Chinese Food Menu | Foods During Travel in Shanghai
Food is one of the most important components of a Nation. Chinese Food menu represents their authenticity, presentation of art and culture, traditional values, glorious past, and bright future. Through food, one can understand one’s culture, taste buds, likings, food habits, survival standards, and more.
As an international metropolis, Shanghai’s food culture is deeply influenced by its geographical location and historical background. It brings together the essence of food from all over the country and even the world, forming the unique Shanghai cuisine.
Shanghai cuisine has long enjoyed a high reputation around the world. The unique charm of this international metropolis is not only reflected in its prosperous economy and long history, but also in its rich and diverse food culture. From traditional local cuisine to international creative cuisine, Shanghai cuisine has always attracted diners’ taste buds with its unique flavor.
History and Culture As one of the important cities in China’s economic development, Shanghai has gathered various humanities, history and cultural heritage from all over the country. These cultural factors directly affect the formation and development of Shanghai’s food culture. As a representative flavor, Shanghai local cuisine embodies the wisdom and taste of the people who once lived, worked and communicated on this land.
In addition to local cuisine, Shanghai also has many unique foods. For example, Xiaolongbao is a famous Shanghai specialty dumpling, with a paper-thin wrapper, delicious fillings and a unique taste; Shengjianbao is another traditional Shanghai snack, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, juicy and meaty, and you will be filled with happiness as soon as you take a bite.
Chinese Food Menu With Distinctive Taste
Food is the basic need of human being. One can’t survive without it. Food contains nutrition which is inevitable for energy, repair, growth of body. During travelling you need more energy to roam around, to walk, to run, to ride. Thats why you should take proper meal and drink water or other drinks to hydrate body to keep yourself fit and fine to enjoy tour travel. One should check that his body is getting all nutrients properly otherwise he will fall in sick.
In traveling time, it is very much important to know about the types of food you will find near your traveling place. Sometimes some frozen or instant food and different fruits work like life savior. I always carry some dry foods with myself during traveling like cookies, dates etc.
In addition to traditional cuisine, many new and creative dishes have emerged in Shanghai’s catering industry. In the context of internationalization, Shanghai’s restaurants continue to try to integrate various flavors and cuisines to create a variety of unique cuisines. For example, restaurants with creative cooking as their main feature combine classic dishes with modern cooking techniques to bring a refreshing taste experience.
Street Food Shanghai’s Street food is an integral part of exploring Shanghai’s cuisine. Walking along the busy streets, people can taste a wide variety of delicacies, from wontons, deep-fried dough sticks, pancakes to stinky tofu and more. These delicacies are not only cheap and affordable, but also authentic in taste, and are an integral part of Shanghainese life.
Beverage Culture Shanghai not only has a rich variety of food, but also a unique beverage culture. From traditional time-honored teahouses to modern coffee shops, Shanghai’s beverage culture combines traditional and modern elements, with both warm and comfortable teahouses and fashionable and avant-garde coffee shops. Whether you drink a cup of unique Shanghai tea or try a cup of carefully prepared coffee, you can experience the unique charm of Shanghai’s beverage culture.
Conclusion Exploring the stories behind Shanghai cuisine not only represents the pursuit of food, but also an exploration of Shanghai’s history, culture and unique charm. Whether it is traditional local cuisine or new and creative cuisine, Shanghai’s food culture is rich and diverse. I hope that through this article, readers can have a more comprehensive understanding of Shanghai cuisine, so that while tasting the food, they can also experience the unique charm of Shanghai. Thank you for reading, and I hope this article can bring you useful information about Shanghai cuisine and give you a deeper understanding of Shanghai’s food culture.
In the brightly lit and bustling streets of Shanghai, I often immerse myself in the ocean of food in this city. As a foodie who is deeply tempted by food, I am willing to take you to explore this charming city and experience Shanghai’s history, culture and market flavor through your tongue.
From the first rays of sunshine in the morning, breakfast in Shanghai has become lively. The breakfast shop deep in the alley has begun to emit tempting aromas. Walking in, I saw a big pot of noodles, and the young chef was busy. I always order a bowl of “scallion oil noodles”, in which the tender green onions make a “sizzling” sound in the oil pan, and the aroma of hot dishes and scallion oil spreads instantly. A thick layer of scallion oil is spread on the noodles, and the seasoning is mixed. It is simple but intoxicating. This bowl of noodles not only warms my stomach, but also warms my heart, evoking my deep memories of my hometown.
If you prefer sweet food, remember to try the soft and sticky rice cake. Whether it is sweet or salty, it can always satisfy all taste buds. I also especially recommend the egg pancake, which has a golden and crispy skin, is wrapped with shrimp skin and green onions, and is spread with a layer of bean paste. The moment you bite it, the fresh fragrance overflows, which makes you miss it.
As time passed, lunch time came. I chose to taste a bowl of hot “spicy meat noodles” in a small restaurant in Shanghai. As soon as I walked into the restaurant, boiling water was ready for every diner. The kind boss served me a bowl of hot noodles, added vegetarian chicken and thick spicy meat, and the soup noodles exuded an intoxicating aroma. At this moment, I seemed to forget the hustle and bustle of the city and just wanted to quietly enjoy this satisfying delicacy. Under the scorching sun, this is the best way to quench your thirst.
At afternoon tea time, all kinds of snacks were waiting for me. Colorful macarons and delicate sliced cakes, plus a cup of fragrant mint tea, made me feel like I was in a dream. As a local specialty, the scallion pancake, which is not to be missed, swirls on the tip of the tongue with its crispy outside and tender inside. It is even more intoxicating when paired with an egg.
In the evening, there are more choices of food. When exploring Shanghai’s local cuisine, I always like to invite friends to dine together and share the delicious food. Among the cold dishes, I especially like fried fish and jellyfish skin, and among the hot dishes, the braised pork is not to be missed. The attractive color of the braised pork, the tender meat and the rich sauce flavor make every diner unable to stop. In addition, the eight-treasure duck is worth a try. The exquisite appearance and rich taste make people linger. For those who like desserts, the rice dumplings with fermented glutinous rice end the meal with its unique taste, perfect and complete.
On a food tour in Shanghai, no one will miss out on all kinds of hotpot and seafood. In this international city, you can easily find authentic Sichuan hotpot, Chaoshan pickled vegetables, and even all kinds of Western food. Every corner of the city is filled with delicious choices.
Food and food preparation related with a specific area are known as that region’s cuisine. Cuisine can be national, regional or local. Cuisine mainly depends on region’s distinctive recipes, ingredients, cooking process, culture, geographic region. One can understands a region’s peoples tastebud after tasting their cuisine.
I often think about what makes the food in this city so attractive. It is the sincere hand-made dishes, the historical stories behind each dish, and the tolerance and enthusiasm of this city. No matter where you come from, Shanghai can always keep you with its unique taste. This is a city that has been renewed for a long time, and it always conveys its warmth and vitality with food.
In this vibrant city, simple life and delicious food are intertwined to form Shanghai’s unique flavor. In this fast-paced society, let us slow down, savor every delicacy here, and feel the intimacy from the tip of our tongue. No matter where I go, the taste of Shanghai will always remain in my memory. I love Shanghai and every delicious and touching thing this city has given me.
I enjoy a lot of dishes in Chinese food menu. They are distinct one from another by their looks, taste, texture. Chinese Food menu enriched Chinese traditional quisine. There are a lot of distinctive taste foods,some are spicy,some are sweet,some are tangy. I am sharing some easy Chinese food’s recipes what I make at my home when I miss Chinese foods and I’m out of China. If you miss Chinese foods the recipes will help you to make some delicious Chinese foods.
Dumpling is a famous and traditional Chinese food in China. So, I got the chance to taste different types of dumplings in China. I really love dumplings. There are a lot of variations of dumplings with different kinds of fillings, such as chicken filling, shrimp filling, beef filling, and strawberry filling etc. I’m sharing some recipes of dumplings with other Chinese food recipes.
Shrimp rice paper dumplings
Shrimp rice paper dumplings is one of my favorite dumplings what I taste in China. It is very delicious. Transparent rice paper makes it more lucrative. When you will dip the dumpling into chili oil, keep it in your mouth and its crunchy taste will burst into your mouth. The Main ingredients of Shrimp rice paper dumplings are minced shrimp and rice paper.
Mainly the rice paper is known as Vietnamese rice paper that is made of white rice powder, tapioca powder, salt and water. When rice paper sheet steamed with marinated shrimp filling. It makes the dumpling in another level of taste. You won’t forget the taste of Shrimp rice paper dumplings. It is not a very difficult recipe. If you want you can make it by yourself. Here is the simple recipe for you.
Ingredients of preparing Shrimp rice paper dumplings:
Shrimp 250 gm
Vietnamese Rice paper sheet 1 packet
Baking soda ½ tsp
Seasoning 1tbsp
Salt ½ tsp
Sugar ½ tsp
Vegetable oil ½ tbsp
Sesame oil ½ tbsp
Cooking Wine1tbsp
Cornstarch 1 tbsp
Water 300 ml
Making process:
First step: To make Shrimp rice paper dumplings first you have to ready shrimp and marinate properly to get better taste. Peel off the shell of the shrimp, and soak for 30 minutes the shrimp in a baking soda and water solution (1 tea spoon baking soda and water).
It will increase the PH level of shrimp to keep moisture inside to make a juicy filling. After that make the shrimp pat dry with kitchen napkin nicely. Then cut the shrimp into cube and minced half of the shrimp. Marinate shrimp with ½ tsp salt,1tbsp seasoning, ½ tsp salt. Mix the shrimp in a circle rotation. Add ½ tsp vegetable oil and ½ tbsp sesame oil,1 tbsp cooking wine,1 tbsp cornstarch. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Second step: Now prepare the rice paper to wrap the Rice Paper Shrimp Dumplings. Cut the rice paper into 4 parts and dip into water for 5 seconds. Then keep a tsp full of shrimp filling in the rice paper sheet and fold like a dumpling. Grease the pan with oil where you will steam the dumplings. Keep the dumpling and brush oil on the dumpling so it doesn’t dry. Steam for only 5 minutes. Now ready the yummy Shrimp rice paper dumplings. Just enjoy the traditional Chinese Shrimp rice paper dumplings with chili oil and get lost in the taste world. I hope you will enjoy the Shrimp rice paper dumplings like me.
Curry Chicken and Dumplings:
The word “curry” comes from Tamil, which means “many spices cooked together”. Curry made from a variety of spices has a special aroma. I always like to add a little when cooking chicken and beef. It is spicy and stimulating and especially appetizing. Curry is always available in my family’s condiments. It is not an exaggeration to say that I am a curry addict. I often buy new curry after eating the one in the refrigerator. I use it to make fried rice, rice bowls or stewed meat, which can easily increase the appetite of my family and sweep away all the food.
I have eaten many kinds of curry, but this is the first time I have tried hot pot. For people who love curry, this big pot of fragrant and flavorful curry stewed chicken is paired with dumplings covered with curry sauce, which is very satisfying.
Remember that your body is your own, so you must control your mouth and spend more time cooking for yourself. In order to make it smoother for you, I will first introduce the method of making curry chicken dumplings hot pot.
- Prepare the Ingredients.
- Wash the chicken, remove the tail and fat, and chop into small pieces.
- Dice the tomatoes, carrots, onions and yams into dice of the same size.
- Put the chicken into a pot of cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the blood foam, remove the chicken, wash and drain.
- Pour oil into the pan, add the onion and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir-fry.
- After boiling, turn the heat to medium-low and add the curry cubes and a small spoonful of sugar.
- After the chicken changes color, pour in boiling water to cover the chicken, add star anise and bay leaves.
- Keep cooking over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes and then add coconut milk.
- Add tomato cubes, carrots, onions and yam and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add a spoonful of whipped cream, add the appropriate amount of salt, stir evenly, put it in the cooked dumplings pot and serve it on the table.
Tips:
- Curry cubes come in different flavors such as original, slightly spicy, medium spicy, etc. Choose the one that suits you best.
- Use medium-low heat when cooking curry, and be sure to stir it carefully, otherwise it will easily get stuck in the pot.
- For the side dishes of the hot pot, just choose the vegetables you like. The curry has a strong flavor, so it will be delicious if you choose some lighter hot dishes.
- To make the sauce, mix all the ingredients together. If you like, you can add some chili oil.
- Cook the dumplings just before serving the curry chicken.
Obviously, after reading the introduction to this dish, you should have a good idea of how to make it. But learning comes with practice, so I believe you will soon be able to take action. When you taste the delicious food you have made, you will be very happy and excited.
French Onion Dumpling Soup
French onion dumpling soup is a very delicious dumpling. it is very juicy inside and the filling has an awesome taste. A special thing is caramelized onion and the deep savory taste of the onion will take you to another tasty world. The soup is also very tasty. Sometimes you will get chicken, mushroom filling inside of dumpling, and sometimes beef jellied stock. Both items are tasty.
Sometimes, Chinese restaurants serve with cheese after steaming the dumplings. They bake the dumplings with gruyere cheese. When you crack the dumpling, the yummy soup comes oozing right out. It’s really a nice experience to have French onion dumpling soup. It is super delicious. It is a must-try item for a traveler during travelling China.
For your convenience, I’ve given the ingredients list so that if you have any health issues with any ingredients, you can check.
Main ingredients of French onion dumplings: onion, beef bone, butter, beef broth solidified, sugar, salt, flour, gelatin, cooking wine, sesame seed, olive oil, thyme, pepper.
Strawberry dumplings
Strawberry dumplings are an innovative type of dumpling. Strawberry dumplings break through the limitation of traditional dumplings with meat and vegetables as the main filling. The use of strawberries as the main filling in dumplings brings a new taste experience to dumpling lovers. Another tasty item of Chinese cuisine is strawberry dumplings. One of my favorite dishes. Red strawberry attracts me with their color and flavor. I love strawberries and dumplings with strawberries very much.
This kind of dumpling is more common in Russia and is a delicacy created by local wisdom. From the outside, Russian strawberry dumplings are almost the same as Chinese strawberry dumplings, but the filling is the biggest difference from Chinese strawberry dumplings. In addition, many people on the Internet have shared their experiences of making and tasting the strawberry dumplings recipe, which has become a special delicacy that some people try. Here is my Strawberry Dumpling recipe, I’m sharing so that you can taste it at your home if you missed tasting in Shanghai. Hope you like it.
The history behind the origin of strawberry-filled dumplings
The origin of making dumplings is related to Zhang Zhongjing, the medical saint in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
At that time, dumplings were used for medicinal purposes. Zhang Zhongjing used dough to wrap some cold-relieving herbs (mutton, pepper, etc.) to treat diseases and prevent patients from getting frostbite on their ears. From then on, the villagers and later generations imitated the production and called it “jiao’er”. There is a saying among the people that dumplings are the most delicious food. During the Spring Festival, dumplings are indispensable. According to the “Guangya” written by Zhang Yi of the Wei Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period, there was a food called wonton in the shape of a crescent moon at that time, which is similar to the shape of dumplings today.
Strawberry Dumpling recipe
Preparation method:
Strawberry juice and bread dumplings
To make strawberry juice: wash the strawberries, remove the stems, drain the water, put them into a blender together with the washed, peeled and diced lemons, add fermented glutinous rice and honey, beat into a paste, pour into a bowl, put it into a microwave container and heat for 3-5 minutes, take it out and let it cool. You can also rinse the strawberries with running water, soak them in light salt water for 20 minutes, remove the leaves, put the white sugar, water and strawberries into a food processor and blend until it becomes a paste.
Mix the dough: Add the prepared strawberry juice into the flour and mix the dough. Let it rest for about 40 minutes.
Making dumplings: Cut the dough into small pieces and roll it into thin strips. Cut it into small pieces and roll it into round shapes. Add the prepared stuffing and wrap it into dumplings.
Sometimes, Strawberries are used directly as filling for the Strawberry Dumpling recipe.
Ingredients: dumpling wrappers (homemade or ready-made), strawberries, sugar or powdered sugar.
Preparation: Wash the strawberries, remove the stems and cut into small pieces. In a bowl, add the appropriate amount of sugar or powdered sugar to the cut strawberries and stir gently to allow the strawberries to fully absorb the sugar. The amount of sugar can be adjusted according to the sweetness of the strawberries.
Take a dumpling wrapper, put a small spoonful of strawberry filling in the middle, wet the edge of the dumpling wrapper with water using your fingers, then fold the wrapper in half and pinch the seal to ensure that the dumpling does not fall apart.
Repeat the above steps until all the dumpling wrappers and strawberry fillings are used up. You can choose to steam or boil the dumplings. If you want to steam them, put them in a steamer and steam them over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, until the dumpling skin becomes transparent. If you want to boil them, put water in a pot and boil it for about 5 minutes. When they float, you can remove them from the pot.
There are many ways to eat strawberry dumplings. Cooked strawberries dumplings can be served with sour cream or powdered sugar to enjoy their unique sweet and sour taste and the fresh taste of the fruit.
Please note that strawberry dumplings are a creative food and may not suit everyone’s taste. If you are more interested in traditional dumplings, you can try other classic dumpling fillings such as cabbage and mushroom etc.
They break through the limitation of traditional dumplings with meat and vegetables as the main filling but use of strawberries as the main filling which brings a new taste experience.