Chinese Food, like any other cuisine, depends on the preparation. Most authentic dishes contain no dairy. However, some of the upscale, i.e. overpriced, restaurants in the Seattle area, offer a cream sauce on some of the seafood dishes. Needless to say, we avoid these places. Read the menu carefully. For those of us who have a problem with peanuts, be careful. Traditional chinese cooking calls for peanut oil. However, many reataurants use a vegetable oil, because of the lower cost. Simon W Hecht