Top Ten Authentic Foods. Photo credit to: Canva

America is one of the most diverse countries in the world with a multicultural society that has modernized and intertwined many cuisines. This led to the loss of the authenticity of many foods in different cuisines, such as Indian and Chinese. Here are the top ten authentic Chinese and Indian foods. 

Top 10 authentic Chinese foods

1. Dim Sum
   • This appetizer comprises a small plate of mini dumplings, filled with meats and vegetables that are usually deep-fried. 
2. Egg Fried Rice
   • This main dish can consist of stir fried rice mixed with eggs, vegetables, meats, and seafood. It’s typically stir fried in soy sauce and sesame oil, seasoned with green onions. 
3. Peking Roasted Duck
   • This dish is a fried, fruity, tangy and sweet breaded chicken coated in a sweet and sour sauce. It typically contains ingredients like orange juice, vinegar, garlic, sugar, spices and soy sauce.
4. Char Siu 
   • This dish features Chinese style barbecue pork. The sauce is made of hoisin, honey, soy and a variety of Chinese spices. This dish is usually served with rice and vegetables to be eaten as a main dish. 
5. Jiaozi
   • Jiaozi is a Chinese dumpling wrapped in flour containing minced meats, eggs, spices, vegetables and any fillings the chef desires. It is usually steamed, pan-fried or boiled. 
6. Honey Walnut Shrimp
   • This appetizer features breaded and fried shrimp coated in a sauce made of mayonnaise, honey and sweet condensed milk. It can be served with walnut and features a sweet and savory flavor. 
7. Wontons
   • This fried dumpling features fillings that include ground pork, green onions, spices and a variety of seasonings. It can usually be found in soup oriented dishes.
8. Sesame Tofu
   • This simple but delicious dish features a crispy but soft tofu seasoned in sesame seeds and green onions. Sesame tofu is usually served with a variety of vegetables and can be mixed with meat to enhance flavor. 
9.  Beef and Broccoli
   • This side dish features beef and broccoli covered in soy, oyster and sesame sauce. Seasoned in onions, bean sprouts and a variety of vegetables, this dish always  tastes delicious.
10.  Chow Mein
    • This dish is made from stir fried noodles, vegetables and meats served with sesame, soy or oyster sauce. The dish is usually seasoned in green onions, garlic and a variety of seasonings. 

Top 10 authentic Indian foods

1. Pani Puri
   • This snack is a bread-puff ball filled with potato, chickpeas, onions, spices and flavored water, usually mixed with tamarind and mint. This is popped into the mouth and ate in one bite, to get a sour, tangy and spicy taste all at once. 
2. Gobi Manchurian
   • This appetizer is made with pan fried crispy cauliflower, flavored with spices, herbs, ketchup and other sauces. The sauces combined with the spices make the taste sweet and spicy, creating a tangy flavor. The cauliflower gives it an umami flavor, but this dish is for vegetarians and has no meat. 
3. Biryani
   • This rice dish is flavored with spices, garam masala, fried onions and marinated meats. There are different types of biryani: chicken, mutton, fish, prawns, egg. As there are a lot of vegetarians in India, there are also many vegetarian biryani dishes, filled primarily with cooked vegetables as an alternative to the marinated meats.
4. Kaju Burfi
   • This diamond shaped sweet is made with cashews, butter, sugar, oil and water. The cashews combined with the sugar forms a thick, chewy batter and creates a nutty and sweet flavor. 
5.  Pav Bhaji
   • This snack consists of soft bread buns with a lot of vegetable curry that you dip and eat with. This vegetable curry consists of potatoes, cauliflower, peas, carrots, onions,etc. 
6. Palak Paneer
   • This curry is made with paneer (looks like tofu), spices, herbs and fresh spinach. Although spinach is often hated by a lot of people, the freshness of the spinach combined with the spices and herbs gives it an enriching flavor. This dish is vegetarian, and the paneer is the main source of protein. 
7. Chole Bhature
   • This curry is made with chickpeas and is eaten with fried flat bread. It is made with a variety of spices and vegetables. The consistency of the chickpeas are thick and semi-dry, but the vegetables, oils and spices make a flavourful gravy that can be enjoyed with the chickpeas. Generally, this dish is spicy, but it can also have a tangy flavor. 
8. Gulab Jamun
   • This sweet consists of soft, fried dough balls that are in a sweet, sticky, sugary syrup. The sweet just melts on the tongue. This sweet is also often referred to as “Indian donuts.” 
9.  Butter Chicken
   • Made with spiced up tomatoes, cream sauce, a diverse variety of spices, butter and chicken, the flavor of this dish is amazing. The aroma that arises from this curry when it is being cooked smells delicious. The soft, marinated chicken combined with the gravy makes the food easy and enjoyable to eat. 
10. Samosa
    • This pastry is filled with spicy potatoes, peas, spices and herbs. It has an outer coating of deep fried dough giving it a crunchy texture. Combining the crunchy texture with the mixture of the different spices and vegetables of the filling creates a unique and spicy experience for the consumer.