China has a vast number of regional cuisines, which have traditionally been classified according to four main cooking styles. Below is a summary of the four styles and their various sub-branches:
Beijing/Northern -- Beijing or Northern cuisine is typically characterized by strong, robust flavors and hearty ingredients; pork and lamb dominate, the latter also due to the Muslim influence in the northwestern part of the country. Staples are heavy noodles and breads instead of rice. Uighur or Xinjiang cuisine falls under this rubric. Jiaozi, small chunks of meat and vegetables wrapped in dough and boiled, are popular snacks also eaten during the Chinese New Year.
Huaiyang/Shanghai -- Huaiyang cuisine, encompassing the coastal areas of eastern China, and said to require the most skill, aims to preserve the basic flavor of each ingredient in order to achieve balance and freshness. River fish, farm animals, birds, and vegetables feature prominently, and braising and stewing are more common than stir-frying. Red sauces (from soy sauce, sugar, and oil) are popular. Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Yangzhou-style cooking are all minor variations on the same theme.
Cantonese -- Considered the most refined and sophisticated of the cuisines, the emphasis here is on freshness and lightness, with steaming and stir-frying the cooking methods of choice. Seafood dominates, but just about anything edible is fair game -- the Cantonese are known for being the most adventurous eaters. Top hotels all have Cantonese restaurants, which are always the first choice for Chinese if they're trying to impress a guest. Cantonese dim sum, featuring little morsels of food like shrimp dumplings, barbecue pork crisps, and egg tarts, is widely popular.
Sichuan -- Sichuan cooking, born in the damp interior of Southwestern China, relies heavily on chilies, peppers, peppercorns, and garlic; spicy and pungent flavors are the result. Popular dishes include gongbao jiding (diced chicken with chili and peanuts) and mapo dofu (spicy tofu with minced pork). Sichuan hotpot (huoguo) is also a favorite. Although popular in Shanghai, Sichuan cooking has seldom made it here intact: The local preference for sweet and salty is readily apparent on many a Sichuan menu in town. Other southwestern cuisines, such as Guizhou and Yunnan, which are themselves sub-divided into various ethnic minority cuisines, tend to be spicy and sour.
