Chinese cuisine

Chinese food is very popular throughout the world for its exquisite taste, intriguing appearance and the huge choice of dishes available. Chinese cuisine is actually made up of individual types of cuisine from many provinces and ethnic groups in China, but for us this means a wide variety of Chinese food to suit almost every taste and budget.

Chinese cuisine contains many different ingredients and spices to give a wide range of flavours from sweet and sour to spicy Szechuan. Among the most popular ingredients are fresh ginger, root garlic or chillies, soybeans, vinegar, wine, aniseed, cinnamon, peppercorn or sesame oil. Complementary nuances are added.

Here are the three most common types of Chinese cuisine that you'll find on a menu at Chinese restaurants across the UK. Shandong cuisine, which includes sweet and sour sauce and Bird's Nest soup is typified by seasonings such as shallots and garlic. Meat and vegetable stir-fries and seafood dishes are popular with Shandong chefs.

One of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the UK, Szechuan, is known for its spicy flavours, which are made from the main ingredients, chillies and peppers. Garlic, ginger and soybean are also used when cooking dishes from this type of Chinese cuisine, and popular dishes include Kung Pao Chicken, Twice Cooked Pork and Mapo Dofu.

Well known the world over, and always a good type of Chinese cuisine to start with, Cantonese is less spicy than Szechuan and include delights such as dim sum, Cantonese sweet and sour chicken and steamed sea bass.