Almost everyone has ordered Chinese takeout or dined at a charming restaurant at some point in their lives. It is a favorite tradition and a culinary delight for people of all ages and backgrounds, making Chinese food one of the most popular options for fast and diverse meals. If you enjoy this meal but want to save money making it yourself, check out the following tips for making Chinese food at home.
The first thing to consider before cooking it on your own is to consult reliable and reviewed recipes. You don’t want to experiment with a recipe that is not known to be successful or delicious. Preparation, cookware, ingredients, and timing are key factors to plan before diving into a new recipe, especially if you’re trying to mimic one you’ve enjoyed at a restaurant in the past.
Keep in mind that your creations in the kitchen may taste a little different than those you have outside of your home. Although many sauces and condiments are available in stores today, some chefs use truly secret ingredients to give their dishes that special flavor that keeps you coming back for more. The best thing to do is to search for recipes that prove to be successful and enjoyed by others, as well as follow the tips below for preparing Chinese food at home.
The ingredients
There are some common ingredients that are well known to people who enjoy Chinese food at their favorite local restaurants or take-out places. Even the best Chinese food is made with the same common ingredients that you can find here in your grocery store or international market. Farmers markets can also feature some of the popular items that are key to these specialty dishes.
Before reading up on the specific ingredients, take a look at this handy list. You can use this when you go shopping for the items you need in each category. This list is also convenient if you’re looking through your cupboards or pantry to see what’s left for you and what you need to buy more when you’re in the store. If you want, it can also be used as a checklist to mark what you bought in the store, or what items to look for coupons in the newspapers. It is the best way to save money when you are shopping, one of the best tips for preparing Chinese food at home!
Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peas
Meats: duck, pork, chicken, shrimp, beef
Grains: rice, noodles, lo mein
Sauces: teriyaki, sweet and sour, stir fry
Others: eggs, wonton, vegetable broth
Many of the most popular dishes are made with those common ingredients, which you have surely seen in a store or even bought before! Why order them to go when you can enjoy them at home, especially at a lower cost?
You can easily find the items you need at the store, or you can also buy them at a farmers market that offers inexpensive fruits and vegetables. Peas, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage are popular choices for soups, muffins, and stir-fries that you love. This is what makes traditional recipes so healthy and gentle on the stomach. Vegetables balance out the heavier ingredients that people can dislike.
The staples of many recipes include meat such as chicken, beef, shrimp, duck, or pork. They are usually the characteristic of main dishes, because they provide a flavor and a substance that cannot be found in recipes based on vegetables. Some of the more popular dishes like General Tso, Kung Pao, stir fry, and foo yung wouldn’t be the same without their meat ingredients. You can often find them for sale in the store if you search for the right deals and coupons, which is another well-known tip for preparing Chinese food at home!
Grains like rice and noodles are the next staple of these fabulous recipes, due to their traditional use in Chinese culture. Rice has been cultivated in China for thousands of years, making it one of the earliest products of agriculture and civilized society. Rice is rich in nutrients and calories, not to mention an extremely easy food to prepare alongside your favorite dishes at home. Sometimes, it is also the main focus of a recipe, rather than the meat. If you want to cook a rice dish, be sure to program it correctly due to the difference in cooking times. You also don’t want to overcook the rice, because this can ruin a dish!
For many Chinese dishes, it’s all about the sauce. Most of the recipes are based on the rich flavors that come from sweet and sour mixes, teriyaki marinade, and soy sauce. Other sauces include duck sauce, garlic sauce, and brown sauce. Did you ever know that there were so many sauces? The flavors you taste in takeout and restaurant dishes are often highly seasoned with a variety of ingredients. Some places even make them from scratch, which you can do. Your recipe may be more successful if you find a sauce recipe from scratch, rather than buying a bottle at the store that has already been mixed. Shelf life will be shorter, but your homemade mix can be the ticket to authentic-tasting Chinese food.
Other tips
As you can see, the ingredients themselves are an important component in creating a delicious dish that mimics the ones you enjoy when ordering or dining at a restaurant. Much of the flavor depends on the correct recipe and foods; otherwise, no matter how much effort you put into the food, it still won’t meet your expectations. If you want to know how to make Chinese food at home, just follow the tips above and you’ll be eating authentic Kung Pao in no time!