China is a country so large, so rich in history and so full of culture that it's impossible to sum it all up in just a few words. The same goes for its cuisine. While the UK has a deep love for 'Chinese' food, a lot of what we think is authentic is actually an Anglicised version of traditional Cantonese dishes which were invented specifically for a British audience. That's beginning to change, however, as restaurants specialising in region-specific Chinese cuisines open our eyes to the wealth of flavours and textures the country can offer.
While there are some fantastic places to eat Chinese food in the UK, visiting the country is the only way to truly experience Chinese food culture at its very best. From the dim sum restaurants of Hong Kong to the unique Portuguese-influenced cooking of Macao, which part of China you're in will result in very different dishes being on offer. Read on for a breakdown of some of China's most famous destinations, then get to know more about the ingredients, dishes and recipes that make Chinese food some of the best in the world.
