When first arriving in China you will notice first that there are many foods from many different places. Unlike my hometown which is a smalltown in the UK called Burton-Upon-Trent China is a very big country. Therefore, you can find all different kinds of food that can suite your tastes. In this article we will discuss the many different foods you can find In China and how they compare to the food found in the UK.
Firstly I would like to talk about one of my favourite dishes that surprised me here in China. The name is Stinky Tofu and it comes from city of Changsha. When you first smell this dish you will think that It tastes bad or horrible even. However quite the opposite as it is very tasty and spicy, If you have a chance to try it do not be deterred from its bad smell.
If you are planning to have a big meal with a group of friends then most likely they will recommend eating hotpot. Hotpot is a dish that includes a boiling bowl of soup in which you can take turns in boiling different dishes from beef to vegetables. This is not only a meal to eat together but also helps with making new friends and socialising. In contrast in the UK we usually will eat together with separate dishes even though we are eating together. In China it is considered normal and even good manners to eat together and share food.
The next and final dish that we will discuss is dim sum. Usually in the UK breakfast is a relatively small dish and isn’t really shared with others. Of course we have the full English breakfast in the UK but for the most part breakfast is considered a small meal to be eaten on our own. However if you are familiar with the province of Guangdong then you will realise that sometimes families like to have dim sum together in the morning. Dim Sum is a combination of many different Guangdong breakfast dishes from Changfen to Xiagao. Although it seems like a lot of food actually it is very light and not so sweet. In the UK we may eat a bowl of cereal or fry some eggs and bacon. However in Guangdong eating breakfast is a very important part of the day and usually is not a small meal if eating with family.
I hope from this article you can have a bigger insight into how food in China can differ from the western world. Indeed sharing food here is more important and eating in groups is considered the norm. In contrast we in the western world like to eat with our individual dishes and don’t usually share our dishes. Both are fine but hopefully this will encourage you to try some new food in China and not be put off from the cultural differences. Below are some examples of famous Chinese foods.
