Chinese street food is a vibrant and integral part of the country’s culinary tapestry, offering a tempting array of flavours, textures, and aromas that capture the hearts and palates of travellers alike. From bustling city streets to serene rural markets, these street delicacies provide a unique glimpse into China’s rich cultural heritage and diverse regional cuisines. In this article, we embark on a delectable journey to uncover some of the most beloved and sought-after Chinese street food treasures that have stood the test of time.
What Are the Most Popular Chinese Street Food?
China has a rich and diverse street food culture, offering various flavours and textures. Some of the most popular Chinese street foods include:
Baozi: These are steamed or baked buns filled with various fillings, such as meat and vegetables, or sweet fillings like red bean paste.
Jianbing: A type of crepe or pancake made from wheat and grain flour, typically filled with ingredients like eggs, scallions, and sauces.
Sichuan-style Skewers are skewers of various meats and vegetables, often seasoned with spicy and numbing Sichuan pepper.
Tanghulu: Skewered and candied, typically hawthorn berries or other small fruits, coated in a hard sugar glaze.
Stinky Tofu: Fermented tofu with a strong aroma, typically deep-fried and served with spicy or savoury sauces.
Dumplings: While dumplings are popular in various forms throughout China, street vendors often sell freshly made dumplings filled with meat, seafood, or vegetables.
Roujiamo: Sometimes called the “Chinese hamburger,” a sandwich made with a meat filling, often braised pork, inside a flatbread.
Liangpi: Cold wheat or rice noodle sheets served with a spicy, tangy sauce, often mixed with ingredients like sliced cucumbers and peanuts.
Stuffed Pancakes (Jianbing Guozi): Like jianbing, these are stuffed pancakes that can be filled with ingredients like eggs, vegetables, and meats.
Zongzi: It is glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and typically filled with various ingredients like meats, nuts, and beans.
Malatang: A type of spicy hot pot where customers select various skewered ingredients and have them cooked in a spicy broth.
Youtiao: Deep-fried dough sticks are often enjoyed as a breakfast item, sometimes dipped into soy milk.
Fried Noodles (Chow Mein): Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meats, often cooked on large flat griddles.
Bubble Tea: Bubble tea, known as boba tea, this beverage originated in Taiwan but has become popular worldwide. It’s a tea-based drink with various flavours, often containing tapioca pearls or chewy toppings.
Guabao: A steamed bun folded in half and filled with ingredients like braised pork belly, pickled vegetables, and ground peanuts.
Prepare the Batter: Mix the all-purpose flour, mung bean flour (or cornstarch), water, and salt to create a smooth batter, and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes in a bowl.
Cook the Crepe: Heat a non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat; brush a thin layer of oil onto the pan. Pour the batter onto the pan and quickly swirl it to cover the surface in a thin layer, creating a large crepe; crack an egg onto the crepe and immediately spread it out using the back of a spatula.
Add the Sauces and Toppings: Drizzle hoisin sauce, chilli sauce, and soy sauce over the egg on the crepe.
Sprinkle chopped scallions and cilantro on top.
Fold and Serve: Carefully fold the sides of the crepe over the egg and toppings, creating a square shape. Add crushed crispy fried wonton wrappers and toasted sesame seeds for crunch and flavour.
Optional Fillings: Add thinly sliced cooked meat or crispy fried dough sticks (youtiao) to the crepe before folding.
Serve: Serve the Jianbing immediately, either folded in half or rolled up, as is commonly done on the streets of China; try wrapping it in parchment paper for easy eating on the go.
1 cup minced pork (or substitute with your choice of minced meat or vegetables)
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Dough: In a bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water and sprinkle yeast over it; let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until frothy. Mix in the flour and oil to form a dough, cover it with a piece of cloth, and let it for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Make the Filling: In a bowl, combine minced pork (or other meat/vegetables), chopped cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Assemble the Baozi: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into small balls; roll each portion into a flat circle, leaving the centre slightly thicker; place a spoonful of the filling onto the centre of each dough circle; gather the edges and pleat them together to seal the bun.
Steam the Baozi: Arrange the filled buns on parchment paper in a steamer basket; let them rest for about 15 minutes. Steam the buns for 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through and the dough is soft.
Serve: Serve the steamed buns warm as a delightful and filling street food treat.
These recipes will let you recreate the flavours of popular Chinese street foods in your kitchen. Remember, street food is often customisable to personal taste, so feel free to adjust the ingredients and toppings according to your preferences. Enjoy your homemade Jianbing! Enjoy your homemade culinary adventures!
Sweet Chinese Street Food Recipes
Here are some sweet Chinese street food recipes you can make at home:
1. Tanghulu (Candied Fruit Skewers)
Ingredients:
Fresh fruit (such as strawberries, grapes, kiwi slices, or pineapple chunks)
Prepare the Fruit: Wash the fresh fruit. Insert wooden skewers into each piece of fruit.
Make the Candy Coating: In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, and red food colouring (if using). Heat, stirring to make the sugar completely dissolve.
Cook the Candy Syrup: Continue to cook the sugar mixture without stirring until it reaches a temperature of around 300°F (150°C) on a candy thermometer. The syrup will turn into a thick and clear liquid.
Coat the Fruit: Carefully dip each skewered fruit into the hot candy syrup, coating it evenly.
Serve: Once the candy coating has fully hardened, the tanghulu is ready to be enjoyed as a sweet and crunchy Chinese street snack.
2. Jian Dui (Sesame Balls)
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the filling: Red bean paste, black sesame paste, or lotus seed paste
For frying: Oil for deep frying
For coating: White sesame seeds
Instructions:
Prepare the filling: If you use store-bought filling, skip this step. If making your own filling, prepare red bean, black sesame, or lotus seed paste.
Make the Dough: In a bowl, mix glutinous rice flour, water, and sugar to form a smooth and slightly sticky dough.
Assemble the Sesame Balls: Take a small portion of the dough and flatten it in your palm, place a teaspoon of filling in the centre, carefully wrap the dough around it, and roll it into a smooth ball.
Coat with Sesame Seeds: Roll the dough balls in white sesame seeds, ensuring they are coated all over.
Fry the Sesame Balls: Heat oil in a deep-frying pan or pot to about 350°F (175°C). Carefully add the sesame balls and fry until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Drain and Serve: Remove the sesame balls from the oil and get rid of the excess oil by placing them on paper towels. Let them cool slightly before serving.
3. Dragon’s Beard Candy
Ingredients:
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup maltose syrup or corn syrup
Cornstarch or potato starch (for dusting)
Fillings of your choice (chopped nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, etc.)
Instructions:
Prepare the Workspace: Ensure your workspace is clean and dry. You’ll need a large, flat surface for pulling the candy.
Mix the Ingredients: In a saucepan, combine sugar and water with medium heat until the sugar dissolves; add maltose syrup (or corn syrup) to the sugar mixture; stir well and let it boil. Then reduce the heat to continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 127°C on a candy thermometer (hard-ball stage).
Cool the Mixture: Remove the saucepan and let the mixture cool slightly. It should still be pliable but not too hot to handle.
Pull the Candy: Dust your workspace generously with cornstarch or potato starch to prevent sticking; pour the warm candy mixture onto the starch-dusted surface and let it cool for a minute or two until you can handle it.
Start Pulling: Using your hands, start pulling the candy from the edges and folding it onto itself. Continue stretching and folding, like taffy, until the candy becomes lighter in colour and takes on a silky, thread-like texture.
Add Fillings: Once the candy is well-pulled and has a white appearance, you can add your chosen fillings. Sprinkle them across the candy and fold it over to incorporate the fillings.
Shape the Candy: Pull and twist the candy into a long rope, then fold it into a loop. Continue folding and twisting until you have the desired number of strands. It should resemble a “beard.”
Cut and Serve: Use scissors to cut the candy into smaller pieces, if desired. Dust them with a bit more starch to prevent sticking.
Serve the Dragon’s Beard Candy pieces on wax paper or parchment paper. They are best enjoyed on the same day they are made.
Keep in mind that making Dragon’s Beard Candy can be quite challenging and might require some practice to achieve the desired texture and appearance. The process can be time-consuming, but the result is a unique and delightful, sweet treat worth the effort.
These sweet Chinese street food recipes will give you a taste of traditional Chinese flavours right in your home kitchen. Enjoy the deliciousness!
As you stroll through the lively alleys and markets of China, the symphony of sizzling pans, the aroma of spices, and the laughter of vendors create an unforgettable experience. Chinese street food embodies the essence of culinary artistry passed down through generations. From the savoury satisfaction of Jianbing to the sweet indulgence of Tanghulu, these street food gems encapsulate the culture, history, and innovation that make China’s culinary scene so captivating.
Eman Sameh 
Maha Yassin