Cooking in China is notoriously hard, from the exotic (and sometimes downright befuddling) ingredients to the complete and utter lack of kitchen space, to the frequent lack of an oven. But nonetheless, it is possible to cook some of your Chinese favourites with some basic ingredients, a few not-so-basic ingredients, and that all important cooking tool – the wok. Read on for some particularly tasty options that will impress your friends without requiring you to be a Michelin star chef.

1) Gongbao Jiding (Kung Pow Chicken)
serves 2
(recipe from Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking by Fuchsia Dunlop)
2 boneless chicken breasts (about 300 grams)
3 cloves garlic
A few slices thickly shaved ginger
5 scallions, white sections only
2 tablespoons peanut oil
At least 10 dried red chillies (more if you want it spicier)
1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
2/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
Marinade:
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or medium dry sherry)
2 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Sauce:
3 teaspoons sugar
1 1/8 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
3 teaspoons of Chinese black vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chicken stock or water
a) Mix marinade in large bowl. Cut chicken into approximately 1/2 inch strips. Cut strips into small cubes. Mix with marinade ingredients.

b) Peel and thickly slice garlic and ginger. Chop scallions into chunks as long as their diameter. Snip chillies in half or into 2 inch sections and discard as many seeds as possible (wear rubber gloves while doing this to prevent skin irritation).

c) Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to wok and heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Add chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry briefly until crisp and oil is fragrant (do not burn the spices).

d) Add chicken and stir-fry over high flame, stirring constantly. As soon as chicken cubes separate, add ginger, garlic, and scallions. Continue stir-frying for a few minutes until chicken is cooked through.

e) Stir sauce and add to wok, continuing to stir and toss. As soon as sauce thickens and becomes shiny, stir in peanuts and serve over rice.
Difficulty finding ingredients: 1/10

You can find all of these ingredients at any basic Chinese grocery store. And while it may seem redundant to have both light and dark soy sauce in your kitchen cupboard, trust me – it makes a difference!

Difficulty making: 3/10

This recipe is less difficult to make than it is tedious. It’s a bit of a pain dealing with the hot chilli peppers (especially if your skin is particularly sensitive to those things and you have to wear gloves every time you touch them), but everything else is pretty straightforward slicing and dicing.

2) Mapo Dofu (Mapo Tofu)
Serves 3
(recipe from appetiteforchina.com)
Sauce:
1 tablespoon fermented black beans (or black bean sauce)
1 cup chicken stock
2 ½ tablespoons chilli bean paste
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
230 grams ground pork
2 leeks, white parts thinly sliced at an angle
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 block (about 450 grams) medium-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1 scallion chopped

a) Rinse black beans and smash with back of a spoon into bowl. Combine black beans with chicken stock, chilli bean paste, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and Sichuan pepper. Set aside sauce.

b) Heat wok over high heat, add peanut oil and swirl to coat. Add pork, stir-fry until crispy and starting to brown but not yet dry (about 2 minutes), all the while breaking up pork with a spatula. Reduce the heat to medium and add leeks, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).

c) Pour in sauce and bring liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. The liquid should now be a deep red colour. Gently add tofu cubes, being careful not to move them much. Allow sauce to simmer for about 2-3 minutes so tofu can cook and absorb the sauce.

d) Carefully push tofu to the sides, creating a small well in the middle. Pour cornstarch mixture into centre. Allow liquid to simmer for another minute, until sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to bowl, sprinkle scallions on top, and serve hot.

Difficulty finding ingredients: 2/10
Again, these are pretty basic ingredients available at any Chinese grocery store. The only items you may have to look a bit harder for are the chilli bean paste and the ground Sichuan pepper (although you can always substitute another hot pepper for it, the Sichuan variety really adds that distinctive flavour you know and love from this dish).

Difficulty making: 6/10
What makes this dish a bit trickier is the delicacy of the tofu cubes and the finicky balance of the cornstarch mixture. Chances are you’ll inevitably break a few tofu cubes, but don’t despair – it doesn’t affect the flavour! As for the cornstarch mixture, be sure to add it to room temperature water. And until you get it down exactly, add a bit less water than it calls for and then add more as needed – it’s always better to start with not enough than have it overly watery.

Photo: foodnetwork.com

3) Gu Lu Rou (Sweet and Sour Pork)
serves 6
(recipe from foodnetwork.com)

2/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 cup flour, plus seasoned flour for dredging
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pound pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 ounce honey
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1/3 cup large diced celery
1/3 cup carrots sliced 1/4-inch thick, slantwise
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
a) In a large bowl, combine soy, garlic, ginger, flour and cornstarch. Season pork with salt and pepper. Place pork in bowl and toss to cover. Marinate in refrigerator overnight.

b) Drain off any excess marinade and dredge pork in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, heat 1 inch of oil to 176 degrees C. Fry pork in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Reserve on warm plate.

c) In a separate bowl, combine ketchup, sugar, vinegar and honey. Whisk to blend.

d) Heat canola and sesame oils in large skillet. Place pork and vegetables into the skillet and cover with ketchup mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until pork is tender. Serve over rice.

Difficulty finding ingredients: 2/10

The red wine vinegar may force you to make an extra stop at your local City Shop or Carrefour, depending on the variety your local Chinese grocery store carries. Other than that, all the other ingredients are easy to find.

Difficulty making: 4/10

The fact that you have to marinate the pork overnight prevents this from being a spur of the moment dish. But as long as you plan ahead, you should be fine.

Photo: 086www.com

4) Shizi Tou (Lion's Head Meatball Soup)
serves 4
(recipe from allrecipes.com)

1 pound ground pork
1 egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, chopped and divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup baby bokchoy
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water, or as needed
1 tablespoon soy sauce

a) Mix ground pork, egg, cornstarch, two teaspoons sesame oil, ginger, salt and half of the chopped green onions together in a bowl. Use your hands to mix until ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.

b) Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the bokchoy, stirring constantly, until it begins to wilt (2-3 minutes). Pour in chicken broth, water and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium.

c) Use a spoon to form meat mixture into one inch balls. Drop them into boiling soup. When the last ball has been added, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, and adjust salt before serving. Garnish with remaining green onions and remaining two teaspoons of sesame oil.

Difficulty finding ingredients: 1/10

All of the ingredients are a breeze to find at your local Chinese grocery store.

Difficulty making: 3/10

The only issue with this dish is not letting the soup over-boil while you’re forming the meatballs. I avoid that by mixing the ingredients together and forming the balls all at once – that way, as soon as the soup has reached a boil I can just drop them in.

5) Donggua Tang (Winter Melon Soup)
serves 3
(recipe from thekitchn.com)
4 cups water
2 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
Handful of cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
6 white peppercorns
680 grams winter melon (can substitute fuzzy melon)
1/3 cup dried sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

a) Fill a saucepan with four cups of water. Add scallions, cilantro, ginger, garlic and white peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

b) While broth is simmering, peel melon, remove seeds and pulp, and cut into ½ inch chunks.

c) When broth is ready, remove and discard the solids. Add melon, mushrooms, soy sauce and salt to broth and simmer, partially covered, until melon is translucent and tender (20-30 minutes).

d) Adjust salt before serving. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and cilantro leaves.

Difficulty finding ingredients: 3/10

Whole white peppercorns may be a bit more challenging to find than the other ingredients, but they should have them at your local City Shop or Carrefour, or even at your corner wet market.

Difficulty making: 2/10

Soups are notoriously easy to make, and this one is no exception. Just be sure to have a fine mesh strainer on hand to discard the solid ingredients before you add the melon, mushrooms and other spices.

6) Beef & Broccoli
serves 4
(recipe from The House of Chan Cookbook by Sou Chan)
1 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into slantwise pieces about 1 ½ inch long
½ pound beef, cut in ¼ inch slices thick and 1 ½ inches long
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small sliver garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

a) Heat oil in wok. Sauté beef with garlic, sugar, salt, soy sauce and rice wine. Cook 2-3 minutes, then remove beef.

b) Add broccoli and water to wok and cover. Cook until it has come to a boil, stir. Cover and cook 2-3 more minutes.

c) Add beef. Mix cornstarch and water together and pour over mixture. Cook 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

Difficulty finding ingredients: 1/10

All of the ingredients can be found at your local Chinese grocery store.

Difficulty making: 2/10

Super easy. Once you’ve chopped everything properly, all it really needs is cooking, watching and simmering. This is a great one for a simple meal in a hurry.
 

Related links
No Oven in China? Try These 5 Non-Oven Recipes
A Week of Western Food in China for 100 RMB
Guide to Popular Street Food in China

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Keywords: simple Chinese dishes basic Chinese recipes cooking Chinese food how to prepare Chinese food