East Asian

Mapo tofu, with its fragrant sauce of chiles, fermented black beans, ground pork, and Sichuan peppercorns, is a classic example of Sichuan’s famed ma la flavor.

The banana leaf preserves the freshness and juiciness of the mushrooms cooked inside, while perfuming the whole dish with its aroma.

Little pot rice noodles are so named because each serving is traditionally made to order in small individual copper pots, and the dish is beloved because it perfectly embodies the spicy and sour flavor profiles of Yunnan. 

Crisp, golden brown youtiao is a staple at the Chinese breakfast table.

The noodles for this Tibetan soup are made by pulling the dough and tossing it into the Thenthuk pot.

Tibetan people drink butter tea in copious quantities throughout the day. More like a savory broth than a sweet tea, it is deliciously smooth and creamy.

This succulent and juicy drunken chicken gets boiled—twice!—and served with a classic ginger and scallion sauce.

Da pan ji is a hearty Xinjiang-style dish of chicken and vegetables over noodles.

This spicy Hunan steamed fish recipe can be made with either carp or salmon.

A blend of tofu, bok choy, and shiitake mushrooms make for light and delicious dumplings.

There are no insects in this Sichuan noodle dish; the name refers to the way the bits of pork cling to the noodles.

After poaching the bird for Hainanese chicken rice, the stock is used to steam the rice and make the soup. The chicken is served with a delicious dipping sauce.

The secret to this simple Chinese barbecue pork recipe lies in the marinade and basting the pork while it’s roasting.

Give the humble eggplant the attention it deserves with a rich and spicy sauce.

This easy-to-savor chile oil is traditionally made with a specific chile, èr jīngtiáo.

Heilongjiang in Northeast China does not have a huge repertoire of famous recipes, but this eggplant preparation should put it on the map.

Dan dan noodles are a popular Sichuan street snack, named after the bamboo shoulder pole used to carry it.

You can use any white-fleshed fish for this flexible recipe, although pomfret, sea bass, and snapper are the best.