Tag Archives: chinese

Varieties Of Chinese Recipes

Chinese Recipes, , , , , , ,

Keep in mind that there are many different types of Chinese recipes that you can make for your family. You’ll need to keep in mind that everyone in the family probably has their favorite dish, but you’ll also find that everyone has a different reason why they like that dish as well.

You’ll find that when everyone has different tastes it can be very hard to please everyone, so you may have to try to figure out what recipes work well and also what recipes don’t work well. You’ll also want to keep in mind that these recipes are nothing that is set in stone. You’ll need to keep in mind that there are some standard ingredients that you can work with and figure out your own recipe. Keep in mind that Chinese food is based on ingredients like rice, noodles, seafood, and vegetables. You’ll find that there are some different tastes in the different regions of china too. You’ll find that Lo Mein is very different in Shanhai then it is in Beijing. This is because of the cultural differences and also the ingredients that are readily available.

You’ll find that the regions do end up playing a special role in what tastes like what, but you’ll also want to keep in mind that China is a big country and it is very different, climate-wise, when it comes to the regions too. The spices tend to make the dish.

When it comes to Chinese recipes there are types of Chinese Recipes there are a lot of things that will make or break the dish. It is very important that you think about things like soups and pancakes when trying new things because they all are different when it comes to eating at various restaurants or making them yourself.

Two Healthy Chinese Recipes

Healthy Cooking, , , ,

Chinese cooking has healthy, well balanced recipes that can very well fit in almost any dietary regiment. Today, I am sharing with you two of these healthy recipes for your enjoyment.

Chinese Recipe of Beef Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked rice, cold

Directions:

Combine soy sauce, sugar and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook eggs about 45 seconds, stirring constantly, until eggs are just set. Transfer eggs to a bowl and set aside. Add ground beef and next 3 ingredients to same pan over medium heat. Sauté about 3 minutes, stirring often to break up meat, until browned. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute. Discard excess fat. Increase heat to high and add rice. Stir-fry about 1 minute, until heated through. Stir in soy sauce mixture and eggs and stir-fry 30 seconds longer.

Per serving:
calories 338, fat 15.7g, 43% calories from fat, cholesterol 133mg, protein 16.8g, carbohydrates 31.0g, fiber 1.6g, sugar 2.5g, sodium 547mg, diet points 8.3.

Classic Chinese Chicken Teriyaki

1/4 cup lite soy sauce
3 tbsp prepared spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 sliced thin medium onion
1 cut in half garlic clove
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 skinned boned chicken breast halves, each about 4 oz
1 spinach and pepper saute (see recip, e for this)

Directions:

In medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, mustard, sugar and ginger;
set aside.

In large, nonstick skillet, over high heat, toast sesame seeds until golden brown, about 4 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.

In same skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until soft, about 5 minutes, if desired, discard garlic clove halves. Add chicken and soy sauce mixture to skillet. Cover and simmer, turning chicken over once, until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare spinach and pepper saute. To serve, place chicken on platter, pour sauce and vegetables over chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place sauteed mixture on platter. Garnish with scallion fan.

Regional Cuisine Of China Szechuan Style

Chinese Cooking, , , ,

The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally distinct area in the central western of part of China, a province known as Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty, during the 15th century. However, it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine.

The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid, and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy dishes, though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong in flavor.

A general overview of culinary history and trends reveals that, for the most part, areas that tended to spice heavily were areas in which the fresh food supply was not as reliable as in places that traditionally used a lighter hand in their use of spices. The climate of Sichuan is conducive to faster food spoilage. This, particularly in the past, made necessary food preservation techniques that themselves left behind a strong flavor, such as salting, pickling, drying, and smoking. Thus, spices served to mask the flavors of less than fresh foods and those that have been preserved by methods that affect their natural flavors. In addition to masking certain flavors, the use of hot spices, such as chili peppers, tends to be more common to hot climates, as the sweat that they can produce is thought to cool the body.

Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is based upon bringing together five fundamental taste sensations – sweet, sour, pungent, salty and bitter. The balance of these particular elements in any one dish or regional cuisine can vary, according to need and desire, especially as influenced by climate, culture and food availability.

In Szechuan cuisine, there are a variety of ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These include a variety of chili peppers, peppercorns over various types, Sichuan peppers, which are in reality a type of fruit, not pepper, and produce a numbing effect in addition to their warm flavor. Sichuan peppers, also called flower pepper and mountain pepper, are a traditional part of the Chinese five spice powder, or at least of those that are modeled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations common to regional Chinese cooking.

Other ingredients used commonly in Szechuan cuisine to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of sugars, such as beet root sugar and cane sugar, as well as local fruits for sweetness. The sour comes from pickled vegetables and different varieties of vinegar. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of bitterness that complements other flavors. Other spices and flavors include dried orange peel, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and bean paste. Salt is important to Szechuan cuisine, and the area produces uniquely flavored salts that help to distinguish authentic Szechuan cuisine from the other regional cuisines from China.

Szechuan cuisine is marked by its rich traditional flavors, which stem from a culture of hundreds of years and are in part shaped by the natural forces of climate. Authentic Szechuan cuisine offers a unique dining experience made up of adventurous and creative taste sensations.

Easy Chinese Recipes

Chinese Recipes, , , ,

You’ll find that there are a lot of things that you have to do in a day. You don’t want to spend all day on dinner, but you also want to keep in mind that a good and wholesome meal can be served within an hour. You’ll find that there are a lot of ingredients that can be opted out so that you are able to keep things simple and easy. It also depends on rather or not you are an experienced cook or a beginner. You’ll want to keep in mind that most people will struggle with some of the dishes, but you’ll be able to do a lot with just rice, veggies, and one type of meat.

The more ingredients that you add, the more complicated you are making things. You don’t want to make cooking difficult, but you do want to make sure that these recipes are something that you will enjoy as well. You will want to start with rice and then work your way into making a delicious meal.

Keep in mind that rice only takes about twenty minutes and it shouldn’t take any longer than that for you to cut up some meat and vegetables. This can be a quick and easy stir-fry. You’ll want to keep things simple, but then you can get as fancy as you like when you start to get use to the art of cooking Chinese food. You’ll also find that when it comes to choosing your recipe you’ll need to decide how many people you are going to have to feed. When you decide how much and of what you’ll be able to jump into dinner and have it down within an hour.

Chinese Recipes For The Whole Family

Healthy Cooking, , , ,

When it comes to the family, you’ll find that there are some foods that everyone loves, but then there are some savory dishes that are too much for the kids. You’ll find that if you allow the kids to get involved with dinner, they will be more inclined to make good, healthy food choices. You will be able to make egg rolls and even won tons with the kids, but you’ll want to make sure that everyone plays a role in making dinner.

You’ll find that the kids will love to make the egg rolls, but you should consider giving them the freedom of stuffing the rolls. This way you will be able to entice your children to make healthy choices. You’ll find that there are some egg rolls like ham and cheese that the kids will enjoy or you can put a new twist on the PB & J sandwich. This is just a fund and creative way to share some time with the kids. You’ll find that the whole experience is fun for all.

You’ll find that the traditional won ton has things like pork and vegetables in it, however, you’ll want to consider placing things like cream cheese or frosting inside so that you can make a quick and easy treat the all can enjoy. You’ll need to keep in mind that your imagination is the only thing that can hold you back from sharing quality time with your family.

If you have older children, you’ll find that when it comes to making more traditional foods you’ll be able to score. You’ll want to get the older kids to help chop things up, but also teach your children the correct way of making rice. This will come in handy when they grow up and have a family of their own.

Chinese Recipes

Chinese Cooking, , , ,

When it comes to Chinese recipes, you’ll find that there are some of the most interesting recipes that you will ever try. You’ll also find that there are many recipes that are appropriate as a snack or some that are appropriate as a main course. You’ll need to keep in mind that these recipes will be able to come together quickly too. You will find that there are thousands of recipes that you can use and there are even more cookbooks on the market. You’ll need to keep in mind that it is easier for you to try out recipes and then add them to your own personal cookbook. This way you are able to build your own cookbook that can be passed down to other generations.

Often, you’ll find a recipe that is hundreds of years old, but each generation has added something to it or taking something out. You’ll find that these are the best recipes because you are able to make them your own and feel more comfortable about doing so. You’ll need to keep in mind that there have been great technology advances and you’ll need to opt out some of the cookware so that you can use electric woks or rice cookers.

When it comes to the cultural heritage of the food, you’ll want to keep in mind that they have a very strong history. You’ll need to keep in mind that most of the recipes do involve rice. Rice has become the main food for china and it has also become a major export.

There are many Chinese recipes that can take hours and hours to prepare, but you’ll also find that there are twice as many recipes that are so easy to prepare that you may be able to have a good meal for the family within minutes.

A Beginners Guide To Chinese Cookery

Chinese Cooking, , , , ,

When I first ate Chinese food in the UK in the 1970s, it was really quite unappealing. Everything came in a gloopy sauce and seemed to taste the same, due to the overuse of monosodium glutamate, supposedly a flavour enhancer but in reality, nothing of the kind. Then in the 1980s a new breed of Chinese restaurant arrived (at least it took that long to reach the provinces) which provided lighter, tastier Chinese cooking demonstrating regional differences. There was one drawback, however, which was that this new type of restaurant was much more expensive than the original cheap ‘n tasteless ones. Consequently, I thought how nice it would be to cook Chinese food at home but I had no idea where to start until BBC TV came to my rescue in the shape of Ken Hom, the USA-born chef of Cantonese parents.

Ken presented Chinese cuisine in such an easily-understandable way, demonstrating techniques and suggesting alternative ingredients should the originals not be available in your local supermarket. The book which accompanied the series, Ken Hom’s Chinese Cookery became my bible and I still have my copy, pages stained with oil drips and smears of sauce.

To help you on your way to cooking Chinese food at home, I’m going to briefly describe the basic equipment, ingredients and techniques which you need to know so that you can produce some simple and tasty dishes. I hope you enjoy the article and that it inspires you to get cooking!

Equipment

Although there are many implements and pieces of equipment you can buy, to start on the road to cooking your own Chinese food, you really only need a good knife or two and a wok.
Woks come in all shapes and sizes, they can be non-stick, flat-bottomed, they can even be electric these days but I still prefer my old carbon steel wok with it’s rounded bottom and one wooden handle. This is a Pau wok. These are readily available in Chinese supermarkets and are much less expensive than other varieties. There is one important task though, before you will be ready to cook with such a wok and that is to season it. You will need to scrub it with a cream cleaner to remove any residues of machine oil and dry it carefully. Put the wok on the hob over a low heat. Rub the inside of the wok with two tablespoons of cooking oil using kitchen towel. Let the wok heat slowly for 10 to 15 minutes then wipe the inside with more kitchen towel. The paper will come away black. Carry on coating, heating and cleaning off until the kitchen towel comes away clean. Your wok is now ready to use. After use, wash only in water without detergent and dry thoroughly over a low heat. You may also apply a little oil if you wish. This should prevent the wok from rusting but if it does develop rust, just scrub and season again.

As well as the wok, you will need a wok stand, particularly if you have an electric hob. This keeps the wok stable if you are using it for braising or deep frying.

You will also need something to stir with – any spatula, slice or slotted spoon will do – metal for a metal wok and plastic or wooden for a non-stick wok.

Ingredients

Before you rush out and buy up the whole Chinese section at the supermarket, bear in mind that some ingredients don’t keep well if left unused. Just select something simple from your chosen cookery book and buy the things that you need for that then you can expand your selection as you progress through different dishes.

Some common store-cupboard ingredients that you will almost certainly need are dark and light soy sauce, some sort of cooking oil and sesame oil, cornflour and rice wine or sherry. For more information, see my article Chinese Cooking – Ingredients and Equipment.

Techniques

Stir-Frying

The most well known Chinese cooking technique is stir-frying. This is where your wok comes into its own as it’s shape and size (at least 14 inches diameter with deep sides) is ideal for quick cooking. The secret to successful stir-frying is to have all your ingredients ready in advance.

Meat should be cut according to the recipe but normally in thin strips. Vegetables likewise but in any event should be of similar shapes and sizes to ensure even cooking. Long thin vegetables such as spring onions, carrots or asparagus are often cut on the diagonal so that more surface area is exposed for quicker cooking. Measure out sauce ingredients – check the recipe – if they are all added to the dish at the same time, you can put them all in one small bowl. If cornflour is included, don’t forget to give it a good stir before adding to the other food.

Once you have everything prepared, heat your wok until it is very hot then add oil and using your chosen stirring implement ensure that the oil is evenly distributed over the surface of the wok. Before you add your ingredients. the wok should be so hot that it is almost smoking – this will prevent the food from being greasy. The exception to this is if you are flavouring your oil with garlic, chilli, spring onions, ginger or salt – these will burn if the oil is too hot.

Now add your other ingredients in the order stated in the recipe and toss them over the surface of the wok ensuring that nothing rests in one place for too long and moving the food from the centre of the wok to the sides. I suggest that you wear an apron or other protective clothing for this operation as the food often spits due to the high temperature it is cooked at.

Deep Frying

You can use your wok for deep frying but be very careful that it is safely balanced on its stand. Under no circumstances leave it unattended. Deep frying in a wok uses less oil than a deep fryer or saucepan but you may find these safer and easier to use.

When deep frying, make sure that the oil is hot enough before adding ingredients or the food will end up very greasy. Test it by dropping in a small piece of prepared food or a cube of bread. If the oil bubbles up around what you dropped in then it’s hot enough.

Make sure that food to be deep fried is dried thoroughly on kitchen paper or drained of its marinade before cooking otherwise it will spit.

Shallow Frying

This is the same as the Western technique. Fry food on one side, then the other and drain off any excess oil before adding sauce ingredients. A normal frying pan is fine for this.

Steaming

Steaming is widely used in Chinese cookery. You can use a bamboo steamer in a wok, a heat-proof plate placed on a rack in a wok or other large pan or you can use a normal European steamer.

If using a bamboo steamer or plate in a wok, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Put your rack into the wok (if the bamboo steamer is big enough and will sit on the sides of the wok without being in the water, you don’t need a rack) and balance your plate or steamer of food on it. Put the lid on your steamer or wok and check occasionally to see if the water needs topping up (use water which is already hot).

Whichever method you use, make sure that the food is above the water level and isn’t getting wet.

Braising

As with Western cooking, braising is used for tougher cuts of meat and involves gentle cooking of meat and/or vegetables in flavoured stock. Red-braising is the technique where food is braised in a dark liquid such as soy sauce which gives the food a red/brown colour. This type of braising sauce can be frozen and re-used.