The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Guangdongese Foods. If you manage to be in an Guangdongese restaurant or you are visiting Guangdong in China, I recommend the following:
1. Beef chow fun
They are pre-marinated slices of meat stir-fried with flat, wide rice noodles (hor fun) and bean sprouts. Because of the cooking method, the meat delicacy is a real benchmark by which any expert Cantonese chef is measured. In particular, there are two things to get right: wok, a cooking technique in which ingredients are stir-fried over high heat to impart a distinctive umami flavour; and pow wok, a cooking technique for quickly mixing ingredients without using the spatula method, can prevent sticking and spoiling the delicate rice noodles.
2. Cha siu bao
Cha siu bao are popular Chinese fried pork dumplings. Whether steamed or grilled, it is always full of sweet and spicy roast pork. Steamed tiao siu bao are nice and soft and snow-white in colour, while deep-fried tiao siu bao are pale golden yellow and often covered with a glossy glaze. The savoury bun filling is usually a traditional Chinese staple: chunks of pork simmered in a juicy barbecue sauce.
3. Char siu
Char siu is a dish consisting of deep-fried pork marinated in a sauce of the same name, which includes ingredients such as soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine and star anise. Pork is often served as a sliced starter or chopped and minced in a main dish. In the early days of trout fishing, it was used to cook whatever meat was available, such as wild boar and pigs. The word char siu literally means char siu.
4. Egg Tart
One of the most famous Chinese desserts is the classic egg tart, a delicious cake consisting of a flaky outer layer with a creamy, firm pastry cream. The Chinese version of egg tart is said to be a cross between the classic English custard (which is creamier than the Chinese) and the famous Portuguese egg tart (known as pasteis de nata), which is especially popular in Macau.
5. Har gow
Shrimp dumplings are a type of Cantonese dumplings with a delicate translucent shell covered with a shrimp filling. This dish was a creation of the owner of a small family tea house in Guangzhou, due to the need to buy shrimps from local fishermen and use them to make dumplings that are popular with the locals.
6. Lo mein
Refers to any dish made with separately cooked eggs and wheat noodles, then tossed in a savoury sauce and mixed with various vegetables or meat. Well-cooked lo mein should be springy and firm, similar to spaghetti or ramen. For a strong umami flavour, the Chinese often season lo mein with sesame oil, scallions, ginger, oyster or soy sauce.
7. Salt-and-Pepper Squid
It is a traditional Chinese dish that originated in Guangzhou. This Cantonese dish usually consists of a combination of squid, potato flour, shallots, Shaoxing wine, garlic, oil, chilli, Sichuan peppercorns or white pepper and salt. Shade the surface of the squid and cut the body into bite-sized pieces. Mix with Shaoxing wine, drain, sprinkle with flour and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove the squid from the pan. In the same oil, sauté the garlic, shallots and chillies and return the squid to the pan with a mixture of Sichuan pepper and salt.
8. Shumai
The staple of dim sum cuisine consists of an open dumpling stuffed with steamed pork and sometimes minced shrimp or Chinese black mushrooms. When cooked, the siu mai is usually topped with a pea, fish roe or a small piece of carrot. The dish originated in tea houses along the Silk Road in Guangdong, China, and has since spread around the world.
9. Siu yuk
Roast pork is a hearty meal eaten mainly in small quantities, roasting a whole pig over a charcoal fire at a very high temperature with spices to make the meat tender and juicy. Crispy skin. The meat is traditionally served as is, but is sometimes served with hoisin or soy sauce.
10. Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
It is mainly eaten in restaurants as it is a bit more difficult to prepare at home. The ribs are first marinated, fried and then dipped in Chinese sweet and sour sauce. This dish is traditionally served as an appetizer and is popular in southern China. In Chinese culture, pigs symbolise prosperity, so this dish is often prepared and served during Chinese New Year.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional Asian Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.