Last Updated on March 22, 2026 by Simon Fan I love Gong Bao chicken so much that I have experimented the recipe with other types of protein—often with great success. Following Gong Bao shrimp, I’m sharing another variation using tofu. Gong Bao chicken is a testament to the wonders of Sichuan cuisine. The dish’s flavor profile boasts a complex balance of savory, sweet, sour, and spicy. The tingling sensations from Sichuan peppercorns and the contrast between crunchy peanuts and tender chicken make the dish exciting. My Gong Bao tofu recipe stays true to the original chicken dish. Here, tofu serves as a neutral canvas to put the layers of exciting flavor and texture on full display. Super-firm or extra-firm tofu works best for the recipe, as it holds its shape well and won’t easily break apart during cooking. If you can only find firm tofu, press it for about 30 minutes to remove excess moisture and make it firmer. I have no doubt you’ll love this plant-based Gong Bao dish, whether you’re a vegetarian or not. Gong Bao tofu Serves 2 Ingredients 10 oz (285 g) super-firm or extra-firm tofu Sauce¼ teaspoon salt1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon soy sauce2 teaspoons Zhenjiang […]

Last Updated on February 15, 2026 by Simon Fan Fish steaks, which are cut cross-sectionally with skin and central bone included, are easier to cook than whole fish. Their circular or oval shape creates elegant plating. While many recipes for fish steaks call for grilling, baking, or pan-frying, I believe steaming is a perfect method for them. This is especially true for fatty and delicate fish like Chilean sea bass (Patagonian toothfish) or black cod (sablefish). Steaming accentuates their tender, buttery texture and mildly sweet taste. It also does an excellent job preserving their beautiful shape. A critical step before steaming fish steaks is brining. Submerging them in a solution of salt, water, and aromatics for 15 minutes will enhance their flavor, improve their texture, and, more importantly, help prevent white albumin from forming. My recipe below uses typical aromatics (scallion and ginger) and seasonings (soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and Zhenjiang vinegar) in Chinese cooking. It works well with most white fish and salmon. Feel free to experiment with what you like. Steamed Chilean sea bass steak Serves 2 Ingredients 2 thin slices of ginger, about 2 inches (5 cm) long1 scallion1 or 2 Thai chilies, optional Brine1 teaspoon salt1 […]

Last Updated on January 25, 2026 by Simon Fan Oyster sauce (蚝油), a signature condiment in Cantonese cooking, is now widely used in many regional cuisines in China and Southeast Asia. This dark brown sauce, with a balanced salt-sweet flavor packed with umami (thanks to oyster extract), works wonders in marinades, stir-fries, salads, and stews. I particularly like the Cantonese way of using it to season blanched vegetables, creating a simple yet delicious dish with minimum effort. Gai lan (Chinese broccoli), lettuce, bok choy, spinach, cauliflower, and broccoli are all excellent choices for this preparation. My recipe here is quite straightforward, with a twist during plating: arrange the blanched broccoli florets to form the shape of a broccoli head, before draping them with the caramel-colored sauce made with oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. You can add minced garlic or chili oil if you like. Enjoy the dish year-round. It’s definitely great for January, when you crave simple, calming foods after a busy holiday season. Among the various brands of oyster sauce available at Asian grocery stores, my favorite is Lee Kum Kee’s premium oyster sauce because of its richer oyster flavor. You can also find vegetarian oyster […]

Last Updated on December 28, 2025 by Simon Fan A hot, comforting bowl of noodle soup is always great for the cold weather, no matter how it’s made. Here, I’m making my noodle soup with three versatile ingredients: cellophane noodles (glass noodles), tomatoes, and shrimp. Cellophane noodles are workhorses in Chinese cooking, prized for their smooth, bouncy texture and neutral taste, easily absorbing and blending with flavors from other ingredients. They’re excellent for stir-fries (here), salads (here), braises, and soups. Among various types of cellophane noodles, I prefer those made with mung bean starch. In my recipe, I stir-fry the tomatoes first before adding liquid to build a deep, savory soup base. I also add tomato paste to boost the flavor and thicken the soup. For the shrimp, I use the Chinese velveting method to ensure they have a tender, velvety texture. Cellophane noodle soup with shrimp and tomatoes Serves 2 Ingredients 3 oz (85 g) cellophane noodles9 oz (255 g) peeled medium shrimp, deveined Velveting marinade⅛ teaspoon salt⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch2 teaspoons water1-inch (2.5 cm) ginger, grated 10 oz (285 g) tomatoes2 scallions2 tablespoons vegetable oil2 tablespoons tomato paste3 cups (710 ml) waterSalt […]

Last Updated on November 24, 2025 by Simon Fan I’ve featured Chinese yam (shanyao 山药), a popular ingredient in Chinese cuisine and traditional medicine, on my blog before: steamed quail and Chinese yam soup using the thicker variety, and steamed iron stick yam with osmanthus syrup with the thinner type. In this post, I’m using this amazing tuber for a stir-fry with mushrooms. The thicker variety of the two, typically ranging from 1½ inches (3 cm) to 2½ inches (6.4 cm) in diameter, would be ideal for this preparation because of its crisp, tender texture. When thin slices of yam are blanched briefly and then tossed with the mushrooms, they retain their wonderful crispness and subtle sweetness. Tips for preparing Chinese yam: wear gloves to prevent possible skin itching and soak the peeled yam in acidulated water to prevent oxidation. You can use any type of mushrooms for the dish. I’ve included five varieties: beech, golden needle (enoki), oyster, fresh shiitake, and cremini. Using an assortment of different mushrooms creates layers of texture and flavor, adding a touch of indulgence. Wood ear and dried shiitake mushrooms are good options too. If you would like to add protein to the mix, […]

Last Updated on October 27, 2025 by Simon Fan Meatballs are often made unique by the other ingredients—the “secret ingredients”—that are mixed into the meat. The finely ground paste of bulgur, onions, and lamb or beef, together with spices, makes kibbeh distinct and beloved. The milk-soaked breadcrumbs and regional cheeses create varied and exciting Italian meatballs. In Chinese cuisine, one of the secret ingredients for meatballs is water chestnut (荸荠 or 马蹄). Fresh water chestnuts—not actually nuts but rather the edible corms of an aquatic plant—have a crunchy texture with a fruity, nutty, and delicately sweet flavor. When diced water chestnuts are added to minced meat, their crunchiness makes the otherwise soft and tender meatballs more exciting, which is why the steamed beef meatballs at dim sum houses are so popular. In addition to water chestnuts, my recipe here also includes chopped spinach in the mix, to add color and more juiciness. Feel free to swap pork for chicken, beef, or plant-based meat. You can find fresh water chestnuts at Chinese grocery stores. If they’re not available, I recommend jicama as a good substitute. While you can use canned water chestnuts, they are far inferior to the fresh ones in […]

Last Updated on August 17, 2025 by Simon Fan This dish is inspired by a popular Chinese dish called zao liu you pian (糟熘鱼片), featuring fish and wood ear mushrooms in a zao-flavored sauce. You can find the recipe in my cookbook about the food of Shanghai. Here, I replace fish fillets with bay scallops. As compared with sea scallops, bay scallops are smaller in size, have a sweeter taste and more delicate texture, and are generally more affordable. Another tweak I make is to use Shaoxing wine instead of zao sauce (糟卤)—a fragrant sauce made by extracting the flavor of lees from rice wine productions—that might not be easily available outside China. You should definitely try the recipe with zao sauce if you have it on hand. The juicy, tender scallops, draped in the aromatic wine sauce, pair wonderfully with the crunchy wood ear mushrooms. The nice contrast in texture, as well as in color, creates an elegant summer dish that requires minimal effort—all the cooking you need is blanching. It’s also great as a topping for noodles. Bay scallops and wood ear mushrooms in wine sauce (酒香鲜贝) Serves 2 Ingredients 1 tablespoon dried wood ear mushrooms (about 3 […]

Last Updated on July 6, 2025 by Simon Fan Pounding food with mortars and pestles is a very old way of food preparation that dates back tens of thousands of years. It’s still popular in many parts of China. In Yunnan Province, for example, the locals are ingenious at using their stone or wooden tools to create a dazzling array of pounded dishes (called chong cai 舂菜), using ingredients such as dried and cured beef, fried crabs, and boiled chicken feet together with a unique mix of local herbs and aromatics. Our featured recipe, pounded eggplant and chili peppers (擂椒茄子), is a beloved summer dish in Hunan and the neighboring provinces. Easy and fun to make and incredibly flavorful and indulgent, it elevates steamed eggplant to a new level—pounding with a mortar and pestle creates a creamier texture and allows the eggplant to easily absorb flavors from the harmonious blend of peppers, garlic, and seasonings. Sometimes pickled duck eggs (pidan 皮蛋) is added to the mix for an extra dimension of flavor and texture. When making the dish, go easy with the pounding because you want to create a coarse, chunky paste rather than a very smooth one. If you […]