Chinese Breakfast

More people eat Chinese breakfast than any other breakfast in the world. Yet outside China or the Chinese population world wide, hardly anyone knows what makes a Chinese breakfast.

Given China’s size, not surprisingly Chinese breakfast varies a great deal from north to south and east to west. In general, it is cooked and eaten hot. Tea and also coffee are a part of it, especially in the south, but because breakfast is frequently quite liquid, they are not as much an integral part as they are in the West.

Dimsum Breakfast In Hong Kong

In the Southern China, typical breakfast is Dim Sum, now also very popular in Chinatowns, and beyond. For us Westerners, to make sure that we get authentic Dim Sum we need to find a restaurant that’s big, busy and patronised by a largely Chinese clientele.

Dim Sum are little fried or steamed dumplings or buns. In China, they are frequently eaten on the go bought from street vendors or little shops.

The variety of Dim Sum is endless. Steamed, deep fried or boiled dumplings, buns or large flat noodles made from rice flour are filled with meat, seafood or vegetables. Some dishes may pose a little challenge for some Western palates. Try the chicken feet, they’re delicious. Tea is the beverage of choice for Dim Sum. Green tea is not only full of anti-oxidants but also helps with the digestion.

Moving further west, the breakfast of choice is noodles. In Guizhou, a specialty is wheat noodles in half an inch of hot pig fat.

Chinese Rice Congee

Further north, wheat frequently takes over as breakfast staple. Congee, a kind of very liquid rice porridge, is eaten with youtiao, “Deep Fried Devils”, long twisted sticks of deep fried dough. At timeCongees, congee is replaced by soy milk. Either can be sweet or savoury. You dunk the deep fried devils in the congee or soy milk, just like donuts. An alternative to deep fried devils are Chinese pancakes made from wheat and filled with onion, spring onions (scallions) or leeks. Westerners are more likely to know these pancakes as the wrapping in dishes like Crispy or Pancake Duck with Spring Onions and Hoi Sin Sauce.

Finally, you can also have Zongzi, a pyramid made of glutinous rice with varying sweet or savoury fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves and boiled for hours.