guangxi's minority peoples.

Guilin mi fen: thin rice noodles in a slow-simmered pork-bone and aromatic broth, topped with marinated pork, sour bamboo, spring onion, chili. The broth is Guilin's secret — a proprietary blend of spices, soy-marinated pork, and 12+ hour simmering.

Guizhou beef rice noodles: thin rice vermicelli in a broth layered with multiple condiments: chili oil, sour suantang, fermented black bean, braised beef brisket, crispy soybeans, spring onion, and preserved mustard greens. Guizhou's noodle culture rivals Yunnan and Guangxi — the multi-layer condiment approach creates enormous complexity in a humble bowl.

Iconic Hakka dish of pork belly steamed for hours atop a bed of sweet-salty mei cai (Huizhou preserved mustard greens) until the fat is silky and trembling and the preserved vegetable has absorbed all the pork fat. The bowl is inverted at the table so the pork crowns the greens. Different from Mao's Red-Braised Pork — this is steamed, not braised.

Technical deep-dive into one of Hunan's most celebrated dishes: silver carp head (lian yutou) or large grass carp head split, seasoned, and steamed under a blanket of Hunan-style chopped pickled red chilli (duo jiao) for 8–10 minutes. The final pour of scalding oil over the fish and chilli is the technique that completes the dish — the oil flash-cooks the chilli and creates a distinctive aromatic bloom.

Chang shou mian: birthday noodles that must be uncut — a single long noodle represents long life. Technique involves hand-pulling or machine-making an exceptionally long, unbroken noodle, served in a light broth with eggs, spring onion, and auspicious garnishes. Cutting the noodle is considered a terrible omen.

Miao suantang (sour soup): the defining cooking medium of the Miao people of Guizhou Province. Made from fermenting vegetables, wild tomatoes, and sometimes chili in ceramic pots for days to weeks — the resulting sour liquid is used as the base for fish soup (suantang yu), hot pot, and braised dishes. The sourness is lacto-fermented, not vinegar-based — complex, alive, and microbiologically active.

Qing tuan: emerald-green glutinous rice dumplings made for Qingming (Tomb Sweeping Festival, early April). Colour comes from mugwort (ai cao) or barley grass juice mixed into the dough. Filled traditionally with sweet red bean paste; modern versions include salted egg yolk, pork floss, and matcha.

Dou sha (red bean paste): the foundational sweet filling of Chinese pastry, dim sum desserts, and festival foods. Adzuki beans simmered until soft, then mashed and cooked with oil and sugar until a smooth, glossy paste forms. Smooth (xi sha) or coarse (cu sha) paste serve different applications. The cooking-down stage is critical — insufficient cooking leaves a wet paste that makes wrappers soggy.

Classic Chinese dessert soup of azuki red beans slow-cooked in water with rock sugar, dried tangerine peel, and sometimes lotus seeds or lily bulb until beans are tender but intact. Served hot in winter or chilled in summer. One of the most beloved Chinese sweet soups across Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Taiwanese traditions.

Hong zao gui yuan tang: the ubiquitous Chinese sweet tonic soup combining dried red dates (jujubes), longan flesh, goji berries, and rock sugar simmered in water. A daily health tonic in Cantonese and broader Chinese culture — believed to nourish blood (bu xue), tonify qi, and calm the spirit (an shen). Served warm as dessert or between meals.

Unglazed clay pots used for slow cooking, braising, and serving soups directly on the table. The porous clay allows moisture exchange, creating a distinctive cooking environment different from sealed metal pots. Sand pot cooking is foundational to Cantonese casseroles, Dongbei stews, and Fujian Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

A classical Shandong autumn braise combining bone-in chicken with fresh chestnuts. The chestnuts are scored, blanched, and peeled before joining the chicken in a light soy and Shaoxing wine braise. As they cook together, chestnuts absorb the chicken-enriched braise while contributing their starchy, slightly sweet creaminess to the sauce. A hallmark of lu cai (Shandong cuisine) seasonal cooking.

One of China's most beloved restaurant starters: silken tofu cubed and topped with chopped preserved (century) egg, dressed with soy sauce, sesame oil, chilli oil, and spring onion. Sometimes added: salted egg yolk, fried shallots, dried bonito flakes (Japanese influence). The contrast of silken white tofu against the dramatic dark-green/amber preserved egg is visually stunning.

The quintessential Chinese breakfast combination: warm, fresh-made soy milk (dou jiang — hot, sweet) paired with fried dough sticks (you tiao — long, golden, hollow, crispy). The you tiao is torn and dunked into the soy milk. A tradition across all of China with regional variations: northern China uses sweetened soy milk; Cantonese prefer unsweetened with savory accompaniments; Shanghainese roll you tiao in shaobing (sesame flatbread).

Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish — a Suzhou signature. The fish is scored in a cross-hatch pattern down to the bone, floured, deep-fried until the cuts fan outward like a squirrel tail, then doused with sweet-sour tomato-based sauce. One of the most technically demanding presentations in Chinese cuisine.

Hard-boiled eggs cracked (not peeled) and simmered for 1–2 hours in a fragrant broth of black tea (usually pu-erh or assam), soy sauce, star anise, cassia, bay leaves, and Sichuan pepper. The cracked shells create a beautiful marbled brown-white pattern when peeled, while the tea-spice broth permeates the white. Street food staple across China and Taiwan.