Sarah Spencer - Chinese Cooking: Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes

CHINESE COOKING

Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes

Sarah Spencer

Copyrights

All rights reserved 2018 by Sarah Spencer and The Cookbook Publisher. No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use

Effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is accurate and complete. However, the author and the publisher do not warrant the accuracy of the information, text, and graphics contained within the book due to the rapidly changing nature of science, research, known and unknown facts, and internet. The author and the publisher do not hold any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. This book is presented solely for motivational and informational purposes.

The recipes provided in this book are for informational purposes only and are not intended to provide dietary advice. A medical practitioner should be consulted before making any changes in diet. Additionally, recipes cooking times may require adjustment depending on age and quality of appliances. Readers are strongly urged to take all precautions to ensure ingredients are fully cooked in order to avoid the dangers of foodborne illnesses. The recipes and suggestions provided in this book are solely the opinion of the author. The author and publisher do not take any responsibility for any consequences that may result due to following the instructions provided in this book. The nutritional information for recipes contained in this book are provided for informational purposes only. This information is based on the specific brands, ingredients, and measurements used to make the recipe and therefore the nutritional information is an estimate, and in no way is intended to be a guarantee of the actual nutritional value of the recipe made in the readers home. The author and the publisher will not be responsible for any damages resulting in your reliance on the nutritional information. The best method to obtain an accurate count of the nutritional value in the recipe is to calculate the information with your specific brands, ingredients, and measurements.

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Its not a secret that Americans love Chinese food. Theres just something special about those fried chicken bits coated in a delicious sweet and sour sauce that keeps us coming back for more. Not to mention the incredibly flavorful fried rice. Aside from these, there are the tasty and perfectly cooked meats wrapped in a soft, or crunchy, thin doughthe egg rolls, wontons, pot stickers, and, of course, the crab rangoon. But did you know that the Chinese food we know so well in America isnt actually traditional to Chinese culture? Mention Chop Suey in most places in China, and they wouldnt have a clue about what youre talking about. Besides, most of the vegetables used in the Chinese food we know arent even native to China. Chinese food is actually more American than you might think!

During the Gold Rush around the 1840s, the Chinese from Canton in South China (which is now modern-day Guangzhou), travelled to California to cash in on the opportunities of prosperity that gold could bring them. Others saw the Gold Rush as a business opportunity to provide food services to the laborers. They started opening restaurants that catered to the taste buds of Chinese miners. Also known as chow chow houses, these were marked with yellow triangle flags made of cloth hung right outside the restaurant, traditional to Chinese culture. These chow chow houses became increasingly popular as the years went by. Its not surprising since they offered good food and better service compared to most American restaurants at that time. But, unfortunately, as their number grew, so did the hatred towards them.

During the late 1880s, the Chinese fell victim to discrimination, experiencing a few laws that were specifically targeted against them. One of those laws was the Chinese Exclusion Act which forbade Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States. The law was meant to help the US preserve their gold resources.

Despite the early success of Chinese restaurants in California, the bias towards the Chinese continued, often being criticized for the way they prepared their food and what was in it. The Chinese were suspected of eating rats and having foul-smelling kitchens. Nevertheless, Chinese food prevailed. Over time, as Chinese food became even more popular, the restaurant owners began designing their menus based on the needs of Americans. At first, they would have two separate menus: one for the Chinese customers and another for the Americans. The American version typically either had sugar or cornstarch (or both) incorporated in the meals and included lots deep-fried food and sweet sauces. And, obviously, that version won and is the type of Chinese food were most familiar with today.

There are quite a few changes, some drastic, made to traditional Chinese food before they became popular in Chinese restaurants in America. Chop Suey, for example, was invented in California. In English, it translates to odds and ends. The dish was comprised of leftovers put together in a stir-fry. Who knew it would turn into such a food craze? Another food craze, was the fortune cookie which was introduced in San Francisco around 1918.

A more current popular dish, General Tsos Chicken, was first introduced in Hunam, a restaurant in New York, in 1974 but the inspiration comes from a Taiwan dish invented in 1955. The original Taiwanese General Tsos Chicken uses a Chinese alternative to broccoli and nixes the sweet and sour sauce for a combination of soy sauce, garlic, and chilies. It goes to show just how much Chinese restaurateurs are willing to adapt and innovate according to American tastes, even if it means putting aside the flavors that made them authentically Chinese. Even the take-out box, most often associated with Chinese take-out food, has no Asian roots at all. Taking inspiration from the Japanese tradition of origami, Fold-Pak, a company born in the U.S., created the take-out box that provides for most of the take-out containers used by Chinese restaurants in America. These take-out containers, decorated with a Chinese-inspired red printed pagoda on the side and a stylized Thank You on the top, ironically arent sold in China.

Now, Im sure that all this talk about Chinese food makes you want to place an order at your favorite Chinese restaurant by now. But how about making them in your own kitchen instead? This cookbook offer the most beloved Chinese takeout dish recipes from appetizers to desserts. They are easy to prepare and take almost no time to make. With ingredients you can easily find in your pantry or at your local grocery store, cook yourself a meal that tastes just likeor even betterthan your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant!