Tips for Cooking Chinese Food

So you've decided to take the plunge and start cooking Chinese food. Congratulations! Prepared properly, Chinese food is healthier for you. Besides, it just plain tastes great—why else do gourmets argue over whether China or France has the world's finest cuisine?

Still, tackling strange cooking equipment and even stranger ingredients can be nerve-wracking. Below are resources to help ease your introduction into cooking Chinese food.

Before You Get Started

• Stocking the Pantry: Find out what ingredients you need to start cooking Chinese food.
• How to Store Chinese Sauces and Seasonings: Not all sauces need to be refrigerated. Learn which can be safely stored on the shelf.
• Before You Buy a Wok: Flat or Round Bottom? Carbon steel or aluminum? This information will help you choose the wok that best meets your needs. Instructions for seasoning and cleaning a wok are included.
• Before You Buy a Cleaver: Do you really need a cleaver? If so, what type should you buy?

Basic Chinese Cooking Techniques

• Chinese Stir-Frying Tips: Handy tips that begin with having everything ready before you start a recipe to make stir-frying easy.
• Chinese Deep-Frying Tips: From correct temperature to the type of oil to use, these tips will make deep-frying easier.
• Cutting Stir-fry Vegetables on the Diagonal: How to cut vegetables on the diagonal to expose more surface area to the heat so they cook faster and absorb more of the sauce and seasonings.

• How to Add Oil to a Wok: Two methods of adding oil to a wok are described.
• How to Tell if Your Wok Is Hot Enough: Three methods for checking the hotness of your wok are discussed.
• Ingredient Substitutions: This is a handy list of substitutes when you can't find or don't have a certain ingredient.
• How to Make Crispy Egg Rolls Every Time: There's nothing worse than a soggy eggroll. With these tips, that will never happen to you.

• How to Cook Rice: Sounds simple enough, but many can't master the technique. For rice that is fluffy and doesn't stick to the pan, follow these guidelines.
• How to Cook Chinese Sausage: Steaming and stir-frying are just two of the techniques outlined for cooking Chinese sausage.

Basic Recipes for the Beginner

• Top 10 Easy Chinese Recipes: These recipes don't require a wok or knowledge of Chinese cooking techniques.
• Basic Fried Rice Recipe: Build upon this basic recipe by varying the add-ins and seasonings.
• Pork or Beef Chop Suey Recipe: Although a Western invention, chop suey is a great choice for those nights when you're cleaning out the vegetable crisper.
• Egg Drop Soup Recipe: Nothing could be simpler to make than this ever-popular Chinese soup.
• Egg Rolls Recipe: Instructions are for an easy method of folding the egg rolls making a simple recipe even simpler.
• Beef with Tomatoes Recipe: This Cantonese home-style dish is super easy to prepare.
• Almond Float Recipe: A refreshing and easy-to-make dessert uses unflavored gelatin, evaporated milk, and canned or fresh fruit.​
• More Easy Dessert Recipes: From almond float to bananas in coconut milk, these desserts are easy to prepare but are sure to impress.

Chinese Recipes with Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

• How to Make Chinese Green Beans
• How to Make Dan Dan Noodles 
• How to Fill and Fold Wonton Wrappers
• How to Make Braised Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (Szechuan)
• How to Make Fried Rice
• How to Make Hot Chili Oil
• How to Prepare Bitter Melon
• How to Make Wonton Purses
• How to Make Baked Nian Gao (Chinese New Year Cake)
• How to Steam a Chinese Sponge Cake
• How to Make Deep-Fried Prawn Crackers
• How to Make a Bacon and Water Chestnut Appetizer

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