Easy Chinese Recipes for Takeout Experts

Grace Parisi shares delicious, not-at-all authentic recipes.

After I’ve spent a long day in the F&W Test Kitchen, a trek down to Chinatown for fresh noodles or special spices just isn’t going to happen. But, with some cross-cultural engineering, I’ve discovered ways to make some of my favorite Chinese recipes totally supermarket-accessible. The key is using a few Western ingredients in clever and unexpected ways. For instance, I steam refrigerator biscuits—the ones in those cardboard cans—to create fluffy bacon buns (sorry, Dave Chang, but these rock!). The cumin and crushed red pepper that power my Sichuan-style lamb are always in my cabinet, so to create that crazy Sichuan-peppercorn mouth-buzz, I use a whopping amount of the pepper. Of course, soy, sesame oil and oyster sauce are irreplaceable, but luckily, they’re as easy to find as Greek yogurt, Spanish chorizo and Italian canned tomatoes—a real melting wok.

View the original article here

Easy Chinese Recipes for Takeout Experts

Grace Parisi shares delicious, not-at-all authentic recipes.

After I’ve spent a long day in the F&W Test Kitchen, a trek down to Chinatown for fresh noodles or special spices just isn’t going to happen. But, with some cross-cultural engineering, I’ve discovered ways to make some of my favorite Chinese recipes totally supermarket-accessible. The key is using a few Western ingredients in clever and unexpected ways. For instance, I steam refrigerator biscuits—the ones in those cardboard cans—to create fluffy bacon buns (sorry, Dave Chang, but these rock!). The cumin and crushed red pepper that power my Sichuan-style lamb are always in my cabinet, so to create that crazy Sichuan-peppercorn mouth-buzz, I use a whopping amount of the pepper. Of course, soy, sesame oil and oyster sauce are irreplaceable, but luckily, they’re as easy to find as Greek yogurt, Spanish chorizo and Italian canned tomatoes—a real melting wok.

View the original article here

Easy Chinese Recipes for Takeout Experts

Grace Parisi shares delicious, not-at-all authentic recipes.

After I’ve spent a long day in the F&W Test Kitchen, a trek down to Chinatown for fresh noodles or special spices just isn’t going to happen. But, with some cross-cultural engineering, I’ve discovered ways to make some of my favorite Chinese recipes totally supermarket-accessible. The key is using a few Western ingredients in clever and unexpected ways. For instance, I steam refrigerator biscuits—the ones in those cardboard cans—to create fluffy bacon buns (sorry, Dave Chang, but these rock!). The cumin and crushed red pepper that power my Sichuan-style lamb are always in my cabinet, so to create that crazy Sichuan-peppercorn mouth-buzz, I use a whopping amount of the pepper. Of course, soy, sesame oil and oyster sauce are irreplaceable, but luckily, they’re as easy to find as Greek yogurt, Spanish chorizo and Italian canned tomatoes—a real melting wok.

View the original article here

Must-Visit Chinese Food Places in NYC's Boroughs of Manhattan and Queens

Manhattan and Queens' neighborhoods offer all the wonderful opportunities for you to savor the many delicate nuances of Chinese cuisine. From the most basic $3.75 (at current prices) with 3 viands plus steamed rice to ultra-priced gourmet food servings in tony restaurants outside of Chinatown, customers can take their pick. Keep in mind that if the food place is located outside of Chinatown, expect it to be pricier than usual. But if you like something affordable and still great tasting then head off quick to Chinatown.

1) Flor de Mayo This is Chinese cuisine (Cantonese, specifically), Latin American (i.e. Peruvian) style which you can enjoy somewhere in the Upper West Side. For its fusion food that you may expect in fancy food places, this place is very affordable. Highly sought out dishes include "ceviche mixto" with onions, scallops, squid and octopus. It is located between 83rd and 84th Streets on Amsterdam Avenue.

2) Spicy and Tasty Located in 39-07 Prince Street in Flushing, Queens, where a veritable Hong Kong like neighborhood now exists that has grown bigger than Manhattan's Chinatown. Here, you hit upon Sichuan (Szechuan)-Chinese style meals that are laced with lots of peppers, Chinese celery, plus chili sauces in its dishes.

3) Szechuan Gourmet Midtown West's favorite Chinese food place by those seeking spicy variety of meals, without much salt, not greasy looking, and without MSG. Of course, there are other items on the menu where you can have your favorite food fares that come salty, very spicy, flavorful, or even double cooked. This easily becomes a hangout for office based workers in Midtown who are craving Chinese food without schlepping to Chinatown during lunch time.

4) Big Wong King Between Bayard and Canal on Mott Street in Chinatown, this place (also known as "Dai Wong," which is the name's translation in Chinese) serves Cantonese cuisine. It always gets crowded with customers who crave for noodles, congee, roast pork, roast duck, among others. The experience gets completed in a small, crammed place, with "not-so" friendly level of service, offered at cheap prices, and yet, all these give the customer an overall sense of having relished authentic Chinese food in the heart of Chinatown itself.

5) Congee Village With current locations at the Lower East Side's Allen Street, and along Nolita's Bowery, their house special chicken dubbed as "garlic fragrant chicken" is a must-taste item in their menu. They have other items listed in their extensive menu that has a heavy bent on Cantonese cuisine and running at least 7 pages - a signal that you are in for a great adventure in your search for authentic Chinese cuisine this side of Manhattan, in the fringes of Chinatown.

6) Grand Sichuan International They have 7 locations covering NYC including in Jersey City. If you do not want to spend time to go all the way to Chinatown, and you are somewhere else in NYC, this is the Chinese-food place to go to. Try their spicy dan dan noodles, ma po tofu, dried fried green beans, double cooked pork, and the fish flavored eggplant. You'll also notice a lot of Chinese-looking people having their meals here - a sign that it serves authentic Chinese food.

7) Wo Hop Restaurant Also in Chinatown's Mott Street where there are other notable Chinese restaurants, you locate this one in the basement. You'd be served with Chinese servers who work on pleasing you and are working to understand what you want to have for your meal. Try to engage your server in a conversation, and he'll surely lead you to their best offerings depending on your cravings at the moment.

8) Golden Unicorn Located in East Broadway that's way off from Canal Street, where you may have difficulties finding on-the-street parking in case you bring your car, this is the place to be if you want to enjoy dumplings of all imaginable flavorful varieties in high style. This is a huge restaurant in a building where you may want to bring the rest of your family and friends, and be impressed with the experience.

9) Wu Liang Ye Located in Midtown, on 36 W48th Street, close to Times Square and Rockefeller Center, this is a respectable restaurant that is noticeably always packed with customers from all over the town. You will find here authentic Szechuan flavored (i.e. almost always spicy) food fare that will provide you fix for your craving for Chinese food all year through, without the need to go to Chinatown. Also, consult and ask for Mandarin appetizers that you may find difficulties finding in other parts of the US.

10) White Bear This ("Bai Xiong" in Mandarin) definitely has to be included here; located in 135-02 Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing, Queens. Experience savoring the most flavorful dumplings and noodles with wontons (reputedly among the best tasting this side of Queens). It is a tiny shack of a food place that offers delicious Mandarin Chinese meals.

The above list includes those that continue to offer what is considered authentic and largely inspired by what can be found in the Mother country. You are assured, too, of the opportunity to enjoy the best in Chinese cuisine that is creatively combined with what is readily found and available in the local culture of NYC.

I write mostly about changes and issues revolving around moving-on themes. You may read more about them, which are mostly written in a personal but daring viewpoint in these links:
http://www.jeromebaladad.com/
http://takingleadnow.blogspot.com/

Chef Ming Tsai's Tips for Allergy-Friendly and Gluten-Free Chinese Food

Ming Tsai, the renowned chef-owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, MA, and Emmy award-winning host of Simply Ming on public television, is also a national spokesperson for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Tsai stopped by Food & Wine's Facebook page to share Asian cooking tips and advice for allergy-prone diners who love Chinese food.

How can I make wontons without wheat-based wrappers?
You can make little pouches out of Banh Trang, rice paper wrappers, that you need to rehydrate. Or else use blanched Napa cabbage leaves and tie with a chive.

I have a serious fish and shellfish allergy which makes eating or even cooking many Asian dishes difficult with additions of fish and oyster sauces. Is there any other ingredient that could be used as a substitute?
Wan Ja Shan makes a great veggie oyster sauce. And you can always use their organic, wheat-free tamari as a substitute for fish sauce.

My son has a life-threatening allergy to all nuts. His physician told us to avoid Asian restaurants. He loves what I make at home, but any suggestions, advice on how to navigate Asian restaurants?
Lots of Asian restaurants DO NOT use peanut oil anymore. So call in advance and ask. Always be cautious. Or best, come to Blue Ginger, we are very safe, as is Disney!!

What is a good lower-sodium substitute for hoisin sauce?
Get some black garlic or fermented black beans and blend with reduced pineapple and orange juices. Maybe add some caramelized onions for texture and a little chile. Enjoy!

Do you have any ideas for low sodium (or no-sodium) ways to prepare meats with Asian flavors? Xie xie.
Use a little Wan Ja Shan low-sodium soy sauce and add acid from lemon, lime, rice vinegar or ponzu.

I am trying to incorporate more protein into my mostly vegetarian diet. I love tofu, but perhaps you have some other tasty suggestions?
Edamame, love, tempeh, tons of seaweed and quinoa, barley, or lentils.

Favorite make-ahead Asian appetizers that can be frozen?
Springrolls, fried, then frozen hold well and can be re-fried when you are ready to eat. Dumplings made fresh should be blanched in boiling water then frozen. Pan-sear and steam as normal

Do you know of a source for ramen noodles other than those that contain “flavor packets”? The packets are full of salt and junk.
Good Asian markets have fresh and dry ones. Here in Boston, H-Mart rocks as does Market 88 and Chinatown.

How do I get a Southern-raised beans-potatoes-and-fried-food lover, who hates anything he was not raised on, to try/like more veggies, fruits and other cuisines? I have been plugging at this for 12 years now :D
Wok stir fry your veggies with garlic, ginger and soy sauce. All veggies taste good this way!!

At what age did you become aware you wanted to cook for a living?
I knew at age 10 I wanted to be a chef, why? I always was, am and will always be HUNGRY!!

What is the most daunting dish you’ve ever made?
First time making Peking Duck. And soufflés are tricky!!

Ming, how do you feel about the eating habits of children in America? And what do you think we can do to help them make better choices?
All of us chefs are doing what we can. I’m doing a James Beard Dinner in November in DC with Michelle Obama and Partnership for a Healthier America. And I am on the board of the Harvard Nutritional Round Table. Also doing the Ashland Schools with Chefs Move to Schools with the Letsmove.gov campaign. It’s very important!!!

Chef, what is your favorite cookbook? Other than yours, of course.
Escoffier, French Laundry, any chef from the Robert Laffont Series, Nobu, Morimoto, Hiroko Shimbo.

What are your most and least favorite current food trends?
Truffle oil [is] used way too much. Eating family-style is the bomb!!!!

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Secrets Of Chinese Cooking

Good Selling Ebook For Last 5 Years, Recently Added To Market Place 65% Commission. Not Just Recipes But How To Prepare For And Serve A Traditional Chinese Meal Including The History Of Chinese Meals.

Check it out!