Chinese cuisine
has become an American staple ever since Chinatown in San Francisco started offering carry-out with iconic white boxes. Though convenient to order, Chinese food can be made easily at home. Fresh ingredients, Asian food staples and some special cooking instruments are all you need to prepare yourself and your family fabulous feasts of healthy and delicious Chinese food.
Stir Fry
The secret of cooking stir fry is investing in a wok. Woks are prized for heating food evenly and being able to cook food fast. The best kind of wok to use is one made of carbon steel. Choose a flat-bottom wok for cooking on gas and electric ranges. When cooking stir fry, use an oil such as peanut oil because it has a high smoke point, and for cooking stir fry you want it to be piping hot. Drizzle oil down the side of the wok and wait about 10 minutes while the heat is turned up high. Add any kind of vegetables of your choosing, such as snow peas, carrots, onions, celery or bean sprouts. It's important to add the vegetables before meat because they take longer to cook. Place chopped meat, chicken or tofu in the wok. Don't worry about the loud sizzling sounds or oil splatter. This is common for wok cooking. You should be able to cook your entire meal in about five minutes. Toward the end of cooking, add a sauce such as soy or fish sauce. You can get these items in an Asian market or at most grocery stores. Use a straining spoon to lift the food out of the wok and serve.
General Tso's Chicken
Traditional Chinese cuisine is vastly different from its American-style cousin. China has hundreds of regional cooking styles that differ from each other. Shandong, Cantonese and Sichuan are just a few. General Tso's chicken is one of the most popular dishes ordered in American Chinese restaurants. Make the sauce for this dish at home by buying fresh garlic, sugar, soy sauce, white vinegar, fresh ginger and condensed chicken broth. Use cornstarch to bind together all the ingredients, and mix everything up in a jar and refrigerate. Take 3 pounds of cut chicken mixed with soy sauce and hot peppers. Roll the chicken over a mixture of cornstarch and 1 beaten egg. Make sure the chicken is coated. Fry it in a wok that has an oil temperature of 350 degrees F. Cook all of chicken, and then allow it to drain on a paper towel. Add sauce to the wok and mix in all the chicken. Fry for one minute on high heat and serve.
Tofu
Tofu is made from soy beans that have been boiled. This vegetarian favorite is a staple in most Chinese and Asian cuisine. You can buy two types of tofu: soft and firm. Soft goes great in stir fries and sauces; firm is preferably baked or fried. Drain firm tofu and press it with paper towels to get out excess water. To fry it, dredge each piece of tofu in flour or tapioca starch. Heat up a wok with oil and drop in the tofu. Each piece should turn a golden brown to indicate it has been thoroughly cooked. Pour on your favorite sauce and allow the tofu to soak it in. Take the tofu out of the sauce and serve with brown or white rice.
Tags: cooking stir, able cook, Chinese cuisine, Chinese food
