Chinese food is love all around the world. People like it because of its special taste and aroma. There are a variety of Chinese dishes. Each has its own unique and tempting taste. Presenting it in special Chinese food containers is an old Chinese tradition. These Chinese food boxes are also used for takeout’s. It retains their freshness and aroma. Many of the food lovers prefer to prepare Chinese food at home. They often complain that their homemade Chinese food does not taste like that of restaurants. You can take help from various Chinese recipe books. Still, many things are there you need to know about Chinese food.
Chinese Restaurants Have Large Build-In Gas Ovens
The Chinese restaurants have large build in gas stoves. They can reach a very high temperature needed for stir-frying. It is difficult to build this setup at home. Although, making a perfect Chinese food like restaurants is difficult in the absence of right equipment. But a series of the guideline is there which can help you in this regard. These tips are provided by top Chinese cooks. They help you in getting the same taste and flavor as that of Chinese food restaurants.
Chinese Equipment
One thing you need to purchase before cooking your Chinese food is a “wok”. A wok is a pan use for frying especially in Chinese cooking. It has a convex bottom.
Take Everything Fresh
Chinese restaurants use everything fresh. Whether it is meat or vegetables, always try to use the fresh ingredients. They will add to the taste of your Chinese food. According to a Chinese principle, vary the meat and vegetables in your dishes. This will introduce a good variety of flavor and color. Chinese believe that it is necessary to maintain a balance in every aspect of life. Same is the case with Chinese food.
Prepare Everything Before
If you get a chance to visit the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant, you will see that they prepare everything before cooking. Every ingredient you need in your recipe should be prepared. Even wash the vegetable before. Drain and cut them. All the sauces should be prepared. The meat should be cut and marinated.
Tips For Frying Vegetables
Preparing the vegetables in a right way is an important part of the process. Wash the green leafy vegetables before time. This will give more time to drain the water. So they may not be too wet at the time of frying. Moreover, when you cut the vegetables do not mix them up. Every vegetable has a different cooking time for cooking. So place them separately in a tray. Hard vegetables like carrots, peas, and broccoli etc. take a longer time to cook. Whereas fry the softer leafy vegetables at the end. If you are doubtful which vegetable to cook first, the simple way is to fry them separately. Never overcook the vegetable. This will help you in getting the same taste like that of a Chinese restaurant.
Meat And Fish Tips
Take fresh meat to marinate. If cornstarch is required in marinating, put it at the end. Cut the beef pieces across the grain. This makes them tenderer. Try to cut the meat in the uniform piece to ensure even cooking. If you want to cook stir-fried meat, make sure that the pan should be enough hot. Fry the meat first and put it aside. Add sauces and vegetables at the last stage of cooking.
Cooking With Oil
In the case of stir-frying, always drizzle down the oil from the sides of the wok. The oil should be very hot for deep frying. To check it, stick one chopstick in the wok. As the oil sizzle around it start adding the food.
Sauces And Seasoning
Sauces play an important role in determining the taste of Chinese food. Use fresh ginger instead of powdered one. Measure all the ingredients of the sauces in a measuring cup. This helps you to be consistent in taste each time you prepare the sauces. The basic ratio for using cornstarch in water is 1:4 or 1:2. For example, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 or 4 tablespoons of water. Never use the cornstarch more than mentioned in the recipe. For seasoning use half a spoon of sesame oil just before serving. Drizzle it over the vegetables. Turn it to a platter or Chinese food containers and enjoy the taste similar to Chinese restaurants.
Tips For Rice
Rice is one of the basic things in Chinese food boxes. For best results, use long grain rice. To prepare fried rice, it is preferred to use cold cooked rice prepared a day before. Add a little butter or oil at the time of boiling. Measure the rice before cooking. As it ends in more than the twice you measured.
