Celebrate Chinese New Year with homemade takeout classics! From crispy Orange Chicken and sticky Honey-Glazed Spareribs to flavorful Vegetable Fried Rice, these easy-to-make recipes bring the taste of your favorite Chinese dishes right to your kitchen. Perfect for a cozy dinner or a festive occasion!

Chicken Fried Dumplings

Yields: about 48 pieces – Preparation time: 45 minutes – Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 leek, chopped
• 2 cups cooked roasted chicken, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• ¼ cup rice wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 48 round dumpling wrappers
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
• Extra light olive oil

Preparation

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet, add leek, sauté for a minute, and remove from heat.
2. Add roast chicken, cabbage, ginger root, rice wine, soy sauce, salt, and mix well.
3. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper, now brush the top half circle edge with beaten egg.
4. Bring the bottom half up over the filling to meet the top half and pinch the two halves together all along the sides, give a second pinch over to ensure there are no air holes.
5. Place dumplings on a plate and cover with a slightly damp cloth to ensure they do not dry out.
6. Fill a large pot of water up halfway over medium heat and bring to a boil.
7. Drop a batch of dumplings into the water and cook for 10 minutes. Leave raw dumplings under damp cloth. You can also steam the dumplings for 12-15 minutes in a bamboo steamer.
8. Warm 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Once the dumplings are cooked, fry them in small batches in the heated skillet until golden brown.
9. Serve warm with the Spicy Soy Dumpling Dipping Sauce (recipe follows).

Nutritional facts per dumpling (no sauce)

Calories 49, total fat 3 g, saturated fat 1 g, carbs 4 g, sugar 1 g, fiber 1 g, protein 4 g, sodium 172 mg

 

 

Chinese Spareribs in a Sticky Honey Sauce

With just six simple ingredients, have this mouth-watering appetizer ready in just under an hour.

Serves: 6 – Preparation Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 3 cups cold water
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Other ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds spareribs, chopped into 1½-inch pieces

Preparation

1. Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pan. Cook spareribs over medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes or until brown on both sides. Pour in sauce over spareribs. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to medium Simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce is thick and caramel-like then immediately transfer to a plate. The sauce shouldn’t be cooked too long because it can burn easily.
3. Toss spareribs with the sauce until well-coated. Serve.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 353, total fat 22 g, saturated fat 7 g, carbs 9 g, sugar 8 g, fiber 0 g, protein 29 g, sodium 261 mg

 

 

Beef Lo Mein

Cooked beef strips until tender and flavorful vegetables in an even tastier sauce, this quick home version of the lo mein take-out favorite will make you think twice about ordering your next Chinese take-out.

Serves: 4 – Preparation Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ pound flank steak, sliced into thin strips
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, for marinade
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for stir-frying
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounces fresh egg noodles
• 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
• 1 medium carrot, cut into thin strips
• ½ small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup sliced winter bamboo shoots
• 2 cups of mung bean sprouts
• ⅔ cup snow peas
• 1 scallion, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of sugar

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix together beef, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and oil.  Set aside.
2. Heat a large wok over high heat until smoking slightly. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat wok. Add beef and stir-fry until beef is slightly seared. Transfer beef to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add garlic, cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute then add rice wine, pouring in a circle near the perimeter of the wok.
4. Add beef back to the pan. Add noodles. Mix everything well from the bottom up for about 30 seconds. Cover and cook for one minute. Remove cover and add the remaining regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, scallion, bean sprouts, and snow peas. Toss to make sure everything is coated in sauce for another for another or until any remaining liquid has evaporated.
5. Serve immediately.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 337, total fat 7 g, saturated fat 2 g, carbs 49 g, sugar 3 g, fiber 4 g, protein 18 g, sodium 785 mg

 

 

Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork

Using a three-step frying method to create that oh-so-crispy texture, prepare this sweet and sour dish for a nice dinner with loved ones.

Serves: 4 – Preparation Time: 40 minutes – Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 1 dash red food coloring

Other ingredients

• 1 pound pork loin, diced
• 2 cups peanut oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 hot pepper, minced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 4 slices canned pineapple, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• White rice for serving

Preparation

1. Mix together marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add pork and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix together sauce ingredients. Set aside.
3. Preheat oil in a wok to 375 °F over medium-high heat.
4. Piece by piece, coat pork in egg then toss pork in potato starch until evenly coated. Apply pressure to each piece using your hand so that the coating sticks to the pork pieces.
5. Slowly lower pork in wok and deep fry for about 5 minutes or until pieces turn slightly brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Don’t turn off the heat yet. Place pork back in wok and cook for another 30 seconds. Return to paper towel-lined plate.
6. Drain oil from wok but leave about 1 tablespoon for frying.
7. Return wok with reserved oil to heat. Stir-fry the onion for 1 minute. Add red and green bell peppers, hot pepper, pineapple, and garlic. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, then pour in sauce. Stirring continuously, simmer until sauce has thickened. Add pork and toss until evenly coated with sauce.
8. Serve with white rice.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 588, total fat 28 g, saturated fat 7 g, carbs 60 g, sugar 26 g, fiber 2 g, protein 25 g, sodium 402 mg

 

 

Classic Orange Chicken

This homemade Orange Chicken dish gives Panda Express a run for their money. Prepare this sweet chicken entrée in just 35 minutes.

Serves: 8 – Preparation Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• Oil, for deep frying

Orange sauce:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 10 tablespoons sugar
• 10 tablespoons white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
• 1½ tablespoons ginger root, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon hot red chili pepper, crushed
• 4 scallions, diced
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine

Preparation

1. Add oil to a large skillet until about 2 inches deep. Preheat to 375 °F.
2. Combine egg, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well until fully blended. In another bowl, add ½ cup cornstarch and flour. Mix well.
3. Place chicken pieces in egg mixture, then transfer to the second mixture and toss until evenly coated.
4. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and cook for about 3 minutes or until crispy. Then, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
5. Discard oil from the pan, clean, and wipe dry.
6. Prepare the orange sauce by mixing the ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch and water. Mix until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set both aside.
7. Using the pan from earlier, heat oil. Fry garlic and ginger root for 10 seconds then toss in red peppers and scallions. Cook for about 5 seconds. Pour in rice wine and orange sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer until thick.
8. Remove from heat and stir in chicken until everything is mixed well.
9. Serve.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 395, total fat 15 g, saturated fat 4 g, carbs 30 g, sugar 16 g, fiber 1 g, protein 34 g, sodium 915 mg

 

 

Green Jade Vegetables

Make this easy green vegetable-only side dish to complement any Chinese meal.

Serves: 4-6 – Preparation Time: 15 minutes – Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups broccoli, chopped, including stems
• 2 cups snow peas, rinsed and trimmed
• 2 cups mini bok choy, rinsed and trimmed
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons peanut (or other preferred) oil
• Rice for serving

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, filled with boiling water, blanch bok choy and broccoli for 2 minutes. Drain under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine sugar, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Heat wok and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger. Cook for one minute.
4. Add broccoli, snow peas, and bok choy. Cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing gently, until vegetables begin to soften just slightly and become brighter in color.
5. Add rice wine vinegar and cover to let the vegetable steam the wine fragrance. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Add soy sauce mixture to pan and cook only until sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt if desired. Serve immediately with rice.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 112, total fat 7 g, saturated fat 2 g, carbs 9 g, sugar 5 g, fiber 2 g, protein 2 g, sodium 765 mg

 

 

Vegetable Fried Rice

The simple dish doesn’t miss out on any of the seasonings. Packed with flavor, this could be your next vegetarian Chinese staple.

Serves: 4 – Preparation Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 2½ tablespoons oil, divided
• ¾ cup onion, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 drops soy sauce
• 3 drops sesame oil
• ½ cup carrot, minced
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 4 cups cold cooked rice, grains separated
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Preparation

1. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté onions for about 2-3 minutes or until slightly brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
2. Combine egg, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Once wok has cooled slightly, coat surface with ½ tablespoon oil. Pour in egg mixture. Spread egg by swirling it around surface of wok. When egg appears fluffy, turn over and cook for a few seconds. Transfer to a bowl and cut into small pieces.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil in wok. Sauté carrots, peas, and cooked onion for about 2 minutes. Toss in rice, scallions, and bean sprouts. Sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Drop in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and egg pieces and fold. Sauté for 1 minute.
5. Serve.

Nutritional facts per serving

Calories 498, total fat 16 g, saturated fat 3 g, carbs 65 g, sugar 6 g, fiber 4 g, protein 22 g, sodium 607 mg

 

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Sarah Spencer’s Chinese Cooking: Favorite Chinese Takeout Recipes. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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