Pork meatballs (shizi tou) can be a low-fat dish, but it really depends on the quality of the meat used. "The fatty part of the grounded pork [which is white in color] is what makes it taste so good, but you can ask them to cut down on the amount used if you're watching your fat intake," Liang says. "Or, simply don't eat as many if they're particularly fatty."
Beef: Beef buffs take note: There are healthy red meat dishes, though they're often overlooked for fancier (and fattier) beef concoctions. While beef in black pepper sauce (hei jiao niu liu) may be what your taste buds are craving, your hips will thank you for avoiding it. The sauce-braised beef pieces are pan-fried and then stir-fried with the other ingredients in a salt-heavy thickening powder.
Instead, Liang suggests trying one of the vast Chinese beef casserole (sha guo niu rou) combinations available year-round. The dish generally uses lean beef chunks with the fat trimmed off, providing rich flavor without extra fat. Another smart choice is turnip and beef soup (luo bo niu rou geng). Only small amounts of lean beef are usually used, making it a healthier pick.
Lamb: A Saturday night out drinking is often incomplete without first chomping down a couple of barbequed lamb skewers (yang rou chuanr). Luckily, the flavorsome snacks get the thumbs up from nutrition experts. "They are pretty harmless since they're marinated in only a little sauce and sprinkled with spices," Liang says. "Also, only lean lamb is used and the barbequing further reduces any fat."
The winter favorite hot pot not only warms you up, but can also be low in fat. For healthy hot pot, stick to a broth base; trim away the fatty part of the meat before boiling; and go easy on the dipping sauce, which contains a generous amount of oil.
Seafood: Fish is not only an essential addition to any Chinese feast - it's also a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals. "When I go to restaurants I usually order a standard steamed fish," Liang says. "It's best to choose the fish yourself, but make sure it's alive and weighed in front of you." This ensures that you are eating the freshest fish available.
For a light, protein-packed dish, try a simple steamed fish (Liang recommends steaming for 6 minutes for a medium-sized fish) dressed with a little vinegar, cooking wine and herbs like ginger and scallions. Boiled shrimp with soy sauce (jiang you zheng xiao xia) is another mouth-watering dish that's low in fat and high on flavor.
Vegetables: A plate full of greens remains a healthy winner at the dinner table, but many restaurants prepare broccoli heads and sugar peas smothered in oil, salt and MSG. These unhealthy extras will usually be added unless you request otherwise, so don't be afraid to speak up.
"When ordering stir-fried vegetables, the most important thing to do is ask for half the amount of oil to be used," says Liang. "If you're really health conscious, ask that chicken stock or vinegar be used instead of oil." If you want to keep the oil, try asking for a premium olive or canola oil to be used: Larger, upscale hotel restaurants might be able to accommodate you, though it's much less likely at a local spot.
