Chinese Restaurant Recipes?

Question

Have never found any Chinese Restaurant Recipes that really taste like the ones we eat in the restaurants. Has anyone copied any of the regulars, I.E. Garlic chicken, Mongolian beef, etc.? The texture of the beef in Chinese restaurant meals is different as well. What cut of "beef" are they normally using? I have heard flank.

Answer 1

SESAME CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon peanut oil
4 leaves red leaf lettuce - rinsed
1 large tomato, cut into wedges

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DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut chicken into about 1 inch X 2 inch pieces.
In a large nonporous glass dish or bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, sherry, ginger and five spice powder. Mix together. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes, turning once, to marinate. After 20 minutes, drain chicken, reserving marinade. Boil reserved marinade in a small saucepan for 5 minutes to remove risk of bacteria.
Meanwhile, spread sesame seeds out evenly on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven, to toast, for 10 minutes or until slightly browned.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. In a shallow dish or bowl combine flour and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Brown chicken pieces in oil for about 1 minute each side. Spoon boiled marinade over chicken, reduce heat and saute all together for 1 more minute or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Remove chicken pieces from heat and roll in toasted sesame seeds. Rinse and dry lettuce leaves; line serving platter with leaves and spoon chicken on top. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve.


General Tso's Chicken

lb chicken thighs, boned and cubed
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus
2 teaspoons cornstarch
5 dried chili pods
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large bowl, thoroughly blend the 1/2 cup of cornstarch and the eggs; add the chicken and toss to coat.
If the mixture is too thick, add some vegetable oil to separate the pieces.
In a small bowl, prepare the sauce mixture by combining the 2 tsp cornstarch with the wine, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce.
First-Stage Frying: Heat 1-2 inches of peanut oil in a wok to medium-high heat (350-400).
Fry the chicken in small batches, just long enough to cook the chicken through.
Remove the chicken to absorbent paper and allow to stand (this step can be performed well in advance, along with the sauce mixture, with both refrigerated).
Second-Stage Frying: Leave a tablespoon or two of the oil in the wok.
Add the pepper pods to the oil and stir-fry briefly, awakening the aroma but not burning them.
Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the pieces are crispy brown.
The General's Favorite Sauce: Add the sauce-mixture to the wok, tossing over the heat until the sauce caramelizes into a glaze (1-2 minutes).
Serve immediately.
Serves 4, along with steamed broccoli and rice.


Mongolian Beef


INGREDIENTS:
1 lb sirloin or flank steak
Marinade:
1 egg white
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetables:
4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 8-ounce can baby corn
1 garlic clove, minced
Sauce:
3 TB hoisin sauce
2 TB water
1 TB dark soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar, or 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 tsp chile paste, or to taste
Other:
1 tsp sugar
1 cup oil for frying beef
2 TB oil for stir-frying
PREPARATION:
Slice the beef across the grain into thin strips. Add the marinade ingredients in the order given and marinate the beef for thirty minutes. To prepare the vegetables, wash the green onions and slice on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.

Peel and mince the garlic. Rinse the can of baby corn with warm running water. Drain thoroughly. Mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
When the beef has finished marinating, heat the wok and add 1 cup oil. When oil is ready, add the beef and fry until it changes color. Remove the beef from the wok and drain on paper towels.
Clean out the wok with a paper towel, and add 2 tablespoons of oil for stir-frying. When the oil is ready, add the garlic. Stir-fry briefly, and add the baby corn. Add the green onions.
Make a well in the middle of the wok by pushing the vegetables up to the side. Add the sauce and bring to a boil, stirring to thicken.
Stir in the sugar. Add the beef and combine with the sauce and vegetables. Serve hot. Serves 4.



CHINESE GARLIC CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb.)
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon dry white wine or sherry
4 green onions
1 teaspoon minced gingerroot
3 teaspoons minced fresh garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Hot cooked rice

SAUCE

1 teaspoon crushed chili paste (sambal oelek) or more to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Place chicken breasts in freezer for 1 to 2 hours or until very firm
but not frozen solid. Slice crosswise into thin shreds. In small bowl,
lightly beat egg white, then mix in 1 TBS cornstach and 1 TBS wine,
stirring until cornstarch is dissolved. Add chicken and mix well to coat
all pieces. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice green onions on the diagonal into very thin slices.
Mince gingerroot and garlic. Combine Sauce ingredients, mixing well. Heat
wok or frying pan, add oil, and stir-fry chicken until no longer pink.
Remove chicken with a slotted spoon. Add onions, ginger and garlic to wok
and stirfry about 30 seconds, until ginger and garlic are fragrant but not
brown. Return chicken to wok, restir sauce ingredients and add to wok.
Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is well combined, hot and bubbly
and thickens slightly. Turn off heat and splash with about 1 tsp of dark
sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Answer 2

I have procedures and methods I use that come pretty close to the taste you get at the Chinese restaurant, it also helps when you have asian people working for you and they buy you ingredients that have no english writing on them.
I make shrimp with lobster sauce. Take a tablespoon each of minced garlic, grated ginger and sliced scallions. Preheat the wok, add a little peanut oil to stir fry. To the wok add 1/4 lb. ground pork cook until all the pink is gone, add the scallions ginger and garlic. Mix well, add some good size shrimp 6-8. Stir fry until the shrimp gets a little color. To this add 1 cup chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and drop in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch that has been dissolved in a little COLD water. bring back to a simmer, add 1 egg that has been slightly beaten. this will thicken the sauce TURN OFF HEAT! Stir in the egg using chop sticks to form a figure 8. The liquid is hot enough to cook the egg, and the shrimp should now be cooked. Serve over rice.

Answer 3

Yes, Flank Steak...

Chinese Recipe : Mongolian Beef
1 lb. boneless beef, flank is good
3 tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
4 scallions, cut in 2" lengths and slivered.
Marinade:
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
dash of white pepper
2 T. Sherry
Sauce:

2 tsp. Hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. chicken broth or water
Directions:
Freeze beef 1 hr. before slicing. Slice meat across the grain in very
thin slices. Mix the marinade ingredients. Add sliced beef, and marinate 1/2 hr.
Heat wok, add oil and garlic. Stir fry 1 min. and discard the garlic. Add beef and scallions. Stir fry 3 mins. Add Hoisin sauce, ketchup, and chicken broth. Stir fry 1 more min. Serve over rice.
http://www.chinesefood-recipes.com/chinese_beef_lamb_recipes/mongolian_beef_recipe.php

Answer 4

Yes, and it can be purchased at your local chinese market,
already presliced.

It's great.

Answer 5

Your problem comes from actually using beef or chicken.

You have to use the secret ingredient...CAT MEAT.

MEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!

Thanks for the 2 points!!