Although there is a vast number of Chinese cooking styles, there are four distinct styles.
Hunan Cuisine – 湘菜
Hunan cuisine is typically very spicy, utilizing many peppers and spices. Hunan food is usually steamed, sautéed, or stir-fried. People in Hunan can’t seem to resist a dish without chilies! The region is very rich in agriculture, producing many vegetables and herbs.
Sichuan Cuisine – 川菜
Sichuan cuisine is very similar to Hunan cuisine; however, Sichuan chefs use tongue-numbing peppercorns in many dishes. Sichuan dishes have lots of garlic, chilies, peppers, and ginger.
Cantonese Cuisine – 粤菜
Due to Hong Kong’s geography, seafood is very abundant. Hong Kong is noted for it’s delicious seafood and rice dishes. Dishes typically do not have as much seasoning, therefore they seem a bit sweet. Cantonese food is prepared braised or stewed.
Shangdong Cuisine – 鲁菜
When it comes to seafood, Shangdong is on top! They use very minimal seasoning to preserve the taste of the fish. They love to add vinegar and salt for taste. In comparison to many southern cities, Shangdong cuisine serves more grains, such as noodles and rice.