Traditional Chinese Breakfast Foods

Westerners have very specific ideas about breakfast. The usual fare is toast, cereal, pancakes, donuts, and eggs, which are the norm. In China, there's an entirely different expectation regarding the morning meal. Many times, it's savory and often features intense flavors uncommon to American breakfasts. In major cities in China, people often eat breakfast on the go, getting food from street vendors selling various options, from congee to steamed buns and crepes.

Congee and Crullers

Many Asians begin their day with a warm, comforting bowl of congee (Chinese rice porridge), also known as zhou, jook, or chok. Although even the most devoted fan of porridge may balk at consuming the same thing day after day, the numerous ways of preparing it ensure that it doesn't ever become tiresome. Depending on personal preference, congee can be savory or sweet. Many variations of congee include different types of proteins such as chicken, pork, beef, fish, seafood, or tofu. Meat added to congee simmers during the long cooking process, melding flavors and creating a savory, more substantial protein-packed dish.

Just as a cup of cafe au lait and a croissant are de rigueur for the French, Chinese crullers are among the many choices to serve with congee. Also known as oil-fried devils, these strips of deep-fried dough are popular options available at many open-air food markets. They're typically dipped in warm congee like a doughnut is dipped into coffee. In northern China, where wheat is the staple crop, crullers (youtiao in Chinese) are served for dipping into a sweet or salty soymilk beverage.

Steamed Buns and Dumplings

Steamed buns and dumplings are available any time of day in China but are particularly sought-after for breakfast. Chinese steamed buns are either plain (mantou) or stuffed (baozi). Mantou is made from white wheat flour and cooked in a bamboo basket; baozi is filled with anything from pork and cabbage to thinly sliced vegetables. If dumplings are on the breakfast table, they’re usually jiaozi, smaller dumplings filled with pork or beef, and vegetables and eaten with chopsticks.

Hot-Dry Noodles

In the West, noodles are typically served for lunch or dinner, but that's not the case in China. Originating in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, hot-dry noodles are parboiled to al dente, well-drained, and tossed with fragrant sesame oil until the noodles cool and dry. These chewy noodles are quickly reheated in boiling water until just warm, then tossed with sesame sauce, pickled and preserved vegetables, scallions, and chili oil when ready to serve. Usually, alkaline noodles like ramen are used for the most authentic flavor.

Other popular noodle breakfast options in China include soy sauce noodles, mala (hot and numbing noodles), and an American favorite, wonton soup.

Breakfast Crepes

Jian bing, perhaps the most Western-like breakfast on the list, is an egg-filled breakfast crepe. The crepe is made of flour and is traditionally topped with egg, scallions, cilantro, sweet soybean paste, and chili sauce. Modern jian bing is often filled with ingredients like ham and cheese.