Ten Reasons to Chinese Street-Food Before You Die
For Authentic Chinese Taste You Must Start in the Main Streets of China.
1. Authentic
Every bites, crumbs, bits of pieces coming in to your mouth will be unlike anything you have ever tried back home. Street food in China is so authentic that makes Chinese foods elsewhere taste like poorly made copy.
2. Inexpensive
For 6 RMB, which is about one dollar, you can find descent food from street vendors everywhere in Shenyang. From my school cafeteria in Shenyang, 7 RMB will feed you with a great dish. Street food is cheap and fast cooked on the bicycle - wheeled contraption.
3. Super tasty
I am sure there is no argument about the fantastic taste of freshly made Chinese food. Try stay on the main stream Chinese food if you are new in China. I wouldn’t go for turtle soup or pigeon meat to start with, but I am sure you will love the mainstream Chinese food that sells every street corner in China.
4. Fresh
Most of the small vendors use fresh ingredients. Chinese people, who are their main consumers, know how the “fresh” tastes like. Using an old ingredient is like losing customers, so they always use fresh products all the time, on the spot.
5. Organic
Vendors and mid size cafeterias buy their food from local organic market. If you ever been in the morning markets in China, you will know its all about local farmers. No genetically engineered food will be found in streets vendors buggy.
6. Savory
Source is in the sauce. Chinese people developed their sauce at home, in kitchen, not from chemical factories in middle of nowhere. Savory flavors from each component in your plate has been developed, protected, and inherited over the years of culinary passion.
7. Culinary heritage
Chinese food has a regional taste. Sichuan people like extra spicy, Beijing people like not so spicy yet not so sweet, Shanghai people prefer sweet taste and Dong-Bei people loves spicy, sweet and potency. Their unique taste preference has lot to do with the climate and heritage. Culinary heritage of Chinese food extends back many centuries.
8. Artistic
More rare and expensive the food is, more artistic it gets. They are very creative with their display, even in the streets. Competing for uniqueness of their design, some street vendors us great artistic touch to their production.
9. Aromatic
Freshly cut vegetable sizzling in the grill, with touch of ground garlic making tiny crackling sounds. When it hits the open-air aroma becomes so distinct enticing, anyone would have come and see what’s in the fire. In the busy streets of China, smell speaks louder than the words.
10. Low calories
Most of what’s in the ensemble is vegetables, and low calories. Since red meat is expensive in China, most of the food houses use vegetables chicken and tofu. These ingredients are low on fat, calories and easy to digest. Best thing about the Chinese food is that it does not drain your energy level after lunch.
I am sure you will find many more reasons to try and experience culinary adventures in China. Please share your own reasons...
Thanks to many sites allowed loyalty free photos.
Cold noodles are the best during the summer. For some reason, I found spicy Sichuan style food to be very suitable nowadays :0. Maybe because its getting warm outside.
Thank you. I will blog about that too, once I get to know more about China :)
I love street food in Chongqing. Nothing beats some cold noodles for a snack or some late night barbecue!
Street food is a culture all of its own. If you can resist the temptation of eating, just watching the people is the bigger part of the experience, in my opinion. The vendors are artisans, producing their tasty treats with flair. Thanks for posting. I'm headed to the street. I hear a bowl of 热干面 calling my name!
Great blog!! I love street foods, here in Beijing. The only problem is that sometimes my favorite vendors move on!!And I have to search for new dishes to replace them, or try to find new vendors. Sometimes they don't go far and I can find them. Yum! As a vegetarian, I am always looking for the non meat foods, and there are plenty of these as well. Thanks for a great blog, I saw it just as I was getting ready to eat! Made me hungrier!
Oh yeah, so many good foods on the street. The array of 'fast food' is phenomenal. When local people ask me why I'm fat I say it's cause of too much Chinese fast food! The best thing is going to new cities and seeing things you've never seen before and trying them out. The Jian Bing in one town is very different to another and it's interesting to see how they vary from place to place.I pity the people that are too scared for health reasons to enjoy such great food.
yes, you are right, usually people say China,they will refer to the great wall, big cities like Beijing,Shanghai and so on,but i wanna say street food also can represent China,through street food ,you can know how ordinary people live and traditional Chinese culture. I like street food ,not only it is cheep,but also it gives me a different and unique flavour.
Yes. Cheap and super tasty. Try to eat 麻辣香锅 (Malaxiangguo) if you guys found some, it's my favorite =)
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