Homestyle Chinese American Cooking
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HOMESTYLE CHINESE AMERICAN COOKING A Meal Plan, Shopping List & Recipes For Real Life A CHINESE AMERICAN FAMILY GUIDE www.chineseamericanfamily.com Welcome! Let’s Get Started! Cooking Chinese food at home is a great way to bring Chinese culture into your family’s weekly routine here in the United States. This is a guide to everyday Chinese American cooking for real life, meaning you can cook these dishes in 45 minutes or less, using a well-stocked pantry and common ingredients from the grocery store, with a toddler hanging on your leg. Authentic flavors, prepared simply and easily. That’s what you’ll get with the meal plan, shopping list and recipes in this guide. This starter kit helps you prepare five dishes, perfect for a single dinner with friends or for spreading throughout the week. So, what’s on the menu? Chicken and Mushroom Soup, Yardlong Beans with Ground Pork, Sweet and Sour Fish, Kung Pao Chicken and Coconut Dessert Soup. Yum! Love what you find in this guide? You can find much more in the Everyday Meals section at chineseamericanfamily.com. Here we go! The Magic of a Well-Stocked Chinese Pantry Here in the United States, the availability of ingredients remains a barrier to easily cooking Chinese food at home. While most chain grocery stores now carry at least a basic selection of Chinese produce and sauces, filling a complete shopping list still requires a trip to Chinatown or a Chinese market. People frequently tell me they don’t cook more Chinese food at home simply because they don’t have the time. Many families buy their groceries at the local Safeway or Trader Joe’s, with perhaps a Costco run added in, but don’t have time to shop for an extra set of ingredients specifically for Chinese cooking. The key to making Chinese home cooking convenient and spontaneous is a well- stocked Chinese pantry, supplemented by fresh ingredients commonly available at your local chain grocery store. Get started with the tools on the next page. First, there’s a shopping list of pantry staples to buy from a Chinese market. And second, there’s a shopping list of companion ingredients that you can find at any major American grocery store. By following this approach, you’ll have what you need to cook all the recipes in this guide. What’s better, it’s a path toward enjoying delicious Chinese meals at home without upsetting the rhythms of your weekly family errands. Want more? Download an expanded shopping list to completely stock your pantry with Chinese cooking essentials at chineseamericanfamily.com. For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com Page 2 Chicken and Mushroom Soup | Yardlong Beans with Ground Pork Shopping List Sweet and Sour Fish | Kung Pao Chicken | Coconut Dessert Soup From Chinatown q Light Soy Sauce q Shaoxing Rice Wine q Sesame Oil q Toban Djan q Chili Sauce q Clear Rice Vinegar q Black Rice Vinegar q Dried Mushrooms q White Pepper q Water Chestnuts q Rock Sugar q Tapioca Pearls From Your Local Grocery Store Odds & Ends q 1 pound chicken breast q Cornstarch q 1 pound white fish (ex. tilapia) q Sugar q ½ pound ground pork q Salt q 5 eggs q Flour q 5 cups chicken stock q Vegetable Oil q 1 cup milk q 1 ½ cups coconut milk q ¾ cup unsalted peanuts q 1 pound baby spinach q 1 pound string beans (or yardlong beans) q 1 red bell pepper q 1 clove garlic q 6 green onions q 1 piece ginger q 3 pounds jasmine rice Chicken and Mushroom Soup This hearty soup is as comforting as food can get, the perfect antidote for a cold morning or a lingering illness. It’s both rich and silky, with satisfying slices of chicken and Chinese mushrooms balanced with wisps of egg white blended into the depths of a pleasing chicken broth base. It only takes a few minutes to prepare, making it ideal when you’re in the mood for a substantial breakfast or light dinner. From Your Chinese Pantry 9 dried Chinese mushrooms 1 teaspoon sesame oil You Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch 4 egg whites, beaten 1 teaspoon salt 3 ½ ounces chicken breast 3 ½ cups chicken stock 1 green onion, chopped Makes: 4-6 servings Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com Page 4 Instructions For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com 1 2 Soak the dried Chinese mushrooms in hot water for Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, remove the water, beat the egg whites and thinly slice the stems and thinly slice. chicken. Add 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch mixture, 1 teaspoon of the egg whites and a pinch of salt to the chicken. Stir the remaining egg whites and the cornstarch mixture together until smooth. 3 4 Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add Return to a boil, then very slowly and while stirring the chicken and return to a boil, then add the constantly, pour the egg white and cornstarch mushrooms and salt. mixture into the pot. 5 6 As soon as the soup has thickened, add the sesame Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with green onions and oil. serve immediately. Yardlong Beans with Ground Pork This satisfying dish of Chinese yardlong beans seasoned with spicy ground pork checks all the boxes for a weeknight family meal. It’s quick to make, requires only a few ingredients and makes great leftovers. Grab a bunch of dark green yardlong beans at the Chinese market if you’re nearby, or substitute green string beans from your local supermarket. From Your Chinese Pantry 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine dash of white pepper 2 tablespoons toban djan You Add ½ pound ground pork 1 teaspoon ginger 1 pound yardlong (or string) beans 3 green onions, sliced 1 teaspoon garlic Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com Page 6 Instructions For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com 1 2 Combine the ground pork, soy sauce, ginger, Remove the ends of the beans, then cut them into Shaoxing rice wine and white pepper in a bowl. Set 1/2″ pieces. You can gather the beans into handfuls, aside while you prepare the beans. then cut many at the same time. 3 4 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat. Add Reheat the pan over high heat, then add the green the beans and, stirring frequently, fry for 10 minutes onions, ground pork and toban djan. Cook until just until all sides are blistered. Set aside in a bowl. browned on the outside. 5 6 Add the garlic and beans to the pork. Stir until Serve immediately with white rice. combined and warmed through. Sweet and Sour Fish There’s more to sweet and sour Chinese dishes than what you’ll find under the bright fluorescent lights of the mall food court. In fact, the sweet and sour genre here in America is derived from a Cantonese recipe that’s enjoyed throughout China. In its native form, sweet and sour dishes marry a tangy vinegar acidity with a light sweetness that’s irresistible and, fortunately for all of us, easy to make at home. From Your Chinese Pantry 1 ½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 tablespoons clear rice vinegar ½ teaspoon chili sauce ½ teaspoon sesame oil You Add 1 pound white fish (ex. tilapia) ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg ¼ cup flour oil for deep frying ½ teaspoon ginger 1 green onion ½ cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon sugar 1 red bell pepper 1 tablespoon cornstarch Makes: 4 servings Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com Page 8 Instructions For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com 1 2 Cut the fish into 1 inch wide strips and marinate with Blend the egg, flour and a little water to create a the salt and 2 teaspoons of Shaoxing rice wine. batter with the consistency of heavy cream. Drain Refrigerate while you finely chop the ginger and the fish pieces, then coat with the batter. green onion, and cut the bell pepper into 1 inch squares. 3 4 Fill a wok or small pan with 1 inch of oil, then heat to Reheat the wok with 1 tablespoon of oil over high 350 degrees. Deep fry the fish pieces in batches for heat. Stir fry the green onion and ginger until 3 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway fragrant. Add the remaining Shaoxing rice wine, through. Remove the fish pieces from the oil and chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, chili drain on a plate covered with paper towel. sauce and bell pepper, then bring to a boil. 5 6 Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water Arrange the fish pieces on a serving plate, ladle the to form a paste. Add the mixture to the sauce, then sauce and bell pepper mixture over the top and return to a boil until thickened. drizzle with the sesame oil. Serve immediately with white rice. Kung Pao Chicken Usually sweetly redolent in a gloopy sauce at the restaurant, making a homestyle kung pao chicken produces a nuanced set of hot-and-sour flavors from the combination of chili sauce, black rice vinegar, garlic and ginger. Once you perfect this version with chicken, you can pair the sauce with your favorite combinations of seafood, pork and vegetables. From Your Chinese Pantry 3 tablespoons light soy sauce 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine 2 teaspoons sesame oil ¾ cup water chestnuts, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon chili sauce 1 teaspoon black rice vinegar You Add 10 ounces chicken breast 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 tablespoons oil 1 pound baby spinach ½ teaspoon salt 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped ¾ cup unsalted peanuts 1 green onion 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ cup chicken stock Makes: 6 servings Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com Page 10 Instructions For more cooking tips, visit chineseamericanfamily.com 1 2 Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes.