Showing posts with label Chinese Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese Food. Show all posts
I love Chinese cuisine. Stir fries, sweet and sour, rice, egg rolls, won tons, etc. I love it all. I can remember when I was a very young woman and we moved to Calgary, we would often go to a Chinese restaurant in the downtown area.
I remember thinking it was very elegant with its low lighting, paper lanterns, lacquer furniture, dragons, etc. At the time, I thought that I would love to have my house decorated like that. Oooo haha I cannot imagine that now! That would have been ridiculous!
It did have very good food however. We would order a la carte and split the dishes. I loved the sweet and sour of course, and the lemon chicken. Another favorite was General Tso Chicken. It was a bit spicy, but not overly so.
One of the highlights was getting the fortune cookies at the end with the bill.
We used to get really good Chinese food in the place I live now, but I am afraid that is not true any longer. I have been greatly disappointed every time we have gone out. Nothing seems the same since Covid. There are no more buffets either. Every Chinese eatery in the valley for the most part is also open only for takeaway, with the exception of the one in the mall, and I have to say the food there is appalling.
Having said that, some of the best Chinese meals I have eaten through the years have been the ones made at home, or at my brother and sister in law's place. You can't beat homemade Chinese food. Always delicious and always to your own taste.
This General Tso Chicken recipe for one that I am sharing today has been adapted from one I found on Christine at Home. The simplicity of it appealed to me. Also her recipe was for only two people and I found it very easy to adapt it to feed one person, moi.
I also have another version of General Tso Chicken for two that you can find here on my page. What can I say about that, but that I am always game to try a new version of anything. Both versions of this dish are delicious!
I had all of the ingredients in the house. I keep one shelf on my refrigerator door stocked with every Chinese ingredient you might need to cook a dish. I have fish sauce, several kinds of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, etc.
That way I am never very far from cooking up my own Chinese meal at home.
I love crispy chicken in any way shape or form, but combine it with a tasty sauce with Oriental flavors, and you can count me all in!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GENERAL TSO CHICKEN
A few simple ingredients, and if you are like me, you probably already have them all in!
For the Sauce:
- 2 TBS Hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS soy sauce
- 1 TBS brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or red chili flakes)
- 1/2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water
You will also need:
- 1/2 lb (226g) boneless skinless chicken thighs diced (about 2)
- 2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 slices ginger peeled (each slice is about ¼ inch thick)
- vegetable oil for frying
- Sesame seeds and chopped spring onions to garnish (optional)
I love hoisin sauce. I will often squirt some on my fried rice. I just adore the combination of flavors. It is often confused with oyster sauce, but they are not the same thing at all. Hoisin sauce is made from a fermented soy bean paste, is thicker and is much sweeter.
She did not specify toasted sesame oil. I used the toasted sesame oil because I felt that it would pack a much better flavor punch and not get lost in the flavors of everything else.
You can use more or less hot pepper flakes/crushed chilies, depending on how much heat you want your dish to pack. I always err on the side of caution.
HOW TO MAKE GENERAL TSO CHICKEN
This goes together very simply and very quickly. I have included option instructions for doing this in the air fryer if you have one and you want to use it.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Do NOT pat your chicken dry. Dice each thigh into about 6 to 8 pieces. Place into a bowl along with the cornstarch (corn flour). Mix to coat each piece generously. You can add a bit more cornstarch if you need it.
Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Once it is hot add the oil. You will only need it to be about 1/4 inch thick. Make sure the oil is hot before you add the chicken.
Add the chicken pieces in one layer. Leave plenty of space between each piece. Do not crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan.)
Brown on one side and then carefully flip the pieces over. This will take 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once the chicken is browned and cooked through, remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm
Drain excess any oil from the pan. Add the ginger and cook over medium high heat for about 30 seconds. Add the sauce ingredients. Bring it to the boil, stirring and allowing it to thicken.
Toss in your fried chicken, turning it to coat in the sauce completely. Serve hot, garnished with a pinch of sesame seed and some chopped spring onions. (If desired.)
HOW TO COOK GENERAL TSO CHICKEN IN THE AIR FRYER
To cook the chicken in an air fryer: Coat your chicken with the cornstarch. Place in the air fryer basket, leaving plenty of space around each piece. (Again you may need to do it in batches depending.) Spritz with some oil and air fry for 12 to 14 minutes at 400*F/200*C. No need to flip them over.
Prepare sauce as above and add the cooked chicken to the sauce as per the recipe, turning to coat and garnish as above, as desired.
This General Tso Chicken recipe was really delicious. Not only was it quick and easy to make, but it cut in half perfectly and made just the right amount for just myself.
I enjoyed it with some steamed rice and broccoli. I just adore broccoli with meals like this. I may have overdone the sesame seeds a bit, but what can I say? I am never half in to anything. All in or nothing! That's me!!
Authentic or not, here are some other really delicious Chinese types of dishes that I have cooked here in The English Kitchen:
CHINESE ORANGE CHICKEN FOR TWO - Crispy coated pieces of chicken breast in a lush and tangy orange sauce. The sauce is a beautiful mix of oriental flavors (aside from the orange juice). Use fresh orange juice if you can, but a good bottled orange juice will also work well.
CANTONESE CHICKEN CHOP SUEY - This recipe is one I adapted from a recipe I found in Betty Crocker's Lost Recipes book. What you have here is plenty of tender pieces and crispy tender vegetables in a beautifully flavored sauce with a toasted cashew nut garnish. Sized perfectly for two people.
Yield: 1
Easy General Tso Chicken for One
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Crispy coated pieces of chicken in a sweet, tangy and spicy sauce. I like to enjoy this with steamed rice and a vegetable. Broccoli is a favorite!
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 TBS Hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS soy sauce
- 1 TBS brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or red chili flakes)
- 1/2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water
You will also need:
- 1/2 lb (226g) boneless skinless chicken thighs diced (about 2)
- 2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 slices ginger peeled (each slice is about ¼ inch thick)
- vegetable oil for frying
- Sesame seeds and chopped spring onions to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Do not pat your chicken dry. Dice each thigh into about 6 to 8 pieces. Place into a bowl along with the cornstarch (corn flour). Mix to coat each piece generously. You can add a bit more cornstarch if you need it.
- Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Once it is hot add the oil. You will only need it to be about 1/4 inch thick. Make sure the oil is hot before you add the chicken.
- Add the chicken pieces in one layer. Leave plenty of space between each piece. Do not crowd the pan. (You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan.)
- Brown on one side and then carefully flip the pieces over. This will take 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once the chicken is browned and cooked through, remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm
- Drain excess any oil from the pan. Add the ginger and cook over medium high heat for about 30 seconds. Add the sauce ingredients. Bring it to the boil, stirring and allowing it to thicken.
- Toss in your fried chicken, turning it to coat in the sauce completely. Serve hot, garnished with a pinch of sesame seed and some chopped spring onions. (If desired.)
Notes
To cook the chicken in an air fryer: Coat your chicken with the cornstarch. Place in the air fryer basket, leaving plenty of space around each piece. (Again you may need to do it in batches depending.) Spritz with some oil and air fry for 12 to 14 minutes at 400*F/200*C. No need to flip them over.
Prepare sauce as above and add the cooked chicken to the sauce as per the recipe, turning to coat and garnish as above, as desired.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan@aol.com
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I have been craving Chinese food for weeks and weeks now. I could probably just take myself to a Chinese restaurant if I wanted to, but to be honest the food at the restaurant here in town is the pits. The best one is in the next town over and when I think about driving all the way there, I end up just eating whatever I have in the house.
Sometimes I do go with my father and his friends for a Chinese meal, but that is a very rare occurrence. I am not one to go out and eat all by myself. Where is the fun in that.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
It's not often that our local grocery store has flank steak for sale. When my sister and I were there yesterday we spied to packages of it. I snapped up one and she snapped up the other.
And then I headed to the produce aisle to pick up some broccoli so I could make myself a stir fry for my supper.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
I love, Love, LOVE Beef and Broccoli. It is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. I had spied a tasty looking Mongolian Beef & Broccoli recipe the other day however, and I wanted to try that.
I have adapted this recipe for Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with noodles from one I found on a page called Creme de la Crumb. The original recipe was sized for four people. I small batched it to feed only two.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
I chose that recipe because I happened to have all of the ingredients needed in my larder. I keep a whole shelf on the door of my refrigerator stocked with ingredients to make Chinese food.
I also love any Chinese dish that contains noodles. One thing I used to love ordering when I lived in the UK was the Singapore noodles with vermicelli.
My husband hated it because he didn't like noodles, but oh well, more for me!
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MONGOLIAN BEEF & BROCCOLI WITH NOODLES
It looks like a long list, but really once you have gathered all of the components, this is a dish that goes together in a flash!
- 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
- 1 TBS hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS cold water + 1 tsp. corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 3/4 lb. (340g) stir fry beef - or very thin sliced steak
- 1 package ramen noodles - boiled until tender and drained
- chopped spring onions - for garnish (optional)
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
Use the freshest broccoli that you can find and then cut your broccoli into bite sized pieces. Cut any larger florets in half. You don't want anything larger than a bite.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
If you are slicing your own steak to use in this, it's much easier to slice it thinly if your steak is partially frozen. I don't really like buying stir fry strips of beef. I find them to be too thick. I prefer to cut my own.
I highly recommend using flank or sirloin steak for this, but you can use whatever steak you wish. It is so thin and so quickly cooked it won't be tough anyways.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
My son told me about these Ramen noodles a few months ago. The brand is Indomie Mi goreng fried noodles. They are lovely. I like them much more than other kinds. You can find them at Walmart and on Amazon and in the grocery stores.
They come with seasoning powders and oils in the packets. You won't need them for this recipe. Just the noodles.
My grandsons have gotten the prep of these noodles down to an art form. They delighted in showing me how they make them on their recent visit to me. They really are delicious.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
HOW TO MAKE MONGOLIAN BEEF & BROCCOLI WITH NOODLES
This is a really quick and easy dish to make, especially if you have all of your ingredients measured, prepped, gathered and grouped prior to beginning cooking.
Whisk the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and rice wine vinegar together in a cup. Set aside.
Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small bowl until the corn starch dissolves.
Add ingredients in the sauce cup to the skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk in corn starch slurry until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
Stir in noodles, and heat through. Garnish with spring onions if desired and serve.
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
I really REALLY enjoyed this dish, and it satisfied my Chinese food craving, for the time being anyways! It was quick and easy to make and incredibly delicious.
You could serve it with steamed rice if you wanted to or add extra vegetables if you like. I was quite fond of it just as is. If you like your food really spicy why not add some dried chili flakes?
A sprinkle of chopped salted peanuts on top is also very nice. I was in such a hurry to eat this that I completely forgot to sprinkle the spring onions on top before I took all my photos! They do add a nice sharpness to the dish so don't leave them out!
.JPG "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles")
VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN - What if I told you that you could fix a quick and easy Vegetable Chow Mien which is delicious and nutritious and contains plenty of crunch and color? I have used fresh cabbage, carrots, cooking onions, and spring onions along with some fresh bean sprouts, mushrooms and a few water chestnuts for plenty of crunch. This is simply delicious.
QUICK AND EASY FIRECRACKER CHICKEN - Quick, easy, spicy and delicious!Chunks of crispy chicken in a sweet and spicy glaze. This quick and easy dinner option is sure to be popular with the family! I served it with steamed rice and broccoli spears.
Yield: 2
Mongolian Beef & Broccoli with Noodles
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Perfectly cooked beef and crispy tender broccoli in a spicy sweet and garlicky sauce with noodles. Delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80ml) soy sauce -
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
- 1 TBS hoisin sauce
- 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS cold water + 1 tsp. corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 3/4 lb. (340g) stir fry beef - or very thin sliced steak
- 1 package ramen noodles - boiled until tender and drained
- chopped spring onions - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sriracha sauce, hoisin sauce, and rice wine vinegar together in a cup. Set aside.
- Heat your oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
- Whisk the cold water and corn starch together in a small bowl until the corn starch dissolves.
- Add ingredients in the sauce cup to the skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk in corn starch slurry until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in noodles, and heat through. Garnish with spring onions if desired and serve.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I am a huge fan of Asian flavors, or at least North Americanized ones. I have never been to the Orient actually, but what I have tasted both here and, in the UK, was always very delicious.
We have a Chinese restaurant here in town. It was always very good, but I find that since my return from the UK, it is not very good at all anymore. I am not sure if it has changed hands or what, but worst Chinese food ever. Worst.
This recipe for Kung Pao Chicken I am sharing today is one which I adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen. She calls it Better Than Takeout Kung Pao Chicken.
I call it delicious. I have never had Kung Pao Chicken from a takeaway, but I recently bought Si's new cookbook, entitled, A Bountiful Kitchen, and the photograph of this dish immediately caught my eye, so I just had to try it.
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
I cut all of the ingredients in half to make only two portions. If you want to make the full-sized version, you can get those measurements on her page, or in her book.
I love the book actually. Si is such a lovely person and it's really exciting that she now has this cookbook available. Do check it out. It's filled with lots of lovely recipes, sweet anecdotes, and beautiful photographs of both her home, her family and her food! I predict she will do very well with it!
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
One thing I really liked about this recipe is that it didn't require a whole lot of different outlandish ingredients. Si and her husband served a mission for our church in Spain for 18 months and while there, she had to adapt many of her old favorites to ingredients which were available in Spain, much the same as I had to in the UK.
She gives loads of substitutions for things that you can use, things which most of us will have readily available in our kitchens.
Another thing I liked about the recipe was the ease of preparation and how quickly it went together. I am all for easy peasy and quick recipes these days!
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE KUNG PAO CHICKEN
It looks like a lot but its small amounts of a variety of things. If you are like me, you probably have an Asian flavors store cupboard filled with the things you need to make these types of dishes.
For the chicken:
- 1/2 pound (250g) boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces (use thighs or breasts)
- 1/2 TBS soy sauce
- 1 tsp corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar (or cider)
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
For the sauce:
- 1 TBS soy sauce
- 1/2 TBS hoisin sauce (or 1 TBS balsamic vinegar)
- 1 TBS toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1 tsp corn starch (corn flour)
You will also need:
- 2 TBS canola oil
- 3/4 cup (150g) red bell pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup (150g) green bell pepper, chopped (can use Zucchini instead)
- 3 spring onions (both the white and green bits), chopped
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red chilies
- 1/4 cup (40g) cashew nuts or peanuts
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
I think it is more traditional to use peanuts in this dish, but I used cashews because that is what I had. I did have peanuts, but they are old and also dry roasted. I didn't think they would be good to use. Cashews worked out well.
Si says you can use a variety of vegetables. I had both red and green peppers so used them. You can replace regular onions for the green onions, just cut them into chunks. You can even use celery. Just make sure for this version you have no more than 1 1/2 cups of vegetables.
You can also vary the heat of the dish by the amount of crushed chilies you choose to use. I use less because I don't like my food to be incredibly spicy.
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
HOW TO MAKE KUNG PAO CHICKEN
Nothing could be quicker or tastier. I gave this a 10 out of 10 and passed the recipe onto my sister as I am sure it is something they will all love! If you have all of the elements assembled ahead of time, it goes together lickety split. All you need is some rice on the side to serve with it. I am a huge fan of the pouches of already cooked rice that you just pop into the microwave. For one person or two, they are ideal!
Whisk together the soy sauce, corn starch, and rice wine vinegar for the chicken together in a bowl. Add the pieces of chicken. Toss to coat them and then set aside for at least 15 minutes. (You can chill, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)
Prepare your vegetables and set aside.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a medium sized non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken. Stir fry to cook the chicken through, about 3 minutes. Scoop out to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat, again over high heat. When hot add the peppers. Cook, stirring, for two to three minutes until they are semi crisp.
Turn down the heat to medium and add the onions (reserve a few to garnish) and ginger. Stir fry for a minute and then stir in the sauce, along with the crushed red chilies. Cook for a minute or so until the sauce thickens and bubbles up.
Stir the chicken back into the pan and heat through. Serve immediately, garnished with the nuts and reserved spring onions.
.JPG "Kung Pao Chicken")
This tasted amazing. I am not sure how authentic it was, but that doesn't matter. If something is delicious that is all that counts! If you are also a fan of Asian/Oriental flavors like I am, you may also like these recipes:
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN BALLS - These are as delicious if not more so than any you might pick up at your favorite takeaway place. Crispy coated with a beautifully flavored sauce. I love these.
BEEF AND BROCCOLI - With plenty of tender pieces of beef and crispy tender broccoli florets, this always goes down a real treat. The sauce is just right. It is one of my favorites!
PORK FRIED RICE -This is one of those side dishes that uses up whatever vegetables and meat you have in the fridge that need using up and tastes great! I love little bit of this and little bit of that meals!
Yield: 2
Better than Take Out Kung Pao Chicken
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min
This Asian chicken dish goes together in minutes and is incredibly tasty. With tender, well flavored pieces of chicken and crispy vegetables in a delicious tangy, spicy sauce, it went down a real treat with some steamed rice.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1/2 pound (250g) boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces (use thighs or breasts)
- 1/2 TBS soy sauce
- 1 tsp corn starch (corn flour)
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar (or cider)
For the sauce:
- 1 TBS soy sauce
- 1/2 TBS hoisin sauce (or 1 TBS balsamic vinegar)
- 1 TBS toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1 tsp corn starch (corn flour)
You will also need:
- 2 TBS canola oil
- 3/4 cup (150g) red bell pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup (150g) green bell pepper, chopped (can use Zucchini instead)
- 3 spring onions (both the white and green bits), chopped
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot (or 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red chilies
- 1/4 cup (40g) cashew nuts or peanuts
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce, corn starch, and rice wine vinegar for the chicken together in a bowl. Add the pieces of chicken. Toss to coat them and then set aside for at least 15 minutes. (You can chill, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)
- Prepare your vegetables and set aside.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a medium sized non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken. Stir fry to cook the chicken through, about 3 minutes. Scoop out to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat, again over high heat. When hot add the peppers. Cook, stirring, for two to three minutes until they are semi crisp.
- Turn down the heat to medium and add the onions (reserve a few to garnish) and ginger. Stir fry for a minute and then stir in the sauce, along with the crushed red chilies. Cook for a minute or so until the sauce thickens and bubbles up.
- Stir the chicken back into the pan and heat through.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the nuts and reserved spring onions.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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