Chinese Cuisine
Chinese food is where I started — stir-fries, dumplings, braises, and everything in between. These are the recipes I've tested most, broken most, and know best.
What is Chinese home cooking?
Chinese home cooking is not Chinese restaurant food. It is faster, simpler, and built around a handful of techniques that produce extraordinary results from ordinary ingredients.
A Chinese home cook does not spend hours on elaborate dim sum every night — they stir-fry vegetables in 8 minutes, braise pork belly on Sunday and eat it three ways through the week, and keep a pot of congee ready for whenever someone needs comfort.
The three pillars of Chinese home cooking are wok technique, sauce construction, and ingredient preparation. Master those three and every Chinese recipe on this site becomes accessible.
What are the essential Chinese cooking techniques?
Stir-frying: Chinese stir-frying requires high heat, a small amount of oil, and ingredients cut to the same size so they cook in the same time. The goal is wok hei — the smoky, slightly charred flavour that comes from cooking over intense heat. At home, achieve this by preheating your wok until it smokes before adding oil, cooking in small batches so the temperature does not drop, and never crowding the pan.
Braising: Chinese braising uses soy sauce, rice wine, and aromatics (ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon) to build deep flavour over low, slow heat. Pork belly, beef brisket, and tofu all benefit from Chinese braising. The braising liquid reduces into a glossy sauce that concentrates over the cooking time.
Velveting: Velveting is the Chinese technique of marinating protein in cornstarch, egg white, and rice wine before cooking. It creates the silky, tender texture that defines restaurant-quality Chinese dishes. At home, velvet chicken or beef by coating in cornstarch and a small amount of oil, then blanching briefly before stir-frying.
Sauce construction: Most Chinese stir-fry sauces follow a ratio — 2 parts soy sauce, 1 part rice wine or rice vinegar, 1 part sesame oil, with sugar and cornstarch to taste. Mix the sauce before cooking starts. Never add ingredients to the wok one by one — the heat moves too fast.
What do you need in a Chinese pantry?
- Soy sauce — light soy sauce for seasoning and marinades, dark soy sauce for colour and depth in braises.
- Oyster sauce — thick, rich, slightly sweet. The backbone of most Chinese stir-fry sauces. For a complete guide to this ingredient, see What is oyster sauce and when do you use it?
- Sesame oil — finishing oil only. Added at the end of cooking, never used as a cooking fat.
- Rice wine (Shaoxing wine) — used in marinades and sauces. Adds depth without overpowering. Substitute dry sherry if unavailable. For a complete guide to this ingredient, see What is Shaoxing wine and can you substitute it?
- Rice vinegar — mild, slightly sweet. Used in dipping sauces and cold dishes.
- Cornstarch — used for velveting proteins and thickening sauces.
- Ginger — fresh only. Used in almost every Chinese dish as an aromatic base.
- Garlic — fresh only. Never garlic powder in Chinese cooking.
- Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) — the backbone of Sichuan cooking. Fermented, spicy, deeply savoury.
- Five spice powder — used in braises and marinades. Contains star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel.
- White pepper — sharper and more floral than black pepper. Used in soups, congee, and fried rice.
Bang Bang Chicken Skewers Recipe
Juicy bang bang chicken skewers with a creamy sweet-spicy sauce, ready in 30 minutes. Grill or air fryer method. Tested and foolproof by Asha.
How To Cook Sweet & Sour Chicken That’s Addictively Delicious
‘Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken with "glass-like" crunch. This recipe uses velveting and double-frying for crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside results.’
Quick Chicken Buns Recipe
Quick Chicken Buns: shredded rotisserie chicken in a savory sauce, stuffed into soft buns and baked until golden. Weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.
BBQ Pork Fried Rice Recipe: Better Than Takeout
Learn how to make authentic BBQ pork fried rice at home in 20 minutes. Smoky char siu, day-old jasmine rice & a savory wok sauce. Easy step-by-step guid
Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai Recipe (烧卖)
Cantonese pork and shrimp siu mai with springy filling and yellow wrapper. Covers the directional mixing technique, slamming method, and lye water wrapper.
How to Make Stinky Tofu at Home
Make crispy stinky tofu at home. Tested fermented brine, step-by-step deep-fry method, spoilage guide, and Taiwanese night market sauce pocket technique.
Char Kway Teow Recipe (Penang Style)
Char kway teow: Malaysian flat rice noodles stir-fried with lard, lap cheong, and cockles. Covers the one-portion technique and wok hei method
How to Make Crispy Spicy Tofu Steak in 5 Simple Steps
Crispy Spicy Tofu Steak: pressed extra-firm tofu coated in seasoned cornstarch, pan-seared until golden, and glazed with doubanjiang. Ready in 35 minutes.
Chongqing Chicken Wings
Crispy Chongqing Chicken Wings (la zi ji) with Sichuan mala heat. Real technique, double-fry method, and a spice mix you'll want on everything.
How to Make Authentic Chinese Scallion Pancakes
Master authentic Chinese scallion pancakes (cong you bing) with hot water dough & oil paste for crispy, flaky layers. Step-by-step recipe with pro tips.
How to Make Pork Dumplings at Home
Learn how to make pork dumplings at home with juicy filling and perfectly pleated wrappers. Step-by-step guide with pro tips for beginners and experienced cooks.
Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe (Chinese Style)
Chinese beef stir fry with velveted flank steak and oyster sauce glaze. This recipe explains the baking soda method, against-the-grain slicing technique
Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Silky, savory, and ready in under 30 minutes. This tested Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce recipe delivers restaurant flavor with simple pantry ingredients.
How to Make Moo Goo Gai Pan at Home in 30 Minutes
Moo Goo Gai Pan: tender velveted chicken, button mushrooms, snow peas, and bamboo shoots in a light, savory white sauce. 30-minute Cantonese stir-fry at home.
Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry Recipe (番茄炒蛋)
Chinese tomato egg stir fry with silky eggs and sweet-sour tomato sauce. Covers the umami synergy, 80% egg technique, and why sugar is not optional.
Hunan Chicken Recipe (Chinese Style)
Hunan chicken with velveted chicken thigh, Pixian doubanjiang, and fresh and dried chilli. Covers the Hunan vs Sichuan heat distinction
Authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu Recipe – Numbing & Spicy
Discover the authentic Sichuan Mapo Tofu recipe. Learn how to make this spicy, numbing, and savory tofu dish with ground meat and Sichuan peppercorns at home.
Sichuan Chicken Recipe (Spicy Stir Fry)
Sichuan chicken with velveted thigh and doubanjiang. Covers the mala mechanism, dried chilli heat control, and peppercorn-before-chilli sequence
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
Authentic Char Siu recipe with a glossy red glaze. Tender Chinese BBQ pork with crispy edges and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Easier than you think
Easy Ma La Xiang Guo At Home
Ma La Xiang Guo: fiery Sichuan dry pot with numbing peppercorns, dried chilies, and your choice of protein. This spicy numbing stir-fry is ready in 30 minutes.
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe – Crispy & Tangy Chinese
Crispy, golden Sweet and Sour Pork with a shatteringly crisp coating and sticky tangy sauce. This Cantonese classic features double-fried pork and homemade sauce.
General Tso's Chicken – Crispy Chinese Takeout Recipe
‘Crispy, golden General Tso’s Chicken tossed in a sweet-spicy glossy sauce. This tested recipe delivers restaurant-quality Chinese-American flavors at home.’
Orange Chicken Recipe
Crispy orange chicken with fresh zest glaze and double-fried coating. Covers the Andy Kao origin, zest terpene mechanism, and double fry technique
Quick and Easy Dim Sum Recipes for Weekend Brunch
Learn how to make dim sum at home — tested siu mai recipe, chef''s slap technique, doneness guide, and pro tips for juicy, bouncy dumplings every time
Peking Duck Recipe (北京烤鸭)
Peking duck with lacquered maltose skin & 24-hour refrigerator dry. Covers skin separation,blanch technique, maltose vs honey & two-temperature roasting.
This 15-Minute Beef Chow Fun Will Change Your Life
Master the art of Beef Chow Fun (干炒牛河) with this easy 15-minute recipe. Tender velveted beef, silky wide rice noodles, and that classic smoky wok flavor made simple at home.
Cantonese Congee Recipe (Jook / 粥)
Cantonese congee with oil-marinated jasmine rice, century egg, and chicken stock.Covers the bloom mechanism, oil marination and whisk method for silky body
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe (Gong Bao Ji Ding)
Kung pao chicken with hú là dried chillies, Chinkiang vinegar, and peanuts. Covers the burnt chilli mechanism, lychee flavour profile & wǎn qiàn technique.
How to Make Sweet and Savory Sesame Chicken
Make crispy Sweet and Savory Sesame Chicken with this tested recipe. Double-fry technique, honey-soy glaze and crunchy cornstarch coating—better than takeout.
Chinese Beef Stir Fry Recipe (Oyster Sauce)
Chinese beef stir fry with velveted flank steak and oyster sauce. Covers the baking soda method, against-the-grain slicing, and sauce technique
Love Chinese food?
Check out my complete guide to Chinese home cooking, wok techniques, and essential pantry ingredients.
READ THE GUIDEWhat is wok hei and can you get it at home?
Wok hei is the smoky, lightly charred flavour that comes from cooking over very high heat in a seasoned wok. At home, achieve it by preheating your wok until it begins to smoke before adding oil, cooking in small batches so the pan stays hot, and working quickly. A carbon steel wok on a gas burner gets closest to restaurant results. Electric hobs reduce wok hei significantly but do not eliminate it.
What is the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy sauce is thinner, saltier, and used for seasoning and marinades. Dark soy sauce is thicker, less salty, and used primarily for colour — it turns braises and fried rice a deep mahogany brown. Most Chinese recipes use both. If a recipe calls for soy sauce without specifying, use light soy sauce.
Can I make Chinese stir-fry without a wok?
Yes. A large, heavy stainless steel or cast iron skillet works. The key is high heat and small batches — never fill the pan more than halfway, cook each ingredient separately if needed, and combine at the end. The result will not have the same wok hei but will be close in flavour.
What is velveting and why does it matter?
Velveting is coating protein in cornstarch, egg white, and rice wine before cooking. It creates the silky, tender texture of restaurant-quality Chinese dishes. Without it, chicken and beef cooked at high heat become tough. With it, they stay soft regardless of cooking time. Velvet any protein you plan to stir-fry — it takes 15 minutes and makes a significant difference.