
China is the most populated country in the world and also the 3rd largest country in the world, in terms of size. It is also known to have the oldest cultures. China is also famous as a tourist’s shopping destination from Beijing’s white pearls, Shanghai’s Jade to Xian’s antiques and rugs. China has a very beautiful scenery that attracts every tourist from all corners of the world.
Chinese cuisines enjoy worldwide fame. Knowledgeable in China have produced innumerable delicacies with suitable names, flavours, aromas and colours which boost the dining experience. Chinese cuisines are famous for their savoury dishes and vegetables play an important role in their cuisines.
It is almost a custom in every country to have their special starters before the main course. Today, we list 20 best starters to eat in China.
1. Egg Drop Soup
The egg drop soup is a very popular starter of china. The dish is easy to make and is very delicious. “Egg drop” is the name, because raw eggs are dropped into hot soup. It is also one of the most soothing dishes that one must try. The preparation of egg drop soup is very easy. It is basically a beaten egg soup combined with spring onions, tofu, and black pepper. This whimsical soup is a great way to start a meal.

2. Deep Fried Wontons
Deep fried wontons is also one of china’s popular starter. It is a great appetizer before a meal. These are fried and crispy, filled with pork or any seafood and generally served with sweet and sour tumbling sauce. Wontons are small in size and are available in different types like deep-fried, simmered, steamed or even in soup. Along with the filling of pork and shrimp, wontons are seasoned with garlic, spring onions and spices to add flavour to its taste.

3 Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls
This is another starter that is a great start to the main course food. The specialty of this is that they have crunchy surfaces, sizzling taste, and mouth-watering aromas. This delightful balls of fried chicken teamed with sweet and sour sauce are divinely tasty that will just blow your mind. These appealing sweet and sour chicken balls are sure to be one of your favourites.

4. Spring Rolls
Light bites, jam-packed with chicken and crisp vegetables and baked gives a new twist to this starter and is best enjoyed with salad or chutney. These tasty rolls are also a classic starter during Chinese New year. So, this amazing roll is a must to try with juicy tastes of sauces.

5 Pork Ribs
For all those who love pork, pork ribs are something that is sure going to be your best starter. Pork is too heavy for a starter and sounds a bit crazy but the luscious taste of the meat with spices and sauces make it amazingly tasty. This starter should never be missed especially by pork lovers.

6 Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
You might have tasted an eccentric mix of red garlic, black and white pepper, red chilli flavoured to the chicken wings and are a must in your platters. This classic Chinese salt and pepper chicken will just blow your mind with their taste.

7 Sesame Prawn Toast
Now, this is something that you must try from different Chinese starters. Different in style and delicious to taste Sesame Prawn Toast is a great appetizer before a meal. It is made of freshly ground crab, chestnut eggs, and sesame seed. All the ingredients are mixed into a paste and then deep fried. Then, they are cut into different sizes of toast, flavoured with some soy sauce and ginger.

8. Crispy Crab
Crabs are something which are anyways very delicious and so you rightly guessed that the crispy bites of crave will surely give a heavenly feeling. Moist and luscious, this Chinese starter is a must to try. These crispy bites will give you the taste of traditional Chinese dishes as the crab meat is versed in spices before being fried, which gives you a buttery taste.

9 Dumplings
If you are a vegetarian and you are confused as to what to eat in starter then you should go for Mushroom dumplings. These are available with porks too, so good for non-vegetarians too Pork or Mushroom or prawn flavored with onions, green chilies, soy sauce and dipped in Guilin chili sauce and soy sauce is a perfect way to start a meal.

10. Grilled Coconut Lobster
The name itself of this starter is so tempting one can hardly stop himself from not having this awesome dish. Grilled coconut lobsters are just the best in a starter. The luscious lobster with creamy coconut sauce just fills one’s mouth with water. The sweet, salty and juicy starter is a must on your plate.

11. Veg Balls In Hot Garlic Sauce
Nonveg lovers think that there are very limited options in veg items, be it starters or main course. But to be honest it is not true. Veg items have also different types which taste amazingly tasty. One of such is veg balls in hot garlic sauce. Crunchy vegetable balls with hot garlic sauce will make you love this veg item. The aroma of it just makes you crave for them.

12 Chinese Chicken Salad
A plate of seasoned vegetables like Napa cabbage, carrot, red cabbage with sliced chicken, water chestnut mixed with soya sauce, vinegar garlic, brown sugar and chilli sauce, isn’t it something that sounds mouth-watering? Teaming up with a glass of wine just adds a cherry to it. The sweet, sour, spicy and tangy taste of it will make you love the salad.

13. Chilli Potatoes
Preparing a chili potato is not only easy but also a tasty starter which is loved by almost everyone. It is one of the very famous starter in Chinese cuisine. Potatoes are peeled and cut diagonally, mixed with spices and then deep fried. It is served with a sweet and sour sauce that just perfectly zests to the potatoes. If you are health conscious the potatoes can be grilled or roasted instead of being fried.

14. Chinese spring onion pancake
It has different names like ‘jiucai bing’, cong you bing, scallion pancakes etc. It is a delicious item that can be served as breakfast too. It is served with hot sour sauce or any of your choice sauce from different Chinese sauces. It is made from dough and is flaky on touch. Spiced up with aromatic spices this is one that you must try.

15. Prawn and Chive Potstickers
Chinese dumplings are known as potstickers. These are fillings of prawns and chives with spices to add flavour to them. Tastes best when had with hot and sour sauce. When you take a bite of them they just bounce inside your mouth with their juicy tastes.

16 Chicken Drumstick
Juicy pieces of chicken dipped in ginger garlic sauce, is one of Chinese starter that must be tried. Kid or elder, anyone falls for this tasty drumstick. This Chinese style is like a curry which makes you crave for them. The sweet, tangy, hot and sour taste is luscious and it’s tempting aroma will make you roll over them.

17. Tea Smoked Chicken
This is something new and unusual. It’s unlikely to the name, which makes everyone curious and anxious to taste this item. Chinese people use steam, a lot in their cooking. Most of their food items are steamed or boiled. This tea smoked chicken is made of rice which is mixed with tea and brown sugar and put on the foil. A steamer is put over it and chicken is then put on it. It is cooked until it turns browns. The aroma of tea and brown sugar mixed with chicken, gives it a unique taste.

18 Veg Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce leaves have strength and are malleable, for which it is good for lettuce wraps. To make veg lettuce wraps, onion, lemongrass ande ginger are cooked in oil until it turns brown. Then water chestnut and tofu is mashed into it and crumbled to small pieces. After that, it is stirred in hoisin, chili and soy sauce giving it a moist and saucy taste. Simple to make and cute to look at, this recipe is one that should be included in your starter.

19. Mini Taiwanese Meatballs
Isn’t it amazing to have a plate of tasty meatballs as a starter? There is something unique about Chinese culture, tradition, attire and cuisine that attracts everyone. Everything about this country is refreshing. Mini Taiwanese meatballs are sure to make a place in your heart for their different types of starters. It is prepared by mixing together meat, ginger, chilies garlic, onions and sauces, black pepper and make the small ball off them and then frying them. The taste just enriches when served with different sauces.

20 Steamed Pork and Mushroom Dumplings
Both pork and mushroom have a sweet juicy taste of its own which enriches the taste of any item. When mixed with different sauces and ingredients, the dish just gives a heavenly feeling. One of that dish is steamed pork and mushroom dumpling. Unlike the fried one, the steam one has the aromas of the spices that will fill your mouth with water. It is also a starter that you should never miss.

Taking a tour of these delicious starters might have made you crave for them. So just grab a Chinese menu and fulfil your desire.