John's Classic Chinese Recipes

Bobo Chicken

2008-12-20T22:35:00.000-08:00

In Chinese, Bo means a bowl like pottery container. Maybe this dish is so named because it was often served in a Bo when it was originally created.

Ingredients:
1 (about 3lb) whole chicken
1 bunch scallions, halved crosswise
4 (1/4-inch-thick) round slices fresh ginger
1 tablespoon of roasted white sesame
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
some parsley, chopped
1/2 table spoon of salt

Sauce:
1 table spoon of peanut sauce
1 1/2 table spoon of sesame sauce
1 table spoon of light soy sauce
1 table of cooking wine
1/2 table spoon of salt
2 table spoon of chili oil

Direction:

1. Rinse chicken inside and out;
2. Bring water with 1/2 table spoon of salt，scallions，and ginger to a boil in a deep stockpot. Add cooking wine and chicken, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through;
3. Remove chicken from pot and rinse it with cold water until it cool;
4. Then cut and serve chicken in a large bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients and add to the bowl;
5. Sprinkle with sesame, parsley, and garlic;

Cook white cut chicken yourself

2008-11-23T04:35:00.000-08:00

Chicken is a very favorite food in China, especially in Guangdong province of Southern China. In Guangdong, among the many chicken recipes, the white cut chicken is one of the most popular one.

Ingredients:
1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) whole chicken
1 bunch scallions, halved crosswise
6 (1/4-inch-thick) round slices peeled fresh ginger
14 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Sauce:
1 bunch scallions (white and pale green parts only), cut into very thin 2-inch strips
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger

Special equipment: a rasp grater; a well-seasoned 14-inch flat-bottomed wok; a heavy cleaver

Direction:

To make chicken:
1. Rinse chicken inside and out, then bend legs to tuck feet (if still attached) inside cavity. Stuff cavity with scallions, ham, and ginger.
2. Bring water with salt to a boil in a deep 7- to 8-quart stockpot or pasta pot. Add chicken, breast side down (chicken may not be completely covered with liquid), then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and let stand, covered, 15 minutes more (chicken will be cooked through).
4. While chicken stands, fill a large bowl three-fourths full with ice and cold water. Carefully remove chicken from pot with a large slotted spoon and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Let stand, gently turning over once (be careful not to tear skin), until cool, about 10 minutes total. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and discard scallions, ham, and ginger from cavity. Pat dry. Rub skin with sesame oil.

To make dipping sauce:
Stir together scallions and soy sauce in a small heatproof bowl.
Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water vaporizes instantly. Pour oil around side of wok, then tilt wok to swirl oil, coating sides. When oil just begins to smoke, carefully add ginger and stir-fry 30 seconds. Immediately remove from heat and pour over scallion mixture, stirring to combine.

Then cut and serve chicken on a platter. Drizzle 2 tablespoons dipping sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature, with remaining dipping sauce on the side.

Cooking tips for Chinese food

2008-11-19T05:43:00.000-08:00

There are some useful tips that can help you to cook the delicious and healthy Chinese food.

1. Use enough oil when stir-frying. This gives best results. If worried about cholesterol and fats in oil, use canola oil - the best oil to use for stir-frying.

2. Cut ingredients into even sized pieces for best cooking results.

3.Cook the denser ingredients first. Since they take longer time to cook.

4. Use ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper to spice up your Chinese cooking and also improve your health.

5. Blanche dense vegetables before cooking for best results. For example, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower.

6. Cornstarch is used often in Chinese cuisine. It is very useful. You can use starch water to thicken sauces. And you can use it to preserve the flavor of the meat and make the meat tender.

7. Prepare your cooking ingredients ahead of time, so you're never rushed.

8. Try using all types of Chinese cooking ingredients such as dried fungus, Chinese mushrooms, yu choy, Chinese broccoli etc...

Beijing Chicken Recipe

2008-11-17T05:11:00.000-08:00

Beijing Chicken is a standing dish in Beijing, China.

Ingredients:

5 OZ of chicken drumstick meat, boned, and cut into bite-size pieces
6 OZ of broccoli
4 cup of vegetable oil for deep-frying

Marinade:
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Sauce for Beijing Chicken:
1/3 cup of water
2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of vinegar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Directions:

1. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. To deep-fry the chicken: add the chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
3. Cut the broccoli into similar size pieces, and steam them for 2 or 3 minutes, them place them on a plate
4. Mix all the ingredients of the sauce. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil for a couple of minutes and add the sauce, stir until it becomes dense. Add the chicken and stir well.
5. Pour the chicken onto the broccoli, and it is ready to serve.

Basic Chinese Cooking Equipment for Stir-frying

2008-11-15T21:34:00.000-08:00

Although it is not absolutely necessary, a traditional Chinese wok is highly recommended for classic Chinese stir-frying. A good wok should be made of carbon steel or iron. Stainless steel wok is not recommended, since it does not conduct heat evenly. The shape of the wok should be round at the bottom, although a flat bottom wok should also be OK. If you use round bottom wok, you have to use gas stove, while flat wok can work on both gas and electric stove. I recommend round bottom wok and gas stove, since I feel that by using them I can more effectively stir the ingredients.

Pot-roasted chicken with maitake

2008-11-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

This dish is especially healthy since the maitake used in this dish is believed to have many health benefits, and the cooking method (braising) can help to preserve the nutrition.

Ingredients:

1 medium-size chicken, trim excessive fat
1/2 lb maitake, already soaked well in water
5-6 pieces of ham
3 slices of ginger
green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Direction：

1. Place the chicken in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then put it into a pot, add cooking wine, ginger, green onion, ham, vegetable oil and water just to cover the chicken. Bring it to boil.
2. Add water in a larger pot, place the smaller pot in the water, cover the larger pot and braise the chicken for about 2 hours.
3. Add salt and maitake, and braise the chicken for another 15 fifteen minutes.
4. Add the black pepper before serve.

Pineapple Chicken Recipe

2008-11-12T05:37:00.000-08:00

Pineapple chicken is a Guangdong dish. The pineapple is flavorful and has plenty of vitamins and nutrition , which makes this dish an ideal choice in summer.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb chicken (bone in )
1 cup of precut onion
1 lb of pineapple
1/3 cup of raisin
1/2 cup of precut green pepper
1/2 cup of precut red pepper
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Marinade:
1 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
1 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of pepper
2 tablespoon of water

Sauce Ⅰ
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of pine juice
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of salt

Sauce Ⅱ
1 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoon of water

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok, stir fry the pineapple, raisin, green pepper， red pepper, and onion. Add the chicken. Mix the ingredients of sauce Ⅰ, and pour them to the wok. Cover the wok and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is done.
3. Mix the ingredients of sauce Ⅱ, pour them to the wok, stir for a while, and it is ready to serve.

Hand shredded chicken salad

2008-11-06T01:08:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. skinless chicken breasts
green onions, chopped
2 slices of ginger
3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
3 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of water
4 cups peanut oil for deep-fry

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken with light soy sauce for 10 minutes
2. Heat the peanut oil and deep-fry the chicken breasts until golden brown
3. In a wok,add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and stir fry the ginger and green onions,add the remaining ingredients and bring it to boil, add chicken breasts and simmer for 20 minutes. Take out the chicken from the sauce.
4. Shred the chicken by hand, Place the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over.

Sesame chicken

2008-11-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

Sesame chicken is a very popular dish in chinese restaurant. It is easy to cook by yourself at home.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb whole boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup sliced mushroom
green onions, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame
3 1/2 - 4 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

Marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil
1/2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce for Sesame Chicken:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

2. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients.

3. To deep-fry the chicken: coat the marinated chicken with egg and cornstarch, add the chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

4. In a wok, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and stir fry the mushroom and green onions, add the sauce and bring it to boil.

5. Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Spicy Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken

2008-11-04T21:47:00.000-08:00

The Kung Pao chicken is a classic Sichuan dish originating from Sichuan Province, which is famous for its spicy cuisine. The classic Sichuan Kung Pao chicken is very flavorful.

Ingredients:

1 lb. bone, skinned chicken breasts
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
4-8 dried red chili peppers - chopped
1 slice peeled, fresh ginger - chopped
1 clove garlic - sliced
1 Tbls. dry sherry
1 Tbls. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 1/2 Tbls. vegetable oil - divided
2 Tbls. soy sauce - divided
1 Tbls. cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 Tbls. cold water

Directions:

1. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Combine chicken, 1 Tbls. soy sauce, and cornstarch/water mixture; allow to marinate for about 30 minutes;

2. Mix 1 Tbls. soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and sesame oil; set aside.

3. Add vegetable oil to a wok, add the chicken cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Get it out from the wok and set aside for later use.

4. Add a little bit more corn oil to the same wok, stir-fry the red peppers in 2 Tbls. vegetable oil until they turn dark. Add ginger, garlic, and chicken to the wok and fry, stirring constantly. Stir the prepared sauce and add to the wok. Stir and cook wok contents until the sauce is thickened. Stir in peanuts and serve.