Chinese Recipe: Our Favorite Egg Drop Soup

This simple Chinese soup is a combination of beaten eggs and chicken broth at its most basic level. We began to wonder, though, how can one add extra flavor to the dish without getting in the way of that smooth, silky texture just the basic dish imparts?

The trick, it turned out, was to infuse the soup with additional flavor like one might with tea. We added a cinnamon stick, then put some peppercorns, and a few other spices in a tea ball (a tea bag works just as well) and let those flavors infuse in the soup at a low simmer before before adding the egg. Because of the simplicity of this soup, it's best served as a light appetizer, but if you'd like to make it a meal, feel free to add chopped tofu or mushrooms. Keep reading below for this great recipe...

Our Favorite Egg Drop Soup

(makes 6 cups)

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2" fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and chilled or room temperature chicken stock.
2. Pour the stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Place the ginger and peppercorns in a tea ball or bag, then add to the broth along with the cinnamon stick, soy sauce, and white pepper. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Scoop out the cinnamon stick and remove the tea bag, and taste the broth. Add salt or say sauce as needed.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir the soup with a ladle. Rest a fork over the bowl, and press down on the back of the fork with your thumb while your fingers reach around to grip the bottom of the bowl. Tilt the bowl to pour the eggs slowly through the fork tines. Whisk the broth with your other hand as you pour.
5. Let the soup stand for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve immediately. To garnish, top with sliced scallions.
6. Enjoy!

Chinese Recipe: Fantastic Kung Pao Chicken

Kung pao chicken is a dish well-loved by many fans of Chinese food. The cooking technique originated around the Sichuan province in China, and traditionally calls for ingredients like Sichuan peppercorn which we probably won't find here in the US. Of course, here in the States the very Americanized kung pao chicken tends to be greasy, gooey and sweet.

For our recipe, we wanted to make it lighter and much less greasy. If you can find the Sichuan peppercorns (they'll usually be in Whole Foods or your local Chinatown shop), add a teaspoon to the dish. Otherwise, just leave them out. The secret to this recipe is marinating the chicken before cooking the stir fry. Serve this chicken with white rice. Keep reading below for our favorite Kung Pao recipe...

Kung Pao Chicken

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

MARINADE

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1" cubes

SAUCE

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

STIR FRY

• 2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 8 red, dried chili peppers
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 2/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken to the marinade and set aside.
2. Combine the ingredients for the sauce, whisking well to make sure the cornstarch incorporates.
3. Thinly slice the garlic. Break the chilies open and discard the seeds inside. Cut the chilies into a few large pieces.
4. Places the sesame oil for the stir fry in a large pot or wok. Set the heat to medium-high. Add the chilies and peppercorns (if using). Stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken. As soon as the pieces have separated, add the garlic, ginger, and green onions. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Add the sauce and toss. Once the sauce has thickened, add the peanuts, toss, and serve.
6. Enjoy!

Chinese Recipe: Sweet and Sour Pork

A favorite Chinese recipe for many is sweet and sour pork. It's arguably one of the most well known Chinese dishes in the world. Sweet and sour pork, traditionally called "goo lou yok" is originally a Cantonese dish that gets its name from its combination of ingredients: sweetness from the sugar and sourness from the tangy ketchup and rice vinegar. The pork is stir fried in the sauce along with some red bell peppers and pineapple pieces.

We wanted to make a recipe that found just the right balance between the sweet and the sour, yet didn't drown the dish in sauce. For our recipe, we went a little beyond just the use of ketchup and rice vinegar. We added in some plum sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce to find the perfect balance. Keep reading below for this great sweet and sour pork recipe...

Sweet and Sour Pork

(makes 2-3 servings)

Ingredients

SAUCE

• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 teaspoon plum sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon Chinese rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

MARINATE

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon corn flour
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine

FRYING BATTER

• 1/2 cup water
• 2oz flour
• 1oz corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 egg
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 pinch salt

STIR FRY

• 3 to 4oz pineapple cubes
• 8oz boneless pork shoulder
• 1/2 green bell pepper seeded, de-veined, and cut into pieces
• 1/2 red bell pepper seeded, de-veined, and cut into pieces
• 2 stalks scallions (only the white part) cut into 2" length
• 1 small onion cut into wedges
• 1 rounded teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoon beaten eggs 
• 1 clove garlic minced
• canola oil for frying

Directions

1. Cut the pork shoulder into bite sized pieces and marinate with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon corn flour, and 1/2 teaspoon rice wine for 15-20 minutes.
2. Mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce until well combined and set aside.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients of the frying batter, then add in the egg, water, and canola oil to form a thick batter.
4. After the pork is done marinating, transfer the pork pieces into the batter and make sure they are well coated. Add enough canola oil to a skillet for deep-frying. Once the oil is hot (360F to 375F), deep fry the pork pieces until they turn golden grown. scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5. Heat up a wok and add 2 teaspoons canola oil. Add the onion and pineapple pieces. Fry about 2 minutes, stirring and flipping until the pineapple starts to brown. Add the ginger and pepper and cook, stirring constantly until the peppers  are crisp and tender.
6. Pour in the sauce. Cook, stirring quickly. As soon as the sauce thickens, add the pork and stir to combine and coat. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the green onion. Serve with white rice.
7. Enjoy!

Chinese Recipe: Pork Lo Mein

Perhaps one of my favorite dishes from Chinese takeout is pork lo mein. Unfortunately, so many times when I've ordered it, the dish is just too greasy and salty, and it ends up tasting like regret. I recently started to wonder if there was a way to make it at home. The answer: Of course there is! It ended up being much more flavorful, and nowhere near as greasy and salty.

To get the recipe just right, we first looked at the meat. We wanted the pork to be tender and delicious, so we seared strips from country-style pork ribs over high heat, and used the meat marinade as the sauce base which we mixed with chicken broth. We also used lo mein noodles, however if you can't find any at your local store, dried linguine will work just as well. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Pork Lo Mein

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1lb boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed of fat and gristle and sliced crosswise into 1/8" pieces
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (or dry sherry as a replacement)
• 1/2lb shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, and caps cut in halves or thirds
• 2 bunches scallions, whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1" pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and chopped roughly
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 small head Napa or Chinese cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced crosswise into 1/2" strips
• 12oz Chinese egg noodles or 8oz dried linguine
• 1/2 tablespoon Asian chile garlic sauce (or Sriracha sauce, both optional)

Directions

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a Dutch oven over high heat.
2. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder in a medium bowl. Place 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a large, zipper-lock bag, and add the pork. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bag, and marinate at least 15 minutes in the fridge or up to 1 hour.
3. Whisk the broth and cornstarch into the remaining soy sauce mixture in the medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together garlic and ginger with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil. Set aside.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12" skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half the pork in a single layer, breaking up any clumps with a wooden spoon. cook, without stirring, for 1 minute. continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons of the Chinese cooking wine or sherry to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is reduced and the pork is well coated (30 to 60 seconds). Transfer the pork to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining pork, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
5. Return the skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until just smoking. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and onion and cook until the mushrooms are a light golden brown (4 to 6 minutes). Add scallions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are wilted (2 to 3 minutes longer). Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the pork.
6. Add the remaining teaspoon vegetable oil, cabbage, and bean sprouts to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is spotty and brown (3 to 5 minutes).
7. Meanwhile, stir the noodles into the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender (3 to 4 minutes for fresh Chinese noodles, or 10 minutes for dried linguine). You want the noodles to finish cooking right when the stir fry is finished.
8. Clear the center of the skillet and add the garlic-ginger mixture and gook, mashing the mixture with a wooden spoon until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir the garlic mixture into the cabbage, then return the pork-vegetable mixture and the chicken broth-soy mixture to the skillet. Simmer until thickened and the ingredients are well incorporated (1 to 2 minutes). remove the skillet from the heat.
9. Drain the noodles, then add back to the Dutch oven and stir in the cooked stir-fry mixture and garlic-chili sauce or Sriracha and toss the noodles until the sauce evenly coats them. Serve immediately.
10. Enjoy!

Chinese Rice Porridge Recipe: Comforting Chicken Congee

For many of us, comfort food is something familiar. It's warming, and reminds us of what our parents or grandparents made to cheer us up. When I think comfort food, I think grilled cheese and tomato soup. Others might thing of chicken noodle soup or apple pie. What about comfort food from other countries, though? Today we're sharing one such recipe from china: congee.

Congee, also known as rice porridge, is a meal that's often served when someone is sick, very similar to how we use chicken noodle soup here in America. Much like the many personal variations on chicken noodle soup, there are personal variations on congee such as what rice to use, or what liquids to use in making it. This simple congee is also great with plenty of garnishes like scallions garlic, even shredded chicken. Keep reading below for this delicious recipe...

Congee

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry
• 2 bone-in chicken thighs or 1/2lb chicken bones
• 3, 1/4" thick slices fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion tied into a knot
• 1/4 yellow onion
• soy sauce, salt, and white pepper to taste
• sesame oil for drizzling
• Garlic, shallots, green onion, sweet potato, and/or other garnishes as desired.

Directions

1. In a medium pot, combine the rice, water, chicken stock, wine or sherry, chicken thighs or bones, ginger, garlic, green onion, and onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
2. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 hour (or 1 1/2 to 2 hours if using uncooked rice), stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.  If using chicken thighs, remove after 20 minutes, and shred the meat. Set the meat aside and return the bones to the pot. before continuing to cook the remaining 40 minutes.
3. Once the rice grains are swollen and the mixture is like a thick oatmeal, the congee is done. Cook longer if it needs to thicken, or add small amounts of water if it's too thick until it reaches the desired consistency.
4. Remove the bones, ginger, green onion and onion. Add soy sauce, salt, and white pepper to taste.
5. Ladle into individual bowls, drizzle with sesame oil, top with shredded chicken, and garnish as desired.
6. Enjoy!