Post-pandemic, we have gotten into the habit of recreating restaurant-style food at home. Hence, now it's more important than ever to know all the tips and tricks to get that exact taste in your homemade dish too. Be it the perfect balance of spicy-sour flavours in the khatta paani for chaat or the flaky outer shell of samosa, you can recreate everything at home - all you need to do is follow some smart hacks. Today, we bring you a few such guaranteed tips that will help you prepare your favourite noodles, Manchurian, and other Chinese dishes just like the ones you enjoy at your local Chinese eateries. Sounds perfect? So, without further ado, let's take you through.
Also Read: Craving Chinese? Avoid Fried Food With This No-Fry Veg Manchurian Recipe
Here Are 5 Hacks To Make Restaurant-style Chinese At Home:
Desi Chinese Noodles is a favourite dish of many
Tip 1. Boil the noodles right:
This is possibly one of the most common problems people face while making noodles. They either leave it hard, undercooked or make it floppy and mushy. In both cases, you end up ruining the dish. Celebrity Chef Ajay Chopra brings an easy solution to prepare noodles that are well-cooked and non-sticky. He says never to run the noodles under cold water after straining. That makes the noodles sticky and mushy. Instead, one should strain the noodles in a colander, then spread them on a big plate and drizzle a few drops of oil. Finally, separate the noodles lightly and keep them aside for whenever you need them.
Tip 2. Cook your food in the right utensil:
It is essential to use the proper utensil to cook your Chinese meal. If you notice, you will see the restaurants using big woks to stir their noodles or prepare the gravy. It is because the wok is spacious and lets every element cook on even heat. This helps enhance the flavours too.
Tip 3. Always cook on high heat:
Desi Chinese preparations involve stir-frying technique. And it is best done on high heat. Chef Chopra explains that one must keep all the ingredients handy, let the pan get super-hot, and then add the ingredients to it one after the other. Always remember, overcooking ruins the flavour of your favourite Chinese meal.
Tip 4. Don't overcook the vegetables:
We just love those crunchy cabbages, onions, carrots, and other vegetables in our noodles, dry chilli chicken, and other yummy delights. Right? To get that exact crunch in your homemade Chinese, all you need to do is blanch the vegetables and stir-fry for half-a-minute on high flame. Overcooking makes the vegetables soggy.
Tip 5. Use right amount of seasoning:
We understand, desi Chinese is loaded with flavours. But do not go overboard with it. If you thought adding extra spice will make your meal tastier, then let us tell you, it is exactly the opposite. Excess seasoning ruins a dish and makes it tasteless.
Now that you have the tips handy, make a plan and enjoy a Chinese meal at home this weekend. To help you with it, we also got you a list of popular desi Chinese dishes that can be replicated in your kitchen. Click here to know more.