It may come as a huge surprise to a lot of Americans that the Chinese food served and adored in the United States is not always authentic. In fact, many dishes that are found in the US don’t even exist in China! Keep reading to find out which common Chinese foods are actually not Chinese at all.

Fortune Cookies Originate In California

Fortune cookies are quintessential at any Chinese restaurant … as long as that Chinese restaurant is not in China! The world thinks of fortune cookies as traditionally Chinese, but these delicious bites of goodness and wisdom were actually invented in the United States.

According to The Culture Trip, fortune cookies originate from California, where the Japanese snack known as omikuji senebei inspired the creation of a cookie with a fortune inside. And while there are Western “Chinese” foods that have now been adopted in China, fortune cookies are yet to be embraced.

The first fortune cookies are thought to have been produced by a Japanese immigrant called Makota Hagiwara, who sold the cookies as ‘Japanese fortune teacakes’ at his tea garden.

They Don’t Always Have The Ingredients To Make Beef And Broccoli

Beef and broccoli is a staple at Chinese restaurants and take-out joints across the United States. But you’re not likely to find this favorite in China, mostly because the ingredients aren’t nearly as popular. When it comes to protein for stir-fry dishes, pork tends to be the meat of choice in China over beef. Similarly, a leafier version of broccoli is used in China rather than the vegetable that we’re familiar with in the West. In China, there is a dish called gai lan which features beef and Chinese broccoli, but it boasts a completely different flavor from the beef and broccoli that is served at American Chinese restaurants. The brown sauce that is commonly served with beef and broccoli, which is known to contain stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and corn starch, is faithful to the original Cantonese recipe. RELATED: 10 Awesome Candy Bars And Chocolate You Can Only Get In Japan

Chop Suey Was Invented By Immigrants

Chop suey seems like an authentic Chinese dish, but it was reportedly invented in San Francisco in the 1840s by immigrants from China. Many early Chinese immigrants migrated from the Taishan province of Guangdong, the culinary traditions of which are said to have inspired chop suey. Along with being a prominent part of American Chinese cuisine, chop suey has been embraced by foreign cultures beyond China, including Polynesian cultures, and in Filipino cuisine. Containing a combination of vegetables like cabbage, beansprouts, and celery, eggs and meat (often chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, or other fish), chop suey is often served with a side of rice. RELATED: 10 Of The Unhealthiest Fast Food Chains Around The World (10 In The USA Alone)

You’re More Likely To Find Sweet And Sour Seafood Than Sweet And Sour Pork

Sweet and sour dishes are iconic in Chinese cuisine and this is something that you will find in China. But while sweet and sour pork seems to be the most popular sweet and sour dish in Chinese restaurants across the United States, sweet and sour seafood seems to be the norm in China. Many areas in China serve sweet and sour sauce along with meat or fish for the purpose of dipping, rather than actually cooking a dish in the sauce the way it’s done in many Western countries. RELATED: 10 Food Items To Try In Thailand

There Is Chao Mian In China, But Not Chow Mein

The origins of chow mein remain a mystery. But what we do know is that you won’t find this dish, consisting of previously cooked noodles, meat, and stir-fried vegetables in China. At least, you won’t find it the way that Americans know it. Chao mian, a similar dish containing fried noodles, meat, and vegetables is commonly found in China. But the Cheat Sheet reports that American chow mein and authentic Chinese chao mian are slightly different. Neither is to be confused with lo mein, which refers to noodles that have been tossed rather than fried. NEXT: 10 Best Chinese Restaurants In The US