Chinese Food Recipes

These Chinese food recipes can be served for lunch or dinner or for an appetizer. They're perfect for the Chinese new year. Kids will enjoy the healthy ingredients and Asian flavors of Chinese food.

Ground Pork in Lettuce Cups (San Choy Bau)

6 iceberg lettuce cups
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce (optional)
green onions
fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves

Tear off 6 lettuce cups and soak in iced water. Next add oil and garlic to fry pan and brown the pork. Drain liquid. Reduce heat and add oyster sauce and fish sauce and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to combine well. Toss in green onions and fresh cilantro.

Drain lettuce cups and spoon hot mixture onto cups. Serve immediately.

Chicken & Asparagus with Black Bean Sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon black beans (fermented, salted)
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) chopped
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, wine vinegar, and sesame oil. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch and stir until well mixed. Add chicken and stir to coat well. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining soy sauce, chicken broth, and oyster sauce. Add remaining cornstarch and stir well. Rinse black beans well and chop finely, then add to sauce. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in wok or large fry pan. Stir fry marinated chicken on high heat for 2-3 minutes until no longer pink inside (watch out for spitting). Remove and set aside.

Add remaining oil to pan. Add garlic, ginger, and onions and stir fry for 1 minute. Add asparagus (either fresh or canned) and stir fry for 1 minute. Then add water to pan and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp yet tender.

Add chicken back to pan. Stir sauce mixture so that cornstarch is well mixed. Next pour sauce into pan and stir. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until sauce begins to thicken.

Serve with white rice.

Tofu and Vegie Stir-Fry

1 pack tofu, cubed (firm or extra firm)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grape juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 California leek, thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into thin sticks
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
Sesame seeds

Marinate tofu cubes in soy sauce and grape juice for at least half an hour.

Heat oil in wok or stir-fry pan and add garlic and tofu (save extra sauce). Brown for 1-2 minutes on medium heat then remove tofu.

Next stir fry remaining vegetables for 2-3 minutes, then add back the tofu. Add extra sauce and heat until mixture begins to bubble. Serve with rice or noodles and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Kung Pao Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 teaspoons cornflour
4 teaspoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons vinegar (red wine, balsamic, or malt)
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup peanuts
2 green onions, chopped

Make two separate bowls of marinade by combining 2 teaspoons each of soy sauce, vinegar, and cornflour in each bowl. Set aside one bowl. Stir well and pour marinade from the other bowl over chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat a wok or skillet to medium heat and add one tablespoon oil. Add peanuts and stir fry for about one minute until slightly toasted. Remove and set aside.

Increase heat to high, add one tablespoon oil, then add chicken and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

Add green onions and stir fry for 1 minute, then add toasted peanuts and stir fry. (Optional: add a few dried chilies). Add 1/4 cup chicken broth to chicken mixture. Stir marinade and add. Stir fry until sauce gets thick and bubbly. Serve with steamed rice.

Sweet and Sour Pork

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 pounds boneless pork
3 cups oil
1 onion
8 green onions
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
6 mushrooms
1/4 cup vinegar
1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup cornflour

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and egg yolk in a bowl. Cut pork into 1 inch pieces. Add to marinade then cover and refrigerate for one hour. Remove from fridge and drain and reserve marinade. Toss pork in cornflour. Cook in oil in batches in a wok or skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels.

Next stir fry vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes. In a bowl combine vinegar, pineapple juice, and tomato sauce. In a separate small bowl combine water and cornflour, stir, and add to pineapple mixture. Then pour mixture over vegetables and cook until sauce thickens. Add meat and pineapple chunks and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with boiled rice.

Lemon Chicken

6 chicken breast, bone and skin removed
1/2 cup cornflour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 egg yolks, beaten lightly
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons oil
6 green onions, sliced

Lemon Sauce:

6 tablespoons corn flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup lemon juice
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Cut chicken breasts in half, rinse, and pat dry with paper towel. Tenderize using a rolling pin to flatten chicken breasts out.

Mix together corn flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add egg yolks and water and stir. Dip chicken breasts into the batter. Fry in oil in wok or skillet two at a time. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

Next cut chicken breast into strips. Arrange strips on a plate.

Combine ingredients for lemon sauce in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens. Pour over chicken. Decorate with sliced green onions. Serve with boiled rice.

Shrimp Toast Appetizer

16 large shrimp or prawns
1 egg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt and pepper
4 slices bread
1 green onion
vegetable oil

Take the shells off the shrimp and cut a slit down the back of each shrimp to devein. You can either remove the tails or leave them there for a nice presentation. Beat egg and add cornstarch, salt and pepper. Toss in the shrimp and coat thoroughly in the egg mixture. Take the bread slices and cut off the crust. Then cut bread into four quarters per slice. Put one shrimp on each bread quarter and press down gently. Brush a little of the leftover egg mixture onto each shrimp. Finely chop the green onion and sprinkle a few pieces over each shrimp. Heat oil in a frypan or wok and cook four at a time on medium heat until nice and golden. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 4.

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