NATIONAL DISH QUEST

Fried rice is believed to have started as a means to deal with leftovers, specifically meat and vegetables from yesterday that have passed their prime but are still good to consume. The standard ingredients are generally shrimp, pork, and egg, which are stir-fried in chopped garlic and vegetables, and seasoned with soy sauce.

A Peking duck dinner is on the must-do list of every visitor to China’s capital, usually sandwiched between a long day getting lost in the labyrinth of the Forbidden City and sweating their way to the top of the Great Wall.