A classic Hubei dish of steamed meatballs coated in a shimmering layer of glutinous rice. These pearl meatballs have a long history from the royal kitchens of imperial China to modern state dinners. But they’re festive, celebratory, and easy to make, so they’re the perfect choice for your next banquet.
The flavors in Chinese food are definitely complex and varied — but they can still be a perfect match with wine! These are my Chinese food recipes where I suggest wine pairings. I talk about my favorite varietals regions, the important flavor profiles, and suggested bottles for every recipe.
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干杯 Cheers!
Tis the season… for 云火锅 a virtual hotpot party! With this year being a holiday season like no other, I can’t think of a more warming and comforting meal than hotpot. Better yet, it’s perfectly suited for a socially-distanced dinner party with friends and family.
Hot, spicy, mouthwatering Mapo Tofu embodies the ideals of Sichuan with bold spice and textural contrast. This dish has been a favorite across China since its invention in 1862. My version is so authentic, you’ll never eat takeout again! This recipe features the secret to cooking perfect cubes of tender silken tofu.
Hot and Sour Hunan Green Beans are my take on a classic Hunan side dish: pickled long beans with ground pork. It’s one of the most memorable flavors of my childhood. Crunchy, spicy, savory, spicy, bright, these green beans instantly perk up any meal.
Sichuan Spicy Boiled Fish 水煮鱼 (shuǐ zhǔ yú), literally just “water-boiled fish” sounds ordinary but tastes extraordinary. It’s a vibrant, moderately 麻辣 (málà) spicy and mouth-numbing dish of white fish and vegetables lightly poached in fragrant broth. Sichuan spicy boiled fish is a variant on the famous 重庆火锅 (Chóngqìng huǒ guō) Chongqing spicy hotpot, modified to serve large groups of taxi drivers during their breaks. It’s been one of the most popular dishes in restaurants across China since 1983, when a young Chongqing chef won first prize in a Sichuan food competition with this local invention. Here’s my easy, authentic, and scratch-made version, along with the best wines to drink with it.
The flavors in Chinese food are definitely complex, nuanced, and varied. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be harmonious with wine. To show that delicious Chinese food and a nice bottle of wine make the perfect match, I’m including recommended wine pairings with my Chinese and Chinese-inspired recipes. I’ll have favorite varietals, good bottles, plus the characteristics and proper serving temps. 干杯 Cheers!
Red braised pork is a rich, flavorful Chinese dish with 1500 years of history. We get truly authentic flavor from an ancient cooking method, coating with caramel 炒糖色, updated with a modern Instant Pot pressure cooker twist.
Everyone knows that the food identity of China and East Asia is closely linked to white rice. Besan, or chickpea flour, is an ideal healthy, gluten-free, low-GI pick in these savory pancakes 煎饼 (jiān bǐng). The recipe is endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables and spices you have on hand.
Dry Fried Green Beans 干煸四季豆 can be found on almost every Chinese restaurant menu. The secret to restaurant-quality green beans without deep frying lies in how you prepare the green beans.