7 Common Misconceptions About Chinese Food and Eating

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When it comes to eating Chinese food, there are quite a few stereotypical myths around this dining experience.

Living in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, I’ve had my fair share of Chinese cuisine. At least once a week I eat Chinese food. What I’ve noticed is that Chinese dishes aren’t the same everywhere.

Yang Chow fried rice. A popular dish all over the world.

Yang Chow fried rice. A popular dish all over the world | Weekly Photo Challenge: Sweet.

In Australia, Chinese dishes at restaurants are often Westernised to suit Western tastebuds and prepared differently from food served in China. Arguably Chinese cuisine in Australia is not authentic.

This is probably how interesting myths about Chinese food came about. Here are some myths about Chinese food that you shouldn’t believe.

1. Chinese dishes come from one place

With more than 1.35 billion people in China, there’s the misconception all Chinese food originates from one area. In fact Chinese food is prepared differently all across China – different regions differ in availability of ingredients and cooking styles.

Cantonese cuisine tends to be non-greasy, light and sweet. Sichuan dishes and Hunan cuisine are on the savoury and spicy side. Shanghai cuisine is often pickled with wine and tastes sweet and sour. Shanxi cuisine is on the sour side and produces aged vinegar.

Among the 23 provinces in China, the northern ones are cooler and produce more noodles. Southern provinces closer to the ocean produce more rice and seafood dishes.

Plenty of Chinese food originates outside of China. For instance, Hong Kong is arguably the home of dim sum. Malaysia has its own variation of the vegetarian wrap popiah. Originally hailing from Hainan in China, Hainanese chicken rice has been adapted and regarded as one of Singapore’s national Chinese dishes.

More than once I went to a Chinese restaurant in Melbourne and ordered stir-fried Hokkien noodles. The dish came with carrots and tasted sweet – which is never the case in Malaysia. Also dumplings I’ve eaten in Australia taste good but most of the time the dumpling wrappers are thicker and coarser than in South-East Asia.

Some dishes are simple, easy to cook.

Some dishes are simple, easy to cook.

2. Everything MSG

Popular Chinese dishes include: sweet and sour pork with artificial tomato sauce, battered lemon chicken and black pepper chicken.

In reality not all Chinese dishes are battered, crispy and saucy. In reality many Chinese dishes are prepared with the minimal MSG, minimal sodium and fresh ingredients.

Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, garlic stir-fried Chinese broccoli, soy sauce steamed garoupa and steamed ginger chicken were dishes that my mum prepared each week. These dishes might sound plain but they are perfect for healthy options and quick meals.

3. All spicy dishes

All spice and everything hot and nice is not every Chinese dish. There are classic spicy Chinese dishes such as kung pao chicken and ma po tofu. Then there are also classic non-spicy dishes such as egg fried rice and Peking duck.

The latter dishes were some of my favourite dishes growing up and don’t just taste just hot, hot and more hot.

There’s also the myth that many Chinese handle spicy food well. There’s currently no conclusive study proving this or showing which racial groups are less sensitive to capsaicin (TRPV1) receptors.

Handling spicy is not up my alley. When I eat a bowl of spicy noodles, a mouthful of water is needed to calm my tongue down after every bite. Many spicy dishes in Australia are nowhere as spicy in Asia and even these dishes I find spicy.

Different dish, different style of cooking, different flavours.

Different dish, different style of cooking, different flavours.

4. All about rice and noodles

Rice is a staple in Chinese cuisine. Some of my Chinese friends say they ‘don’t feel right’ if they don’t eat rice or noodles for a few days.

However rice and noodles are taking a backseat as hybrid Chinese cuisine is becoming more popular today. Think Korean Chinese and Indian Chinese hybrid dishes. These Asian fusion dishes are often standalone dishes and aren’t served with rice or noodles.

Up until my university days I ate rice practically every night up. These days I don’t eat rice very much. I’ve gone weeks without eating rice and felt normal.

5. Chinese people eat everything

In recent times not everyone in China eats dog, cat and monkey brains. Not every living organism is seen as source of sustenance here.

There are more and more vocal campaigns against the annual Yulin Meat Festival where thousands of dogs are consumed. China also has an increasing number of families that own pets and keen on pet services.

Eating dog or cat never appealed to me. I have eaten kangaroo a few times. The first time I ate it was at a Chinese restaurant in Singapore. The kangaroo meat was served in a hot clay pot along with vegetables and tasted similar to beef.

Takeaway is a popular all around the world.

Takeaway is a popular all around the world.

6. Fortune cookies and takeout boxes were invented in China

Fortune cookies aren’t common in Asia. When I lived in Malaysia and Singapore, they weren’t served after a Chinese meal. Wet towelettes for freshening up were given out instead.

Legend has it the fortune cookie was founded in Los Angeles in 1918: Chinese immigrant David Jung passed out cookies containing Biblical strips to the homeless. Another legend has it that a Japanese immigrant founded the fortune cookie in San Francisco, passing out cookies with thank you notes inside to friends as a mark of appreciation.

Similarly, the cardboard Chinese-takeout container is an American invention. Also known as an oyster pail, it was patented by Chicago inventor Frederick Weeks Wilcox. Initially designed to hold oysters, these durable, inexpensive and convenient origami-like boxes were adopted by America’s Chinese food industry as takeaway boxes.

Whenever I ordered Chinese take-away in Singapore and Malaysia, my food came wrapped in brown grease paper or packed in white styrofoam containers, with sauces and soups bagged in plastic bags.

7. Dirty restaurants

There is some truth to the myth that eating Chinese isn’t the most hygienic experience. In South-East Asia, hawker stalls are commonly set up right beside congested roads. Food is cooked beside these road and patrons dine on the curb.

Countless times in Malaysia I had dim sum in cramped and dinghy shop houses where oxidised grease was stuck in between floor tiles. A bowl of boiling hot water is usually served to rinse the cutlery that might have had cockroaches crawling over it – a ‘plate washing tradition’.

In air-conditioned shopping malls in Asia and Australia, there are many clean and sanitary Chinese restaurants. More Chinese franchises are setting up in Australia such as Papparich and Old Town White Coffee – franchises often marketed as modern dining experiences with bright and spacious interiors.

*  *  *

Some foods will always be a treat.

Some foods will always be a treat.

Food and tastebuds evolve over time. Aside from westernised Chinese food in Australia, there’s also something called Chinese Australian cuisine. That’s food brought to Australia by Chinese immigrants and adapted into local cuisine.

As I’ve written The ‘Dimmy’ Dim Sim: A Chinese Or Australian Culinary Item?, the dim sim is an Australian culinary creation and is not to be confused with dim sum. Created by a Chinese chef, the dim sim exemplifies Chinese and Western cuisine characteristics: minced meat (similar to meat in a sausage roll) wrapped in crispy or steamed skin like a dumpling.

I’ve never heard of the dim sim until I moved back to Melbourne. It’s not something served in Asia. Then there’s something called ‘Singapore noodles’ in Australia (and in the UK), a dish consisting of stir-fried rice noodles and vegetables. In Singapore, there’s no such thing as Singapore noodles and I was so surprised to discover it in Australia.

Too much of anything can be bad for you and that includes Chinese food. In general, many of Asian background are slimmer than Westerners – which leads to the myth that Chinese cuisine is a healthy cuisine. This isn’t always the case. There’s greasy fried rice, oily chilli-oil dumplings and fatty sweet and sour pork.

In addition, serving sizes of Chinese dishes are much bigger in the Western world. While I can easily finish a serving of fried rice in Singapore, I’ve never finished a serving here in Australia. One plate of a Chinese dish in Australia is double what you get in Asia, and probably double the amount of calories consumed if you eat the entire dish.

There will always be certain dishes that we'll find comfort in.

There will always be certain dishes that we’ll find comfort in.

Each dish has a story or cultural nuances behind it. The Asian Oriental Salad and other racially-cliched titled dishes that are still on menus speak of casual racism in this world. That’s probably also where Chinese food myths and misconceptions stem from too.

You are what you eat. What you eat is who you are. Your identity and what you eat are usually more than just a stereotype. With each dish, you can think about where it comes from, how it’s eaten and why it’s eaten. As Nigerian chef Tunde Wey said:

‘To talk about race and food, we have to change the terms of engagement. We should reward not just the finished product of transformation but also the process.’

The more we learn to understand the stories behind each dish, the more we come to know each cuisine is more than myth and stereotype.

What do you know about Chinese food?

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295 thoughts on “7 Common Misconceptions About Chinese Food and Eating”

  2. Ohhh, such a juicy topic to discuss, it reminds me of the time I took a module in university on sociology of food. A very interesting module that ties it to society, etc. I would say that food is universal but from my experience, it is usually adapted to suit the palate of the people. There were times when I had Asian food overseas and realised that it was not the same as the ones I’ve had so far. And I’m glad you brought up Singapore noodles because I was honestly quite surprised to know of it when I first encountered it in UK. I even found the noodles being sold in supermarkets in New Zealand and I had no idea the noodles were any different from any others..haha 🙂

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  3. My taste buds are tingling Mabel, what a well written and thought out post. And I agree not all Chinese food is the same. And I do have my own favourite restaurants here in my locality having tried a few and some not as good as others.
    I have to agree with you about spice, I am not a hot spice person either and although I am experimenting more using chilli powder or flakes, I always put much less than any recipe suggests.

    I remember on a holiday in Canada, we were taken by our guide through China Town. I loved the markets and seeing the various different things which were obviously used on a regular basis by them. I saw vegetables I have never seen since. 🙂 And couldn’t tell you what they were. But the smells from the kitchens and food outlets there were very tempting, although our time schedule didn’t allow us to stop to eat. 🙂

    I also agree too much of anything is not always good for you.
    Love the pictures you have included they all look delicious .

    Have a beautiful week Mabel from a snowbound UK.
    ❤

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  4. I loved your photos, Mabel. My dad was from Indonesia and loved Chinese and Malay food. Family eating-out treats were usually to a Chinese restaurant, and to this day, it’s my favourite. The phrase ‘sweet and sour’ gets my mouth watering every time. 🙂

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  5. This is a great post, Mabel – and one that gives us plenty of food for thought (pardon the pun). I studied/lived in the UK for about 4 years and found it mildly fascinating that the most common form of Chinese food there was a sort of Cantonese style cooking that had been modified to suit British taste buds. One thing I noticed there, particularly at takeaway stores, was the prevalence of dishes whose names contained the phrase “Hong Kong style”. I’d never heard of that growing up in Hong Kong, and I think it was a Cantonese-speaking vendor who explained that it simply meant something served with extra sauce!

    I can tell you where the name “Singapore noodles” came from. It apparently originated in the casual diners/street stalls of Hong Kong, and was then exported to Australia, the UK, and elsewhere as people emigrated. What makes Singapore noodles different from other Cantonese-style noodles is the use of curry powder, and whoever invented it wanted a name that was vaguely exotic and evocative of Southeast or South Asia. So Singapore made sense. The best plate of Singapore noodles I’ve ever had was at an open-air restaurant by a secluded beach in Hong Kong which was the perfect reward after a two-hour hike (I wrote about it here: https://notesplusultra.com/2014/02/18/sai-kung-a-second-helping/). The funny thing is, while in Singapore a few years back, I spotted a sign that said “Hong Kong noodles” at a food court… so I guess the unusual name goes both ways!

    Speaking of Chinese fusion, the most unusual meal I had of that kind was in Sydney last year. My best friend and I went to Kylie Kwong’s restaurant for dinner one night and we were blown away by the innovation and the flavors of each dish – which melded Chinese cooking techniques with quintessentially Australian ingredients. Two of our favorites were the red-braised wallaby tail, so tender it practically fell off the bone, and a deep-fried pastry stuffed with saltbush. Then there was a steamed meat bun whose filling had been seasoned with honey sourced from rooftop beehives at the community center across the street – that was really interesting because the honey had a kind of gamey, tangy flavor I hadn’t expected.

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    • I really enjoyed reading this comment, James. It is so interesting to hear about food in the UK. Maybe there is a large Cantonese-speaking community or Hong Kong immigrants where you lived and travelled in the UK. Cantonese style food also is probably one of the easiest Chinese cuisines to prepare given that these dishes use minimal ingredients and seemingly appeal to a wide range of tatsebuds. Extra sauce is always nice if you want more flavour!

      Thank you so much for sharing where Singapore noodles came from. Really wonder why I didn’t discover your blog sooner. Would have never have guessed it originated from Hong Kong. The Singapore noodles I have tried have always been spicy – and it is probably because of the curry powder that you mentioned, which I never knew was an ingredient in this dish. Sounded like you and Bama did enjoy the Singaopre noodles by the beach, and it looked like a well-balanced dish with plenty of veggies.

      Every time I hear Kylie Kwong’s name I can’t help but wonder if we are related, lol. Not to my knowledge. Melding of Chinese and Australian cuisine is certainly catching on here, and hybrid, fusion cuisine is becoming more and more popular here. Most of it are high class, five star eats so for many average Australians eating what you and Bama ate would be a rare treat 😀 Such vivid descriptions of how the wallaby and meat bun tasted. You must have really savoured the food you ate in Australia 🙂

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      • Ah yes, Bama and I never had a bad meal while in Australia. I can say that the dinner at Kylie Kwong’s restaurant really put a dent in our wallets; it was the most expensive meal of the trip, and we tried to lower our costs the next day by eating street food and going to Woolies! The meals we had in Melbourne were thankfully a lot more reasonably priced. 🙂

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        • It sounds like you and Bama always have good luck with good food 🙂 Ah, you also know Woolies…that’s where all Australians shop, apart from Coles. Melbourne is definitely much cheaper and affordable than Sydney. So if you ever want to visit again, maybe come to Melbourne 🙂

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  6. This reminds me of an article I read a few days ago written by a Beijing-based correspondent for an Australian news outlet who described the Chinese food she ate in Australia as not Chinese enough. On one hand you have this one-sided understanding of what constitutes an authentic Chinese cuisine. On the other hand, in Indonesia so many dishes we eat every day are basically Peranakan, invented by Chinese immigrants who brought their traditional recipes and cooking technique, and combined them with local ingredients they found in their new tropical home. These dishes have become part of our daily lives, so much so many people are not aware of these past Chinese connections, just like how most people think that chili and peanut are native to Indonesia.

    Food is one of many cultural products, and together they are constantly changing, perfected, substituted, added and improvised. To think that there’s only one type of Chinese cuisine and anything that deviates from it is not authentic is rather ignorant. Glad you wrote this post to correct some misconceptions out there, Mabel.

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    • You raised such a great point there, Bama. What is authentic is a matter of perspective and it depends where we were raised and our experiences eating food. To me, a lot of Chinese food tastes different compared to that in Malaysia. But for many of my Asian friends who grew up here, the Chinese food in Australia comes across as authentic to them. I remember visiting Jakarta and Yogjakarta many years ago and was amazed by the various influences on the menu. I do think chilli and spicy are native to Indonesia because almost every single dish I ordered there was spicy. Even the supposedly non-spicy bakmi that I ordered at Bakmi GM was peppery, making it on the spicy side for me. But it tasted so good 🙂

      ‘they are constantly changing, perfected, substituted, added and improvised’ So well said and couldn’t agree more.

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  7. You have jotted the misconceptions on chinese food really well. Food varies by location and people and is modified to suit the culture and taste preferred by the locals.

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  8. Like you said, I’ve noticed that Chinese food is very different in Japan and in the USA and even between California and Arizona. When I ate Chinese in Japan, it wasn’t fried and was heavy on vegetables and light on the sauce. It was pretty healthy. In California, the Chinese restaurants seem to have more variety than here in Arizona where I am now. Arizona seems to have a lot more fried dishes too. I think it’s just smart marketing — the restaurants are targeting the eating habits of the local population.

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    • Sounds like you’ve eaten widely over the years. I wonder what it is with some places preferring to eat more veggies or more meat over other food groups. The food you are in Japan sounds delicious. I’ve always been amazed at how much fried food there is in the States…and all of the fried desserts there, for instance the fried Mars bar 🙂

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      • Wow! I hadn’t heard of the fried Mars bar. Someone told me they were selling fried butter at a carnival. And now there’s fried Twinkies. I really surprises me what they will fry. I like the crunch of fried food though.

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  9. Liebe Mabel das sind ja alles so leckere Gerichte das Gericht mit dem Reis und Shrimps das muss ich unbedingt nach kochen denn ich liebe Reis da läuft mir jetzt schon das Wasser im Mund zusammen sei ganz lieb gegrüßt Klaus in Freundschaft.
    Heute war ein wunderschöner Frühlingstag so kann es bleiben Klaus

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  10. Those takeout boxes came from Chicago?!! And were for oysters? Wow, I am learning. I knew many of these stereotypes weren’t correct after having dated a few Chinese men but I’m glad you’re sharing the info here so that more people come to realize the richness of the culture 🙂 Well written, Mabel.

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    • Yes, the takeout boxes that sometimes look like small pagodas originated in the States! There is so much to learn about Chinese food. I come from a traditional Chinese family and still am learning so much about Chinese food. Thank you so much. Always love it when you stop by, Chrisy 🙂

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  11. Hi Mabel! I’ve been saving this post to read when I could really take my time to enjoy all the small points. I particularly liked your discussion of how different regions have their own cooking and culinary traditions. It’s so easy to stereotype “all Chinese food” as something like, fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, Won Ton soup, etc. American love shorthand ideas, right? Anyway, your observation reminded me of how the U.S. still has some regional food culture – I’m sure it’s rapidly becoming more homogeneous, but still, I think in the South, for instance, you get grits and boiled greens and okra and shellfish, in the Northeast you can have a lot of lobster and other New England fare, then there’s midwestern dishes like “hot dish” (a casserole), and where my dad grew up in Arizona there was a lot of Mexican influence, green chiles and beans and rice, etc. Here in Seattle I love that we do a lot of salmon and seafood as a foundation for our local cuisine. Thank you for a lovely visit and look into Chinese cuisine and its various incarnations!

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    • Probably a lot of us love shorthand ideas that are familiar, and that is such a great point you bring up. The variety of regional food sounds aplenty in the States, which means more choice. It is interesting to ear that in Seattle there is a seafood foundation for your local cuisine. Seafood has never been something I strongly associated with the States (more like friend junk food, lol). So I’m guessing some places in your part of the world do serve up great seafood dishes and platters. Thank you so much for coming back again, Theresa. Very kind of you 🙂

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  12. Chinese food is something that people would be familiar with in some form or the other. Interesting to read about Chinese food cuisine along with the cultural aspects.

    You are so right in pointing out that we generally associate Chinese food with fried rice and noodles and dim sum. So, it comes to me as a surprise to know that dim sum originated in Hong Kong, not in China. Also, this is the first time I am hearing about dim sim.

    It is interesting to know about fusion dishes that do not require to be served with rice or noodles, and that Chinese takeaway containers are an American invention. Chinese food is available all over India is heavily customized to suit the local taste. At most places, it hot, crispy, tangy and spicy, while a very few restaurants serve it light, which is what I prefer.

    Plate washing tradition sounds very practical. Being a pet lover, I do not find the concept of Yulin festival to be appealing, but good to know that people are organising campaigns against it.

    Another interesting observation that I agree with is that in the Western corners of the world, serving portions are much bigger compared to that in Asia. Btw all the foodstuff in the pictures (especially the dim sum) looks absolutely yummy!).

    We are what we eat. What we eat is who we are, our identity and who we choose to be. Loved this quote though I am not sure I completely agree with it. Thank you, Mabel, for sharing such a gastronomic post on Chinese cuisine. The weekend is here again. 🙂

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    • Agree that many people these days would be familiar with Chinese food. Wherever you go there is usually at least one Chinese or Asian restaurant serving some kind of Chinese food – whether it is traditional Chinese food or the modern variety.

      If you come to Australia, you can try the dim sim. It is not hard to find and is usually available in most shopping centre food courts at one of the Asian food stalls.

      It is fascinating to hear about Chinese food in India, and how it is localised to suite local palates. Sounds like a lot of Chinese food in India is spicy with very bold flavours – probably Sichuan cuisine might be more popular with people living in India. Since I’m not good with spicy, I’m guessing it might be too spicy to me. All the food stuffs in this picture were delicious. The dim sum and pastries made such a great snack, and wouldn’t mind having some again right now.

      Yes the weekend is here, Somali. Hope you have a good weekend with good food 🙂

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      • Mabel, it might be Sichuan cuisine, but we know it only as Chinese. 😀 Surprisingly, the food that I had in Shanghai and Beijing was very different from the Chinese food that we get in India. Your post helped me to understand the difference, 🙂

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  13. Interesting read. I guess the problem starts with using the generic term, “Chinese Food”. Perhaps Chinese food should just be classified by region. However, as you say, food evolves depending on which country it is being served in and where the restaurant/chef/owner is from, and whether they are traditional, experimenting or adapting to local ingredients.
    But you’re right, to many people chinese food means fried rice, sweet and sour and a couple of other dishes. If you’re a restaurant owner you’re going to always have these on the menu, and that perpetuates a stereotype.

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    • Thanks, Dragon. You are spot on with that term ‘Chinese food’, that it is generic – but so many of us are familiar with it and now some form of China food. While this may perpetuate stereotypes, I like to see it as also a good thing.

      Food does vary from region to region and eating a certain cuisine in a certain area might surprise us – probably like how you had a such a great yum cha in San Francisco 🙂

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  14. It sounds like “Chinese” food in Australia has something in common with what we get in the US — huge portions. Here it is also very salty, so even though often delicious, it really maxes out our daily sodium consumption. I’ve never been to mainland China, but I will say some of the best food (of any kind) I’ve ever had was in Taipei. (and I’m with you on the hot spices, I don’t order the ones with chili pepper pictures beside them on the menu!)

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    • True, a lot of the Chinese food in Australia is big portioned and salty. Haha! The chilli peppers on the menu is a good indication on the menu of spiciness. Like you I stay clear of those because they do mean hot.

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  15. Such an interesting post!… I had no idea there were so many variations as far as Chinese Cuisine is concerned (as you mention in point 1). Yes, you are right: Ignorance leads to creating cultural stereotypes, and food is not an exception. It is like when People say: In Argentina, you have to eat steak… Assuming meat is the most delicious food here, when I am not sure it is… I mean, could be … But there are still so many great dishes here, and a clear italian influence in our regular dishes. You have well disproved many misconceptions here and how Chinese food is not simply about “rice, noodles and dumplings”. Also: how interesting to learn that Fortune cookies are not Chinese!… Thanks, dear friend, for this enlightening, cool reading… Much love & best wishes ❤

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    • Chinese food is certainly very diverse, and really every cuisine is diverse and different everywhere. So interesting to hear of that train of thought in Argentina – you eat what everyone eats because it is delicious and it is actually delicious. In Chinese culture it is also similar…and many Chinese people seem to like eating similar dishes too. People may be different but I think our approaches to life tend to be similar. Thank you so much for saying that I seem intuitive….it is such a compliment. Hugs, love and best wishes to you linda ❤

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  18. Chinese food is very diverse, even it modifies in accordance to country they live. Indonesian Chinese food-as my Zhungguo friends said is very different in taste, popiah tastes sweet as modifies with Javanese taste, while Cap Cay, Nasi goreng, Swi Kee, Kamar Bola, Sate Abing etc are found everywhere. Nasi Campur Chinese style also common but some like Lontong Cap Go Meh cannot be found anywhere but here as it’s Javanese Chinese innovation for celebrating Cap Go Meh.

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  19. Such a great post M and live how you worded that culture bit at the start.
    Also – the flow was nice but all this food talk was making me hungry and by the time I got to the garlicky sauce and broccoli 🥦 and – well
    I wonder what u and I will eat when we meet someday! ? Cos u know we wil
    lol connect! Eventually – so….
    Dim sum ?
    Freud chicken?

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    • I also wonder what we’ll eat if we meet some day. Maybe some dim sum. But I know you are big on eating healthy and so am I. We will definitely need to watch the sugar intake….and how much carbs we consume…but a little treat doesn’t hurt 🙂

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      • oh this just gets me so excited.
        and I will email everyone soon, but just fyi – I have our book in for some mini touch-ups with a paid editor and then this summer hope to order a “bundle” and will mail come copies to authors – trying to get a signed copy for each of us. not sure the logistics – and will solicit feedback – but then plan to do some promoting this fall – close to that November time frame when we all were first hustling to finish.
        Thanks again for your patience and being so awesome to work with

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  20. Liebe Mabel habe dein Reisgericht nach gekocht es ist einfach köstlich danke dir hab ein schönes Wochenende Klaus in Freundschaft es ist hier Pfingsten ein christlicher Feiertag und da lass ich meinen Blog ruhen bis bald

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  21. Pingback: Place Essentialism – North Chinese Foodie Adventure

  22. I am Italian and I love oriental cuisine, all foods except kimchi which is too spicy for me. I have eaten Chinese food in Italy, London and Canada. The portions in Italy and Europe are normal. Instead in Canada they were more abundant. Every time I ate something I had to share it with my husband because I couldn’t finish the dish. So I understand why Americans throw away a lot of food or cause so many food problems. But I don’t find it right to westernize the different dishes because if I choose to eat in a Chinese restaurant I expect really cibese food and not fusion food. So I can say that I don’t know real Chinese food yet because I haven’t been to an Asian country yet.

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    • That’s lovely to hear you love all kinds of cuisine and you’ve eaten Chinese in quite a few places. So interesting to hear the portions in Italy are normal but in Canada bigger. It sounds like you’ve had some good Chinese dishes – and perhaps some of them do taste like real Chinese food. Hope you get to visit an Asian country at some point and try local food over there 🙂

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