Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Chinese Cooking
Have you ever wished you could make your own Chinese food? Making real Chinese food at home is not difficult. Chinese cooking is based on balance. Like many other things in the Chinese culture, balance is very important. An example would be spicy dishes that often have a mild ingredient or a sweet dish that may have a sour component.
If you want to make Chinese food at home, there are a few tips you may want to remember. Always prepare your ingredients ahead of time. Most Chinese recipes cook fast and you need your ingredients ready to go. If you prepare your ingredients first, you just need to drop them in at the right time. Keep all ingredients separate unless the recipe says otherwise.
When the meat needs to marinate, always make sure the meat is fresh. If you want nice tender bites of meat, always cut it across the grain. In a recipe that calls for both meat and vegetables, always stir fry your meat first and then remove it from the pan. Add the vegetables and let them cook. Return the meat to the pan when the vegetables are done.
If you prefer tofu, drain it well before cooking. The tofu will absorb the flavors of the dish better if you drain it. Cleavers are a great tool to have on hand to cut your tofu, vegetables, and meats, but it is not absolutely necessary. A normal kitchen knife works great.
If you are using leafy greens in your recipe, wash them beforehand so they have time to dry. Wet greens will cool down your wok. When cooking vegetables, always cook the thick or tough ones first. They just take longer to cook. Green cabbage, carrots, and broccoli will take a longer time to cook than spinach or Chinese cabbage. Leafy vegetables should be added last. If you are unsure, which order you should cook the vegetables in, err on the side of caution, and cook them individually.
When you need to use soy sauce, always choose a light soy sauce unless the recipe calls for a dark soy sauce. Kikkoman and other commercial brands are usually fine to use as a light soy sauce. If you are deep frying part of your meal, it is easy to tell when the oil is ready by inserting a chopstick into the oil. If bubbles form around the chopstick, the oil is hot. If they do not, the oil still needs to get hotter.
Many Chinese dishes use the same tricks. Try a sesame chicken recipe, a broccoli beef recipe or an orange chicken recipe and see for yourself. These are just a few of the delicious favorites you can make at home. With some practice, you can make all sorts of wonderful recipes.
Now that you have learned a little bit about how to cook Chinese food, you can try making some yourself. According to one cooking instructor, all you need is a hot stove and a sharp knife. Now that you can make Chinese food at home, your family will be very happy.
Check out our chicken fajitas and chicken quesadilla recipe taste Mexico.
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