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[flippedb]

Pretty self-explanatory. I've tried many times with many different recipes, but nothing tastes as in the restaurants, be it rice, noodles, soup, etc, everything tastes different, and bad.

How is it made? Is it possible to cook Chinese food in your house that passes for restaurant-made?

Please GAF, help me cook my own Chinese food.

Edit: I should add I'm referring to American-Chinese food, since that's the most popular option.

 

[- J - D -]

A wok and a high-BTU stove.

 

[SeanR1221]

Salt. Lots of it.

I usually gain 5 "pounds" the day after Chinese take out.

 

[-PXG-]

A wok and a high-BTU stove.

.

 

[Dead Prince]

The pf cChang kit at walmart

 

[spicy_potatochip]

lots of MSG, never forget the MSG.

 

[flippedb]

Could anybody post a recipe that gives good results? I want some tasty Chinese food, damn.

 

[Loofy]

MSG.

 

[BertramCooper]

MSG and corn starch.

Provided we're talking about American Chinese food.

 

[Dr.Acula]

Pretty self-explanatory. I've tried many times with many different recipes, but nothing tastes as in the restaurants, be it rice, noodles, soup, etc, everything tastes different, and bad.

How is it made? Is it possible to cook Chinese food in your house that passes for restaurant-made?

Please GAF, help me cook my own Chinese food.

Well... Tell us how you are making it?

 

[Chichikov]

MSG.

p.s.
It should probably be noted that this is mostly true if you're going for the American-Chinese restaurant taste, actual Chinese food is very varied and hardly have a singular taste.

Edit: aaand beaten, a million times, but msg is great and without it I am nothing

 

[.la1n]

Could anybody post a recipe that gives good results? I want some tasty Chinese food, damn.

Just to clarify, are talking about authentic Chinese food or something closer to American-Chinese?

 

[BlueSteel]

What makes it different sometimes is the 鑊氣, or wok hei. It's kinda like using the high heat to transfer the tastes and uh... character that the wok has. After a lot of use, a wok will be well-seasoned and provides a taste that you just can't get from a stainless steel frying pan.

I'm willing to bet this is what you're talking about.

 

[flippedb]

Just to clarify, are talking about authentic Chinese food or something closer to American-Chinese?

Both are ok, but I'd prefer American-Chinese, since that's what I'm most used too.

 

[Tesseract]

sticky rice is ezmode, cook it a little longer.

 

[BertramCooper]

I know that American Chinese is a total bastardization of authentic Chinese cuisine, but goddamn, I love that shit.

 

[Nathan Muir]

Should we assume you're talking about Chinese restaurants in the United States? Because actual Chinese food is relatively simple to recreate, provided you have a market where you can get the right items.

Edit: I see you clarified. By the way, I also enjoy United States "Chinese" food, regardless of the fact that it is nothing like the food in China.

 

[flippedb]

I know that American Chinese is total bastardization of authentic Chinese cuisine, but goddamn, I love that shit.

Leftovers on a lazy Sunday are the best

 

[adamantypants]

Monosodium glutamate as others have stated

 

[Firemind]

What makes it different sometimes is the 鑊氣, or wok hei. That and after after a lot of use, a wok will be well-seasoned and provides a taste that you just can't get from a stainless steel frying pan.

This. The type of wok makes a world of difference. And, of course, the fire.

 

[BlueSteel]

This. The type of wok makes a world of difference. And, of course, the fire.

Bah you quoted me before I could clean upmy horribly jumbled thoughts.

If you ever get a wok, one of the first tips you hear is that you DON'T wash it with soap. Ever. How I understand it, which is admittedly very basic since I've just started learning about cooking with woks, is that each time you coat it with oil you're essentially adding another layer. For restaurants, imagine doing that over and over throughout the course of a year. It's gonna be very well seasoned.

After a while, my wok is essentially non stick. I'm at a place where we don't have a fire-stove now though, so it hasn't been getting much use :|

 

[freenudemacusers]

I know that American Chinese is a total bastardization of authentic Chinese cuisine, but goddamn, I love that shit.

spicy general tso's and fried rice is like the best thing ever

 

[royalan]

A wok and a high-BTU stove.

This

 

[Replicant]

MSG. Lots and lots of it.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

spicy general tso's and fried rice is like the best thing ever

It's SO GOOD. Favorite entree, hands down.

Throw some eggrolls in there and it's bliss.

...And now I want Chinese.

 

[mrkgoo]

A wok and a hot flame.

They even call it 'wok flavour'.

 

[Luigiv]

Salt. Lots of it.

I usually gain 5 "pounds" the day after Chinese take out.

And sugar. Don't forget the sugar.

 

[kiunchbb]

Powerful stove, a lot of foods, especially veggie will start releasing water if it is cook for too long, ruining the favor and the texture.

Msg

Sugar and salt, not just on sweet and sour, almost every dish require a lot of sugar to balance out the salty favor. 2:1 ratio for sugar: salt on some of the dishes.

Fresh meat, especially fish, has to be fresh and not refrigerated. That's why they have a fish tank in end every restaurant.

A tip for making fry rice, don't put salts directly into the rice. Instead, mix it with water first so the rice can absorb the favor.

 

[hamchan]

味精

 

[Chichikov]

I know that American Chinese is a total bastardization of authentic Chinese cuisine, but goddamn, I love that shit.

Bastardization might be too strong of a word, it's just a different cuisine, and the fact that cooking styles change when people immigrate to a new country is not unusual or bad.
Now it's true, there are many shitty American-Chinese restaurants in the states, but there are also great ones (just like with every cooking style).

 

[Zoe]

Don't forget to dredge the meat in flour or corn starch.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

- Oyster sauce
- Fish sauce

You aren't getting good umami without it. MSG salt by itself is alright as long as it isn't laced with shit, but releasing the glutamates from whole ingredients are so much better.

 

[akira28]

the secret....is cornstarch. and chili pepper. and soysauce, and fish sauce, and chopped green onions. My general tso stands up to most...chinese carryouts anyway, maybe not actually decent chinese restaurants.

 

[Nathan Muir]

Bastardization might be too strong of a word, it's just a different cuisine, and the fact that cooking styles change when people immigrate to a new country is not unusual or bad.

You're definitely right that American "Chinese" food is an entirely different entity than real Chinese food. That said, as long as American "Chinese" food is marketed as Chinese, it is certainly a bastardisation by definition.

 

[Guevara]

Peanut oil

 

[trinest]

MSG.

 

[German Measles]

Velveting.

 

[Qvoth]

lard

 

[bagandscalpel]

lard

That's Mexican cuisine, no?

 

[perfectchaos007]

That's Mexican cuisine, no?

re-fried beans NEED pork lard to be good.

 

[vincent vega]

a lot of corn starch in the sauces

 

[robotzombie]

You can't, according to Patrice Oneal

 

[Liferebooted]

- Oyster sauce
- Fish sauce

You aren't getting good umami without it. MSG salt by itself is alright as long as it isn't laced with shit, but releasing the glutamates from whole ingredients are so much better.

Peanut oil

Both wrong otherwise I'd be dead.

 

[Takuan]

Salt. Lots of it.

I usually gain 5 "pounds" the day after Chinese take out.

The day after? More like, 30 minutes after.

 

[Parexion]

MSG

 

[perfectchaos007]

The day after? More like, 30 minutes after.

I gain 5 pounds just by looking at a plate of sodium/sugar enriched chinese food.

 

[sirap]

MSG

Over here in SE Asia we call MSG "mmmm so good"

 

[Falcs]

Soy sauce.
Black bean sauce.
Sesame oil.

Or you could do what I did and marry a hot asian girl who cooks the best food I've ever had.

 

[Snaku]

I need me some orange chicken right now.

 

[Dr.Acula]