Adams Media - Chinese: 50 Essential Recipes for Todays Busy Cook

Avon, Massachusetts

Chinese food has long been a take-out favorite for families. What makes Chinese cuisine so appealing? The true secret to Chinese cuisine lies in a harmonious blending of flavors, textures, and colors. So, why arent more people stir-frying noodles and boiling dumplings?

A common misconception is that it takes a skilled chef working with state-of-the-art equipment to prepare good Chinese food. Fortunately, thats not true. Stir-frying, steaming, and deep-frying the three primary Chinese cooking techniques are all easily mastered with practice.

Another common complaint is that the recipes are too complex, taking too long to make. The sight of a lengthy ingredient list can be a little daunting. But on closer inspection youll find that many of the ingredients go into preparing a marinade or sauce. Subtract those, and the basic recipe is frequently quite simple.

What are the pluses of cooking Chinese food at home? Besides the obvious advantage to your wallet, its often healthier than restaurant fare, since you control the fat and calorie count. You can let your own creativity come into play, adjusting a recipe to add favorite foods or seasonal local ingredients. Cooking Chinese food at home also allows you to modify a recipe to suit your familys tastes substituting parsley for cilantro, for example.

An added bonus is that there is something about cooking Chinese food that brings families together. Many pleasurable evenings can be spent filling dumplings or making pancakes. Appetizers such as egg rolls can often be baked as well as deep-fried, making it easier to involve young children. These 50 recipes are here to help you incorporate home-cooked Chinese meals into your daily life. Enjoy!

If youd like to explore Chinese cooking in more detail, check out The Everything Chinese Cookbook , available in both print (978-1-5806-2954-6) and eBook (978-1-60550-525-1) formats.

Plum Sauce

For best results, prepare the plum sauce several hours ahead of time to give the flavors a chance to blend.

Yields cup

Ingredients

1 12-ounce can prune plums, drained

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 slice ginger

1 clove garlic

cup canned juice from the drained plums

cup water

1. Remove the plum pits. In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, or until the plums are soft.
2. Remove the ginger and garlic. Process the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth. Cool and chill in the refrigerator. Use within a few days.

Peanut Sauce

Use this spicy sauce to liven up a plain garden salad.

Yields 1 cup

Ingredients

cup chicken broth

cup peanut butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons red onion, minced

2 teaspoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons soy sauce

teaspoon chili sauce

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the cilantro and pure in a food processor.
2. Bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the cilantro. Use immediately.

Quick and Easy Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

This simple sauce adds flavor to plain old egg rolls. Adjust the thickness by increasing or reducing the amount of cornstarch.

Yields cup

Ingredients

cup vinegar

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon sugar

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 teaspoons water

In a medium saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil, stirring to thicken.

Asian Vinaigrette

This dressing nicely complements a simple tossed green salad. Stored in a sealed container and refrigerated, it will keep for a few days.

Yields cup

Ingredients

4 tablespoons salad oil

2 tablespoons black rice vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

teaspoon sugar

A few drops sesame oil

Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake to mix thoroughly. Drizzle over the salad.

Stocking Up on Asian Ingredients

If the local grocery store doesnt carry a certain ingredient, and there is no Asian market nearby, try the Internet. Several online grocery stores carry a broad range of Asian ingredients and cooking equipment. Just be sure to check out availability and shipping rates for your area before ordering.

Spring Rolls

Both barbecued pork and chicken marinated in oyster sauce also work well in this recipe.

Yields 12 spring rolls

Ingredients

pound pork tenderloin, shredded

2 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided

teaspoon baking soda

6 dried mushrooms

1 carrot

1 tablespoon chicken broth or stock

teaspoon sugar

1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

teaspoon sesame oil

12 spring roll wrappers

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

46 cups oil for frying

1. Marinate the pork in 1 tablespoon oyster sauce and baking soda for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water to soften; drain and thinly slice. Wash and grate the carrot until you have cup.
3. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, chicken broth, and sugar. Set aside.
4. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the pork. Stir-fry briefly until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok.
5. Add 1 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the dried mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the bean sprouts, grated carrot, and the green onion. Add the sauce in the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Add the pork and mix through. Drizzle with the sesame oil. Cool.
6. Heat 46 cups oil to 375F. While oil is heating, prepare the spring rolls. To wrap, lay the wrapper in a diamond shape. Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle. Coat all the edges with the cornstarch-and-water mixture. Roll up the wrapper and tuck in the edges. Seal the tucked-in edges with cornstarch and water. Continue with the remainder of the Spring Rolls. (Prepare more cornstarch and water as necessary.)
7. Deep-fry the spring rolls, 2 at a time, until they turn golden. Drain on paper towels.

Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms

Large Portobello mushrooms work well in this recipe. Garnish with cilantro or parsley sprigs before serving.

Yields 20 mushrooms

Ingredients

20 large fresh mushrooms

1 teaspoon baking powder

cup flour

teaspoon sugar

teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

cup water

Shrimp paste

cup cornstarch