Article archived: February, 2010
Want to try something special for dinner? We've assembled a group of delicious Chinese recipes — some traditional, and some new. Try making them as directed — or use our substitution suggestions for a deliciously different surprise.
Spicy Beef with Shrimp and Bok Choy
Vegetarian Hot Pot
Yan Can Lo Mein
Edamame Lo Mein
Salt and Pepper Prawns
Vegetable Fried Rice
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Pork Stir-Fry
Spicy Beef with Shrimp and Bok Choy
Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage that looks like celery and has a mild flavor. It is a staple of Chinese cooking — and we carry it in the Giant Eagle® Produce Department.
Bok choy serves as the background for this mix of surf and turf, in Spicy Beef with Shrimp and Bok Choy.
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Vegetarian Hot Pot
Hot pot is a stew-like dish eaten in China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Traditionally, hot pot starts as a boiling pot of fragrant broth placed in the center of a dining table. Diners choose ingredients — including squid, crab, scallops, tofu, bok choy, napa cabbage, shallots, and shiitake mushrooms — and place them into the hot pot. After the ingredients cook, they are served along with the broth.
This Vegetarian Hot Pot recipe features a ginger-garlic broth and hot pot staples like Chinese noodles, bok choy and shiitake mushrooms.
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Yan Can Lo Mein
Lo mein is a Cantonese phrase meaning "stirred noodles." This popular takeout dish is usually made with meat, seafood or vegetables and includes bok choy, napa cabbage and onions.
Julienned celery, bean sprouts and snow peas star in this Yan Can Lo Mein recipe.
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Edamame Lo Mein
Edamame are young soy beans — and they can be eaten fresh or cooked in Chinese dishes. They have a have a mild, nutty flavor; are a great source of natural protein, and are full of heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. This recipe for Edamame Lo Mein takes just minutes to prepare.
Substitution tip: For a more traditional take on lo mein, substitute eight ounces Chinese noodles for the whole-wheat pasta in this recipe.
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Salt and Pepper Prawns
Prawns are related to shrimp, and look very similar to them. Use de-veined prawns or shrimp in this recipe for Salt and Pepper Prawns. This version uses reduced-sodium soy sauce, which brings out the flavor of the seafood.
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Vegetable Fried Rice
Vegetable fried rice, traditionally made with egg, is an excellent source of fiber and protein. This recipe features scallions, asparagus and red bell peppers.
Cooking tips: Freshly cooked rice can clump together — and good fried rice features distinct, individual grains. For the best results, use rice that is at least one day old, or follow the "cooling" step in this recipe carefully.
Always cook the eggs until they're just "set" — you don't want them to be firm, but you don't want any liquid to remain in the pan. You can then either fold the rice into the eggs or set them aside.
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Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and sour chicken is a Westernized dish. There are many variations of this dish — which is a takeout favorite — though there are no exact counterparts in China. This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is a heart-healthy take on takeout — it skips the heavy batter.
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Pork Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is a Chinese cooking technique similar to sautéing. Spices, meat and vegetables are cooked rapidly in a hot wok with oil. In China, stir-fry dishes tend to focus on vegetables, while the Westernized versions of these meals have a higher ratio of meat. Try this Pork Stir-Fry recipe over white or brown rice — and make good use of your leftovers!
Substitution tips: Replace pork in the recipe with one pound sliced, cooked or raw chicken; one pound cooked, peeled shrimp, or one pound sliced steak. Meat cooking times may vary from those in the original recipe.
To emphasize the flavor of the vegetables, decrease meat in the recipe to half a pound. Meat cooking times may vary from those in the original recipe.
To add flavor, serve the dish over Chinese noodles instead of rice or spaghetti.
To prepare a vegetarian version of the dish, follow this recipe for Tofu Stir-Fry, or prepare the tofu as directed in the recipe and substitute it for the pork in the Pork Stir-Fry recipe.
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