Chinese food has become a cultural norm for most Americans. There's nothing quite like ordering a dish of General Tso's or sweet and sour chicken to go. Did you know that these dishes, and most dishes served at Chinese restaurants in America, are not authentic Chinese experiences? As great as that food is, authentic Chinese food can be radically different. Read on and discover just a few dishes that embody the authentic Chinese experience and seek out a restaurant that serves one of these interesting dishes as soon as you can!

Qishan Saozi Mian

Hailing from the northwestern province of Shaanxi, this hearty soup dish is bound to satiate even the hungriest of diners. The broth for this meal consists largely of hot oil, which gives it a spicy taste and tingly sensation. The base for the rest of the soup is largely made from a homemade dough. In addition to the dough, however, qishan saozi mian also includes its namesake: saozi. Saozi is a stir-fry mix of tofu, day lilies, pork belly, wooden ear mushrooms, and seaweed. Perhaps now you understand why this dish is considered so hearty.

Suan Tang Yu

In the Guizhou province, you will find plenty of food that is both spicy and sour. This dish is no exception to the rule. Suan tang yu is another soup based dish, but this time the construct is largely fish based. The broth of this dish is made from pickled chili, fermented rice, a handful of different herbs, and fermented tomatoes. The main ingredient of the dish is a river fish that has been freshly caught, which gives the dish a wildly sour flavor. One of the hallmarks of this dish is that its aroma is incredibly pervasive. Get ready to smell this dish for a couple hours after you've finished it off.

Shouzhua Yangrou

The Qinghai province largely consists of grasslands, which gives plenty of room for livestock to roam. Among the animals you will find grazing on the plain include lamb, which are often used in a variety of Qinghai dishes, including shouzhua yangrou. Cooking this dish is deceptively simple and many people think that a dish that tastes so good must have a complex cooking process. After the meat is cleaned, it is simply put into a boil hot for hours on end and allowed to soak with a variety of vegetables – then the dish is served. The lamb and vegetables are incredibly tender, and are usually eaten by hand.