I don't like Chinese food, what should I do.

[calibre2001]

On the "unvaried" comment, I think that's a common comment if one frequents chinese take-aways in western countries. Cooks in takeaways can't cook (except for a few dishes) and thus offer generic dishes that seem similar to each other! I remember thinking to myself that even I can cook those dishes.

[dalizee]

I changed my mind. I realized how do you have to act to understand Chinese people. I don't know how to explain, but when you hear them talking about how important are some things for them, you feel like they are important for you too. So, now i started to like a few of their kinds of food

[adrianlondon]

Brilliant update. But not totally unexpected as China is huge, and hence has a huge variety of food. If you didn't like any of it then it would imply you hardly like anything and you would have starved by now. Or be surviving by sipping from strange "made for NASA" sachets of "thanksgiving turkey mush - please use wider straw" packets ;)

[zozzen]

i remembered a decade ago when i tried a so-called "Chinese food" in west europe. I was shocked with what i got, and the boss said "aiya, was it your order? That's for ghost not for human!"

[flameproof]

The only thing i like is called "Jiaozi".. I guess... Some pastas with meat. They are really good.

Here we go, you do like something! I don't like most of the stuff that's on the table. The chance I like stuff that I didn't order myself is rather small, eatable at best. But what I order I usually quite like.

Chinese tend to be in the believe that Chinese food is always great. That includes factory produced instant noodles that I wouldn't touch even near starving. Quality standard is quite low and the acceptance tolerance of locals is very high. Even fish with strong mud taste does not get returned.

Anyway, I have no problem with Chinese food as long I as I can order some dishes. But with choice, I prefer Thai, Indian, Italian, Greek - but Chinese is still in my top 50, just not that high up. In Hong Kong I almost never go to a Chinese restaurant (but have to add that Chinese food in China I find way better then the generic factory food in Hong Kong).

[Shadowdh]

Chinese tend to be in the believe that Chinese food is always great. That includes factory produced instant noodles that I wouldn't touch even near starving. Quality standard is quite low and the acceptance tolerance of locals is very high. Even fish with strong mud taste does not get returned.

Do you mean fish that has mud on it or fish that tastes earthy??

I love Chinese food and even though I have had some food that I didnt like the taste of in China it was just not to my taste... not sub par... taste and quality are not always synonymous...

[flameproof]

Do you mean fish that has mud on it or fish that tastes earthy??

I mean fish that tastes earthy. They havn't seen enought clean water. And looking at the water in some fishtanks I am not surprised.

[Shadowdh]

I mean fish that tastes earthy. They havn't seen enought clean water. And looking at the water in some fishtanks I am not surprised.

Ah, I have had some earthy tasting fish and found it very nice, though I would not have it everyday... sort of like camel or emu that way... The water was clean and clear (in its tank, cant testify to the water in where ever it came from)... it was supposed to taste like that...

[imron]

You can mix dirt and water together and it's supposed to taste like that too

[flameproof]

Ah, I have had some earthy tasting fish and found it very nice

Sour milk and bread with mold may also taste nice to some. In the paste we gave it to the neighbors pigs and they ate it. There is no question that all local fish in China is heavy contaminated which may, or may not, effect the taste.

I also had rice with strong bad water taste. Water at times can taste very bad in China, if the restaurant has no reverse osmosis system, or doesn't use bottled water for food at such time tea, rice etc. will taste bad. Again, I was with lots of locals at the table and was the only one that complained.

There are lots of little issues that could be improved in a customer oriented restaurant without too much cost increase. But why should they when nobody cares?

[Shadowdh]

Sour milk and bread with mold may also taste nice to some.

That was kinda my point there... one mans meat is another mans potatoes and all that... just because YOU dont like the taste of something does not mean its bad, contaminated or the restaurant/persons kitchen is dirty or bad... it means you dont like the taste of something... of course it could also be true that the restaurant/persons kitchen is dirty or bad but in the case of the muddy fish (the not so well known Agatha Christie novel ) it was supposed to taste that way due to the nature of the fish and the meat... like some meat can be a bit gamey or sweet etc...

[flameproof]

I talk about a fish that doesn't supposed to taste like mud. It was simply not watered out long enough. Same for the rice, rice can have different tastes - but not bad water taste. If some people like it that it it's not good rice, it's poor taste.

To give you a western example, eel can easily have strong mud taste coz they may live in such environment. Some time in clean water will even the taste to some degree.

[Shadowdh]

Ah... I see... eel does have a distinctive flavour (I prefer smoked) but so can some kinds of rice or other grains... there is a type of corn that is eaten on the East coast of the North Island of NZ that is really really ripe, rotten one might say and it tastes foul... but hey some think that is a delicacy... not me I hasten to add but some...

[bhchao]

Regarding the OP's post, you'll never stay hungry after finishing a meal in China. Chinese food always gets you a full stomach.

Be grateful that you are not in Japan, where they give small quantities with focus on presentation.

I'll take the quantity and quality over the presentation any day. In China you'll get the quantity and quality depending on which regional cuisine you choose.

[flameproof]

Be grateful that you are not in Japan

For me Japan is the best place for food in the world. Some argue it's Italy, I can understand those arguments, however, Italy is great for Italian food only. Japan is great for everything. It's hard to get a bad meal in Japan, and that applies to all sort of ethnic food. They really work hard to stay authentic.

[roddy]

Be grateful that you are not in Japan, where they give small quantities with focus on presentation.

Order more then.

I'd like to know when the last time you ate out in China was though - there's still a huge amount of good eating to be done, but for my money the general trend is shrinking portions and an increasingly steep quality:price graph.

For the hungry OP: there's a huge amount of variety, so keep trying different stuff. But if you can't find anything you like, eat something else. It's not compulsory.

[kilat]

I think to sum it up, all restaurants are in it to make money so they cook to suite the taste buds of the majority of their clientele. So if you are in Germany, you can bet the food is going to be cooked so that they will appeal to Germans! Whereas in China most of the restaurants will cook to please the average guy in the street there - Chinese! So the average restaurant in China is going to be much more authentic than an average Chinese restaurant say in Dallas, TX. So if someone comments that they had some of the best Chinese food they have ever tasted in Paris, France, they may be right! Because here in Texas, I've tasted some of the best roast duck I have ever had, much better than most of the restaurants that offer it in say Singapore that has a majority Chinese population.

If you want to taste real authentic Chinese cooking in a country where Chinese people are an ethnic minority, you will need to consult a resident Chinese. This is the same in any country you visit or any kind of food you like to eat.

[dalizee]

After our Chinese contest, we were invited to eat something. OMG!!! It was the most delicious meal i ever eaten!!! So, now i know why i said i don't like Chinese food: first time when i ate, it wasn't well done and the smell wasn't one of my favourite. But if you go to a great restaurant, the food is delicios.

Saturday i ate: baozi, shrimps, a yummy fish and vegetables. Baozi is the most fluffy and delicious thing i ever eaten. If there is a Chinese on the forum who knows a great recipe, please, give it to me too. I want to eat that again. They were fantastic!!! Thanks.

[renzhe]

I'm glad you liked it. As you've noticed, there is a huge difference between what passes as Chinese food in Europe and really well done authentic Chinese food.

If you want to taste real authentic Chinese cooking in a country where Chinese people are an ethnic minority, you will need to consult a resident Chinese.

Even better, you should bring the resident Chinese with you and have them order.

In many restaurants, they have separate menus for Chinese, with no translations (because nobody would order that stuff anyway), and often it's handwritten.

I've had experiences where I went to a great Chinese restaurant with Chinese friends, and the food was awesome, and when I went their again, I got the regular European food.

[flameproof]

If there is a Chinese on the forum who knows a great recipe

I am not Chinese, but at least know how to cook. For most Chinese cooking knowledge ends at instant noodles, so don't expect too much.

Since I presume you are there to learn Chinese I suggest you go out to a book shop and check what is on shelf in the cooking section. I presume you will find a few 100 titles, many are below RMB 10 a book.

Browse through a lot. Then buy one, or some that appeal to you. What you CAN do will depend quite a bit on your cooking skill (mainly) and the kitchen you got (a bit).

If you haven't got a proper kitchen you can build one quite cheap. You need:

A stove (go for induction! costs about 300, it's cleaner and more powerful then gas!)

A wok (if you have induction you wok must be magnetic and flat bottom, go for IRON (yes, the rust, but they don't stick if you do the right burn-in and keep them oiled and DON'T wash them with detergent!!!). My favorite is cast iron. Don't buy anything teflon coated. The coating won't last long.

One of the dishes I really like is LaZiJi/辣子鸡

http://image44.webshots.com/45/6/12/89/304661289VJEYeC_ph.jpg

This is a dish you can easily make better at home as in any restaurant (which uses usually chicken with bones and grizzle).

http://www.blacksesamekitchen.com/recipes.html

--------------------------

My personal home favorite is simple sauted vegetables. Can use: Cai Xin, Bai Cai, Bai Cai Xin, Spinach...

one spoon oil in the wok (restaurant usually use one liter)

fry a crushed piece of garlic and a slice of fresh ginger (don't burn them!)

saute vegetables for a moment

For Tong Cai do same but add chilli, FuRu or Shrimp paste (yes, both stinks like hell!)