Sautéed Crispy Prawn with Salted Egg Yolk

The ever-popular cuisine of China reflects the unique character of its homeland – diverse and fascinating, with hidden depths that are a delight to explore.

Like the people of China, this cuisine has spread and taken root around the world over the years. Indeed, one of its most celebrated dishes – Egg Foo Yong – is said to have been refined, perfected and popularised from an original Guangdong recipe, by a Chinese chef in San Francisco.  

Much of Chinese cuisine enjoyed around the world originates from Canton province in the south of the country, and its neighbour Hong Kong. The probable reason for this is that most Chinese who emigrated to the USA, Europe and elsewhere came from this region.

And with food - and the enjoyment of eating - so fundamentally important to the Chinese, it’s not surprising that they took this crucial aspect of their culture along with them.

But although Cantonese cuisine may have become the default Chinese dining experience in many countries, dishes from the vast mainland – with its widely diverse landscape, peoples and cultures – have also begun to gain popularity among discerning diners.

The influence of Chinese cooking underpins other cuisines throughout Asia, particularly here in Thailand where many people can claim Chinese ancestry. There are echoes of Chinese inspiration in the ingredients and preparation of a number of Thai dishes.

And there are also quality chefs all over Thailand dedicated to delighting diners with their own interpretations of classic Chinese cuisine. Examples of this are showcased here in an exciting tour of some of the most outstanding examples waiting to be savoured.  

To enhance this culinary journey, each dish is accompanied by a pairing recommendation from each restaurant’s wine list by my colleague Bart Duykers of Andaman Wine Club: andamanwineclub.com; [email protected]

BANYAN TREE BANGKOK

This unique preparation of prawn hails from Guangdong and is sublimely crafted by Chef Minghua Lin to balance the natural sweetness of the river prawn with the salty notes of the egg. The character of salted egg also imbues the overall dish with silky texture, setting it apart from other prawn dishes in a league of its own. This is a delicate and wonderfully intricate taste sensation that in many ways encapsulates the time-honoured philosophy of Chinese cuisine to incorporate extremities of distinct flavours in one compact package.

Wine Companion: With such delicacy, it’s recommended to drink a light sparkling wine, which doesn’t disturb the dish’s flavours. I suggest the Piccini 1882 Spumante, which is an extra dry wine (meaning dry with a slightly sweet finish). Quiet, balanced and very smooth drinking.

For more contact: banyantree.com/en/thailand/bangkok