Food tour in Beijing

As the capital of China, Beijing is a must-see for tourists travelling in East Asia. Beijing, China's capital since the Ming Dynasty, is home to numerous magnificent historical sites, including the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and Tian'anmen Square among others. However, the real history of Beijing is best experienced through its food culture. From the dishes eaten by emperors to everyday food items, Beijing's food tells a story of the city's past.

The most recognized dish in Beijing is Peking Roast Duck. Traditionally, the duck is roasted whole and the chef will carve it in front of the diner. Each slice of meat is required to have a piece of crispy skin attached. The duck is then rolled into a paper thin pancake with condiments.

Peking Roast Duck [Photo: VCG]

Hotpot is a staple throughout most of China. Each province has its own unique style of pot and soup-base. Beijing hotpot is unique in that it's served in a specialized copper pot with an air duct down the middle. This allows the heat to be distributed throughout the soup evenly, thus, helping retain the texture of the meat and vegetables cooked in the pot. Unlike other parts of China, Beijing hotpot normally only uses water, rather than a broth, to cook the food.

Zhajiang dry noodles are another Beijing specialty. The dry noodles are served with a variety of items such as meat, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and cilantro. It's then mixed together in a sauce.

Zhajiang dry noodles [Photo: VCG]

After a hearty Beijing styled meal, you can finish with a traditional dessert known as "donkey roll" (Lv Da Gun). It is made with sticky rice flour and bean flour. The filling is made with a sweet red bean paste. This is an imperial dessert which later became popular among ordinary people.