As Chinese New Year approaches, as many gather to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Sophie Nahmad, expert chef at recipe box maker Gousto, has put together five tips and three recipes to help you create a festive feast to celebrate the occasion.
When it comes to preparing Chinese food at home, Sophie shares a couple of tips to help you achieve the perfect taste. using real ingredients, perfecting the all important mixers and understanding flavors.
Find and use real ingredients
“There are some essentials that I can’t be without authentic Chinese food at home,” says Sophie. “Crispy chili oil, whether homemade or store-bought, is essential to produce a delicious noodle sauce. When making a stir fry, I like to add Chinese rice wine for added sweetness, and Chinese 5-Spice is a great all-around scent. Having a few different soy sauce options is also important to me; light and dark are good for cooking and it’s also good to have one to dip the sides in.
“If you’re struggling to find ingredients, I’d say a trip to your local China Town is the best way to solve that problem. A visit to one of the many Chinese supermarkets full of delicious, exciting and authentic ingredients will help you find the essentials you need for your culinary adventure.
Tips for perfect frying
“The runes are deceptively simple and have a few things that can trip up even experienced cooks,” says Sophie. “A common mistake many people make is to cook vegetables for too long; the ideal way is to use a high temperature and quickly wok-fry the vegetables so they don’t get soggy.
“Investing in a good wok is key to getting your meat well-cooked, and it helps make delicious stir-fries. And if you cook Chinese food often, a rice cooker is worth buying for fluffy rice every time.”
Understanding styles and tastes
“There are eight different local cuisines in Chinese food, each with its own flavors,” says Sophie. “At the moment I love Szechuan food – or Szechuan, both will do – recognized for its spicy, swelling and oily deliciousness. Sichuan peppercorns are a store must-have if you’re interested in recreating this style at home. Gousto’s 2024 Food Trends Report named Sichuan cuisine as one of our top taste experiences in 2024, and I think it’s the perfect style to help celebrate Chinese New Year at home.
