Easy recipes for making Chinese takeout at home

There is a Chinese saying that goes something like this: "east is sweet, south is salty, west is sour and north is spicy."

It is as condensed a description of one of the world's great cuisines as can be made and, of course, is a vast generalization, but it provides a basic framework with which to approach the subject.

The history of Chinese cooking is more than 4,000 years old and covers many regions and cultures. There are four accepted regional cooking styles: Cantonese, which is what is most often found in the United States; spicy Szechuan; Northern style (Peking); and Eastern style.

To familiarize yourself with Chinese cooking, a good reference is "The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook," published in 1984 by Gloria Bley Miller. It is considered the largest and perhaps the most comprehensive Chinese cookbook published in the Western world. There are many other sources to choose from, but this one has been tried and tested for almost 30 years.

To get started, you will also need to buy a few essential kitchen tools. A good wok is essential, they come in sizes from 14 to 24 inches, but a 14-inch wok is best for home cooking.

A wok is made for gas cooking and using one on an electric stove is not effective. For a wok to be work the way it was designed to work in stir frying the flames need to come up the sides of the wok for the intense heat needed. If you're cooking on an electric stove you should use a regular sauté pan.

A steaming basket that fits on top of your work is important, an electric rice maker will save you a lot of time and frustration; a clay pot; a cleaver, the all-in-one knife is Asian cooking; and a skimmer -- these are the basic tools, but this is not a comprehensive list.

In philosophy, Chinese cooking is concerned with varying meat and vegetables in a dish for interesting flavors, textures and colors.

Almost always everything is cut into bite-size pieces that can be handled with chop sticks and freshness of ingredients is essential. Little is used that comes out of a can or bottle, other than sauces and condiments.

Ingredients that you might have to find at an Asian market include Shaoxing rice wine, for bitter and sweet flavors; a good soy sauce for salt and color; the Asian holy trinity of chili, garlic and ginger; Chinese five spice powder for aroma and spice; and toasted sesame oil for nuttiness. Some of the items can be found in a regular grocery store but they may not be the brands that Chinese cooks prefer.

Following are three simple Chinese recipes, suitable for beginners. Gather all the ingredients and equipment first. All three dishes can be served with steamed rice or rice noodles. Make sure to add a green garnish for color.

KUNG PAO SHRIMP (SZECHUAN)

1 pound peeled shrimp

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons chicken broth

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1- 1/2 cups oil

4-6 red chilies or 2 teaspoons chili paste

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1/2 cup cashews

2/3 cups oil

14-inch wok

Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Lightly beat the egg white then combine with the cornstarch and salt, add the shrimp and marinate for at least 15 minutes. Combine the chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and set aside, this is the sauce.

Heat the oil hot but not smoking, add the shrimp, after removing excess batter and cook quickly until pink, remove and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the chili peppers or chili paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the minced ginger and cook until it is aromatic (about 15 seconds). Add the cashews and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sauce to the wok with the shrimp and cook just until warm.

PEKING-STYLE CHICKEN

2 pounds boneless chicken cut into 1-inch strips

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sherry

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 beaten egg

5 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Oil for frying

Cooked rice noodles

Mix the soy sauce, sherry, pepper and green onions, add the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes. Beat together the egg, cornstarch and flour into a smooth batter, dip the chicken to cover completely and deep fry until light brown, remove and set aside. Heat the marinade in the wok, add the cooked rice noodles and cook until just warmed. Plate the noodles and sauce with the chicken on top.

CANTONESE WHITE CUT CHICKEN AND DIPPING SAUCE

1 whole chicken (free range is best)

3 star anise

1/2 bunch cilantro

3 tablespoons salt

Ice water

1 large pot

Place the chicken in a large pot, cover with water and the rest of the ingredients. Bring the pot to a boil, and then reduce to a slow simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes. Pour off the water and replace with ice water for 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic and put in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Carve the chicken into bit sizes and serve with dipping sauce and steamed white rice.

DIPPING SAUCE

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon white rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 small red chili chopped

1 chopped green onion

1 minced clove of garlic

1 pinch black pepper

Combine all the ingredients completely.

Julian Glenn Brunt, who has been a Mississippi Gulf Coast resident for more than 20 years, can be reached at living@sunherald.com. His column runs weekly in Taste

This story was originally published March 14, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Easy recipes for making Chinese takeout at home."