The Must-Try Chinese Food for International Students

August 2, 2023•5 minute read

It was a relief to me when I learned that the Chinese food that was served in cafeterias during my study in China was no different from the ones prepared in my home country. Before my journey, I could wonder if I would ever get used to Chinese cuisines in the school cafeteria which were renowned for their aroma, color, taste, meanings, and appearance which seemed different from my home country Kenya. Of course, we could be allowed to cook for ourselves simple meals but for me, it seemed tedious and so I relied on canteen food where I learned that not much difference was there in their preparation. Maybe what differed is the ingredients, history, and dining customs. Since the university was so strict on student movements outside the campus for security reasons, we remained with the canteen as the only option to eat from. But once we got a chance to get out of the campus, we could have a variety to taste and choose from.

Peking-Duck

My first meal in China is still fresh in my mind-a Peking duck which is a famous dish from Beijing and is regarded as one of China’s national dishes. In a Chinese restaurant in my homeland, Peking-duck was cherished for its thin and crispy skin. So when I arrived in China, I was directed to a restaurant where I ordered sliced Peking duck served with pancakes. I could not afford to be a black sheep in a foreign land even if I was a bit nervous. My prayer was that it settles peacefully in my tummy as I was in a new territory. Since I heard stories that it is a must-taste dish while in China I had no choice anyway and in any case, it was highly honored by prominent people, and domestic and foreign tourists.

Peking Duck 北京烤鸭- Chinese Food

Kung Pao Chicken.

Another famous food that I saw friends serving was the Kung Pao Chicken. At least this was famous to me as the main ingredients were dried chili, diced chicken, cucumber, and fried peanuts or cashews. This appeared familiar as we used to call it Chinese takeaways at home and restaurants had created a Western-style Kung Pao chicken where they used to cover the chicken with sweet and sour sauce, cornstarch, and vegetables, and could at times add mashed garlic.

Hot pot

The hot pot was another delicacy. I encountered it when I paid a friend a visit in Chongqing. She told me that this was the most popular dish in China, especially in Sichuan Province and Chongqing. It was cooked in and eaten from a simmering pot of soup stock on a fire source in the middle of the dining table with other foods surrounding the pot. Here, I saw people add and cook whatever they like in the broth. This one didn’t surprise me as I used to see the same in my homeland and this made me develop a sense of belonging to this Chinese food culture. It was a pleasure. In Kenya, hotpot used to appear on tables during ceremonies, the same way here, it was a great way of socializing with friends and relatives. I realized that Chinese people had become very fond of the hot pot as they were using it all year round. We gathered around the pot as we chatted, ate, and drink. It was all fun.

Hot Pot 火锅- Chinese Food

Dim Sum

My existence in China meant endless joy to me. From making friends to exploring Chinese food cultures. It was pleasure after pleasure. Dim sum is another popular Cantonese dish that I learned at an event in Guangdong. Small dishes such as rolls, cakes, meat, seafood, dessert, and vegetable were prepared and I was told it originated in Guangzhou city. Since we had arrived there in the morning, we drank tea with dim sum. This gave us a break from the usual bowl of soy milk sweetened with sugar with fried dough sticks in our school cafeteria. I was informed that there, people like drinking tea in the morning or lunch and so they often eat dim sum during their tea parties for breakfast and lunch. I swore to be preparing it myself as it was very delicious.

Dumplings

During Chinese New Year’s Eve celebrations, I also noted that dumplings were commonly taken. The dumplings were made up of minced meat and/or chopped vegetables enveloped in a thin dough skin. Popular fillings were minced pork, diced shrimp, beef, ground chicken, and vegetables. I saw them fry and the thing that amazed me was a myth that the more dumplings one eats during the New Year celebrations determined the amount of money one makes in that year. This prompted me to eat enough to attract more money. Hahaha. In addition to that, I was told that making dumplings was a good way to interact with one’s friends and relatives, and this arouse a nostalgic feeling in me telling myself that I had to do this as I return home.

Eventually, I found myself loving most Chinese foods as I found them to be almost the same as those cooked in my home country. The most interesting bit is that I learned that their preparations all carried extra myths. When I came back home, it was story after another about the Chinese food culture and many admired this culture and vowed to look for meanings in our local meals. I discovered that I worried for nothing as the meals were all alike except for varied flavors and I could prepare simple meals myself. Till I finished my studies, I embraced all Chinese foods. They are cuisines that one must try while in China as they are just delicious!