Culinary styles come from all over China including Canton, Peking, Szechuan, Shanghai, Hunan, Mongolia and Taiwan. Cantonese food is more colourful and sweeter than that of other regions. Pastries include steamed dumplings stuffed with meat, sweet paste or preserves, buns, deep-fried spring rolls and tarts.
Szechuan cooking is hot and spicy, based on red chilli pepper and garlic.
Dishes include Mother Ma's bean curd , aubergine with garlic sauce, Gungbao chicken , fried prawns with pepper sauce, and minced chicken with Gingko nuts. Fried breads make a pleasant change from rice. Shanghai cooking is mostly seafood with rich salty sauces. Hunan has both spicy and steamed dishes including steamed ham and honey sauce, diced chicken with peanuts, steamed silver thread rolls and smoked duck. Taiwanese cooking is mostly seafood with thick sauces.