The Ultimate Chinese Cookbook: The Best Chinese Recipes Book Ever (2 page)

• If a recipe calls for ginger, I highly recommend that you use fresh ginger, not powdered. It will make the dish taste much better in the end.
  

• If you do not want to use sugar in a recipe, feel free to use MG or Monosodium Glutamate.
  

• When using cornstarch ALWAYS use this formula: 1 to 2 Tbsp. of Cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. of Water. Also never use more cornstarch than the recipe calls for. Using too much can alter the way your dish tastes.
  

Tip #9: Rice

When using rice for your Chinese food recipe, I highly recommend that you use only long grain rice. This will help to yield the best results. Also if you are making fried rice, I highly recommend that you use cold rice rather than hot rice as this will also yield the tastiest results in the long run as well.

Delicious Chinese Appetizers

Filling Rice Soup

This is a great tasting appetizer to make to compliment your Chinese meal. It is incredibly easy to make and will leave you feeling extremely satisfied.

Makes:
                       4 to 6 Servings

Total Prep Time:
      1 Hour and 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP BASE:

• 5 Cups of Chicken Broth
  

• 1 Cup of Mushrooms, Shitake or Oyster, and Shopped
  

• 1 tsp. of Ginger, Fresh and Grated
  

• ¼ Cup of Bamboo Shoots
  

• ¼ Chestnuts, Water
  

• 1 Cup of Pork, Fully Cooked and Shredded
  

• 1 Tbsp. of Soy Sauce
  

• 1 tsp. of Rice Vinegar
  

• Some Crispy Sizzling Rice (recipe below)
  

• ½ tsp. of Sesame Oil
  

Ingredients for Sizzling Rice:

• 1 Cup of Rice, Long Grain
  

• 1 ½ Cup of Chicken Stock or Water
  

• 2 Tbsp. of Peanut Oil, Can Use Other Oil If You Prefer
  

• ½ tsp. of Salt
  

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE YOUR RICE:

1. Make your crispy rice ahead of time to save you some time in the cooking process. To do this add your rice to a medium sized saucepan. Then add in your water or chicken stock and then your salt.
   

2. Bring your rice to a boil and then once it reaches a boil, reduce your heat to a simmer. Allow your rice to cook for about 30 minutes.
   

3. Next preheat your oven to 300 degrees while your rice is cooking.
   

4. Once your rice has finished cooking, take a greased baking sheet and spread your rice onto its greased surface. Place your baking sheet into your oven and allow your rice to dry out for about 1 hour.
   

Directions to Make Your Soup:

1. To make your soup you will want to add your chicken stock to a large sized soup pot. Allow this to cook slowly while you increase the heat and until your broth begins to boil.
   

2. Next add in your fully cooked and shredded pork. Follow up by adding in your ginger, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Stir to evenly combine all of the ingredients.
   

3. Then reduce the heat and allow your dish to simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Once your vegetables and meat have simmered for a couple of minutes, add in your soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil, making sure to stir well to incorporate all of the ingredients and flavors together.
   

4. Bring the temperature of your soup back up until it reaches a boil and then reduce the heat again to a simmer. Let your soup to sit for a couple of minutes as your finish up your rice.
   

5. Preheat a wok or small sized frying pan over medium heat with a touch of peanut or other oil. Once your oil is nice and hot, remove the rice from the oven and place into your hot pan.
   

6. Fry up your rice, making sure to toss it gently around until it begin to puff up and until it is deep gold in color. Remove the rice from your pan and add to your soup.
   

7. Serve your soup while still piping and hot and enjoy immediately.
   

Tasty Garlic Snow Peas

This is a relatively simple appetizer recipe to make and it is great with virtually any main Chinese dish that you put together. With the tasty garlic added in, this is certainly one vegetable recipe that you are going to fall in love with.

Makes:
                       4 Servings

Total Prep Time:
      10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
  

• Dash of Salt and Black Pepper
  

• 1 to 2 Tbsp. of Sesame Oil
  

• 2 Cups of Snow Peas, Fresh
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat up a medium sized wok or medium sized frying pan over medium heat. Put in your oil and swirl it around to evenly coat your pan. Let the oil heat up until it is piping hot.
   

2. Add in your fresh snow peas and allow them to fry up for at least a minute. Stir and then add your salt, black pepper and garlic into the pan. Stir to evenly combine all of your ingredients.
   

3. Continue stirring and continue frying until your snow peas are bright green in color, but make sure that you do not overcook them.
   

4. Remove from heat and serve while still hot. Enjoy!
   

Classic Hot and Sour Soup

If you are looking to enjoy a traditional Chinese appetizer, than this is certainly one that you have to try making for yourself. Relatively easy to make and packed full of that authentic Chinese taste, this is one recipe that is going to leave you craving for more.

Makes:
                       8 Servings

Total Prep Time:
      45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Cups of Chicken Stock
  

• 1 Cup of Mushrooms, Shiitake or Oyster and Chopped
  

• 1 Piece of Ginger, 1 Inch in Length, Peeled and Grated
  

• ¼ Cup of Bamboo Shoots, Sliced
  

• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Diced or Smashed
  

• 4 Ounces of Pork, Fully Cooked and Shredded
  

• 1 Pack of Tofu, Firm and Diced
  

• 1 Sheet of Seaweed, Dried
  

• 1 Tbsp. of Garlic Chili Paste, To Your Spicy Preference
  

• ¼ Cup of Soy Sauce
  

• 1/3 Cup of Rice Wine Vinegar
  

• 1 tsp. of Sugar
  

• 2 Tbsp. of Cornstarch, Dissolved In A Little Bit of Water
  

• 1 Egg, Large in Size and Beaten
  

• 1 Tbsp. of Peanut Oil or Whatever Kind of Oil Your Prefer
  

• A Few Green Onions, Finely Chopped and For Garnish
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a large sized wok or soup pot add in your oil, garlic, ginger, chopped mushrooms, bamboo shoot, garlic chili paste and shredded pork to it.
   

2. Cook over medium heat, making sure to stir gently to incorporate all of the flavors together. This should take at least 1 to 3 minutes.
   

3. Then using a small sized bowl combine your soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar together until evenly combined. Toss into your wok or soup pot. Stir to combine all of the ingredients together.
   

4. Allow your dish to cook for an additional minute to let the flavors blend together nicely.
   

5. Next add in your chicken stock and increase the heat. You will want your soup to reach a rolling boil before reducing the heat and allow it to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
   

6. While your soup is continuing to simmer, place your seaweed in some water and allow it to soak until it become soft. Remove from water. Add your tofu to your seaweed and place into your wok or soup pan. Let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes with your mixture.
   

7. Then add in your cornstarch mix to your soup, stirring well to avoid clumps. Let your soup continue to simmer until your soup begins to thicken in consistency. Once your soup starts to thicken, remove it from heat.
   

8. Stir up your soup using a circular motion and then slowly drizzle in your beaten egg. Doing so this way will allow your egg to cook in this strips instead of a whole piece. Don’t worry, your egg will fully cook the moment it touches your hot soup.
   

9. Serve your soup into soup bowl and garnish with some chopped green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy.
   

Spiced Up Pecans

This is yet another relatively simple appetizer dish that you can put together. This recipe only contains a few ingredients so you don’t have to worry about taking an hour or more to prepare this dish. This is one dish you will want to serve alongside traditional Chinese entrees to experience the full taste of the Chinese cuisine.

Makes:
                       4 Servings

Total Prep Time:
      20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ Cup of Butter
  

• ½ Cup of Brown Sugar, Golden Brown and Packed
  

• ¼ Cup of Water
  

• ½ tsp. of Cumin, Ground
  

• ½ tsp. of Black Pepper
  

• 4 Cups of Pecans, Sliced Into Halves
  

• 1 tsp. of Salt
  

• 2 tsp. of Five Spice Powder, Chinese Variety
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. The first thing that you will want to do is preheat your oven to at least 350 degrees. While your oven is heating up take out two baking sheets and grease them up with a generous amount of butter. Set aside.
   

2. Then use a large sized skillet and set it over medium heat. Pour your butter into it and allow it to melt.
   

3. Once the butter is melted add in your water, spices, salt and packed brown sugar. Stir well until the brown sugar dissolves completely.
   

4. Next add in your halved pecans and stir until it is well coated in your mixture. Allow to cook and make sure that you stir the mixture occasionally. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   

5. Next transfer your nuts onto your greased baking sheets, making sure to spread the entire mixture across the entire pan.
   

6. Then place your baking sheets into your oven and allow it to bake for about 5 to 10 minutes or until your mixture is lightly brown in color. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
   

Classic Egg Drop Soup

If there are any popular Chinese Appetizers today, it is this soup. Now with this recipe you will be able to make this tasty and traditional dish with no fuss. This is certainly one dish that you will want to make to compliment your Chinese entrees over and over again.