Duck's head is a spicy local specialty from the Chinese city of Wuhan, but it is also a snack that is commonly eaten throughout China, most notably in Shanghai. The dish is made by stir-frying a head of duck with the addition of herbs and spices.
Duck's head has a crispy taste as a result of the stir-frying method, and it is claimed to be a healthy food, with one of the duck's head store owners claiming that it helps one's brain power when consumed. Some say that the taste of the dish is not unlike eating a spicy chicken wing, while the others, such as Kellie Schmitt of CNN, describe it as one of Shanghai's weirdest foods.
When the head is served, it should be pried open with one's fingers to get to the tender meat on the interior.
MOST ICONIC Ya tou
Cantonese in origin, moo goo gai pan is an Americanized version of a pre-existing Chinese stir-fry made with mushrooms and sliced chicken as the main ingredients. Additional ingredients typically include snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and bok choy, all doused in a simple white sauce made with chicken broth and seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sometimes Shaoxing wine.
In contrast to the original Chinese version of the dish, moo goo gai pan has a thicker sauce that's more seasoned and incorporates a wider range of ingredients. In the United States, this simple stir-fry is served over steamed rice and is one of the most popular take-out foods.
Chūkadon is a Japanese dish which consists of stir-fried ingredients served over rice. It is believed that chūkadon originated in the 1930s in a Chinese-style restaurant in Tokyo. The dish can employ a variety of seafood ingredients, meat, and sliced vegetables which are shortly stir-fried in a thick and starchy soy-infused sauce.
Simple and easy to prepare, chūkadon is commonly found on the menus of many Japanese fast food establishments.
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Among the broad group of Japanese chanpuru dishes, goya chanpuru is the most traditional version prepared with stir-fried bitter melon, eggs, pork, and tofu. It is often blended with various seasonings and vegetables. Occasionally, the dish is served sprinkled with fish flakes and accompanied by rice.
This colorful and nutritious summer stir-fry is the signature dish of Okinawa island. It has recently grown in popularity and can also be found in other parts of Japan.
Chai tow kway is a traditional dish originating from Chaoshan. The dish usually consists of radish cake (also known as turnip cake) that’s cut into cubes and stir-fried with eggs and seasonings. Radish cake is made with a combination of shredded daikon, rice flour, and water.
Chai tow kway can also be steamed and pan-fried, and the dish is typically garnished with scallions before serving. It’s also popular in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, where it’s a part of Teochew people cuisine.
In Singapore, the dish is also made in two versions – white (no soy sauce) and black (made with sweet soy sauce).
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Buseot bokkeum is a South Korean side dish (banchan) that is made with stir-fried mushrooms. It is typically made with oyster, shiitake, or button mushrooms, but the choice is optional. The preparation starts with sliced mushrooms that are usually stir-fried along with garlic and onions.
The dish is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and sesame oil and is then served garnished with toasted sesame seeds. Optionally, it can also include sliced peppers, carrots, or green onions. Buseot bokkeum can also be used as a bibimbap topping.
As the name states, yakisoba pan is an unusual Japanese combination of stir-fried yakisoba noodles and plain bread rolls. The noodles are first blended with various vegetables and doused in a thick sauce, and the combination is then stuffed inside the roll.
The concoction is finished with mayonnaise, pickled ginger, and strips of dry seaweed. Yakisoba pan is available in many grocery stores and supermarkets throughout Japan and is usually enjoyed as a nutritious snack or a quick breakfast.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Omusoba is a Japanese dish consisting of yakisoba (stir-fried noodles, meat, and vegetables) wrapped inside a fluffy omelet. The dish is traditionally served with a tangy brown sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce, and it is especially popular as comfort food on cold or rainy days.
Omusoba can be found throughout Japan in numerous family restaurants and Japanese brasseries known as izakayas.
This seafood lover’s delight is typically served at upscale Chinese restaurants specialized in Cantonese cuisine. The contents of the bird’s nest usually include jumbo shrimp, squid, and scallops that are stir-fried with fresh vegetables, scallions, ginger, and garlic.
All of the stir-fried ingredients are placed into an edible nest with a tough and crunchy texture, which is entirely made out of fried taro root or noodles. This luxurious dish is often reserved for special occasions such as weddings, New Year, or birthdays.
A Northern Chinese dish known as moo shu pork is a seasoned meat and vegetable stir-fry that is also an integral part of American-Chinese cuisine. Traditionally, slices of pork tenderloin, cucumbers, and scrambled eggs are stir-fried in peanut or sesame oil after which day lily buds and thinly sliced wood ear and enokitake mushrooms are added to the pan.
The seasoning in moo shu pork consists of minced ginger and garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and rice wine. The dish is typically accompanied by rice. Although it is most often stated that moo shu pork comes from the Shangdou province, there are numerous theories about the origin of the dish and its name.
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