Not much taste in my chinese style recipes?

lol i say that but i try and do some cooking like noodles and chicken recipes i follow the plan but there seems to be a bland taste like something is missing ,(i know i wont find the chinese secrets)for there delicious recipes but wat am i doing wrong?Not much taste in my chinese style recipes?
I always add in a bit of sugar and some soy sauce. Just don't add extra salt if you use the soy sauce!
Try adding Ginger powder, Hoisen sauce or even Sesame oil! It helps also to marinate the meat in a combinmation of these and a little soy sauce too!Not much taste in my chinese style recipes?
I use a lot of ginger and garlic in mine!



Here are some Chinese food sites that may help!



http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/



http://www.chinesefood-recipes.com/



http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/



I hope these help!
If your sauces are using chicken or beef stock, maybe the stock isn't strong enough. Try making your own--simmer giblets or chicken bones in just enough water to cover, stock should look medium tan in color; take beef bones out to the barbecue grill while still hot after a cookout and leave them to roast 'til carmelized a bit, then simmer in water to cover.



I put my stocks in 1/2 cup quantities into little plastic containers, freeze them, then transfer them to a plastic bag. Pre-measured stock cubes!Not much taste in my chinese style recipes?
I also have never been able to find the perfect chinese recipe because I am always comparing it to what you get at the restaraunts..until I found this recipe below! Of course it is not exactly like a restaraunt but it is pretttyyy closeee. Pretty sure there is some kind of chinese cooking secret that ordinary people will just never know :-( but anyway this is not bland at ALL! Enjoy



Chicken Lo Mein

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided

3 (3 ounce) packages oriental-flavor instant ramen noodles, reserve 2 seasoning packets

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce, we use the Lite Soy sauce

2 cups coleslaw mix, packed

4 eggs, hard-boiled, sliced



In large, deep frying pan with lid, place chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper, into 1 Tbl. olive oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Cook over medium heat, covered, for 20 minutes, turning ocaisionally, til chicken is done.

Remove chicken from pan to cool slightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces, toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, cover and set aside. Do not drain frying pan. Add 1 1/2 Tbl. sesame oil to pan.

In pot, boil 3 pkgs. Ramen noodles for 3 minutes.

Drain and RINSE WELL.

Drain again and add to frying pan with 2 Tbl. soy sauce, cole slaw mix, reserved chicken and 2 of the seasoning packets from noodles.

Stir fry, stirring, over med-low heat for 3-5 minutes or til cabbage mix is tender and all is well mixed.

Top each individual serving with sliced or chopped egg if desired.

Also serve with additional soy sauce if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings.

*Do not substitute another oil for the sesame oil! That's what really makes this dish.

Nice additions: mushrooms, pea pods, water chestnuts, cooked broccoli and baby corn.
Try this tasty cashew chicken recipe or chinese salad.



Cashew chicken



3 chicken breasts (cut into pretty big pieces)

戮 can cashews

1 陆 bunches green onions chopped

2 T of corn starch

2 T of soy sauce

1 陆 cups chicken broth

录 cup sliced lettuce



Fry chicken. Heat the wok on med-high. In about 1 T of oil cook cashews until they are brown. Add green onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Combine chicken broth, corn starch and soy sauce till blended. Add fried chicken, broth mixture and lettuce to the wok. Cook until sauce thickens. Serve on rice.



Chinese salad



Ingredients

Nappa Cabbage

Butter

Green onions

Almond slivers (4oz pkg)

Ramen noodles (Chicken is best)

Apple cider vinegar

Sugar

Oil (Canola is good)

Soy sauce

Sesame seeds (Jar)





Chop 1 head of Nappa cabbage and 1 bunch of green onions, then put in fridge to chill.

In 1 tbspn of butter, brown 1 pckg of ramen noodles 1- 4oz pckg of almond slivers and 陆 jar of sesame seeds (found with the spices and must be added to the butter the last minute or they will burn) put in the fridge to chill.

For dressing

1 seasoning packet from ramen noodles (chicken is best)

录 cup apple cider vinegar

陆 cup sugar

戮 cup of oil

1 陆 tbspn soy sauce

Boil all the ingredients for one minute then cool in the fridge.

Combine all ingredients to serve.



When you boil the ingredients it will smell bad, but that's because they are mixing together. once cooled I guarentee anyone will want this recipe.
A little sesame oil really kicks it up a notch, especially in noodle dishes, go easy with it, the stuff is strong. You also might want to try Chinese 5 spice, you can usually find it in the ethnic food section of your market. Depending on the recipe fresh ginger is great. A good cookbook for home use is "Chinese Home Cooking" by Helen Chen, all recipes are written for home use, authentic and the book is formatted very well.