Vegan Mapo Tofu

In culinary school, I learned how to make the vegetarian version of mapo tofu from Chef Li, a Sichuanese chef, who explained that the four essential ingredients are the fermented black beans, chili bean paste, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and ground red chiles—everything else was negotiable. He used minced shiitake mushrooms in place of the ground beef and taught me to thicken the dish with three rounds of starch slurry, until the tofu was suspended in a silky, viscous sauce. We toasted fresh red peppercorns in oil and ground up more peppercorns to sprinkle on the dish for the famous numbing sensation, and suddenly all the elusive, seductive aromas were effortlessly alive.

Sesame Noodles

I came home one summer evening after a long bike ride on Yangming mountain, feeling so hungry I thought I’d keel over. Downstairs from my apartment in the crowded Beitou Market was a noodle stand, and I set my bike against the table, plunked myself on a pink plastic stool, and asked for a bowl of sesame noodles. It cost about $2, but to this day I still remember it as the best bowl of noodles I’ve ever eaten. The magic is all in the sauce—nutty sesame paste, minced garlic, slightly citrusy ground Sichuan peppercorn, soy sauce, a splash of rice vinegar, and a drizzle of smoky chili oil—folded into just-cooked noodles. For a refreshing crunch to go with the noodles, add some julienned cucumber.

Baoshao Mushrooms

Baoshao (包烧) is a popular way to prepare food in southern Yunnan. Dai cuisine features many herbs and foraged local ingredients, such as banana leaves. Because of Yunnan’s proximity to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, some of the flavors here may seem more reminiscent of flavors from those regions than what a lot of Americans might associate with Chinese cooking. The banana leaf preserves the freshness and juiciness of the ingredients cooked inside while perfuming the whole dish with its aroma. This dish is traditionally prepared over a charcoal fire, and the pockets are secured with long bamboo clippers.

Dim Sum

Dim sum is one of the most popular Cantonese cuisine dishes. It contains a large range of small dishes, including dumplings, rolls, cakes, and meat, seafood, dessert, and vegetable preparations. There are more than one thousand dim sum dishes in existence today.

Dim sum originated in Guangzhou city. People of Guangdong are fond of drinking tea in the morning or lunch. So, they often eat dim sum during their tea parties for breakfast and lunch. It is a popular way to get together with friends and relatives or have social gatherings. Read more about Dim sum.

Dumplings

Dumplings are a traditional food type that is widely popular, especially in North China. Chinese dumplings consist of minced meat and/or chopped vegetables wrapped in a thin dough skin. Popular fillings are minced pork, diced shrimp, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. Dumplings can be cooked by boiling, steaming, or frying.

Dumplings are also a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve. As they look like Chinese silver ingots (Chinese money in old times), it is believed that the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you will make in the New Year. Making dumplings is a good way to interact with your friends and relatives. You will see a busy kitchens with Chinese families making dumplings during the Chinese New Year. Read more about Dumplings.

Rice Cake With Mixed Vegetables

Rice cakes are available sliced, marble-shaped, and in batons. Look for them in the refrigerated aisle of Asian grocery stores. There are dried versions, but the refrigerated version is widely available and easier to work with. I like the slices because there’s more surface area for the sauce. You can use any combination of vegetables and seasonings, so feel free to experiment with flavors. Rice cake is also served at Lunar New Year because the Mandarin name nian gao (“sticky cake”) is a homophone for the nian, which means “year,” and gao, which means “tall” or “high.” When you stick those years together, you’re wishing others longevity.