Cooking (CHINESE) style

I'm an avid cook and have always had quite a passion for it. Before deciding on becoming a health care professional...I use to always want to be a chef.

I was just wondering if anyone here knows how to cook authentic oriental or chinese food to be specific. I am really looking for a great lo-mein receipe. If anyone has a super tasty one that is tried and true, please feel free to share it. I am slowly but surely venturing into oriental cuisines. As a preference I like the square lo-mein noodle rather than the round one, for some reason the round doesnt seem to retain as much flavor and always makes me feel like I'm eating a jacked up spaghetti of some sort.

Also any egg foo young or bourbon chicken recipes will be awesome...I know I could google it but that's always risky, I'm looking for one that's been tried and always satisfies.

Spectrum

I do great Vietnamese and Thai but not too much Chinese. We have a favourite Chinese take-out joint down the road that we like so I don't bother.

I actually did train as a chef out of high school, completed one year of pre-apprenticeship training before I decided that a**kissing wasn't my forte (this was waaaay back ... when disco ruled and men had perms...)

I'm determined to master it. I've got the American, Italian & Mexican down perfectly...now I want to get the oriental thing under my belt. I have a place I've ordered from since the early 80's and I love their food. I just know if they can do it, so can I. I would be so proud of myself to taste a lo-mein that was even half as good as theirs.
Honestly, their entire menu is delicious. I want to be able to create my own for friends and stuff. Maybe I'll give a googled recipe a shot sometime and just see how it turns out.

The best Asian recipes I've tried were from the Australian Woman's Weekly series of cookbooks... I haven't seen them for sale in quite awhile. Their Asian Dinner Party cookbook has amazing authentic recipes that taste PERFECTLY perfect!

I made wonton soup from complete scratch - broth, filling, etc. It was yummy... but I only did it once - I had masses of wontons and we froze them - ate it for months.

Last time I made Vietnamese spring rolls I ended up with a freezer full too - I can't seem to manage to make "just enough"... Great thing is they freeze well.

I do hotpots (lemon grass, ginger, black fungus, chicken, rice) now and again for us.

I think my dad has the AWW Chinese cookbook, I'll hunt it out when Im there next and have a look.

Sorry, no help here... when I want Asian food I order out

Egg Foo Yung (Chinese Omlet)

Can be made with or with meat & shrimp. Lobster can also be used.

1/4 lb. shrimp - cubed & coated with cornstarch
1/4 lb. roast pork - shredded
1/4 C bamboo shoots - shredded
1/2 C bean sprouts - blanched
2-3 dried Chinese mushrooms - soaked & shredded
1 scallion - chopped
1 T lt. soy *
salt & pepper to taste
"pinch" of sugar
4 eggs well beaten
1/4 C chicken broth or water
2 slices of ginger - crushed
1 clove garlic - crushed
peanut oil
Make the filling first and let it cool

1. Beat eggs well. Add broth and lt. soy* and mix well. Set aside.

2. Heat wok. Add 3 T peanut oil. Brown garlic and ginger and remove.

3. Stir-fry shrimp & roast pork. Add bamboo shoots & chinese mushrooms. Stir to coat & add salt & pepper & a pinch or sugar. Continue to stir-fry for about 1 min.

4. Add bean sprouts and scallions & stir to heat. Remove from wok.

5. Splash 2 T oil around sides of wok. Pour in egg mixture. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Place on serving dish and pour sauce over. (Add more egg if too much filling for egg.)

(It is not authentic to use sauce but Americans serve it that way)

Sauce:

1/2 C chicken broth
1 splash of oyster sauce
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
1 T cornstarch in 2 T water

1. Bring broth to boil. Add seasonings & thicken with cornstarch mixture.

*Lt. soy is not like Kikkoman Lt. Soy. It is lighter in color but very salty. Buy in Chinese grocery store.

Hope you like it.

Oops, sorry. I didn't mention the pepper should be white pepper. Also, ladle the egg into the wok cooking 1 portion at a time. This recipe makes enough for 2 I think. It has been a very long time since I've cooked it but when we made it in class it was delicious.

I really appreciate that daydreamer, I assure you I will give it a go.

My pleasure!