If you have never tried out Chinese dishes, you may not know what you have been missing. Even I did not like Chinese before I tasted it recently, and that fueled my interest in it.
Before I progress, let me quickly throw a greeting to you my friends here on Steemit. If you have not seen my post lately, it is because I had to do a re-approach to my Steemit career. I simply want to interact with the community more and get to know more people who share a similar drive with me. That said. I hope you all are doing great? Ok. Let us continue with this fantastic Chinese vegetable cooking style. I bet, you will love it!
If you have been to the food market lately, you might have seen - especially if you live in large Western cities - the familiar cucumbers and carrots and some not-so-familiar items: snow peas, gingerroot bok choy, water chestnuts, bean sprouts.
These are Chinese vegetables, and you can find them where there good numbers of China nationals. You might be tempted to pass these by, but the more adventurous ones are buying woks (a metal pan for frying) and trying out Chinese cooking. If you practice a little, you too can offer some truly thrilling meals to your family at an amazingly low cost.
Little Known Secrets of Chinese Cooking
In most parts of the world, people often boil their vegetables and discard the water. However, this is a waste both of flavor and of water-soluble nutrients. Instead of losing the nutrient, the Chinese stir-fry their vegetables. Stir-frying vegetable retains flavor and nutrients, while at the same time giving the barely cooked ingredients a soft, crisp texture that appeals to many.
At the end of stir-frying on high heat, a little water or stock is added, the pan covered, and the ingredients allowed to simmer for a short time. After this, the liquid is thickened with a mixture of cornstarch and cold water to form a sauce. In this way, the seasoning remains on each morsel of food as it is eaten.
Seasoning vegetables or other foods is another Chinese secret. For instance, gingerroot not only adds a delightful flavor but it also has medicinal benefits. Gingerroot taste can be added in different ways, depending upon your preference. For example, if you want only a shrewd trace of it, then heat a few tablespoons of oil and add a little ginger. The hot oil will make the flavor of the ginger to come out. Thereafter, just remove the ginger and stir-fry your vegetables in the flavored oil.
On the other hand, if you want a stronger flavor, just preserve the ginger as you continue cooking. You can also add fresh cloves of garlic to the food, but care must be taken to lower the heat since garlic burns easily.
Meat and vegetable combinations are the most famous Chinese dishes. Meat adds further flavor to the vegetables, while the vegetables serve to extend a small quantity of meat. This is good for the health because eating more vegetables and less meat is a good way of reducing the level of calories and cholesterol in the body.
Several other ingredients can be added meat and vegetable combinations: shrimp, snow peas beef and broccoli, steak and peppers, and chicken and mixed vegetables, to name just a few.
Cooking With Chicken
You may also enjoy delightful dishes involve boneless chicken, for example, Moo Goo Gai Pan, which is made using a whole, fresh, chicken.
To cook it, you first remove the skin and fry it slowly until the fat is separated. The grease may be used in frying as well and is liked by the Chinese for its flavor. Cut out flesh from the bones of the chicken. Next, cut the chicken meat into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
Now, soak the chicken pieces in the soy sauce, wine, and sugar. Stir in the cornstarch, and leave the pieces to remain for half an hour. Now, heat the grease or oil in a wok or a frying pan, and stir-fry the meat, separating the pieces as they cook. Remove from the pan and set aside.
You may add more oil to the pan, and let it heat until quite hot. Add the ginger slices and fry them for 30 seconds. Put in the vegetables all at once while the pan is still hot. Stir-fry vegetables briefly. This will cool the oil enough so that the minced garlic can be added to it without burning. Stir-fry for one minute and stock. Cover, and simmer for one more minute. Open the pan and add other ingredients starting with the cornstarch which you must slowly pour in a while stirring. Stop when it becomes thick. Lastly, add the chicken to the vegetables and stir enough to reheat. You can eat it with cooked rice.
There is no doubt that if you try cooking vegetables the Chinese style, you will enjoy it tremendously.
Essential Ingredients for Moo Goo Gai Pan (chicken slices with vegetables/mushrooms):
one to two cups chicken meat
one to two tablespoons of soy sauce
About two tablespoons of wine
one rounded teaspoon sugar
two tablespoons of cornstarch
Two slices of gingerroot (optional)
4 cups bok choy
1 cup of sliced celery
1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1/4 cup bamboo shoots (optional)
1/4 pound snow peas
One large clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 teaspoon salt
One rounded teaspoon sugar
One teaspoon soy sauce
One teaspoon sesame oil
Two teaspoons wine or sherry
1/4 cup cornstarch blended into 1/4 cup cold water