7 Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes
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There isn’t much I love more than authentic, savory, slightly spicy — slightly sweet Chinese food. And after living next door for years and years to a Malaysian Chinese woman who quickly became one of my dearest friends, and who very often let me sample the delicious foods she cooked, my taste for Chinese food will forever be changed.
Though she tried, my spice threshold is still pretty low but I learned so much about the complexities of Asian and specifically Southeast Asian cuisine.
So whenever I smell that distinctive aroma wafting from a corner market, a food truck, a ramen or noodle house, I’m almost salivating. And if you’re reading this post — you probably know exactly what I mean!
And while every neighborhood, almost, has it’s Chinese take out — here’s the good news — for the most part, making your favorite Chinese takeout dish at home is just as easy, and quicker to boot. And if you’re missing the little white food containers — last time I was at Michael’s Crafts, I saw them near the cake supplies. Chopsticks? Crate and Barrel are my favorite.
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7 Favorite Chinese Take-Out Recipes to Master at Home
1. COLD SESAME NOODLES
Peanut butter, sesame paste, and chile-garlic paste combine to make a silky, savory sauce for these noodles—a Chinese-American restaurant staple. Chopped peanuts and a flurry of slivered cucumber and carrot add crunch.
2. KUNG PAO CHICKEN
Chiles, scallions, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce flavor tender chicken and peanuts in this moderately spicy dish.
3. GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN
While General Tso remains famous in his home province of Hunan, it turns out the eponymous dish named after him is relatively unknown.
4. ROAST PORK BUNS (CHAR SIU BAO)
Char siu bao (roast pork bun) is a Cantonese specialty consisting of marinated pork encased in a spongy dough that’s then steamed or baked. The best are filled with the stir-fried trimmings of marinated and roasted pork butt—a slightly fatty cut that stays tender during roasting. There are dozens of varieties of buns in China, but char siu bao remains among the most popular on dim sum carts—and my favorite. —Corinne Trang
5. ASIAN GREENS WITH GARLIC SAUCE
If you can’t find choy sum, whole baby bok choy makes a fine substitute in this recipes.
6. SHO’ NUFF NOODLES
Lightly spicy lo mein noodles. Laced with oyster sauce, ginger, and yuzu kosho and tossed with pickled mustard greens, the dish is a medley of sweet, tangy, spicy, and sour.
7. SHANGHAI SOUP DUMPLINGS (XIAO LONG BAO)
These are made using a collagen-rich pork stock that gels as it cools; the jelly can then be sliced and mixed with ground pork and aromatics and used as filling.
Ever since I was little kid, Chinese food has been a passion of mine. It started with just enjoying the taste of it, but it has now turned into making some of the recipes that I try at restaurants. This cold sesame noodle recipe sounds amazing and one that I cannot wait to try making for my wife and myself.
I agree. My first love was Chop Suey — with the crunchy noodles. Now, my tastes have expanded. And I completely agree with making it at home. It’s incredibly easy with just a few of the right ingredients. And most Asian recipes, with a little prep, are incredibly fast to make. Love that!