Cantonese Pork Knuckles with Ginger and Vinegar (猪脚姜, pronounced jyū geuk gēung in Cantonese or zhū jiǎo jiāng in Mandarin) may not be the most well-known dish to the kids these days. However, as recently as a generation ago, it was a must-have postpartum dish for new moms. Many of you have requested that we […]
20 Immune Boosting Recipes
I hope this post finds you well. In times like these, I find the best way to deal with my worries about a seemingly out-of-control situation is to think about the ways we can control our own health and safety. Of course, one of the ways we know best is choosing what we’re going to […]
Chicken Chop Suey
Today we’ve got a recipe for you that harkens back to the early days of Chinese immigration to the United States: Chop Suey. Chinese food in America has evolved much since then, to the point where chop suey itself sounds like an outdated term. But that doesn’t make it any less tasty! What Is Chop […]
How to Velvet Chicken for Stir-fry
Velveting is a critical Chinese cooking technique. Meat or seafood is marinated and pre-cooked in oil (or sometimes poached in boiling water). Then, the cook adds it to a stir-fry with other ingredients. In this post, we will teach you how to velvet chicken to yield the most tender and flavorful results for your favorite […]
Our Top Quick and Easy Noodle Soups
We’re back with more pantry recipe ideas to spice up life while we all stay at home. And bonus! They’re all soups! Soups with NOODLES. This roundup of our favorite quick and easy noodle soup recipes pack lots of flavor and warming goodness with minimal time and effort. Why Noodle Soups Are A Go-To Meal […]
Tuna Tomato Pasta
Now more than ever, we need to talk about one of our all-time favorite pantry recipes. Today, we’re sharing our Tuna Tomato Pasta, which can be made with just 9 ingredients that many of you probably have on hand. That said, if you’re missing something, we’ve got tips and suggested substitutions for every single ingredient […]
Chicken Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)
With the craziness going on around us, we all need a little escape. Allow me to bring you the cooking equivalent of the best escapist TV––this Chicken Khao Soi recipe. Straight from the streets of Chiang Mai, Thailand! Plus, with restaurants closing amidst local efforts to enforce social distancing (it’s all takeout and delivery only […]
30 Pantry & Freezer Recipes to Keep You Healthy & Sane
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW. Chances are, your nerves are a bit jangled with all the Coronavirus news cruising through the airwaves. Today, we’re cutting through the noise and fear to bring some calm and commonsense things you can do you stay healthy and sane, as well as some tasty pantry and […]
Perfect Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Japanese sweet potatoes are the ultimate superfood—they’re healthy, nutritious, delicious and filling! While this isn’t a particularly complex recipe, I wanted to talk about how we enjoy Japanese sweet potatoes and the different things you can do with them! Japanese Sweet Potatoes vs. Orange Sweet Potatoes Of course, all sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy, but […]
Shrimp and Broccoli with Brown Sauce
In my parents’ Chinese restaurant, Shrimp and Broccoli was one of the most often-ordered dishes. With the combination of healthy broccoli and luxurious shrimp, it’s not surprising! The original Shrimp and Broccoli is made with a white sauce with garlic, but the vast majority of people modified the order: “make it with brown sauce!” After […]
Spicy King Oyster Mushroom Stir-fry (Vegan!)
This spicy king oyster mushroom stir-fry recipe has three things going for it. 1) It uses just 8 ingredients. 2) It’s incredibly tasty. And 3) It’s completely vegan! It’s one of those recipes that isn’t necessarily trying to be vegan/vegetarian. It is completely satisfying and delicious. Even if you’re not on a plant-based diet, you’ll […]
Seaweed Egg Drop Soup (紫菜蛋花汤)
This Chinese home-style seaweed egg drop soup recipe is healthy and very quick to make. Many Chinese families serve soup with every meal, and this recipe is a common go-to! It’s just as popular as another common variation (and a reader favorite), tomato egg drop soup. Usually made with water and chicken powder for speed/convenience, […]
Homemade English Muffins
This homemade english muffin recipe will blow any store-bought English muffin out of the water, guaranteed. I started making English muffins at home when we were living in Beijing, and I couldn’t buy them locally. And you know what? Now that we’re all back in the U.S.A, and once again have the luxury of buying […]
Fish Stir-fry (Chow Yee Kow)
While we Chinese love to take down a whole fish, sometimes you want a break from all the bones! This restaurant-style chow yee kow fish stir-fry does the trick. It’s a great dinner recipe for anyone intimidated by cooking a whole fish and prefers to work with fillets, or anyone looking for a healthy one-pan […]
Quick Carrot Daikon Stir-Fry
This quick and easy carrot daikon stir-fry is one of my go-to side dishes. It’s healthy, tasty, and goes with any Chinese meal! What Is Daikon Radish? Daikon radish, (萝卜 – luóbo in Mandarin or lo bak in Cantonese) is a large, white root vegetable with green leaves. Eaten across Asia, daikon radishes can be […]
How to Fold Wontons
Wontons will always have a very special place in my heart. Like dumplings, we grew up with a bag of frozen wontons always in the freezer, ready to become wonton soup (breakfast, lunch or dinner), spicy wontons (a tasty snack or appetizer), or even fried wontons (a crowd-pleasing party favorite). We’ve posted several wonton recipes […]
10-Minute Vegan Pad Krapow (Thai Basil Stir-fry)
Cooking vegan can be time-consuming if you really want something flavorful and satisfying. From soaking and grinding cashews to slicing vegetables in weird ways and sourcing hard-to-find ingredients from health food stores…things can get complicated fast! If you’re looking for a simple, satisfying vegan meal that can be made in 10 minutes, this Vegan Pad […]
30-Minute Multigrain Congee
According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), winter is the season for “storing and stashing,” for your body to preserve its strength. What could be better than this multigrain congee? It warms, hydrates, and replenishes the nutrients your body needs. A Healthier, More Flavorful Congee Recipe With the December holidays and Chinese New Year celebrations in […]
Chicken Noodle Wonton Soup
During these cold months, you might need a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup to warm you up. We love a classic pot of chicken stock, but when you’re looking for something a little different, this Chicken Noodle Wonton Soup has all the flavor of the original cold remedy with a twist. A Different Chicken […]
How to Cook Dumplings 3 Ways
Growing up, dumplings (jiǎozi, 餃子) were practically their own food group in our family. A bag of dumplings was always in the freezer, ready to become an after school snack, quick breakfast, party appetizer, or lazy weeknight dinner. In this post, we’ll talk about how to cook dumplings properly, with three methods: steaming, pan-frying, and […]
How to Make Five Spice Powder
Five Spice Powder is probably one of the most well-known Chinese seasoning blends, and a popular shortcut for getting that signature flavor. What is five spice powder made of? We did an informal audit of five spice powders, and it’s usually a combination of: Chinese cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, and cloves. When it comes […]
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken is made by batter-frying chicken and then tossing it in a quick and easy sweet and sour sauce. If you love Chinese food but don’t live in China, chances are you’ve tried this dish before. Meaning, it’s actually more Western than Chinese! But really, who doesn’t love crispy fried chicken with […]
Super Bowl Menu: 30 Recipes!
It’s almost Super Bowl Sunday, and we’ve got 30 potential recipes to add to your Super Bowl Menu. These snacks and noms are the perfect accompaniments to veg out on the couch with come game time! Our Super Bowl Party Is All About the Food If you’re like me, this Super Bowl Sunday—and really every […]
Chinese Fried Ribs with Fermented Red Bean Curd
Chinese fried ribs marinated in red bean curd are a favorite in our family and a proven crowd pleaser at any party. The combination of fermented red bean curd and five spice powder makes for some of the all-time tastiest ribs in our repertoire. We serve these Chinese fried spareribs as an appetizer, finger food, […]
23 Chinese New Year Greetings (Mandarin & Cantonese)
Happy Chinese New Year everyone! This weekend you may have a line-up of Chinese New Year get-togethers with elders, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and everyone in between. Of course, it’s fun to see family and friends, and maybe score a hong bao red envelope or two (or three or ten), but Chinese New Year courtesies can […]
Chinese Braised Ti Pang (Pork Shank – 红烧蹄膀)
In some parts of China, Braised Ti Pang is a must-have dish for Chinese New Year feasts. It’s said that it brings luck and stability! Just look at the dish’s presentation––it’s a masterpiece and a heavy hitter (硬菜, yìngcài). Even if it doesn’t bring you luck, it will surely bring you admiration from friends and […]
Steak Stir Fry (Chow Steak Kow)
Steak Stir Fry, or Chow Steak Kow, as we used to call it at my parents’ restaurant, is not your standard beef stir-fry. Tender, rich ribeye or sirloin steak bites are cooked in a soy garlic sauce—with some American touches!—and served over a bed of crisp bok choy. What is Chow Steak Kow? For our […]
Stuffed Chinese Fried Gluten Balls
Today, we have a particularly special recipe: Stuffed Fried Gluten Balls. Ok, so it may not be the best sounding recipe in English, but rest-assured, this one is absolutely delicious. The whole family thought so! The balls’ round shape also represents family unity and completeness, which makes this a great new dish for your Chinese […]
Snow Fungus Soup with Pears
Snow Fungus Soup with Pears (bīngtáng yín’ěr dùn xuělí, 冰糖银耳炖雪梨) is a Chinese dessert soup usually served on special occasions like Chinese New Year. Snow fungus is more expensive than the more common black wood ear fungus, making it a prized treat! When you hear the word “soup,” your mind might first jump to something […]
Cantonese Poached Chicken (Bai Qie Ji)
Growing up, Cantonese Poached Chicken is one of those dishes that was always on the table at family dinners. It’s one of the best-loved chicken dishes in Chinese cuisine––Cantonese cuisine more specifically. NOTE: This recipe was originally published in 2014. We have since re-tested and updated it as of January 2020 with new photos, nutrition […]
