If you Google the most popular Chinese dishes in America, you will probably see a list that includes Crab Rangoon, pot-stickers and General Tso’s Chicken.  While there are a number of options for good Chinese food in Springfield, Mo., we found New China serves all the top dishes.  The Scoop sat down with the restaurant owner Zhong Pan and discussed the top five selling dishes in his restaurant.

Number 5: Chicken Teriyaki Skewer.

Chicken Teriyaki Skewer is a Chinese style barbecue because Chinese people like to use a bamboo or steel stick to skewer the food and then grill or deep fry it.  The Chicken Teriyaki Skewer uses skinless and boneless chicken thighs with a special Chinese spice called satay.  It is deep fried and great to serve with rice as a main course or use as appetizers.

Number 4: Beef Lo Mein.

Lo Mein is a genuine Chinese dish.  It is a stir-fried soft noddle with beef and sliced vegetables like carrots, cabbage and green onions.  Pan says this dish shows the Chinese way of a balanced diet with staple, meat and vegetables in one dish.

Number 3: Pot Sticker.

You might have tried fried dumplings in America, but maybe not the Chinese way of cooking them.  The three ways to cook dumplings in China are boiled, steamed and pot-stick.  Most people prefer the pot-stick.  At New China, you can taste the most genuine pot-stick method from making, cooking to serving.  First the skin is handmade so the dumplings look bigger, chubby and taste softer.  Second they are stuffed with pork and minced cabbage the way Chinese people normally would.  Third, they are cooked in shallow pan with oil and water which makes them look half deep fried and half steamed.  Finally, they are served with a sauce combined with vinegar, soy sauce, minced ginger and garlic.

Number 2. Crab Rangoon.

Crab Rangoon is a deep-fried dumpling stuffed with crab and cream cheese.  Pan says his customers praise him for serving the best Crab Rangoon in Springfield.  Crab Rangoon is an innovated Chinese dish though as the Chinese normally do not have cream cheese.

Number 1. General Tso’s Chicken.

Mr. Pang said, “When I opened the restaurant 12 years ago, Cashew Chicken was the most popular dish in Springfield.  We wanted to do something new so we introduced General Tso’s chicken and it became the most welcomed dish in my restaurant too.  This dish is deep fried crispy chicken chunks sautéed in hot special sauce on a bed of  broccoli.  The soy sauce plays a much more prominent role and taste especially good when served with rice.”