Would like to prepare an authentic chinese dish for a friend and his family. Any ideas?

Question

He is first generation chinese and is coming to dinner with his parents.

Answer 1

Here is a simple Cantonese dish that my mom taught me, and hopefully it will work for you. The menu: Fried rice, Pan Fried lobster (or crab), Steam chicken and Stir fried chinese bok choy.

(ITS A LONG POST... sorry, but its a complete menu!)
Here's your shopping list (get at the asian supermarket) and Here's the order I would cook...

1 fresh lobster (or crab)
1 whole chicken, cut up
1/4 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, optional
2 bunch bok choy (or chinese broccoli)
1 can straw mushroom
4 bunch of green onions
3 brown onions
2 fresh garlic bulbs
2 cup cooked white rice (see recipe)
1/4 cup frozen peas -carrots.
corn starch
sesame oil
soy sauce
oyster sauce
eggs

Ginger STEAM CHICKEN
1 whole chicken, cut up larger pieces in half (smaller breast)
Whole fresh Ginger roots, sliced, skin removed
1/2 bunch Green onions, diced in large pieces
Sesame oil
soy sauce


In a heat proof platter, add the cup up chicken. Sprinkle liberally with soy and a dab of sesame oil (little goes a long way!), and add the ginger root slices and most of the green onions all over the chicken. (save a handful of green onions, set aside)
In a wok or a large skillet, add 2-3 cups of water. In the bottom of the wok, add an inverted small plate or trivet, add the platter of chicken, cover and steam for 40-45 minutes.
Note: If you cannot steam, then put in the oven at 370 degrees.

Meanwhile, while its cooking...
GINGER GARLIC LOBSTER
Ingredients:
1 fresh Lobster, live or dead.
Fresh Ginger, about 5 tsp, sliced and skin removed
Fresh Garlic, about 5 cloves, sliced or crushed
1 bunch of green onions, loosely sliced
flour or corn starch
Water

Chop the lobster into pieces, using a chinese cleaver, chop off the claws (crack it again for easier eating), then divide the body into 3 or 4 pieces. When severing the head from the body, try to cut it cleanly off the body. If its still alive, you can cut it alive or freeze it for 1 hour til dead.

In a bowl add 1/4 cup of tap water and 3 tsp of corn starch. Mix well until dissolved. Put aside.

Using a wok or large hot skillet, add 3 tsp of oil, heating to med/high. Then add some crushed garlic, a handful of onions, and the lobster. Mix well, stir frying. Add the ginger and more onions, and more garlic if you wish. The lobster will slowly start turning red. When it does lower the heat to med. Slowly stir in the corn starch mixture. Mix the lobster, cover for 2 to 4 minutes, mix again. Cover and lower heat.

When the lobster is bright red, remove from heat.
Note: Keep covered to keep it warm or transfer to a serving bowl and put in oven at lowest setting to keep warm.

CHECK THE CHICKEN. The chicken is cooked when if pierced with fork, the juices run clear. If the steam chicken isnt done yet, start on...

EASY CHINESE FRIED RICE
If you wish to make fried rice, cheat a little and go to a chinese take out place for rice the day before. Day old white rice is easier to make fried rice.

Ingredients:
2 c chilled cooked rice, day old. Get it from the chinese restaurant the day before. Save time!
Optional, 1/4 lb med raw shrimp, peeled, deveined.
1/2 brown onion, diced
1/2 bunch green onions, diced (stem removed)
2 raw eggs- scrambled
1/2 c frozen peas/carrots (optional)
soysauce
sesame oil
Chinese 5 spice
and if you have, and garlic salt

In a large skillet add 2 tsp cooking oil and heat the pan to med/high. Crack open the eggs, scramble until partially cooked. Add the diced brown onion. Sautee until onions become translucent. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes or until bright orange

Remove from skillet.

While the skillet is still hot, Add 2 tbp oil the rice to the skillet, keeping heat on med/high. Add about 1 tbsp of sesame oil and mix. Add the egg/onion mix back into skillet. Add the green onions and the peas/carrots. Add splash of soysauce, garlic salt and the 5 spice. Turn heat to med/low. Cover for 2 minutes.
Mix contents, cover and wait until frozen peas/carrots are cooked.

STIR FRIED VEGGIES
You will need:
2 bunch of bok choy - washed and cut in 1 inch pieces
1 can straw mushroom
3 cloves garlic, crushed
sesame oil
oyster sauce

If you only have one skillet, take the rice out and transfer in a serving bowl/dish. Put in oven at 170 degree (or lower) to keep warm. Cover rice with foil if needed.

Carefully Use a paper towel and wipe clean the previous food.
Put skillet back on stove and add 4 tsp cooking oil.

Heat med/high. Add the bok choy and sautee for 4 minutes. Add garlic, straw mushroom (drain can) and sautee for a 5 more minutes. Lower heat and add a dash of sesame oil (little goes a long way!) and a dash of oyster sauce (about 4 tsp). Mix well, Turn off heat.

*if you plan to use chinese broccoli, boil it for 5 minutes to tenderize it, or put in microwave safe bowl, add some water and microwave for 3-5 minutes. Then cook as above.

Transfer the veggies to a serving dish, put in oven to keep warm.

TIME TO CHECK ON THE CHICKEN.
By now the chicken should be done. Pierce the thickest part of the breast, and the juices should run clear. if not, continue cooking.

Get the skillet and add 4 or 5 tsp of cooking oil. Turn heat to high.

While the oil is heating...
Get a large dinner plate and put near the steamer. The plate should be able to hold the steam chicken platter.
CAREFULLY take the steaming chicken and put on top of the dinner plate. If you used the oven, do the same thing.

Add any leftover fresh green onions on top of the steamed chicken. Turn off the stove and carefully pour the hot oil on top of the chicken. Please be careful as the hot oil may have dripped off the skillet.

Hope that helps! Double check on the ingredients, as I may have missed it on the shopping list.

Answer 2

I agree with the person above me, except for the part about buying it at a restaurant.
What makes you think they don't cook that kind of food for themselves all the time? Whatever you could prepare will be inferior to what they cook, as they are probably more experienced with their own cuisine.
They might like to try something new. Make them something you like and cook on a pretty regular basis...something that you know how to awesomely make already. Also, try to pick something that you know many other people also like.

Answer 3

Buy the food at the Chinese restaurant. Why cook Chinese food, you can introduce your own food to his family whatever nationality you are and I am sure that you will will not be criticized for that, but do not try to impressed them by cooking their own cuisine. Big Mistake

Answer 4

Sesame Chicken

Answer 5

I totally agree with the two ladies who said make something from your family - or even something you have invented that you just love. What a compliment to them that you wanted to prepare 'your' something special for them. How would you like to go the China and have them make you hamburgers & fries. I would MUCH RATHER have one of their dishes. Good luck & God Bless.

Answer 6

Make a variety of dishes, and put in center of table, and share amongst all. Here are some websites:
http://www.bbqguide.com/chinese.htm
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/recipesbymeal/a/populardishes.htm
http://www.eatingchina.com/recipes.html

Answer 7

find out what region/province his family is from (Cantonese, Hunan, Schezuan). then cook to that style. very important...keep it simple! and i hope you're cooking with a gas stove because you're going to need the BTU's if you stir-fry.

Answer 8

Hello,

Here we go.......

Fortune cookies, write your own fortunes in.

INGREDIENTS:
1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a cookie sheet. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.
Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.
Place teaspoonfuls of the batter at least 4 inches apart on one of the prepared cookie sheets. Tilt the sheet to move the batter into round shapes about 3 inches in diameter. Be careful to make batter as round and even as possible. Do not make too many, because the cookie have to be really hot to form them and once they cool it is too late. Start with 2 or 3 to a sheet and see how many you can do.
Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale. While one sheet is baking, prepare the other.
Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide spatula and place upside down on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to the middle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton to hold their shape until firm.

Kung Pao chicken,

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 ounce hot chile paste
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
4 ounces chopped peanuts

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DIRECTIONS:
To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

Sweet and sour chicken

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 3/4 cups water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 drops orange food color
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
2 cups water
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

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DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple syrup, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.
Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.
Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.
When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.