The Ever-Evolving Flavours of Hong Kong Cuisine

Hong Kong has been an international trading hub since the port city’s founding. Over the years a unique combination of Eastern and Western culture has been etched in the local cuisine.

Beginning with traditional Cantonese cuisine in centuries past, and drastically evolved by the post-WW2 years with the establishment of cha chaan teng diners that reinvented Western delicacies. Followed by decades of economic boom that gave rise to local street food, as well as grand Cantonese-style banquets and fine dining, ultimately becoming the East-meets-West flavours of Hong Kong cuisine.

Signature Hong Kong Flavours & Essential Ingredients

The Hong Kong taste palate favours the sweet, savoury and umami, with the underlying Cantonese cooking philosophy of accentuating the natural flavours of fresh ingredients.

Rice and noodles are the main carb foods, followed by fluffy buns and various baked goodies often enjoyed as between-meal snacks. Pork, beef, chicken and goose are the beloved meats, as well as the plethora of fresh fish, prawns, crabs, clams and squid.

Preserved foods like dried shrimp and tangerine peel are often used in Hong Kong cuisine for enriching flavours, alongside traditional light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, spicy, bracing XO sauce, umami Shaoxing Wine, zesty chilli oil, fragrant sesame oil, aromatic five spice seasoning, garlic, ginger and onions.

Hong Kong Specialties

As mentioned, Hong Kong cuisine is rooted in the Cantonese culinary tradition, which includes stir-fry, deep fry, steam, braise, roast, stew and boil cooking methods. At the same time, their historical Western influence birthed the Hong Kong-style baked goods and the inclusion of dairy products like cheese, condensed milk, and cream; canned foods like spam and baked beans, as well as carbs such as pasta and macaroni.

The gastronomic evolution continues today in the perpetual melting pot of Hong Kong food culture.

Classic Western-inspired cha chaan teng delights like sumptuous Hong Kong French toast, smooth ‘stocking’ milk tea, and tasty Chan Dan Min mixed noodles soup, still hold a place in the hearts and taste buds of Hong-Kongers; alongside beloved traditional and street food specialties like roast goose, the array of dim sum delicacies, egg tarts, egg waffles, cheong fun rice rolls, tofu pudding, curry fishballs and the various iterations of saucy and soupy noodles. In addition, the fantastic array of seafood and their corresponding signature Hong Kong dishes are always adored.

Of course, that’s just a small sample of what Hong Kong cuisine has to offer. Come check out our top 10 Hong Kong street food favourites, 20 yum cha dim sum specials that originated from Hong Kong, our deep dive into cha chaan teng culture and amazing seafood, as well as the Hong Kong specials you can make at home from our recipe collection!

 

Hungry for Hong Kong? Head to www.discoverhongkong.com/anz and plan your next foodie adventure.