Cantonese food is a delicious cuisine derived from the Guangdong province of China. It differs from other Chinese cuisines by focusing on the original flavour of the vegetable, meat, or fruit. Rather than utilize an assortment of spices, oil, and cooking methods to add to a dish, Cantonese cuisine focuses on the singular food item itself.
The process of preparing a Cantonese dish understands the importance of subtle flavour and doesn’t rely on overpowering seasonings. Still, many people are confused about what a Cantonese dish is, what kind of food it is, how it’s cooked, and much more. With this in mind, let’s look at the main points you should know about Cantonese dishes and cuisine.
What Kind of Food is Cantonese?
Also known as Yue cuisine, the origin of Cantonese cuisine comes from southeast China around Hong Kong. It’s the most widely served Chinese cuisine globally, focusing on fresh vegetables and meat with sweet sauces. Think of it as barbecued spare ribs, steamed fish with ginger, or stir-fried beef with oyster sauce from a Western perspective.
Cantonese food traditionally isn’t spicy, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t have any spicy variations. Like any other food area, Cantonese cuisine has a wide range of dishes and cooking options depending on where you order it from.
Each of those dishes has in common is the way it’s prepared, without the overuse of seasoning and oil. Below are a few examples of Cantonese food options you can expect:
- Seafood (Both Fresh and Dried)
- Healthy Soups
- Sauces (Hoisin, Oyster and Plum)
- Barbecued or Dried Meats (Often Pork and Goose)
How is Cantonese Food Cooked?
Although Cantonese cuisine focuses on keeping the natural flavour of the dish intact, chefs vary significantly with how they prepare it. Cantonese chefs cook it like any other dish with stir-frying, boiling, steaming, baking, braising, roasting, or sautéing. However, the process differs with a focus on its taste.
Cantonese Chefs typically have a focus on the quality and natural taste of the dish they’re preparing. Words that come to mind are fresh, natural, and mild. Rather than use seasoning and oil to enhance the meal, the chef focuses on keeping the original flavour of the main component.
That’s not to say Cantonese chefs never use seasoning. Some use seasoning to bring out and highlight the original taste of the dish, but never to make it. The seasoning that is used tends to be pepper, chili, ginger, and garlic. The seasoning options and dishes tend to change depending on the time of year as well.
What is the Difference Between Cantonese and Chinese Food?
Cantonese is one of eight different cuisines in Chinese food. Think of it as you would with varying food types where you live. For example, beef comes from a cow, but that beef can be made as part of a burger, taco, sandwich, or anything else that’s beef-oriented. Those same rules apply to Chinese food with varying food types.
Cantonese is just a cuisine option of Chinese food with a variant of how it’s made, just like pizza from New York is significantly different from Chicago deep-dish pizza. Food variation is part of the reason why food and cooking are so special. It allows people to explore cultures through food.
Popular Cantonese Food Dishes
Cantonese cuisine is remarkable since there are so many different food dishes. Options range from noodles and rice bowls to more traditional meals such as Cantonese steamed chicken or Cantonese beef curry. All of it is a taste sensation that’ll leave people wanting more for years to come. Here’s a quick list of popular dishes you can expect:
- Wor-tip (Pan-Fried Dumplings)
- Cantonese Spring Rolls
- Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
- Beef and Potato Stir Fry
- Cantonese Steamed Chicken
- Cantonese Beef Curry
- Beef Chow Fun
- Cantonese Roast Duck
- Ginger-Soy Steamed Fish
- Salt and Pepper Shrimp
- Moo Goo Gai Pan (Fresh Mushrooms with Sliced Chicken)
- Wor Tip (Cantonese Potstickers)
- Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Sauce)
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- Creamed Corn Soup
- Zhaijiangmian (Chinese Noodle Dish)
- Lobster Cantonese
- Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce
Benefits of Eating Cantonese Food
Cantonese dishes have a natural way of being steamed and minimally treated food. This minimal process is light and healthier than most other cuisine options, making it an excellent choice for people to consider. These benefits won’t apply to every Cantonese dish, but they’re worth mentioning:
Low in Sugar
Many Cantonese dishes rely on getting the natural flavour out of the meal rather than overly enhancing it. As a result, many Cantonese dishes are low in sugar. Although some sauces have sugar in them to sweeten them up, they’re significantly lower than many other Chinese food options.
Refined Carbs and High Fat
Being low in carbs with a healthy dose of fat is what makes Cantonese cuisine so enticing. Carbs can be detrimental to a person’s health if they overeat over time. Thankfully, carbs tend not to be a significant issue with Cantonese cuisine, but they vary depending on the dish itself.
Delicious
The best and most apparent benefit of Cantonese food is how delicious it is. There’s a reason it’s considered one of the most popular cuisine choices in the world.
People love the essence of bringing out the natural and organic flavour of a meal that isn’t overly saturated with unnecessary seasoning. It’s simple, tasteful, and will leave you feeling satisfied. What more could you want from your food?
Order Cantonese Food From Rice Bowl Deluxe Today!
We hope this article gave you a few good reasons why Cantonese food is so unique and tasty. Nevertheless, if interested in finding excellent authentic Asian cuisine in Edmonton, consider ordering from us at Rice Bowl Deluxe.
We offer 40 plus different rice bowls sourced from around the world! We deliver to most places in the city and have a pickup option as well. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to learn more about our brand and stay updated on the latest deals. We look forward to hearing from you!
