Happy 端午节 (duān wǔ jié) Dragon Boat Festival! This year, I’d like to introduce you to a traditional Chinese dessert that deserves a spot at your table: 绿豆糕 (lǜ dòu gāo) mung bean cakes! Mung bean cakes are delicate, pretty pastries that started out as imperial desserts 贡品 (gòng pín) in the 清朝 Qīng dynasty. Back then, only emperors and nobles could have them. They are soft and creamy, lightly sweet and refreshing. And my version is so healthy that it’s ok to have several!
A comprehensive look at soy milk 豆浆 from a historic, nutrition, and environmental perspective concludes that homemade soy milk is the top choice. We’ve updated cooking methods and carefully selected ingredients to make extra-nutritious, environmental and budget-friendly Vitamix / blender soy milk.
Sichuan Spicy Boiled Fish 水煮鱼 (shuǐ zhǔ yú), literally just “water-boiled fish” sounds ordinary but tastes extraordinary. It’s a vibrant, moderately 麻辣 (málà) spicy and mouth-numbing dish of white fish and vegetables lightly poached in fragrant broth. Sichuan spicy boiled fish is a variant on the famous 重庆火锅 (Chóngqìng huǒ guō) Chongqing spicy hotpot, modified to serve large groups of taxi drivers during their breaks. It’s been one of the most popular dishes in restaurants across China since 1983, when a young Chongqing chef won first prize in a Sichuan food competition with this local invention. Here’s my easy, authentic, and scratch-made version, along with the best wines to drink with it.
Red braised pork is a rich, flavorful Chinese dish with 1500 years of history. We get truly authentic flavor from an ancient cooking method, coating with caramel 炒糖色, updated with a modern Instant Pot pressure cooker twist.
Everyone knows that the food identity of China and East Asia is closely linked to white rice. Besan, or chickpea flour, is an ideal healthy, gluten-free, low-GI pick in these savory pancakes 煎饼 (jiān bǐng). The recipe is endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables and spices you have on hand.
“Steam water” meat is a delicate, savory steamed meat and egg custard, kind of a mash-up of steamed meatloaf and Japanese chawanmushi (steamed egg custard). Although it’s a 名菜 famous dish in 武汉 Wuhan and across 湖北 Hubei province, it’s rarely found elsewhere at even the most authentic Chinese restaurants. Like Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles 武汉热干面, this is a regionally specific dish that is simultaneously well-known and hard-to-find.
Tofu gets a totally undeserved bad rap. Everyone knows that tofu is healthy (low carb, high protein, high calcium), but today’s recipe is proof that it can be delicious too. If you’re convinced that there’s no such thing as tasty tofu, I promise this dish will change your mind.
The best option for Wuhan hot dry noodles 热干面 is the leftover braising liquid from soy-braised beef 卤肉. This recipe will give you that authentic umami flavor and glossy mouthfeel without simmering meat for hours.
Happy Mother’s Day! I’m making Wuhan’s famous breakfast noodle for my mom. Hot dry noodles, one of the top 5 noodles in Chinese cuisine, are surprisingly easy to make at home! I also included substitutions for the authentic ingredients with readily available options from conventional grocery stores.
Dry Fried Green Beans 干煸四季豆 can be found on almost every Chinese restaurant menu. The secret to restaurant-quality green beans without deep frying lies in how you prepare the green beans.
