Most people are familiar with the dishes offered at many Chinese restaurants — fried rice, egg foo yong, chow mein — but there’s a whole world of regional Chinese food to please any taste buds.

Chinese food cooked the traditional way contains fewer calories and fat than the American diet. Stir-frying is a quick-cooking technique that allows vegetables to retain their vitamins and minerals and stay bright and crisp.

Chinese cooking falls into four main regional categories: Beijing, Cantonese, Shanghai and Szechwan:

• Beijing food, also called Mandarin, includes more breads than other regions because rice doesn’t grow well there. Beijing cuisine was the food of the ruling classes for more than 500 years. The food is stewed, roasted or boiled, with meats like pork, duck and lamb as the main courses. Examples are Peking duck and mu shu pork.
• Cantonese food is usually steamed, boiled or stir-fried using very little oil. The main ingredients are seafood, pork, chicken and vegetables, with white rice as the main side dish. Because the Canton area produces some of China’s best raw ingredients, this style of cooking uses less seasoning so the natural flavors aren’t lost. Examples of Cantonese food are Buddha’s delight and dim sum.
• Szechwan food is known for its spiciness. Many Szechwan dishes are made with chili pepper oil, and they vary from mild to fiery hot. Examples of these dishes are hot and sour soup, as well as twice-cooked pork.
• Shanghai food is more highly seasoned and contains more fat than other types of Chinese cooking. It also uses more sugar to sweeten the dishes. Examples are sweet and sour pork and eight precious rice pudding (a rice pudding with mixed dried fruit).

Want to create Chinese meals at home? Just stock up on some of the essential ingredients like egg roll wrappers, fresh mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, bok choy, 5-star powder and chili powder. The supermarket is full of interesting options, such as:

• Mixed frozen stir-fry vegetables with your favorite meats
• Try some of the frozen dinner combinations, like beef and rice
• Add your own rice to the packaged Chinese specialties that come with sauces

To truly explore Chinese cuisine, check out a Chinese cookbook at your local library or buy one to keep. Try your hand at some of the recipes, and soon you’ll be cooking authentic Chinese dishes.