2 Great Chinese Side Dishes
The side dishes are one of the best parts of any Chinese meal and while they are simple to make, they can be a challenge to do correctly. Here are two great sides that you can make with your next Chinese meal that will knock the socks off of your guests.
Fried Rice
- 3 cups of Calrose rice, rinsed
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 ounces of ham, cubed
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons of mirin
- 5 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sake
- 3 cups of chopped Chinese cabbage
- 6 ounces of diced carrots
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or wok on medium-high heat until it is hot. Add the rice and cook until the rice starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the rice from the skillet and set aside. Boil 4.5 cups of water on the stovetop and add the rice. Cook the rice for 25 minutes at medium-low heat.
Allow the rice to cool. In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil at medium-high heat and add the rice when the oil is hot. Stir the rice around and add the Chinese cabbage, carrots, and ham. Add the mirin, soy sauce, and sake and continue cooking. Once the cabbage and carrots are cooked through, crack the egg into the rice and thoroughly mix together, allowing the egg to fully cook and disperse among the rice grains. Serve immediately.
Lo Mein
- 16 ounces of lo mein noodles
- 3 cups of chopped Chinese cabbage
- 1 diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup of bean sprouts
- 8 ounces of steak (any cut)
- 6 ounces of diced carrots
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of mirin
- 2 tablespoons of sake
Slice the steak into small pieces, about 1/4 inch thick and an inch long. Put the lo mein noodles in a wok on medium heat. Add the sake, mirin, and soy sauce to the wok and continue cooking. Add the carrots, bean sprouts, and cabbage to the wok and continue to cook. Once the carrots have cooked through, add the steak and cook the steak to your desired degree of doneness. Serve while still hot.
These side dishes are extremely versatile and can be adapted to any dietary desires. Consider substituting chicken or pork loin in either of these recipes to change things up. Additionally, for an added health benefit, consider other vegetables that you could add to the dish to suit your desires.
For more great Chinese dishes to try, consider heading out to your favorite local restaurant or someplace like the Ginger Beef Restaurants Brentwood Village Mall.