After so long, you now have a reason to use the kitchen. Plus, when it comes to survival, we can create anything out of something. So with that, we have listed down some Chinese dishes that you can make at home.
If you have leftover rice in the cooker, always keep it for the next day as it works perfectly for a simple fried rice dish. When it comes to this all you would need is the rice, eggs, green onions, soy sauce, frozen mix vegetables, salt and pepper. You can also add in some minced meat or shrimp for some add-on protein.
With these simple ingredients, what you need do first is:
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat it till it has bubbles.
- After washing the green onions, slice the stem vertically and then chop it into thin slices.
- Heat the wok or frying pan with some cooking oil and pour in the eggs
- When the eggs turn a bit mushy, pour in the bowl of rice and add some seasoning.
- Finally, when the rice is well mixed and flavoured, sprinkle some green onion at the top as a finishing touch.
Tomato Stir-Fried Eggs
This dish is considered as a popular dish among the Chinese clan. Not only is it fulfilling for the tummy, but it is also jam-packed with flavours. Unlike other dishes, it is okay to forget to any seasoning at all. What you need to make this tasty egg dish would be tomatoes, eggs and scallions. Do make sure the tomatoes are fully ripped and get those red-looking ones.
All you need to do:
- Heat the wok or frying pan at high heat and pour in the beaten eggs.
- Scramble the eggs and remove it from the wok or pan
- After that, put in the cut tomatoes and scallions. Stir fry it for one minute. To those who are looking for much flavourful taste, you can add in two teaspoon sugar and half a teaspoon salt.
- Lastly, add in the eggs and mix it well till the tomatoes are softened.
Kung Pao Chicken
Kung Pao chicken is a rich, savoury and spicy dish that has dried chillies as the main star of the dish. It consists of boneless chicken meat chop into cubes size alongside bell peppers and of course dried chillies. To get that rich sauce absolutely kaw, all you need are soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil with some crunched cashew nuts to give the whole dish a nutty gusto.
Important ingredients:
- Two big pieces of chicken breast cut into cubes
- One tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- One tablespoon light soy sauce
- Two teaspoon baking soda
- One teaspoon cornstarch/ cornflour
Stir-fry ingredients:
- Four to six cloves garlic
- One to two bell pepper (colour depend on individual)
- Eight to ten dried chillies
- One tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- Four stalk green onions/ scallion
- One small bowl cashew nuts
Sauce ingredients:
- Half cup chicken stock (or broth)
- Five tablespoons light soy sauce
- Two tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- Two tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine
- Two teaspoons dark soy sauce
- Two teaspoon hoisin sauce
- Two tablespoon sugar
- One teaspoon cornstarch/ cornflour
Then all you need to do is:
- Mix all the ingredients for the chicken in a bowl and allow it to marinate for ten minutes.
- While waiting, combine the ingredients needed for the sauce together, make sure the sugar is entirely dissolved.
- Heat the wok or frying pan and add sufficient amount of cooking oil. After that, put in the marinated chicken in and fry it for for a good three to four minutes. Stir it occasionally until all edges are browned and remove it from the heat.
- Add in some cooking oil in the same wok or pan then place the sliced garlic, ginger, bell peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, allowing it to simmer in the heat for one minute.
- After that, pour in the sauce which is prepared in advance and maintain a good stirring while allowing it to boil.
- When the sauce starts to thicken, add in the chicken to work and mix everything together till the sauce glazed the chicken entirely.
- At last, add in the green onions, cashew nuts and sesame oil (own preferences) and let it cook for another minute or two and the food is good to be served with white rice.
Mapo Tofu is a popular dish originated from the Sichuan province, China. The tofu is cooked in a spicy sauce which tastes amazing with the complement of white rice. The sauce tastes much delicious with added meat in it.
To make this dish, you would need:
- One pack white tofu
- Two pieces of breast meat, minced finely
- Three to four stalk green onions
- A bottle bean paste (doubanjiang)
- Half teaspoon salt
- One tablespoon cornstarch
- Two and a half tablespoon water
- One teaspoon sugar
- Five ginger slices
- Two cloves garlic
- One tablespoon light soy sauce
- Half tablespoon Sichuan pepper
- One tablespoon pepper flakes or powder
- Half tablespoon fermented black beans
- Half tablespoon sesame oil
Cooking hacks:
To keep the tenderness and texture of the tofu, rinse or soak the tofu cube in boiling salted water and then gently remove the wrapper around the tofu to avoid breaking it.
This is what you should do:
- Add some salt and sesame oil to the minced pork, mix it well and put it aside.
- Then put in tablespoon cornstarch and two and a half cornstarch of water in a bowl and mix it well.
- Cut the tofu into small cubes and put in a pot of water to boil. Drain it dry after one minute.
- Heat the wok with some cooking oil and fry the minced pork till it is crispy.
- Using the same oil fry the doubanjiang for one minute then add in the garlic, scallion, ginger and fermented black bean until the aroma is out. Add the pepper flakes.
- Add some water and boil the sauce at a high temperature. Then place the tofu cubes into the pot while adding in the light soy sauce and pork. Allow the ingredients to simmer for six to eight minutes, add in the chopped garlic greens.
- Take the well mix corn starch liquid and pour half of it to the pot. Leave it for thirty seconds before pouring in the other half. Taste the tofu first before adding in any salt. If you are someone who can’t take the spiciness, you can add in some sugar.
- When the seasoning sauce is mostly concentrated under the tofu cubes, pour out the dish to a bowl.
Pictures by @louishhansel, @saffronsandiego, @methyle_hk, @impehfecteats, @angelicioushy & @replicantman