Editing American Chinese cuisine (section)

==Differences from other regional cuisines in China==
Many of the dishes are commonly recognized as  "Chinese food" were actually developed in America and bear little resemblance to traditional Chinese cuisine. Examples include [[fortune cookies]], [[crab rangoon]], and [[General Tso's chicken]], none of which originated in China. Instead, these dishes were crafted to suit American palates, often characterized by sweetness, bold sauces, and deep-fried dishes.

American Chinese cuisine has its roots in the culinary traditions of Chinese immigrants from Guangdong province, particularly the [[Toisan]] (Taishan) district, the origin of most Chinese immigration before the [[Immigration Act of 1924|closure of immigration]] in 1924. These Chinese immigrants developed new cooking styles and used readily available ingredients.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kohnhorst |first1=Adam |title=The Legend of American Chinese Food: 8 Dishes and Their Authentic Counterparts |url=https://radiichina.com/american-chinese-food/ |website=RADII {{!}} Stories from the center of China's youth culture |access-date=January 29, 2022 |date=June 25, 2020}}</ref> The type of Chinese-American cooking served in restaurants differed significantly from the food eaten in Chinese-American homes. {{sfnb|Hom|1997}}{{sfnb|Hayford|2011|p=11-12}} Among various [[Chinese cuisine#Regional cuisines|regional cuisines in China]], [[Cantonese cuisine]] has had the most influence on the development of American Chinese food.<ref name="Chapius">{{cite book |title=The Complete Asian Cookbook|first=Charmaine|last=Solomon|page= 281 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mdfacqx2UaQC&pg=PA368 |isbn=9780804837576 |date=April 15, 2006|publisher=Tuttle }}</ref><ref name="RParkinson">{{cite news|last1=Parkinson|first1=Rhonda|title=Regional Chinese Cuisine|url=http://chinesefood.about.com/od/regionalchinesecuisine/ss/cookingstyles.htm|access-date=July 8, 2014|publisher=About.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217160414/http://chinesefood.about.com/od/regionalchinesecuisine/ss/cookingstyles.htm|archive-date=February 17, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

American Chinese food typically includes greater quantities of meat compared to traditional Chinese cuisine.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Andrew F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GZVweuXhZlkC&q=chinese&pg=PT145 |title=The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink |date=May 1, 2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-988576-3 |pages=119 |language=en}}</ref> An increasing number of American Chinese restaurants—including some upscale establishments—have begun to incorporate more authentic dishes in response to growing customer demand for traditional flavors.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ashe |first1=Stephanie |title=The 9 biggest differences between Chinese and American Diets |url=https://www.insider.com/biggest-differences-chinese-and-american-diets-2018-5#raw-vegetables-arent-as-big-of-a-thing-in-china-6 |website=Insider}}</ref>  While Chinese cuisine frequently uses of Asian [[leaf vegetable]]s, like [[bok choy]] and [[gai-lan]], American Chinese cuisine commonly utilizing ingredients rarely found in China. For instance, Western [[broccoli]] ({{lang-zh|t=西蘭|p=xīlán}}) is used instead of Chinese broccoli (gai-lan, {{lang-zh|t=芥蘭|p=jièlán|labels=no}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Canton Restaurant to Panda Express |url=https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/from-canton-restaurant-to-panda-express/9780813574745/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=Rutgers University Press |language=en-US}}</ref>

Chinese ingredients previously considered "exotic" in North America have become more available over time, including fresh fruits and vegetables. For example, edible [[snow pea]] pods have become widely available, while the less-known ''dau miu'' (also called "pea sprouts," "pea pod stems," or "pea shoots") are increasingly appearing on menus and even in supermarkets in North America.

[[File:Chinese buffet2.jpg|thumb|A [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] [[buffet]] restaurant in the United States]]

American-Chinese food also has had a reputation for high levels of [[MSG]], used to enhance flavor. From the early to mid-2000s through the 2010s and into the 2020s, market forces and customer preferences encouraged many restaurants to offer "MSG Free" or "No MSG" menus, or to omit this ingredient upon request.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mosby |first=I. |date=October 4, 2008 |title='That Won-Ton Soup Headache': The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, MSG and the Making of American Food, 1968-1980 |url=https://academic.oup.com/shm/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/shm/hkn098 |journal=Social History of Medicine |language=en |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=133–151 |doi=10.1093/shm/hkn098 |issn=0951-631X}}</ref>

However, discussions appearing around  2020 addressed that MSG's reputation has begun shifting, suggesting this trend had been developing for at least the past decade.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aubrey |first=Allison |date=December 11, 2022 |title=The unsavory stigma surrounding MSG - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-msg-the-stigma-surrounding-monosodium-glutamate/ |access-date=April 2, 2025 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:FriedWonton.jpg|thumb|Carryout Chinese food is commonly served in a paper carton with a wire bail, known as an [[oyster pail]].]]

A typical example to show how American Chinese cuisine differs from traditional Chinese food is [[Yeung Chow Fried Rice|Egg fried rice]]. In American Chinese cuisine, egg fried rice often includes more soy sauce for additional flavor, whereas traditional egg fried rice uses much less soy sauce. Some culinary styles, such as [[dim sum]], have also been modified to fit American tastes, including adding batter for fried dishes and using extra soy sauce.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chen |first1=Yong |title=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History |chapter=The Rise of Chinese Food in the United States|year=2017 |publisher=Oxford Research Encyclopedia|isbn=978-0-19-932917-5}}</ref>

Both traditional Chinese and American-Chinese cooking utilize similar methods of preparation, such as [[stir frying]], [[pan frying]], and [[deep frying]], all of which can easily be performed using a [[wok]].

[[Ming Tsai]], chef and former owner of the Blue Ginger restaurant in [[Wellesley, Massachusetts]], and host of [[PBS]] culinary show ''[[Simply Ming]]'', has commented on the characteristics of American Chinese restaurants. He noted that these establishments often serve dishes representing three to five regions of China simultaneously, typically  including items such as [[chop suey]], various sweet and sour dishes, and an adaptation of chow mein or fried rice. Tsai described this style as: "Chinese-American cuisine as an adaptation of traditional Chinese food, modified to attract American customers by making it blander, thicker, and sweeter".<ref>"[https://cnneatocracy.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/chef-ming-tsai-wants-you-to-have-a-chinese-friend/ Chef Ming Tsai wants you to have a Chinese friend]". [[CNN]]. January 19, 2011. Retrieved on January 19, 2011.</ref>

Most American Chinese primarily cater to non-Chinese customers, offering menus written in English accompanied by descriptive pictures. In some cases, separate menus written in Chinese are available, typically featuring traditional dishes such as [[liver (food)|liver]], [[chicken feet]], or other meat items that might scare American customers (such as [[offal]]). In [[Chinatown, Manhattan]], certain restaurants are known to offer a so-called "phantom" menu, which features items preferred by ethnic Chinese diners but often excluded from the standard menu due to the perception that they would not attract non-Chinese customers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maurer |first=Daniel |date=February 23, 2009 |title=Chris Cheung Reveals More About the 'Phantom Menus' of Chinatown |url=https://www.grubstreet.com/2009/02/chris_cheung_reveals_more_abou.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Grub Street |language=en}}</ref>