The Wandering Kitchen: China
In the Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s Wandering Kitchen Travel Blog Series, we’re taking you on a virtual trip to some of the best places on Earth for world-class cuisine. Whether it comes from your backyard or a different continent, good food has the power to transport you anywhere you want to go. So while you might not travel to the heart of India, the Caribbean, or the boot of Italy by plane, train, or automobile, you can take your taste buds on a trip simply by turning your dining table into a delicious destination for some of the world’s best food.
We’ll be featuring locations near and far known for their food, inspirational recipes to try in your own kitchen, as well as products you can find in the Co-op to give you a taste of the cuisine.
In this edition of The Wandering Kitchen, we’re celebrating Lunar New Year in the place where it all began: China!
Why China?
Similar to Thai cuisine, Chinese food can be found in almost every city in the United States. From hole-in-the-wall takeout joints to large, nationwide chain restaurants, Chinese food stretches across generations and locales and has firmly established itself as an American mainstay.
There are super Americanized Chinese restaurants as well as more authentic spots in International Districts. Dim sum, anyone? Needless to say, Chinese cuisine has made a huge impact on food across the globe, which is obvious almost every time you step foot in a grocery store, including the Co-op!
Chinese-Inspired Recipes
Grab your chopsticks and make room for your next meal… you’re going to be hungry once you get through this list of mouth-watering Chinese delicacies!
Photo Courtesy of Omnivore’s Cookbook
Chinese Scallion Pancake
Served at both sit-down restaurants and street food carts, Cong you Bung, or Chinese scallion pancakes, are savory treats made with dough, as compared to the batter-based pancakes we’re familiar with here in the States.
Simply put, scallion pancakes are unleaved flatbread folded with oil and green onions. The dough is pan-fried, giving it satisfying crispy edges while maintaining a chewy, pull-apart interior.
Though the traditional version is simply filled with green onions, there are many variations including pancakes with fennel, sesame seeds, and more.
According to Chinese legend, pizza as we know it was originally adapted from scallion pancakes! The story goes that when Marco Polo returned home to Italy from his travels throughout Asia, he missed Chinese scallion pancakes so much that he tried to get a chef from Naples to recreate the treat.
When the chef didn’t have much success meeting Polo’s expectations, the famous explorer suggested that the filling be put on top, instead. And ta-da! The concept of pizza was born!
This story is considered a legend as opposed to fact, because in reality, the first known mention of pizza was over 250 years before Marco Polo’s birth. Regardless, the story is a fun one.
Photo Courtesy of Food & Wine
Basic Chinese Congee
Every culture has its version of a warm and satisfying breakfast. For us here in the U.S., it’s oatmeal or hot cereal. In Mexico, it’s chilaquiles. Over in Israel, it’s Shakshouka. And in China, it’s congee!
A white rice-based porridge, congee has a texture similar to that of oatmeal or hot cereal and is often served as a meal on its own, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And congee is a dish with history; the origins can be traced back to the Chinese Zhou Dynasty, circa 1000 BCE.
If enjoyed as a side dish to a larger meal, a plain, basic congee is usually served. But if it’s made into a meal of its own, additional ingredients and proteins such as pork, beef, or fish are added for a well-rounded, satisfying dish.
Photo Courtesy of Red House Spice
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
You’ve likely seen Chinese BBQ pork at a grocery store or Asian food market before. It’s bright red, usually sold with sesame seeds and hot mustard sauce. It’s extremely versatile, not to mention, delicious.
A signature dish in Cantonese cuisine, Chinese BBQ pork is one of the few Chinese dishes that utilizes an oven as the cooking method. Traditionally, the marinated pork would be skewered with long forks and either roasted in the oven or over an open fire, and that’s where the name Char (fork) Siu (roast) comes from!
In this recipe from Red House Spice, you’ll need pork shoulder steaks, as well as some common Asian spices and sauces including soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, chili powder, Chinese five-spice, and honey.
But arguably the most important ingredient is char siu sauce, which you can find at Asian markets or grocery stores. Char siu sauce will give you that smoky, barbecue flavor that’s essential to this Chinese pork dish.
Photo Courtesy of RecipeTin Eats
Kung Pao Chicken
Sometimes transcribed as Gong Bao or Kung Po, Kung Pao chicken is a classic dish in Sichuan cuisine, originating in south-western China. Said to be named after Ding Baozhen, a late Qing dynasty official and governor, the origins of this now ubiquitous take-out dish date back to the mid-to-late 19th century.
Spicy, stir-fried, and full of bright, delicious flavor, Kung pao chicken’s main ingredients are chicken, peanuts, chili peppers, and a variety of veggies. Some western versions of the dish sometimes sub in shrimp, pork, or duck for chicken, and use even more vegetables.
In this recipe from RecipeTin Eats, boneless skinless chicken breast is cubed and tossed with cornflour and soy sauce before being tossed with a homemade stir fry sauce and marinated for 20 minutes. Next, the chicken is seared in a hot wok before the remaining sauce and ingredients are added to bring the whole dish together.
Serve kung pao chicken over a bed of white rice, or riced cauliflower for a lower carb version.
Find the full recipe at RecipeTin Eats
Steamed Pork Buns
A classic Chinese dish in many restaurants throughout the world, steamed pork buns are pillowy-soft steamed buns filled with barbecue pork.
A traditional Cantonese dish often served at Dim Sum restaurants and Chinese bakeries, there are other versions of steamed pork buns made in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Hawaii, each with their own regionally-specific flavors and ingredients.
In this recipe from RecipeTin Eats, a quick filling of barbecue pork and a simple sweet and savory sauce is combined before being stuffed into a fairly basic dough. Stuffing the dough is the part that might feel particularly challenging, especially if you haven’t done it before. But worry not! The buns don’t have to be perfect for them to taste great, so don’t give up after the first few tries.
Once your pork buns are filled and ready to go, they're steamed in a bamboo steamer for around 12 minutes. And if you don’t have a bamboo steamer, we sell them in our Mercantile!
Photo Courtesy of Food52
Jian Dui (Sesame Balls)
If you've never had sesame balls at a Chinese restaurant or Dim Sum pot, you’re in for a real treat. Though they might look unassuming, once you bite into a subtly sweet, chewy-crispy, texturally-satisfying seasame ball, you’ll be hooked.
Simply put, sesame balls are a type of fried Chinese pastry made out of glutinous rice flour. The exterior is crispy and a little crunchy from the sesame seed coating, but the inside is chewy, sweet, and often filled with sweet black bean paste or lotus paste.
With origins tracing back as far as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Jian Dui was brought to other parts of China during the southward migration of many people from central China. But nowadays, you can find some version of sesame balls at just about any Chinese restaurant.
Find the full recipe at Food52
Chinese Food Staples Available at the Co-op
A variety of Asian veggies in our Produce Department
A variety of Asian sauces, herbs, & spices
Chinese noodles & rice
Silken, soft, and extra-firm tofu
Egg roll, wonton, and spring roll wrappers