by Gord Munroe

Created on: February 22, 2009   Last Updated: February 23, 2009

Hands down, the best ethnic food is Chinese. Proof of this can be seen in the fact that there are more Chinese restaurants in America than any other type of ethnic cuisine. Even though the Chinese food we know and love has been heavily Americanized, it is still nonethless unique.

The best thing about Chinese food is that there are menu items which are sure to please everyone. From meat-lovers to vegetarians, to those who like their food spicy or sweet, Chinese cuisine is sure to please.

Traditional Chinese food is much different than the type of Chinese food found in America, but the Asian influence is unmistakeable. Generally, authentic Chinese cuisine is less sweet, the sauces aren't as thick, and there is a heavier use of native vegetables and ingredients, such as bok choi and kai-lan. There is also less salt and oil in traditional Chinese cuisine.

While you are unlikely to find General Tso's chicken, chop suey, chow mein, and fortune cookies served in a Chinese household, there are many familiar dishes that can trace their roots back to traditional Chinese cuisine. Some examples are wonton soup, lo mein, moo shu pork, egg foo young, and kung pao chicken.

Despite the obvious differences, the method of cooking is practically the same in American-Chinese cuisine and traditional Chinese cuisine. Both rely on woks, which are used to stir-fry meats and vegetables, and steamers which are used to prepare rice.

China has the best food because it is so large geographically that each region has its own unique style of cooking. To say food is "Chinese" is a rather vague and generic statement.

There are eight distinct regions in China, each one with its own distinct style of cooking:

Anhui- this style of cuisine is very rustic, using wild game and native herbs and spices. Most Anhui dishes are stews and soups. Common ingedients may include pork, turtle, frog, bamboo, garlic, ginger, and pepper.

Cantonese- this style of cuisine is what most American-Chinese dishes are based on. Cantonese cooking relies heavily on noodles, and the dishes are usually stir-fried. Many sauces are Cantonese in origin, such as oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sweet and sour sauce.

Fujian- Fujian cuisine is primarily based upon soups and broths. Typical ingreients are shrimp, sugar, apricots, and wine.

Hunan- this style of Chinese cuisine is characterized by dark, rich sauces that are often spicy. Garlic, shallots, and chili peppers are examples of Hunan style ingredients.

Jiangsu- duck and seafood are popular ingredients in Jiangsu-style cooking.

Shandong- this is one of the oldest cooking styles in China, often serving as the inspiration for many of the popular dishes of today. Shandog is a coastal province, so many types of seafood are used as ingredients, including squid, shrimp, scallops, oysters, and clams.

Szechwan- Kung pao chicken and dan dan noodles are common examples of this spicy style of cooking. Szechwan cuisine is perhaps the spiciest of all Chinese cooking styles, and many of the dishes are smoked, cured, or pickled.

Zhejiang- this Chinese style of cooking is often salty, and includes many seafood and poultry dishes.

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