The Chinese dishes Chinese people love most

Afterfinishingeditingthisarticle,Iamhungryandhomesick......

With 56 ethnic groups, eight recognized major cuisines and countless cooking styles, this menu of Chinese favorites could run longer than a finely pulled noodle.

中国有56个民族，8大菜系，以及数不清的烹饪流派，所以如果要写一张中国人最爱吃的菜品的清单，那么它可能会比一根面条都要长~

But these 14 dishes are almost guaranteed to waken the homesick bug in most mainland Chinese living or traveling abroad.

但可以确定的是，以下的14道菜，几乎是最能引起旅居国外的游子的思想情怀的。

In no particular order, these are the real deals:

以下排名不分先后：

Proper street kebabs

正宗街边烤串The most unforgettable meals in China don't come from Michelin-starred restaurants.

最难以忘怀的中国美食并不来自于米其林级别的餐馆。

They're eaten in the streets in noisy, crowded, pungent food quarters in the heart of cities.

而是来自喧闹，拥挤，飘着香辣气息的城市中心小街道里。

In places like Guijie in Beijing, Yunnan Nan Lu in Shanghai and Mingwalang in Nanjing, foodies can sample all sorts of freshly cooked skewers while witnessing the ultimate in food theater.

像在北京簋街，上海云南南路，南京明瓦廊这样的地方，美食家们可以一边亲眼见证美食的制作过程，一边品尝新鲜出炉的美味。

Spicy crayfish

麻辣小龙虾Crayfish has taken China by a storm in the past decade or so.

在过去的十几年里，麻辣小龙虾席卷全国。

Groups of friends find a jam-packed stall, sit on tiny plastic stools and order a bucket or two of bright red crayfish.

叫上三两好友，坐在街边的塑料凳子上，点一两盘麻辣小龙虾。

No chopsticks needed -- digging in with the hands is preferred.

无需筷子，直接用手！

The preferred beverage to go with these tasty freshwater lobsters?---Ice cold Chinese beer.

品尝这些淡水虾时最好搭配什么呢？---冰镇啤酒！和朋友一起吃小龙虾是多少人怀念的美好记忆。

Lamb hot pot

涮羊肉Likely originating during the Yuan Dynasty and made popular by Qing Dynasty emperors, lamb hot pot is dramatic to look at -- the copper container has a tall chimney in the middle to release steam from burning coal below, while the broth cooks in the outskirts of the pot.

涮羊肉可能是起源于元朝，由清朝皇帝广为传播。烟雾缭绕间，涮锅看起来也添了几分梦幻！黄铜的涮锅，中间有个中空的烟筒，可以在涮肉的时候排出锅底燃料燃烧时产生的烟。

Although a variety of meats, seafood and vegetables can be cooked, the star of the meal is plate after plate of wafer-thin lamb slices.

尽管能涮的菜品多种多样，比如肉，海鲜，蔬菜等，但最令人欲罢不能，不断饕餮的还是那薄薄的羊肉片~

Guilin rice noodles

桂林米粉Located in southern China among clear rivers and Karst Mountains, Guilin isn't only famous for its heavenly landscape, but bowls of refreshing rice noodles topped with preserved long beans, peanuts, bamboo shoots and spring onions.

有着清澈河流以及美丽的喀斯特山脉的广西位于中国南部，桂林不仅仅是山水甲天下，其搭配大豆，花生，竹笋以及小葱的桂林米粉也是名满天下。

Locals like to mix the silky noodles and ingredients in a spicy and sour brine then eat them dry; or savor the whole combination in the beef stock.

当地人喜欢把丝滑的米粉佐以配料用辛辣咸鲜的汤料做成拌粉，或者配以浓浓的牛肉汤细细品味。

Different meats can be added. The most popular tend to be slices of beef and chunks of beef belly.

配料的肉类有很多种，但最受欢迎的莫过于牛肉片和牛百叶。

Yan Du Xian soup

腌笃鲜Yan Du Xian is a nutritious soup known as the great comfort food of the Yangtze River Delta in early spring.

腌笃鲜是一种来自于早春时节扬子江畔的营养汤品，被誉为是当季最佳美食。

It's a typical homey dish -- restaurants serve it, but the best always comes from a loving mom.

这是一道典型的家庭菜，当然餐馆也会有，但最好的味道总是出自于母亲之手。

Xian is a taste unique to China and hard to find in Western food.

鲜在西方菜品中并不常见， 是一种中国特有的味道。

Similar to umami, it's subtler and often achieved by quickly cooking fresh seafood or slowly boiling meat and bones from poultry.

这种味道有点类似于西方的尤麻谜（音译，尤麻谜实质上是第五种味觉。），但更微妙的是，它通常只能在及时烹饪的海鲜和文火慢炖的家禽中品尝到。

Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles

兰州拉面The flagship halal dish from China, hand-pulled noodles hail from the wild, sandy lands of northwest China.

在中国西部沙漠中，最具代表性的清真食品就是——兰州拉面。

In what's usually a makeshift open kitchen, formidable Islamic noodle masters beat, fold and pull a flour-based dough, turning it into hair-thin noodles faster than most people can decide what to order.

在一间移动的厨房里，在你还犹豫吃什么的时候，面团已经在伊斯兰厨师的捶打、揉捏、拉伸下，神奇地变成了头发般粗细的拉面。

A classic bowl of hand-pulled noodles comes with beef broth, slices of beef, coriander and spring onions.

一碗经典的拉面通常会有牛肉汤，牛肉，香菜，葱花等配料。

Another popular derivation is knife-sliced noodles, or Dao Xiao Mian.

另一种广受欢迎的面食是刀削面。

To make this, the chef slashes chunks of dough in boiled water with eye-opening speed to make shorter, thicker and wider noodles.

做刀削面通常需要厨师站在一锅滚烫的开水前，用刀以令人眼花的速度削出比拉面稍短，稍宽的苗条到锅里煮熟。目睹刀削面的制作过程近似欣赏表演。

Sugar-coated haws (Candied haw/tong hu lu)

糖葫芦This is an iconic snack in northern China, especially in Beijing.

这是中国北方的一道标志性小吃，尤其是在北京。

Sold by the stick, the dessert-to-go tastes great and looks greater -- bright red haws line up on a skewer in auspicious shapes, their sugary outer layers glimmering in the light.

成串出售的冰糖葫芦不仅吃起来美味，看起来也很漂亮！红红的山楂串成吉祥的一串，外层的冰糖在阳光的照耀下闪出彩色的光。

Its nearest counterpart in the West might be toffee apples (known as candy apples in North America).

西方小吃中，跟它最接近的就是焦糖苹果了。

But haws are sourer than apples, so they offer a refreshing contrast to the sweet coating.

但山楂比苹果更酸，所以他们为它裹上了甜甜的糖衣！

Cold northern winters ensure the sugarcoating is firm and crispy.

北方寒冷的空气保证了其外层的冰糖坚固不融化，并且也保持了其酥脆的口感。

Stinky tofu

臭豆腐Fried, braised, streamed or grilled -- stinky tofu is delicious no matter how it's prepared.

或炸，或炖，或蒸，或烤，无论以何种方法烹饪，臭豆腐依然能保持其独特美味。

Despite its underwhelming appearance and sharp smell, stinky tofu has a pleasant texture -- crispy on the outside, tender inside.

忽略其外观及气味，臭豆腐口感很好，外酥里嫩。

Shanghai hairy crab

上海大闸蟹For Shanghainese, autumn isn't complete without a steamed, roe-laden hairy crab.

对上海人来说，没有饱含蟹黄的蒸大闸蟹的秋天是不完美的。

Local mothers buy them from wet markets, steam them and eat them with gingery vinegar.

本地母亲们会在水产市场买回大闸蟹，回家清蒸并佐以姜汁食用。

The traditional beverage to drink with a steamed hairy crab is warm yellow rice wine.

吃清蒸大闸蟹往往会配上温黄酒。

Duck blood soup with vermicelli

鸭血粉丝汤Peking roast duck is only one of many outstanding duck dishes in China.

北京烤鸭可不是中国仅有的鸭类美食。

For true fans of fowl, however, the city to be is actually Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, and onetime capital of the Ming Dynasty.

说起对家禽类的热爱，当然非南京人莫属。南京是江苏的省会，明朝时还曾经是首都。

It can be eaten any time of day with steamed buns, a bowl of rice or just on its own.

鸭血粉丝汤可以单吃，或者配以包子，米饭等。

Harbin red sausage

哈尔滨红肠Harbin red sausage is a hugely popular cold cut in China.

哈尔滨红肠是广受欢迎的北方凉菜。

Although traditional sausages in China are wind-dried and much sweeter than their Western counterparts, Harbin red sausages are smoked and have evolved from Lithuanian sausages.

尽管传统的中国香肠是风干的，而且跟其他的西方香肠比，口味要甜一点，哈尔滨红肠却是烟熏的，并且是由立陶宛香肠进化而来。

The texture is more tender than salami, firmer than an American hotdog and drier than cooked British sausages.

其口感比意大利腊肠要软，比美式热狗要硬，比英式香肠要干。

Sugar-fried chestnuts

糖炒栗子Street vendors in China use all sorts of curious appliances to make great foods.

中国街头的美食铺里有着各种令人好奇的美食。

For this ever-popular autumn snack, chefs fry chestnuts (which are cut open) in an enormous wok filled with black sand and granulated sugar.

在曾经流行的秋季美食中，就有一种炒栗子，是在一口满是黑色沙子和砂糖的锅里翻炒出来的。

When properly done, they're soft, sweet and extremely fragrant.

如果制作得当，糖炒栗子会变得很甜，很软，同时又很香。

Bullfrog poached in chili oil (Sichuan boiled bullfrog)

水煮牛蛙There are a variety of ways to cook bullfrogs in different parts of the country, but shui zhu -- a cooking technique from Sichuan cuisine -- has gained widespread popularity.

在不同的地方有多种烹制牛蛙的方式，但来自川菜中的一种做法---水煮，是流传最广也最受欢迎的方式。

Often, the oil is still bubbling while being served.

通常情况下，上菜的时候油还在冒泡！

It's an unbeatable sharing dish for a big group.

对于多人聚餐来说，水煮牛蛙是一道必点的菜。

It's most satisfying with a bowl of white rice.

配上一碗米饭那就更完美了~

Boiled chicken chops served cold (cold chopped chicken)

白斩鸡In China, chicken meat attached to the bones is considered the most flavorful.

在中国带骨头的鸡肉是最美味的。

This dish is typical.

白斩鸡是其中相当经典的一道中国菜。

They're even yummier with the magic of the sweet, sour and gingery sauce.

蘸上酸酸甜甜的姜汁酱就更美味了！

Source from BBC, translated by Hanbridge.



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