Nothing beats a warming casserole or a dish of stew once winter takes hold. Here are some of my favorite Chinese recipes for winter, from spicy soy sauce chicken (red-cooked chicken) to congee and a beef stew with Chinese vegetables.
1. Soy Sauce Chicken (Red Cooked Chicken)
Rhonda Parkinson
This is an example of red cooking, whereby meat or poultry is simmered in dark soy sauce, imparting a reddish color. Chicken cooked in this method is very juicy, with the meat coming easily off the bone. The rich sauce can be used again the next time you prepare soy sauce chicken or other red-cooked dishes - over time, the sauce becomes even richer and has a fuller flavor.
Top Picks: Spicy Soy Sauce Chicken
2. Red Cooked Pork With Beer
In this example of red cooking, chef Martin Yan marinates pork in a soy and five spice blend, and then braises it with an assortment of root vegetables in a Tsingtao Lager hoisin sauce.Top Picks: Red Cooked Pork With Beer
3. Chinese Green Beans
Rhonda Parkinson
This popular dish found is a staple at many Chinese restaurant buffets. The secret to making Chinese green beans is a cooking technique called "dry-frying" (gan bian); frying the green beans until the skin starts to "pucker" and turn brown. This makes the beans more tender and less crunchy.
Top Picks: Chinese Green Beans
4. Basic Congee
Congee, also called jook, is the classic Asian breakfast dish. This is basic recipe for congee that you can add to as desired - I've included several suggestions in the recipe.Top Picks: Basic Congee
5. Lion's Head Meatballs
Rhonda Parkinson
This is a famous casserole dish from eastern China, featuring oversized pork meatballs to represent the lion and Chinese greens to represent the lion's mane. Traditionally Lion's Head Meatballs would be cooked in a sand clay pot. In this recipe the meatballs are made in a wok, but they can also be cooked in a Dutch oven or in a casserole dish in the oven.
Top Picks: Lion's Head Meatballs
6. Cantonese Chicken in Rice (Wat Gai Fan)
This healthy one-dish meal is easy to digest, making it a good choice for children and seniors alike. Feel free to load it up with Chinese sausage (lap cheung) or cooked ham.Top Picks: Cantonese Chicken in Rice
7. Szechuan Mapo Tofu (Mapo Doufu)
Rhonda Parkinson
Mapo Doufu is translated roughly as "pockmarked grandmother beancurd," named for the old woman who supposedly invented the dish. This spicy, aromatic dish is perfect for cold winter days. For a vegetarian version, feel free to leave out the ground pork.
Top Picks: Szechuan Mapo Tofu (Mapo Doufu)
8. Mongolian Lamb With Green Onions
Lamb dishes are very popular in northern China. In this recipe the lamb is paired with strong flavored garlic and green onion, and seasoned with chili paste and red wine vinegar.Top Picks: Mongolian Lamb With Green Onions
9. Hainanese Chicken Rice
Although this local specialty originated on the island of Hainan off the coast of China, it is now a signature Singapore dish. The recipe includes a sweet chili sauce dip to serve with the chicken and rice.Top Picks:Hainanese Chicken Rice
10. One Dish Braised Chicken Rice
Chicken is coated in a flavorful marinade with Worcestershire sauce and oyster sauce, stir-fried with garlic and ginger and then combined with cooked rice.Top Picks:One Dish Braised Chicken Rice
