I don’t go out to restaurants often as I love to cook at home. After spending 10 to 14 hours working in a restaurant daily, I didn’t want to go and sit in a restaurant during my time away from work. But this caused a challenge when I craved certain foods that are offered at restaurants and not often made at home. Thankfully, part of my education at the Culinary Institute of America was a class devoted to Chinese food. Some of the dishes we learned were traditional, authentic Chinese foods, and others were Chinese/American take-out dishes that were created or interpreted for American tastes. 

I have been learning about Chinese food, ingredients and cooking methods for a couple decades but have never been to China. I do, however, love using the methods I have learned and ingredients to make some delicious food. Additionally, I enjoy sharing the knowledge I have learned with anyone willing to try something fun and tasty. 

I often find that when I am introducing a new ingredient or flavor to someone that there is surprise and maybe a little confusion at first, but then if they have a bit of an adventurous spirit, they embrace the new flavors. An example of one of these ingredients is Sichuan peppercorns, especially when paired with spicy chilis. The Sichuan peppercorns give you a numbing sensation and a hint of citrus, if they are of good quality. This numbing and citrus have an interesting cooling effect when eating spicy ingredients that can allow the taste buds to better tolerate the heat from the chilis. Fermented chilis and beans are other ingredients that can be surprising at first but give a delightful complexity to dishes. My kids use these types of ingredients with ease after a little instruction and experimentation.

Dishes like General Tso’s chicken, broccoli beef, eggrolls and crab Rangoon were all created in New York and San Francisco. These comfort foods are part of every Chinese take-out menu I have ever seen. A fun part about learning how to cook these dishes is how easily they translate into other familiar dishes with minimal adjustments. 

For example, after learning how to make General Tso’s chicken, making sesame chicken or orange chicken just requires a couple of ingredient substitutions in the sauce and different garnishes or vegetable pairings. The same can be applied to broccoli beef. The brown gravy used in this dish can be translated into many other dishes by changing the meat to pork, seafood, tofu or anything else and then appropriately using a different vegetable and garnish to make a new dish.

Once you get comfortable making the base sauces and a couple other methods like velveting meats, alternative breading methods, rolling an eggroll and dumpling folding, the possibility of recreating these take-out favorites becomes fun and easy. Then you can put your own twist on these dishes, giving them a touch of your personality in cooking. 

Breaded chicken

• 5 pounds chicken breast, large dice
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup cake flour, all-purpose flour works too
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar, you can add more if you enjoy a sweeter sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 eggs

1. Combine everything in a bowl, and mix by hand until everything is well combined.
2. Let marinade 30 minutes to overnight.
3. Deep fry at 350 degrees until golden brown and crispy.
4. Drain well, and keep warm to add to sauce.

General Tso’s sauce

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sambal sauce, or any chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2-8 small dried chilis, depending on your heat preference

1. Combine the garlic and vegetable oil in a pan, and cook until the garlic smells nice.
2. Add everything else accept the cornstarch mixture.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and bring back to a boil for 30 seconds.
5. Remove from heat, and toss with fried chicken pieces. 
6. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite vegetable. 

Orange chicken sauce

• 4 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 white pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

1. Combine the garlic and vegetable oil in a pan, and cook until the garlic smells nice.
2. Add everything else accept the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
4. Remove from heat, and toss with fried chicken pieces.
5. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite vegetable. 

Sesame chicken sauce

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

1. Combine the garlic and vegetable oil in a pan, and cook until the garlic smells nice.
2. Add everything else accept the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
4. Remove from heat, and toss with fried chicken pieces.
5. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite vegetable. 

Enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.