When we say Fried Brown Rice, we don’t mean white rice fried in a classic brown sauce, we’re talking about actual brown rice fried rice! Why Brown Rice? When you eat white rice, the tough outer husk, bran and germ have been removed for a pearly white grain with great texture, but it doesn’t deliver […]
Five Spice Chicken
When we bought our first house over twenty years ago and money was tight, we were always looking for good deals at the local supermarket. The Chicken leg quarters at $0.39/pound sounded pretty good. This oven-baked five spice chicken is an easy dinner we used to make on school nights, because it was easy to […]
Easy Peking Duck with Mandarin Pancakes
Ever since we left Beijing to come back to the US, one of the things we really miss is the abundance and variety of the authentic foods China had to offer, including authentic Peking Duck. What Is Peking Duck? Peking duck (as it’s commonly known in the U.S.) is a famous, centuries-old dish hailing from […]
Pork Fried Rice
Pork fried rice is probably one of the most popular Chinese take-out dishes out there. Anything involving rice and pork is likely to be a winner with a Chinese audience (or any audience that loves Chinese food). In my parents’ restaurant, we used to serve pork fried rice as a side dish accompanying many other […]
Hunan Beef
You may have ordered Hunan Beef from your local takeout joint before. The Americanized version is pretty variable, depending on who’s making it. I once asked my father and other Chinese restaurant chefs—what’s the deal with Hunan Beef? Even they confessed to not know much about it other than the way that particular restaurant prepared […]
Chinese Boiled Peanuts
Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in southern states like South Carolina and Georgia, but did you know that Chinese people also love boiled peanuts? What’s different about Chinese boiled peanuts? Like the boiled peanuts you might find down south at roadside stands and convenience stores, this boiled peanut recipe is easy––using fresh raw peanuts, […]
General Tso’s Chicken
Just about everyone has tried General Tso’s Chicken—deep-fried chicken pieces in a sweet, subtly spicy sauce with crunchy broccoli. We’ve perfected ours after many years in Chinese restaurant kitchens. What’s the Story Behind General Tso’s Chicken? General Tso’s Chicken was supposedly named after Zuo Zongtang, a military leader from Hunan province during the Qing Dynasty. […]
How to Use Cornstarch in Chinese Cooking
Cornstarch is often used in Chinese cooking––in fact, it’s one of our suggested 10 essential ingredients for stocking your Chinese pantry. Though it’s virtually flavorless, it easily one of the most vital ingredients in a Chinese kitchen, with multiple uses. In this post, we’ll uncover everything you need to get authentic results with Chinese recipes […]
