Wok this way. The Chinese food thread.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > Wok this way. The Chinese food thread.

Cute n Popular: Oct 12, 2012

Could I get away with using only

minced garlic
chilli oil
peppercorn oil
sesame paste
soy sauce

for a mouth watering chicken sauce and still have it taste some what decent?

# ? Nov 26, 2015 18:49

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# ? May 29, 2024 12:56

wontondestruction: Dec 3, 2012; I'm a piece of human waste who supports a culture of using gendered slurs, that leads to 78.1% of women in STEM fields experiencing sexual harassment

Cute n Popular posted:

Could I get away with using only

minced garlic
chilli oil
peppercorn oil
sesame paste
soy sauce

for a mouth watering chicken sauce and still have it taste some what decent?

I'd say so. I would probably hit it with a little sugar and some sake/sherry/xiaoxing wine if you have any of these.

# ? Nov 26, 2015 19:02

toplitzin: Jun 13, 2003

Anyone have suggestions for a better or otherwise tweaks to my current Gen. Tso recipe?

I've thought about Kenji's over @ Serious eats but he's hit or miss sometimes.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/04/the-best-general-tsos-chicken-food-lab-chinese-recipe.html

Here is my current recipe which is ok, but not the best.

code:

3 lbs chunked chicken meat, dark meat is best
1/2 cup corn starch
2 cups water
5 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sake or cooking sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Seasoning sauce
1 egg
5-15 dried hot thai peppers (i have both asian dried red chilies and thai birdseye)
1 cup chopped green onions
sesame oil

Scramble egg in medium sized bowl. Add corn starch, water, garlic, ginger, sugar, sake, soy sauce and seasoning sauce and mix well.
Add chunked chicken. Let set 1 hour.
Heat wok with enough sesame oil to coat bottom.
Scoop chicken out of sauce, letting as much liquid drip off as possible.
Fry chicken in the oil until white on outside. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add enough oil to coat bottom again.
Make sure you have good ventilation around your stove.
Carefully, keeping your face away from the wok, add the peppers. 
Add as many as you want for the amount of spicy that you can handle.
I usually use only 6 peppers but mine are incredibly spicy.
Stir rapidly and let them fry in the oil until they blacken.
Without touching them with your skin move the peppers up the sides of the wok and allow as much oil to drain as possible then discard.
Add the chicken chunks and scallions to the oil.
Add the sauce to the pan and stir till it thickens.
Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve over hot rice.

# ? Dec 2, 2015 16:28

Force de Fappe: Nov 7, 2008

Bit of white pepper never hurt anyone. And that simmer time :staredog:

Shallow-fry the chicken pieces, cook up the sauce, coat the chicken lightly and just barely combine before serving.

# ? Dec 2, 2015 21:49

Adult Sword Owner: Jun 19, 2011; u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise

Search is letting me down hard so please help

I swear people posted stuff about oxtail preparations in this thread but damned if I cannot find them. I am a giant idiot and they are the most expensive meat the Asian market has by far so let's make something good. I don't really want to go with a European prepartion.

There's this recipe that looks great but I have no clue what "brown bean paste" is, unless they mean "miso" in which case "what the gently caress just call it miso"

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/chinese-style-braised-oxtails-with-baby-bok-choy.aspx

e: I just bought red, I might have some older brown but not sure, that would still probably be ok if I just control the amount I use right?

Adult Sword Owner fucked around with this message at 22:26 on Dec 13, 2015

# ? Dec 13, 2015 22:19

willing to settle: Apr 13, 2011

Adult Sword Owner posted:

Search is letting me down hard so please help

I swear people posted stuff about oxtail preparations in this thread but damned if I cannot find them. I am a giant idiot and they are the most expensive meat the Asian market has by far so let's make something good. I don't really want to go with a European prepartion.

There's this recipe that looks great but I have no clue what "brown bean paste" is, unless they mean "miso" in which case "what the gently caress just call it miso"

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/chinese-style-braised-oxtails-with-baby-bok-choy.aspx

e: I just bought red, I might have some older brown but not sure, that would still probably be ok if I just control the amount I use right?

It's not miso. China has its whole own array of bean pastes. This recipe seems to be calling for this stuff. It's a thick, goopy, salty, savory paste. If you can find that brand, you can also get their "Bean Sauce" which is made with whole, unground beans instead, they have a very similar flavor but the texture is obviously different (I prefer it personally).

You probably can use miso, and it'll be tasty I'm sure, but it won't be the same.

# ? Dec 14, 2015 05:59

Adult Sword Owner: Jun 19, 2011; u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise

willing to settle posted:

It's not miso. China has its whole own array of bean pastes. This recipe seems to be calling for this stuff. It's a thick, goopy, salty, savory paste. If you can find that brand, you can also get their "Bean Sauce" which is made with whole, unground beans instead, they have a very similar flavor but the texture is obviously different (I prefer it personally).

You probably can use miso, and it'll be tasty I'm sure, but it won't be the same.

Yeh that is totally a thing I do not own.

I went with miso and I think it came out really well! Probably should have doubled the bok choi in the dish to give it more texture but overall I think it was a great thing to do.

Tomorrow I try to make gyoza for the first time and see if I can remember how to roll sushi (it's been about 5 years)

# ? Dec 14, 2015 08:13

CARL MARK FORCE IV: Sep 2, 2007; I took a walk. And threw up in an English garden.

That moment when (after stumbling in yr front door, post-10-hr-shift, & frantically steaming a bunch of frozen dumplings) you set the bamboo steamer basket on your lap, stab into the first dumpling & realize that these are actually frozen xia long bao & now boiling hot broth is dripping onto your crotch.

# ? Dec 14, 2015 08:25

El Grillo: Jan 3, 2008; Fun Shoe

^^^Ouch

I've got some nice (frozen) small prawns I want to do - never done seafood before. I hear you don't want to marinade them & should make sure they're dry, but otherwise am I good to do the regular stir fry? Just a bit of salt and pepper on the prawns before putting them in the wok?
Thinking of using soy and chilli bean as my finisher, maybe some oyster instead though.
Any particular veg you guys would recommend? I tend to just throw in what I have, i.e. red pepper and courgette usually. Works with chicken.

Cute n Popular posted:

Could I get away with using only

minced garlic
chilli oil
peppercorn oil
sesame paste
soy sauce

for a mouth watering chicken sauce and still have it taste some what decent?

I have always found shaoxing rice wine a key ingredient, adds an awesome smoky flavour if you let your chicken sear properly. But the above will be tasty either way I'm sure!

El Grillo fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Dec 16, 2015

# ? Dec 16, 2015 19:50

Ailumao: Nov 4, 2004

CARL MARK FORCE IV posted:

That moment when (after stumbling in yr front door, post-10-hr-shift, & frantically steaming a bunch of frozen dumplings) you set the bamboo steamer basket on your lap, stab into the first dumpling & realize that these are actually frozen xia long bao & now boiling hot broth is dripping onto your crotch.

First time I was in Hangzhou like 7 years ago I ordered shengjian thinking they were just normal fried baozi and bit into one and it was not a good time.

I miss those now... They're a real pain to make too so I don't bother usually and just stick to normal baozi or jiaozi

# ? Dec 18, 2015 04:21

Grand Fromage: Jan 30, 2006; L-l-look at you bar-bartender, a-a pa-pathetic creature of meat and bone, un-underestimating my l-l-liver's ability to metab-meTABolize t-toxins. How can you p-poison a perfect, immortal alcohOLIC?

There's a shengjian place near my apartment. Just, you know, for science.

# ? Dec 18, 2015 12:50

Arglebargle III: Feb 21, 2006

Anyone know a recent recipe for Chinese beef noodles? I just have a hankering for that 牛肉面 and it's gotta be easier than stir fry.

# ? Dec 30, 2015 17:09

CAPS LOCK BROKEN: Feb 1, 2006; by Fluffdaddy

Arglebargle III posted:

Anyone know a recent recipe for Chinese beef noodles? I just have a hankering for that 牛肉面 and it's gotta be easier than stir fry.

I'll post mine if you promise to stop posting in the d&d China thread

# ? Dec 30, 2015 17:49

Force de Fappe: Nov 7, 2008

Peven Stan posted:

I'll post mine if you promise to stop posting in the d&d China thread

This seems to be a fair bargain.

# ? Dec 30, 2015 18:07

Arglebargle III: Feb 21, 2006

Rude.

# ? Dec 30, 2015 18:14

Bill1337: Dec 31, 2007; Average asian

top kek

# ? Dec 31, 2015 15:01

Sir Sidney Poitier: Aug 14, 2006; My favourite actor

Today I made lo mai gai according to this recipe. They turned out pretty good, however could do with being a bit stickier/more moist. The only differences between what I made and the recipe were no mushroom as I don't like them, and I only added lap cheung and no Chinese bacon. I soaked the rice overnight and they were also steamed in baking parchment as opposed to lotus leaves. Does anyone know how I'd go about making them more moist? Is it as simple as including more liquid in the package that gets steamed? Or is it something to do with the packaging material?

# ? Dec 31, 2015 20:26

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Do century eggs ever go bad? I found some in the back of my fridge that are like a year old

# ? Dec 31, 2015 21:28

Hexigrammus: May 22, 2006; Cheech Wizard stories are clean, wholesome, reflective truths that go great with the marijuana munchies and a blow job.

Steve Yun posted:

Do century eggs ever go bad? I found some in the back of my fridge that are like a year old

Iron bird eggs only lasted three weeks in the back of my fridge.

# ? Jan 1, 2016 05:45

Adult Sword Owner: Jun 19, 2011; u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise

Steve Yun posted:

Do century eggs ever go bad? I found some in the back of my fridge that are like a year old

What's one more year on top of 100??

# ? Jan 1, 2016 05:53

AriTheDog: Jul 29, 2003; Famously tasty.

Anjow posted:

Today I made lo mai gai according to this recipe. They turned out pretty good, however could do with being a bit stickier/more moist. The only differences between what I made and the recipe were no mushroom as I don't like them, and I only added lap cheung and no Chinese bacon. I soaked the rice overnight and they were also steamed in baking parchment as opposed to lotus leaves. Does anyone know how I'd go about making them more moist? Is it as simple as including more liquid in the package that gets steamed? Or is it something to do with the packaging material?

You did so many things different than usual it's hard to say, but I've had moist joong/lo mei gai made with just red bean paste or mung bean paste. So while I'd be tempted to say you need to add fat to your recipe, or use lotus leaves, I think it's really just likely that you didn't soak or steam your bundles long enough. If rice is old, it can take longer to cook and won't soak as well, so that could be the culprit as well.

# ? Jan 3, 2016 04:43

Carl Killer Miller: Apr 28, 2007; This is the way that it all falls.
This is how I feel,
This is what I need:

Do you guys have a good braised pork recipe? I've been using this: http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/04/shanghai-style-braised-pork-belly/ and it is really awesome but I was hoping for some options with this fridge full of belly (besides heart disease)

# ? Jan 7, 2016 23:25

totalnewbie: Nov 13, 2005; I was born and raised in China, lived in Japan, and now hold a US passport.

I am wrong in every way, all the damn time.

Ask me about my tattoos.

You could make chashu: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/03/the-food-lab-ramen-edition-how-to-make-chashu-pork-belly.html

And here's how to make the ramen to go with it: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/02/how-to-make-tonkotsu-ramen-broth-at-home-recipe.html

Have fun!

# ? Jan 8, 2016 00:16

Adult Sword Owner: Jun 19, 2011; u deserve diploma for sublime comedy expertise

totalnewbie posted:

You could make chashu: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/03/the-food-lab-ramen-edition-how-to-make-chashu-pork-belly.html

And here's how to make the ramen to go with it: http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/02/how-to-make-tonkotsu-ramen-broth-at-home-recipe.html

Have fun!

Kenji is my most favorite person ever

There's a Japanese place nearish to me that does giant bowls of ramen for like $8, big enough that you realistically need to share it. Split a bowl of tonkotsu and an appetizer with the girlfriend and it was like a $20 amazing dinner.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 07:52

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Amazing ramen is so cheap that I don't make it at home anymore.

# ? Jan 8, 2016 08:38

Ra-amun: Feb 25, 2011

Anyone know how salty the brine should be for salted eggs? I not exactly sure how much I used when I made salted quail eggs but it might've been 25% salt to water by weight. I've seen recipes all over the place with salt content and not all of them have been very clear with whether or not the ratio is in volume or weight.

# ? Jan 9, 2016 19:12

totalnewbie: Nov 13, 2005; I was born and raised in China, lived in Japan, and now hold a US passport.

I am wrong in every way, all the damn time.

Ask me about my tattoos.

Steve Yun posted:

Amazing ramen is so cheap that I don't make it at home anymore.

That's not the point of cooking! You can't brag about it if you don't make it yourself!

# ? Jan 10, 2016 04:25

El Grillo: Jan 3, 2008; Fun Shoe

When you guys do fried rice, what order do you tend to do things in?
Previously I have done meat first and reserve. Then veg, and add scallions at end, and reserve. Then finally egg, then add rice, then add the rest + sauces and finally garnish with green tops of scallions. But a lot of recipes I see (including for things other than fried rice) suggest putting scallions in only at the very end, so they basically just get warmed through I guess?

# ? Jan 10, 2016 18:49

Zuhzuhzombie!!: Apr 17, 2008; FACTS ARE A CONSPIRACY BY THE CAPITALIST OPRESSOR

El Grillo posted:

When you guys do fried rice, what order do you tend to do things in?
Previously I have done meat first and reserve. Then veg, and add scallions at end, and reserve. Then finally egg, then add rice, then add the rest + sauces and finally garnish with green tops of scallions. But a lot of recipes I see (including for things other than fried rice) suggest putting scallions in only at the very end, so they basically just get warmed through I guess?

This is generally the right idea/order of things, but yea, add the scallion at the end so it stays fresh and crispy instead of getting soggy.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 19:04

El Grillo: Jan 3, 2008; Fun Shoe

Zuhzuhzombie!! posted:

This is generally the right idea/order of things, but yea, add the scallion at the end so it stays fresh and crispy instead of getting soggy.

Thanks - I always thought I wanted to do it with the rest of the main ingredients for some reason. I think we had a malaysian kid from an international school stay with us sometimes when we were younger and that's how he did it - scallions first, then bacon, then add egg in and scramble it with the other ingredients, then add rice. No reserving. It came out pretty tasty when he did it :3:

In my usual stir fries I tend to do it after the rest of the veg and before I add everything else back in (meat, noodles & sauces) so maybe I'll try adding it once the egg is pretty much done and shortly before I add the rice.

# ? Jan 10, 2016 19:30

caberham: Mar 18, 2009; by Smythe; Grimey Drawer

Diced mushrooms are pretty good as well. They help soaking up excess juices and grease. And remember to drizzle the egg with a spatula like this

You get a more even coating and your rice won't be as soggy

# ? Jan 11, 2016 07:38

Carillon: May 9, 2014

Anjow posted:

Today I made lo mai gai according to this recipe. They turned out pretty good, however could do with being a bit stickier/more moist. The only differences between what I made and the recipe were no mushroom as I don't like them, and I only added lap cheung and no Chinese bacon. I soaked the rice overnight and they were also steamed in baking parchment as opposed to lotus leaves. Does anyone know how I'd go about making them more moist? Is it as simple as including more liquid in the package that gets steamed? Or is it something to do with the packaging material?

Well thanks to your post I plan on making lo mai gai this weekend following that recipe. I'll let you know if it's moist/sticky when I use lotus leaves. Any tips or anything I should be aware of that's more difficult than expected?

The real question is though whether or not I'll be able to keep these bamboo steamer inserts from going moldy like the last ones.

# ? Jan 13, 2016 23:55

Sir Sidney Poitier: Aug 14, 2006; My favourite actor

Carillon posted:

Well thanks to your post I plan on making lo mai gai this weekend following that recipe. I'll let you know if it's moist/sticky when I use lotus leaves. Any tips or anything I should be aware of that's more difficult than expected?

The real question is though whether or not I'll be able to keep these bamboo steamer inserts from going moldy like the last ones.

I found that the rice seasoning was not particularly noticeable, so when I re-did it a couple of days ago I doubled those quantities and it certainly wasn't overwhelming. It was also a bit more sticky.

In terms of difficulty, it's all incredibly easy!

# ? Jan 14, 2016 09:26

Carillon: May 9, 2014

Awesome thanks! I'll report back with how the lotus leaves work unless you've already given it a shot by then.

# ? Jan 15, 2016 00:47

large hands: Jan 24, 2006

if you can get lotus leaves do it, the flavour they give the rice is the whole point of lo mai gai for me.

# ? Jan 15, 2016 08:38

Carl Killer Miller: Apr 28, 2007; This is the way that it all falls.
This is how I feel,
This is what I need:

caberham posted:

Diced mushrooms are pretty good as well. They help soaking up excess juices and grease. And remember to drizzle the egg with a spatula like this

You get a more even coating and your rice won't be as soggy

Do you mean drizzle the beaten egg into the wok? Because that rice looks so drat good

# ? Jan 16, 2016 17:15

El Grillo: Jan 3, 2008; Fun Shoe

Carl Killer Miller posted:

Do you mean drizzle the beaten egg into the wok? Because that rice looks so drat good

Yeah was wondering about this too!

# ? Jan 16, 2016 18:13

Carillon: May 9, 2014

Ended up doubling the seasoning for the rice like you suggested Anjow and I thought it had a great flavor. Maybe try finding lotus leaves because i thought the texture was perfect, moist and quite sticky all around. The lotus flavor was a bit more muted compared to at the dim sum restaurants I've had them at before, not sure if I got an old batch, but there were no texture issues. Really do see if you can find the bacon too, I liked it even more than the lap cheong.

# ? Jan 19, 2016 21:58