Chinese Dinner at Home
I love Chinese food. It is just so good. I have pretty much been one to buy a bag of PF Chang’s frozen chicken (in different varieties) and add some homemade fried rice. Over the past couple of months, though, I pinned quite a few Chinese Chicken recipes on Pinterest. It was time for me to start trying them.
Until Pinterest, I had never breaded chicken in cornstarch before frying. What a difference it makes! The recipe I recommend is this one.
I made homemade fried rice to go with the sweet and sour chicken. I don’t use a recipe, but in gist here is what I do:
Cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of chicken broth according to directions. (Note: Not Minute Rice or another “quick” version.)
In a wok, non-stick skillet, or some other large pan, heat a small amount of sesame oil. (Sesame oil is VERY flavorful. You might want to use it sparingly.) Add 1-2 pressed garlic cloves, a few green onions that have been cut up, and about 1 cup of frozen English peas. Cook for 3-5 minutes. (Add some more oil if needed.) Make a well in center of wok and fry an egg that has been lightly beaten. Cook until done. Add cooked rice and mix with vegetables. Add soy sauce to taste.
I also tried to make homemade egg rolls for the first time. I mean – I even tried to make the wrappers from scratch! I found a recipe on About.com. (You can see it here.) I used my pasta machine to try to roll the dough out thin. My machine has 6 settings for thickness, with 1 being the thinnest. I discovered that 1 is just too thin and they seemed to work out best on 2.
Too thin
To make the filling, I used ground (turkey) sausage that had been cooked. To it, I added shredded cabbage and some pressed garlic and sauted in my skillet until the cabbage was wilted. I let it cool a little bit before adding to the egg roll wraps. The inspiration for my egg rolls comes from a Jimmy Dean recipe I had seen in a magazine years ago. My husband and daughter liked them. (Sorry I don’t have pictures of the finished version. I was hungry and forgot to take photos before they were eaten.) Here is a good tutorial for making them at home with store-bought wrappers:
I hope this post inspires you to try to make your own version at home. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. (And if you are like me, and again, and again…)
Toni March 7, 2013 at 5:54 am
I love chinese food, I make it here and tehre.
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Mellisa March 3, 2013 at 10:30 pm
Chinese food is one of my favorite meals.
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Anne - Mommy Has to Work March 3, 2013 at 1:57 pm
I love to make my own Chinese version of dinner!!
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Rachel March 3, 2013 at 12:17 am
We LOVE making Chinese and Thai food at home — sooooo yummy!
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Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins March 3, 2013 at 12:15 am
Looks very delicious!
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Theresa March 2, 2013 at 11:55 pm
Looks great!
Kathleen March 2, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Looks so amazing! I love love love Chinese food.
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Mom Foodie March 2, 2013 at 4:40 pm
I make Asian food a lot & homemade pasta on occasion… never attempted egg roll wrappers though.
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Penelope March 2, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Oh, that looks so good!
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Lolo March 1, 2013 at 11:57 pm
That is awesome that you even make your own eggrolls.
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Kasey@AllThingsMamma March 1, 2013 at 11:22 pm
That’s the same chicken recipe we use! I haven’t tried to do egg rolls though. You’re braver than I! LOL
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Lisa March 1, 2013 at 2:24 pm
I’ll have to try this!
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Colleen February 28, 2013 at 11:34 pm
Totally looks like something you would find in a restaurant!
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Carolsue February 28, 2013 at 5:55 pm
I’m always on the lookout for a good Fried Rice Recipe. I will have to give this one a try! Sounds yummy!
shirley February 28, 2013 at 5:48 pm
Thank you, going to try.
Tammy February 28, 2013 at 3:39 pm
I also have never heard or thought to use cornstarch when frying chicken. Interesting. I completely cheat on the fried rice and use the Minute Steamers in the frozen food section.
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Henrietta February 28, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Yum! I hardly ever get Chinese food! The closest place is about 25 minutes away and I’m too lazy to make it at home
I want somecream cheese wontons now!
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Diana C February 28, 2013 at 1:21 pm
I totally love Chinese food. I often fantasize applying for a job at a restaurant and work there for a few weeks to learn how to cook and then leave. Haha!
Diana C
Diane Cooper February 28, 2013 at 11:49 am
Thanks for the guide for cooking chicken for Chinese at home. O ne of my favorite Chinese dishes is Orange Chicken. I just need the confidence to try to make it.
patti February 28, 2013 at 11:46 am
Asian food is sooooo good, but I tend to just order take-out
Need to try
jayedee February 28, 2013 at 10:32 am
i make my o9wn eggro9lls regularly, but i’ve never made the wraps too! good for you! (can’t wait to try it myself!)
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Jenn @therebelchick February 28, 2013 at 8:58 am
As delicious as homemade Chinese food sounds, the only reason we ever get it is because I don’t want to cook. LOL
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Lynda February 28, 2013 at 9:14 am
I would eat it out more often if I knew of a good place locally, but unfortunately I don’t.
jessi crawley February 28, 2013 at 8:39 am
wow i am impressed wit trying to make the eggrolls from scratch. The chicken looks so yummy
Andy Grant February 27, 2013 at 11:54 pm
If the fried rice tastes as good as it looks it must be fantastic. Makes my mouth water just looking at it.
courtney February 27, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Looks delicious and easy!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell February 27, 2013 at 4:08 pm
I’m totally intrigued to do this now! I don’t know why I never thought about it before, but YUM!
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Katy February 27, 2013 at 9:23 am
All of this looks great! I have never made homemade eggrolls before much less a homemade wrapper. You have really been cooking
.
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