China is the world's largest rice producer, and one of the earliest centers of rice cultivation. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have been diligently cultivating their land for favorable harvests. The agricultural way of life, with rice as the center, has played an important role in China's history. In the past, people held the belief that the precious things of life are the five grains with rice being number one, instead of pearls or jade.
For the Chinese people, rice is the staple food in everyday meals. They eat it as Westerners do with bread. Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming, till it absorbs as much water as it can.
There is a rich collection of rice dishes in China. Among them, fried rice might be the most popular not only in China, but also around the world. Depending on the types and amount of added ingredients, such as beans, chopped meat, vegetables, eggs, etc., as well as different manners of preparation, there have developed endless variations of fried rice.
Rice may also be made into rice porridge (congee). When cooking porridge, more water than usual is added to make the rice saturated with water and very soft and viscous. It is often served and eaten with pickles, bamboo shoots, salted duck eggs, pickled tofu and many other condiments. Besides a common food on the dining table, rice porridge can also serve as food therapy for the unwell by adding ingredients of therapeutic value.
Rice Dishes Menu
English | Chinese | Pronunciation | Characters |
---|---|---|---|
Fried Rice with Beef and Garlic | hēi jiāo xiāng suàn niú liǔ lì chǎofàn | hay jyaoww sshyang swann nyoh lyoh lee chaoww-fan | 黑椒香蒜牛柳粒炒饭 |
Rice with Braised Beef Brisket | hóngshāo niúnǎn fàn | hong-shaoww nyoh-nan fan | 红烧牛腩饭 |
Stewed Beef Rice | hóngshāo niúròu fàn | hong-shaoww nyoh-roh fan | 红烧牛肉饭 |
Rice with Beef | niúròu gài fàn | nyoh-roh geye fan | 牛肉盖饭 |
Fried Rice with Egg, Beef and Green Pepper | qīngjiāo niúròu dàn chǎofàn | ching jyaoww nyoh-roh dan chaoww-fan | 青椒牛肉蛋炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Beef and Lettuce | shēngcài niúròu chǎofàn | shnng-tseye nyoh-roh chaoww-fan | 生菜牛肉炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Minced Beef and BBQ Sauce | shā-chá niú sōng fàn | shaa-chaa nyoh song fan | 沙茶牛松饭 |
Rice with Beef Filet and Hot Green Pepper | háng jiāo niú liǔ fàn | hung jyaoww nyoh lyoh fan | 杭椒牛柳饭 |
Rice with Curry Beef | gālí-niúròu fàn | gaa-lee nyoh-roh fan | 咖喱牛肉饭 |
Rice with Beef and Black Pepper | hēi jiāo niú liǔ fàn | hay jyaoww nyoh lyoh fan | 黑椒牛柳饭 |
Fried Rice with Bacon and Mixed Vegetables | fěicuì péigēn chǎofàn | fay-tsway pay-gnn chaoww-fan | 翡翠培根炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Pork and Black Pepper | hēi jiāo zhūròu fàn | hay jyaoww joo-roh fan | 黑椒猪肉饭 |
Fried Rice with Egg and Sausage | hóng cháng chǎofàn | hong chung chaoww-fan | 红肠炒饭 |
Rice with Fried Spare Ribs | huángjīn dà pái fàn | hwung-jin daa peye fan | 黄金大排饭 |
Fried Rice with Ham | huǒtuǐ chǎofàn | hwor-tway chaoww-fan | 火腿炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Shredded Pork in Soy Sauce | jiàngyóu ròu sī chǎofàn | jiang-yoh roh srr chaoww-fan | 酱油肉丝炒饭 |
Rice with Spare Ribs | jīngdū páigǔ fàn | jing-doo peye-goo fan | 京都排骨饭 |
Fried Rice with Preserved Pork | làròu chǎofàn | laa-roh chaoww-fan | 腊肉炒饭 |
Rice with Meatballs | shīzi tóu fàn | shrr-dzrr toh fan | 狮子头饭 |
Fried Rice with Meat and Vegetables | shíjǐn chǎofàn | shrr jin chaoww-fan | 什锦炒饭 |
Rice with White Gourd and Assorted Meat in Soup | shí jǐn dōngguā lì pàofàn | shrr jin dong-gwaa lee paoww-fan | 什锦冬瓜粒泡饭 |
Steamed Rice with Red-Cooked Pork | lǔ ròu fàn | lyoo roh fan | 卤肉饭 |
Steamed Rice with Pork Slices and Mushrooms | xiān mó zhū liǔ pèi mǐfàn | sshyen mor joo lyoh pay mee-fan | 鲜蘑猪柳配米饭 |
Fried Rice with Pork and Vegetables | qīng yè chǎofàn | ching yeah chaoww-fan | 青叶炒饭 |
Rice with Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce | chǐ zhī páigǔ fàn | chrr jrr peye-goo fan | 豉汁排骨饭 |
Rice with Stewed Pork, Taiwan Style | táishì lǔ ròu fàn | teye shrr lyoo roh fan | 台式卤肉饭 |
Rice Cooked with Chicken Soup | jītāng fàn | jee-tung fan | 鸡汤饭 |
Hainanese Chicken Rice | Hǎinán jī fàn | heye-nan jee fan | 海南鸡饭 |
Fried Rice with Diced Chicken, Salted Fish and Shredded Lettuce | Shēngcài sī xián yú jī lì chǎofàn | shnng-tseye srr sshyen yoo jee lee chaoww-fan | 生菜丝咸鱼鸡粒炒饭 |
Rice with Stewed Chicken in Coke | Kělè jī fàn | ker-ler jee fan | 可乐鸡饭 |
Rice with Stewed Chicken Leg | Jītuǐ fàn | jee-tway fan | 鸡腿饭 |
Rice with Chicken and Chili and Pepper | Làzǐ jī fàn | laa dzrr jee fan | 辣子鸡饭 |
Rice with Chicken Giblets | Jiācháng jīzá fàn | jyaa-chung jee dzaa fan | 家常鸡杂饭 |
Rice with Curry Chicken | Gālí jī fàn | gaa-lee jee fan | 咖喱鸡饭 |
Rice with Roasted Eel | Pú shāo mányú fàn | poo shaoww man-yoo fan | 蒲烧鳗鱼饭 |
Fried Rice with Salty Fish and Diced Eggplant | Xián yú jiā lì chǎofàn | sshyen yoo chyeah lee chaoww-fan | 咸鱼茄粒炒饭 |
Rice with Fish Filet in Curry Sauce | Gālí yúpái fàn | gaa-lee yoo-peye fan | 咖喱鱼排饭 |
Rice with Salmon | Sān wèn yú fàn | san wnn yoo fan | 三文鱼饭 |
Fried Rice with Seafood | Hǎi huáng chǎofàn | heye hwung chaoww-fan | 海皇炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Fresh Shrimps | Huó xiā chǎofàn | hwor sshyaa chaoww-fan | 活虾炒饭 |
Rice with Fried Shrimps and Scrambled Egg | Huá dàn xiārén fàn | hwaa dan sshyaa rnn fan | 滑蛋虾仁饭 |
Rice with Codfish in Thai Sauce | Tài zhī yín xuě yú fàn | teye jrr yin sshwair yoo fan | 泰汁银雪鱼饭 |
Fried Rice with Crab Meat | Zhāopái gāo xiè ròu chǎofàn | jaoww peye gaoww sshyeah roh chaoww-fan | 招牌羔蟹肉炒饭 |
Rice with Shrimps in Maggie Sauce | měi jí jiàng ròu xiā fàn | may jee jyang roh sshyaa fan | 美极酱肉虾饭 |
Fried Rice with Assorted Seafood in XO Sauce | XO jiàng hǎixiān dàn chǎofàn | XO jyang heye-sshyen dan chaoww-fan | XO酱海鲜蛋炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Shrimps | xiārén chǎofàn | sshyaa rnn chaoww-fan | 虾仁炒饭 |
Steamed Rice with Diced Abalone and Scallops | shāguō fùháo mèn fàn | shaa gwor foo hao mnn fan | 砂锅富豪焖饭 |
Eight Delicacies Rice | bābǎofàn | baa-baoww fan | 八宝饭 |
Fried Rice with Egg | jīdàn chǎofàn | jee-dan chaoww-fan | 鸡蛋炒饭 |
Fried Rice with Pickled Vegetables | pàocài chǎofàn | paoww tseye chaoww-fan | 泡菜炒饭 |
Rice in Shredded Vegetable Soup, Shanghai Style | Shànghǎi pāo fàn | shaung-heye paoww fan | 上海泡饭 |
Fried Rice with Vegetables | shūcài chǎofàn | shoo-tseye chaoww fan | 蔬菜炒饭 |
Travel with China Highlights and Taste Authentic Chinese Cuisine

If you are planning a China tour to taste authentic Chinese food, please see our most recommended Chinese food tour below, for inspiration:
- 12-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong Cuisine Tour - explore the most popular destinations in China and savor local Chinese food (including Peking duck) in each city.
Or contact us and let us create a Chinese food tour for you according to your interests and requirements.