Make your own Chinese takeout tonight with the best Chinese takeout recipes from Lina Changs’s cookbook Chinese Takeout Cookbook Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes to Make at Home! You’ll find all your favorites like Spring Rolls, Dumplings, Lo Mein Noodles, Beef Kung Pao, Chicken General Tso, even Fortune Cookies and more!

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Serves 50 – Preparation time 45 minutes – Cooking time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
• 8 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 green onions, trimmed and diced
• 3 cloves, garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 2 ½ cups green cabbage, shredded
• 8 ounces canned bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soya sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut (or any other preferred) oil
• 50 spring roll wrappers, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
• Oil for frying

Directions

1. Wash and drain the bean sprouts. Set them aside.
2. Wash and pat the mushrooms dry. Julienne them very finely.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
4. Add the remaining vegetables. Sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the soya sauce and peanut oil. Stir to combine well. Cook for 1 more minute and remove it from the heat.
6. Place the filling in a strainer to remove most of the cooking liquids. Place the filling in a bowl.
7. Open your package of spring rolls and place all but one wrapper under a clean, damp, dishcloth to ensure the wrappers do not dry out.
8. Set your wrapper on a flat surface with one corner pointed at you.
9. Place a generous tablespoon of filling on the bottom of the wrapper, about two inches above the corner point.
10. Fold the bottom part of the wrapper over the filling, and then fold the sides over the filling, so you have what almost looks like an envelope with a long flap.
11. Roll the spring roll away from you until you get about two inches from the top, brush the edges at the top with your egg wash, complete roll, and repeat.
12. Keep finished rolls under clean, damp, dishcloth as well.
13. Once you have all of your rolls set, line a plate with paper towels.
14. Fill a heavy pot halfway up with oil for frying. Warm the oil on medium heat until it reaches 350ºF. You can also use a wok or a deep fryer. Deep-fry spring rolls until they are golden, about 1-2 minutes on each side.
15. Place spring rolls on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil before serving.
16. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

 

Dumplings

Serves 30-40 – Preparation Time 2 hours – Total Time 2 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bok choy, washed
• 1 ½ pounds ground pork
• ⅔ cup rice wine
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ⅔ cup water
• 3-4 packages dumpling wrappers

Dipping sauce

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 dash hot chili sauce
• 1 green onion, sliced thinly

Directions

1. Cut the bottoms off the bok choy, and blanch it in boiling water. Transfer it immediately to ice-cold water. Drain, squeeze the water out gently and wipe it dry with paper towels. Chop the bok choy finely and place it in a large bowl.
2. Add the ground pork, rice wine, vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt, soy sauce, white pepper, and water, and mix thoroughly.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
4. Place a wrapper on a clean surface and spoon about a tablespoon of filling into the center.
5. Moisten the edges with water and fold the circle over, in half.
6. Press the edges together to seal.
7. Fold the edges to get a fan-like shape (about 4 folds).
8. Arrange the dumplings on the baking sheet, not too close so they don’t stick to each other.
9. To store, cover with cling wrap and freeze overnight. Transfer the frozen dumplings to another container or to Ziploc bags and replace in the freezer.
10. The dumplings may be boiled or fried. When boiled, cooked dumplings float to the top when ready. To fry, deep fry until golden brown or pan fry
11. Serve with a dipping sauce made of ½ cup of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of rice vinegar, and a dash of chili sauce. Add green onions and mix well.

 

Chicken, Pork, and Shrimp Lo Mein

Serves 4 – Preparation Time 30 minutes – Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth, divided
• ¼ cup rice wine
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 ounces lean pork, very finely sliced
• 4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2-4 pieces shrimp, cleaned, shelled, and deveined
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 green onions, chopped, plus more for garnish
• ½ small can water chestnuts, chopped
• 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed and drained
• 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
• 8 ounces thin or angel hair spaghetti, cooked and drained

Directions

1. Pour ½ cup of broth into a skillet.
2. In a separate bowl, add the wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch to the remaining broth. Stir well, and set aside.
3. Bring the broth in the skillet to a boil. Add the pork and boil it for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until both are no longer pink in the center.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork and chicken to a plate, and set it aside. Discard any liquid left in the skillet.
5. Heat the sesame oil in the skillet, and keep the heat at medium-high.
6. Cook the shrimp, garlic, and ginger until they are fragrant and the shrimp has become orange in color.
7. Add the green onion, water chestnuts, cabbage, celery, peas, and carrots, and cook for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.
8. Add the meat and pre-cooked pasta, and toss for about 2 minutes.
9. Stir the cornstarch mixture and pour it over the pasta.
10. Cook, while stirring, until thickened, and remove it from the heat.
11. Garnish with chopped green onion, if desired.

 

Sweet and Sour Pork

Serves 2 – Preparation Time 10 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating time – Cooking Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces boneless pork shoulder, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce

• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice wine
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon plum sauce
• ¾ teaspoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

For marinade

• 2 teaspoons rice wine
• ½ teaspoon oyster sauce
• ½ teaspoon regular soy sauce

Other ingredients

• 1 egg
• Cooking oil for deep-frying plus 2 teaspoons for sautéing
• 1 teaspoon plus about ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 thumb ginger, peeled and minced
• ½ cup pineapple cubes
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
2. Mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Stir in the pork and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Beat the egg in a medium-sized bowl, and put the cornstarch on a plate.
4. After marinating, dip the pork pieces in the beaten egg, and then into the cornstarch. Coat the pork well, and allow it to sit for 3 minutes.
5. Heat a wok and add oil to about ¾-inch deep. Heat the oil to about 350°F.
6. Fry the pork in batches for 2-3 minutes, and place them on a dish lined with paper towels. After all the pieces have been pre-fried, heat up the wok further to 375°F. Drop all the pork in to refry, until it is brown and crisp.
7. Heat a clean wok over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of oil, and the onion, ginger, and pineapple. Cook for 2 minutes until the pineapple begins to caramelize a little. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender-crisp.
8. Stir in the sauce mixture and the tomato. Cook until it begins to boil and thicken.
9. Stir in the pork and mix to coat well. Remove the wok from the heat.
10. Sprinkle with green onion and serve with rice.

 

Kung Pao Beef

Serves 4-6 – Preparation Time 1 hour and 10 minutes – Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank or flat iron steak
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 dried red chilies, split
• ½ tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed
• 2 green onions, slice white and green parts in ½ -inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, trimmed and cubed

For sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• Rice for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, dry sherry, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Add the steak and turn to coat. Marinate for at least one hour.
2. In a bowl, make the sauce by mixing together the sauce ingredients. Whisk and set it aside.
3. Heat a large pan or wok on high and add the peanut oil. Heat the oil for 30 seconds, and then add the red chilies, ginger, and Szechuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the remaining garlic, green onions, and bell pepper. Stir fry for 3 minutes, and add the steak. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Whisk the sauce and add it to the wok. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the peanuts and stir.
7. Serve with rice.

 

General Tso’s Chicken

Serves 4 – Preparation Time 1 hour 15 minutes – Cooking Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 pieces chicken fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the marinade and sauce

• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups water

For sautéing

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

For coating and deep-frying

• 3 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups cornstarch
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups vegetable oil

For garnish

• 2 green onions, chopped

Directions

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Separate ⅓ cup of the marinade and use it to marinate the chicken for 30 minutes, refrigerated. Set aside the remaining, for the sauce.
2. Heat a wok over high and heat the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant.
3. Stir in the remaining sauce mixture (about 2 cups) and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove it from the heat and cover. Keep it warm.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients for the coating, and mix until the consistency is similar to a coarse meal.
5. Drain the marinated chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Dip each piece in the egg whites, and then coat with the cornstarch mixture.
6. Fry the chicken at 350°F until it is golden brown (about 3 minutes). Drain on paper towels.
7. Reheat the sauce to a simmer. Add the chicken and stir to coat.
8. Serve.

 

Fortune Cookies

Serves 36 – Preparation Time 15 minutes – Cooking Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Prepare fortunes on strips of paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick spray.
4. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites and sugar at high speed until frothy, about 2 minutes.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and mix in the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, flour, and water.
6. Spoon the batter onto the cookie sheets in 3-inch circles. Repeat until the batter is used up. Be sure to leave enough space between circles.
7. Bake until the edges begin to turn golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Do not overbake, or they will be too stiff to fold. If you under-bake them, their texture will be too spongy.
8. Quickly take a circle, put the fortune strip on the center, and fold the cookie in half over the fortune.
9. Fold the ends together to make a horseshoe shape.
10. Allow to cool and set. You may put them in muffin pans to prevent them from springing open.

All these recipes are from Lina Chang’s cookbook Chinese Takeout Cookbook: Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes to Make at Home. To get yourself a copy of the book, click on the cover or here.

 To download a copy of the recipes, click here.