Dietary Considerations
Common dietary risks in Chinese food
Many dietary risks in Chinese food are not visible from the dish name. This page identifies the recurring places to check before ordering.
Common risks and where they appear
| Risk | Where to check |
|---|---|
| Pork | Char siu, minced pork, lard, pork broth, Chinese sausage, dumpling fillings, mapo tofu, dry-fried beans, buns. |
| Shellfish | Shrimp dumplings, har gow, XO sauce, oyster sauce, dried shrimp, seafood balls, crab roe, shrimp paste. |
| Wheat / gluten | Soy sauce, wheat noodles, dumpling wrappers, bao, breading, hoisin, some oyster sauces, shared fryers. |
| Soy | Soy sauce, tofu, doubanjiang, fermented black beans, bean paste, tofu skin, many marinades. |
| Sesame | Sesame oil, sesame paste, sesame seeds, dan dan noodles, cold noodles, dipping sauces. |
| Peanut / tree nuts | Kung pao, dan dan, cold noodles, desserts, sauces, garnish, some regional dishes. |
| Egg | Fried rice, egg noodles, egg tarts, custard buns, bakery items, soup ribbons, batter. |
| Cooking wine | Shaoxing wine, rice wine, marinades, drunken dishes, stir-fry sauces, braises. |
| Shared equipment | Woks, steamers, fryers, ladles, strainers, cutting boards, sauce stations, prep surfaces. |
Ask better questions
Do not ask only “is this safe?” Ask what is in the sauce, broth, wrapper, filling, marinade, fryer, steamer, and wok. A server may know the dish name but not every ingredient unless the kitchen has a real matrix.