Five Highly Rated ‘American Chinese’ Dishes Chinese People Don’t Eat
According to a report by the National Restaurant Association, Chinese cuisine tops the list for takeaway and delivery in the United States. Chinese cuisine is so popular in the U. S. that many American families spend New Years Eve. However, did you know Chinese food in America is vastly different from dishes back in China? Here come the five most popular Chinese dishes in America that you won’t see served in China.
- General Tso’s chicken
General Tso’s chicken consists of chunks of chicken fried with ginger, scallions, garlic, sesame oil, and sometimes hot chili peppers. It is named after General Tso Tsung-tang, China’s statesman in Qing dynasty, who, according to historical material had no connection with food.
While this dish appears on the menu of every American Chinese restaurant, local Chinese people would tell you they have no idea what it is and where it came from. A stop in at Panda Express between the tourist activities will likely be the first encounter with General Tso’s chicken for Chinese tourists.
2. Beef & Broccoli
When Chinese students first landed in the United States, they were astonished at the frequency that broccoli was used in Chinese restaurants. Here, steamed or uncooked broccoli is combined with beef, shrimp, tofu and chicken in most dishes. Unlike broccoli, Ginger, scallions and garlic are most frequently-used ingredients by Chinese people.
It was not until 2000 that normal Chinese households began to cook Broccoli for meals. In China, Western broccoli is steamed together with garlic and seldom do people combine broccoli with meat.
3. Fried Wontons
Fried Wontons are deep-fried dumplings filled with crabmeat and cream cheese. They are sweet and fresh and popular with kids.
It is not uncommon for people outside of China to confuse the two small snacks — wontons and dumplings — despite their vastly different appearance. Both are filled with meat and vegetables, but wontons look like gold ingots, an ancient Chinese currency, and dumplings look more like a half moon.
Dumplings are a popular morning snack as well as a snack to bring in the Chinese New Year.
4. Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup uses wispy beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth in American Chinese restaurants. Tofu and pepper are frequently added to the soup.
While Chinese people don’t have the tradition of frying wontons, they do eat egg drop soup a lot in their daily lives, despite egg drop soup being made differently. Cornstarch and chicken broth are not necessary to make egg drop soup in China. More typically, wispy beaten eggs will be boiled with vegetables like tomato, Bok choy, seaweeds. Egg drop soup in China has a lighter taste than soups here.
5. Fortune Cookies
Fortune Cookies may not pass the dish test, but they are synonymous with Chinese restaurants.
A Fortune Cookie is a sweet, crisp cookie with a piece of paper inside. Messages on the paper can be very idealistic, such as “Sun always shines after a downpour,” or realistic and indifferent, such as “Error 404: Fortune not found.”
Fortune Cookies are believed to be popularized in California in the early 20th century, but their exact origin is unclear.
Although many Chinese people are Buddhists and believe in fortune-telling sticks offered by oracles in temples, fortune cookies are not common in their dining.
Perhaps the biggest difference in the dining experience is the pre-dinner beverage. In the U. S., you will be served cold water, whereas, in China, you will be served hot green tea.
In general, different dining habits of Americans and Chinese people have led to different taste and dining environment in two countries.
Chinese restaurants started to flourish in the 19th century in San Francisco. They were luxury eating places that only the very rich Chinese would frequent. Later Chinese people attempted to make a living out of small Chinese restaurants in towns. Gradually it became popular in other states. Takeout and delivery are the most popular ways to eat Chinese food, according to the survey.
Click here to watch a funny cartoon video about American Chinese foods.
