If you’ve ever travelled through the endless portal of TikTok’s mukbang and eating ASMR wormhole, then there’s probably a pretty high chance you’ve stumbled across a Chinese food video at some point. Large plates are piled high with glistening noodles, bowls are filled to the brim with fried rice or steaming dumplings, and perfectly golden crab rangoons are drenched in a waterfall of sweet-and-sour sauce. With that being said, as satisfying as it is watching our favourite food video creators/mukbang artists devouring mouthwatering food in large bites, the topic of Chinese takeout has sparked a pretty heated debate online over the wildly different versions of Chinese takeout across the world.
In the US, General Tso’s Chicken, BBQ ribs, and crab rangoons are staples. In the UK, there are deep-fried chicken balls with sweet-and-sour sauce and salt and pepper chips smothered in a rich curry sauce. Despite these foods being on the menus of all the Chinese takeout places in each respective country, those who are a little more familiar with traditional Chinese cuisine may think that these versions are certainly unique and most likely unheard of in China. US food video creators tear into giant cream cheese filled wontons, while UK food video creators tuck into a massive plate of fried rice with chips covered in curry, leaving thousands of commenters confused over how and why these foods can possibly be considered “Chinese” at all.
So, how did Chinese food take on such unique forms in these different countries? In order to answer this question, we must compare traditional Chinese food, American Chinese food, and UK Chinese food to see how the country’s distinct taste and preferences have shaped each version to become what they are today.
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Traditional Chinese Food: The Building Blocks
Diversity and uniqueness in geography, climate, and customs have led to China having eight major culinary regions with a large variety in flavors and cooking techniques. The eight significant regional cuisine are as follows (“8 Chinese Cuisines”):
- Sichuan: Hot and spicy due to the use of mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns.
- Hunan: Hot, spicy, and salty, with a preference for fermented chili and soya beans.
- Guangdong: Mild and fresh, with focus placed more on the natural taste of the ingredients.
- Shandong: A delicate balance of salty, sweet, and sour, with a generous hand of scallion, ginger, and garlic.
- Jiangsu: A delicate balance of salty, sweet, and sour, but with emphasis placed on the natural taste of the ingredients.
- Zhejiang: Light, fresh, refreshing, and crisp.
- Fujian: Light, sweet, slightly sour with an emphasis on seafood in many dishes.
- Anhui: Salty and fresh with a preference for salty hams.
Unlike the Chinese food we see in the US, traditional Chinese cuisine focuses more on the natural taste of its ingredients and cooking techniques.
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American Chinese Food: The Bolder, The Better
American Chinese food includes more sugar, thick sauces, deep-frying, and creating bold, addictive flavors that leave you licking at your fingers and asking for another plate. Leaning more into indulgence, we typically associate Chinese food as a delicious comfort meal that’s designed to satisfy cravings rather than strictly follow Chinese culinary traditions.
What are some signature American Chinese dishes?
- General Tso’s Chicken – Deep fried chicken chunks coated in a sweet, sticky, slightly spicy sauce.
- Crab Rangoons – Deep fried wontons filled with cream cheese and imitation crab, usually served with a sweet-and-sour sauce on the side.
- Orange Chicken – A Panda Express invention with a tangy, citrusy sauce.
- Beef & Broccoli – Stir-fried beef with broccoli in a rich gravy sauce.
- Chow Mein/Lo Mein – Americanized versions of stir-fried noodles.
How does it differ from traditional Chinese food?
- More sugar and salt – Sauces are typically sweeter and thicker.
- More deep frying – Crispy textures dominate on Chinese food menus compared to steamed or braised foods.
- More dairy – Cream cheese is typically not an ingredient used in Chinese cooking.
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UK Chinese Food: Chips & Curry Sauce
Now, let’s talk about British Chinese food, which seems to raise the most eyebrows online. While it has some overlap with American Chinese food, such as a love for deep-fried foods and tangy dipping sauces, the UK version developed an even stronger British twist, incorporating local favorites like thick-cut chips (french fries, not the potato chip) and curry sauce. UK Chinese food leans into the hearty, takeaway-style comfort food, blending British chip-shop culture with Chinese flavors. To those unfamiliar with it, the combination of deep-fried chicken balls, chips, and curry sauce might seem a little odd (as seen by the uproar as seen on TikTok), but for many in the UK, it’s the definition of a classic Friday night takeaway after a long week of work.
What are some signature British Chinese dishes?
- Deep-fried chicken balls – Battered, deep-fried chicken pieces served with bright sweet-and-sour sauce.
- Salt & Pepper Chips – Five-spice seasoned fries, stir fried with red and green chilies, garlic, and spices.
- Chinese Curry Sauce – A thick, mild curry sauce served over rice, chips, or both.
- Crispy Shredded Beef – Deep-fried beef strips coated in a sticky sweet chilli sauce.
How does it differ from traditional Chinese food?
- Fries in a meal – French fries/Chips over rice isn’t something that you would typically see in a traditional Chinese meal.
- Thicker curry sauce – A thicker sauce is more British-style than Chinese.
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Three Countries, Three Versions
It is no secret that food is constantly evolving day by day, and that each country’s take is simply a reflection on their history and cultural adaptation: traditional Chinese food is deeply regional and very diverse, American Chinese food is bold, crispy, sweet, and designed for the most indulgence, and British Chinese food is also bold and crispy, but at the same time is infused with the UK’s local chip-shop culture.
With that being said, whether you’re dipping a chicken ball into curry sauce in the UK, biting into a creamy crab rangoon in the US, or savoring authentic Mapo Tofu in Sichuan, one thing is certain – Chinese food, no matter what form it comes in, is loved worldwide.