Chinese Foods Trivia

1. Long-life or longevity noodles eaten on one's birthday trace their origin back to which dynasty considered a golden age of Chinese history when Emperor Wu ruled?

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Han

According to legend, longevity noodles trace their origins back to the Han Dynasty during Emperor Wu's reign circa 141 BC. There are various versions of the story but most revolve around the length of one's philtrum from the nose to the upper lip determined one's lifespan. Hence the longer the distance the longer the life. Much of this has to do with the vocal similarities in the Chinese word for face and noodle. At the time the joke was told that the legendary Peng Zu who had lived 800 years must have had a really long face. Also according to legend, you are not supposed to bite or cut the noodles or else you will shorten your life. Traditionally, longevity noodles are supposed to be prepared by the young for their elders to eat. This question was slurped whole into the quiz by Phoenix Rising member tazman6619.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: White Pear

The White Pear is known as Baili in Chinese. This fruit can be found year-round in supermarkets or groceries in China. It is full of vitamin C and dietary fiber promoting good health.

From Quiz Do What You Wonton

Answer: Cantonese for "swallowing clouds"

When the wonton is floating in broth it resembles the traditional "spiral cloud" motif in Chinese handicrafts.

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Moo goo gai pan

Moo goo gai pan comes from the Chinese names of the ingredients. Moo goo is button mushrooms. Gai is chicken. Pan means the chicken is sliced. The dish may also include cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and other vegetables. Moo goo gai pan uses a chicken stock sauce rather than the brown peanut sauce many other Chinese dishes use. Moo goo gai pan is a Cantonese dish. Canton cooking features milder sauces than other Chinese cuisine.

From Quiz I Want to Be a Wok Star!

Answer: Round Bottom

Although there are flat bottom woks, the round bottom is the traditional shape. It allows for the center of the wok to have a "hot spot" for quick cooking and stir frying.

From Quiz Eat Your Way Round China

Answer: Peking Duck

Quanjude is one of Beijing's best known duck restaurants, and has been in business for almost 150 years. The duck is roasted in a wood-fired oven, using fruit wood for extra flavour, for about 45 minutes. The whole duck is brought out and sliced at the table. The duck is eaten wrapped in a thin pancake, with a little spring onion, cucumber and sweet plum sauce.

From Quiz Delicious Chinese Dishes

Answer: Bamboo leaves

Zongzi can also be wrapped in other inedible leaves, depending on the fragrance desired. The leaves are never eaten. Wrapped within the leaves, which are then steamed, is rice and an assortment of meats, nuts, beans and even small eggs. They are used to commemorate the death of the first Chinese poet of any fame, Qu Yuan.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Bacteria

Black moss is a type of photosynthetic bacteria and is only found in the Gobi Desert and the Qinghai Plateau. For many years the Chinese have been using the product in their cuisine as a vegetable, however, over the years there have been problems with over-harvesting and this has created erosion issues for the area. As a consequence, the Chinese government has restricted the harvesting of the product which has seen it rise dramatically in price. In its natural state it is dark green in colour but, when dehydrated, it looks like black hair and it almost feels like vermicelli. It is affectionately known as "fat choy", which sounds very similar to the Cantonese phrase faat coi, meaning "struck it rich". This forms part of the New Year greeting "gung hei faat coi", which translate as "wishing you good fortune (or prosperity)". As a result black moss/fat choy has become a popular ingredient during the Chinese New Year festivities, in particular the reunion dinner, which brings the whole family together on New Year's Eve. Thank goodness for bacteria otherwise pollucci19, who wrote this question for Phoenix Rising, would have no culture at all.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: Mangosteen

Mangosteen is called Shanzhu. This fruit grows on evergreen trees and takes 6 months to ripen, usually during the summer.

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Egg foo yung

Foo yung means "lotus flower". Egg foo yung is very similar to an omelet although some chefs deep fry the eggs while others pan fry them. Almost any kind of meat as well as various vegetables can be added to the eggs. Green onions are almost always used. In a traditional Chinese meal all the foods are served at the same time with the bowls placed in the middle of the table to be passed around. For this reason Chinese dinner tables are almost always round.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Winter Solstice

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It should not be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is sometimes also called the Lantern Festival in Southeast Asian countries. Tangyuan, with their spherical shape, symbolise reunion or completeness. They are usually served in a watery syrup. The dumplings themselves may be plain or stuffed with sweet or savoury fillings such as red bean paste, black sesame paste or minced meat. The Winter Solstice is also a festival during which the family get together, thus, tangyuan have great significance on this festival as well. The tangyuan eaten during the Winter Solstice are traditionally pink and white in colour. They too may be plain or have sweet or savoury fillings. In modern times, more variations and assorted colours of tangyuan have appeared, such as the orange-coloured, pumpkin-flavoured tangyuan. This question was rolled up by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: Kumquat

Kumquat is Jinju in Chinese. It has restorative properties and is considered to be an anti-aging food by some.

From Quiz Do What You Wonton

Answer: dried shrimp and pork bones

The best broths incorporate some variety of seafood (dried flounder, dried shrimp or shrimp shells) and pork bones. Sometimes pre-made chicken broth is used with simmered pork bones and ginger.

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Chicken chow mein

I usually order from a quaint little Chinese restaurant around the corner. The food is simply chow mein. (Charming. Get it?) Chow mein means "fried noodles". Egg noodles are fried then set aside while the rest of the ingredients are cooked. The noodles are added back in at the end. Chow mein sauce is a soy-based brown sauce. The above description is for Americanized chow mein. The chow mein served in other countries may have slightly different ingredients or be served differently. For example, a lot of places serve chow mein with softer noodles. These noodles are slightly crisp but still chewy.

From Quiz I Want to Be a Wok Star!

Answer: Gas burner with wok ring

Although the wok could work over an electric burner with wok ring, the center will not get hot enough for a good stir fry.

From Quiz Delicious Chinese Dishes

Answer: Mu Shu Pork

The name 'mu shu' refers to the wood ear mushrooms and day lily flower petals that are sometimes used to create this popular dish.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Mooncakes

The Mid-Autumn Festival is linked to Lady Chang'e, formerly known as Heng'e, the Chinese goddess of the moon and the goddess of immortality. Ancient custom dictated that Emperors should offer a sacrifice to the moon in autumn. With the 15th day of the 8th lunar month falling in mid-autumn, this then led to the day/evening being called the "Night of the Moon". Mooncakes became an integral part of the giving at this celebration, and it is not uncommon to hear this festival referred to as the Mooncake Festival. The mooncake has an outer skin made of pastry. The interior filling is a sweet dense filling made from red bean paste or lotus seed paste. It would not be a surprise to find that, in the very centre of the cake, is a salted egg yolk, meant to symbolize the full moon. The top of the mooncake is likely to have an imprint on it consisting of the Chinese characters for either longevity or harmony. This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who, after watching the moon rotate around the Earth for 24 hours, decided to call it a day.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: Pitaya & Pitahaya

The Chinese word for this fruit is Huo Long Guo. It is a member of the cactus family and tastes similar to kiwi fruit. There is also a yellow peel version of this fruit which is sweeter than the red peel.

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Shrimp lo mein

Lo mein (Chinese for "tossed noodles") is actually the name for the way the noodles are prepared. The choice of ingredients that go into the dish is up to the chef. Lo mein noodles are served soft. By adding them at the end of the cooking process they are able to absorb the sauce without becoming hard. The noodles are long. In fact, the noodles used in Chinese cooking, no matter what type of noodles they are or how wide they are, are long. Chinese equate long noodles with longevity.

From Quiz I Want to Be a Wok Star!

Answer: Brush the inside surface with cooking oil and bake in a moderate oven for an hour

Woks should be treated just like cast iron pans. This will ensure years of rust free, non-stick cooking.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Red

Eggs symbolise fertility and birth. It is customary to gift red chicken eggs to family and friends when there is a new baby in the family. The celebrations can be held at one month, one hundred days or one year after the baby's birth, depending on the family's traditions. The eggs are hard-boiled and dyed red with food colouring while still in their shells. Besides celebrating the new addition to the family, red eggs are also traditionally served on birthdays. This question was hatched by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: Longan

This fruit is known as Dragon Eyes in Chinese because of its resemblance to an eyeball when peeled. Longan is also known to have restorative properties and is popularly served as an ingredient in soup.

From Quiz Do What You Wonton

Answer: frostbite

Zhang Zhongjing (150-219 AD) treated villagers who were suffering from cold and hunger. Many of their ears were mashed because of the cold weather. He used mutton, red pepper and some medicines in wrappers to make "charming ears", which looked like human ears. People felt warm all over and their ears became warm after they ate "charming ears" and drank "dispelling cold soup".

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Kung Pao chicken

Kung Pao chicken got its name from Gong Bao (palatial guardian). Traditional Sichuan Kung Pao uses Sichuan peppercorns instead of red bell peppers. Bell peppers came into use instead due to a long-time ban on importation of the peppercorns into the US because of a tree disease they oft times carried. Diced chicken is used although versions of the dish exist using pork, shrimp and even tofu. Most meat used in Chinese cooking is diced or cut into small strips that can be eaten without using a knife. Knives are not found on a Chinese dinner table.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Double Ninth Festival

The word "double ninth" is pronounced the same as the word meaning "forever," or "lasting" and this festival is all about gathering to wish their elders a long and healthy life. The celebration takes place in autumn and often involves mountain climbing and enjoying the outdoors, with some Chinese also visiting the graves of their ancestors. The cake is mostly rice flour mixed with water until a consistency similar to shortbread. It is layered with date paste or red bean paste, placed in cheesecloth and decorated. It's then steamed and is eaten as the highlight at the end of the festive meal. The question was added as the last course to the quiz by Phoenix Rising's VegemiteKid.

From Quiz Chinese Fruits

Answer: Durian

Durian, called LiuLian, is known as the King of Fruits, and probably got its name from its thorny shell and bowling ball size. It is native to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei where it is also banned in some public places for its strong turpentine smell.

From Quiz Do What You Wonton

Answer: cabbage

Bok choy is sometimes referred to as white cabbage, not to be confused with Napa cabbage, which is also a type of Chinese cabbage. There are many kinds of bok choy that vary in color, taste, and size. Bok choy, known for its mild flavor, is good for stir-fries, braising, and soups. You can also eat it raw.

From Quiz Thank You, I Will

Answer: Wonton soup

Wonton means "floating clouds". The wontons - those bits of meat or vegetables wrapped in dough - resemble clouds as they float in the soup. The wontons are generally spiced with hoisin sauce, green onions and bok choy. Hoisin sauce is a soy sauce mixed with garlic, vinegar and, sometimes, chilis. Bok choy is a type of cabbage. There really is such a thing as Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. It is a shark fin soup that is supposedly so tasty it would make a vegetarian Buddhist monk sneak out of the monastery to eat it.

From Quiz I Want to Be a Wok Star!

Answer: China

Although woks are used widely in East and Southeast Asia, it originated in China.

From Quiz Festive Foods From China

Answer: Buddha

The Laba Festival originally celebrated the new harvest and it did not have a fixed date. With the spread of Buddhism to China, the Laba Festival was fixed on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which was the day Buddha attained enlightenment. Thus, many of the customs associated with this festival are influenced by Buddhism. The congee is made from a variety of grains, nuts, beans, and fruits. Regional variations exist. The name "laba" is derived from the twelfth lunar month ("la") and the number eight ("ba"). Laba congee is also called Eight Treasure Congee. This question was boiled by Phoenix Rising's congee-nial team member purelyqing.

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Last Updated Apr 26 2025 5:46 AM

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