It’s no secret that comfort food is the best kind of food. Everyone has a particular favorite, no matter which culture you call your own.
It’s no secret that comfort food is the best kind of food. Everyone has a particular favorite, no matter which culture you call your own. You don’t even need to stick to your cultural lane. Besides, here in the States, our idea of “food” is so widely varied that those wild mergers might not be as common in other countries. Then again, China (and many places in Asia) has many local cuisines that share common ingredients without being identical.
General Tso’s Chicken
The first item on our list belongs to the enigmatic General Tso. Who was he, and was he even a real person? It’s nearly impossible to find this delight in its alleged homeland. As it turns out, General Tso was real, not just a myth. Still, the recipe seems to have sprung up in the 1970s rather than the 970s. Theoretically, it could descend from Hunanese cooking, but this idea is considered far-fetched.
Fortune Cookies
Ah yes, fortune cookies. Those crunchy and crispy delights with a narrow strip of paper stuck inside them. The fortunes usually have a pithy saying and then a list of lottery numbers. Alternatively, there could be a simple word or phrase in Chinese that it tries to teach you. In any case, these dessert favorites are not from the Middle Kingdom at all. They originated in California and were inspired by a Japanese treat called omikuji senbei.
Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken greatly resembles the good General’s namesake favorite, but they are not the same. At least, not exactly. The sauce it comes doused in derives from soy sauce, although it tastes sweet instead of spicy. If you’ve sampled Shanghainese cuisine (or belong to a family that comes from Shanghai), you already know that sweet soy sauce is a common ingredient. Even so, the notion of it within China proper is, pardon the pun, absolute poppycock.
Crab Rangoon
Every time you flip open a Chinese takeout menu, where do your eyes land? Maybe the “chef’s special page” and then maybe the “sushi and Japanese menu,” but there’s a reason crab rangoon is so popular. This appetizer, however, is another unknown delicacy. Wontons are authentic, but in the old country, they aren’t deep-fried.
Wonton Strips
Our last item, for now, are those tasty wonton strips. Some places offer them in the form of full-on chips, while at other joints, they will look more like French fries. While they’re amazing when dipped in soup, they aren’t the real deal, either.
Get All Your Asian Groceries at Lotte Plaza Market
Lotte Plaza Market is your go-to destination for all of your Korean and Asian grocery needs. With more than 10 Maryland and Virginia locations, this growing market is continually expanding and opening new markets to serve our customers better. Since we opened in 1976, our goal has always been to provide the best customer service and groceries to our customers. For answers to all of your questions, please email us at LottePlaza.com.