Through ignorance or apathy and just labelling them as Asian cuisine, quite often the uninformed patron can mistake Japanese and Chinese food, dismissing their differences. People think that since the both delicacies mostly contain rice, meat, and some sauce it's pretty much the same thing. Through treatment of the meal, ingredients, and tastes, this really couldn't be further from the truth as Japanese and Chinese foods have many differences in their respective cuisines.

In comparison to what many people realize, the world of Chinese food consists of more variety. Categorized roughly by four regions, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western, there are many different types of food in China. These are discussed as follows-

Southern, or Cantonese - Perhaps the most well known to Indians is the cuisine from this area. A large variety of vegetables and meats are used in Cantonese cuisine. The staple diet is rice is the staple, and Cantonese in origin, the familiar Fried Rice recipes are the most popular. Chinese food in India always includes these cuisines. By stir-frying, many of the dishes of this area are prepared very quickly. In this region, both sweet and sour dishes originated.

Northern, or Beijing - This type of food originated in the area of China that has very sever winters, also known as Mandarin cuisine. Wheat is the staple diet here as the climate of this region does not allow for the growing of rice. Wheat is used to make noodles, pancakes and dumplings. With plenty of onion, garlic, cabbage, bean pastes, dark soy sauce and oyster flavoured sauce, the flavors of Northern China are more robust. Northern cuisine is hearty fare, with influences from Mongolian and Muslim invaders in the past. Some of the more familiar types of this cuisine are Beijing (Peking) Duck, Mongolian Hot Pot and Mongolian Beef.

Eastern, or Shanghai – The staple diet here is a combination of wheat and rice. The popularity of rice and wheat noodles is very high. Fish and seafood are a very large part of the cuisine as this region has a lot of rivers and other bodies of water. With a large variety of sweet and savoury pastries being made using the thinnest of pastry skin, the cooking style of this region can be delicate and refined.

Western, or Szechwan - For its use of tongue-blistering chili peppers in a variety of dishes, Szechwan cuisine is famous. But not only heat, there's more to this cuisine. There are subtle dishes, smoked with tea leaves, such as smoked Chicken.