My Chinese Home Kitchen originated out of our mutual passion for healthy, delicious, home-cooked food, and the social customs and warmth of sharing a meal. Our goal is to offer a site where you can find authentic Chinese recipes. We feature some well-known recipes specific to certain Chinese cuisines, but most of our recipes are the sort prepared in Chinese home kitchens every day.
Table of contents
About me
My name is Chen Jing, my dream is to become a Chinese cuisine chef, and I currently live in Anhui. In August 2021, I enrolled in New Oriental Cooking School to begin my studies. Glenn and I started this site because my favorite Chinese foods are the everyday and holiday meals that we share at family gatherings, and the recipes I learned from my mother and older sister.
I am proud of my Chinese culture, and am Chinese in my soul. Since starting this site, I have had opportunities to visit many world famous Chinese cultural sites, featuring the classic gardens and architecture styles of our history. Some of these are considered world heritage sites, and I am happy to share these experiences with you.
Enjoying good, healthy food, with natural ingredients, variety and flavor, does not require a great deal of time or skill. Those skills that are required are not difficult to master and the joy of preparing a good meal is as satisfying and relaxing as eating it together.
I am originally from Guangxi. Thus, My Chinese Home Kitchen also includes some of the ethnic minority dishes of the Zhuang, and the unique flavors of Guangxi. The Zhuang are the largest ethic minority in China, and they have many interesting and beautiful festivals and traditions.
Traditions and Culture at My Chinese Home Kitchen
Food and dining are central to culture and family. Culture and cuisine are shaped by geography and family customs. They are mutually reinforcing in any society, and this is true in China too.
Many of the meals or dishes featured on this site focus on Chinese traditions and celebrations, such as birthdays, ethnic festivals, Chinese home cooking recipes, family, and the Chinese New Year. These are times when the whole family comes together to eat and celebrate. My warmest memories are of these traditional family gatherings, and the love and connections we share. You might enjoy:
Chinese Cuisines
Due to the large, varied geography and climates, and 5000 year history, Chinese cuisines are quite varied. There are eight major cuisines, and many specialized minor cuisines. Chinese cooking focuses on simplicity, seeking contrasts in the flavors and textures of ingredients. Some of the Chinese cuisines, such as Shandong (or Lu) are thousands of years old. Others, such as Sichuan and Hunan, were heavily influenced by the introduction of chili peppers to China in the 1670s by Portuguese traders. There are eight major cuisines in China:
- Guangdong / Cantonese cuisine
- Sichuan cuisine
- Jiangsu cuisine
- Zheijang cuisine
- Fujian / Min cuisine
- Anhui cuisine
- Hunan cuisine
- Shandong cuisine
While it is not considered one of the major cuisines, there are many local specialties from my home province of Guangxi that we hope you will enjoy. Two of Glenn’s favorites are the Pickled Daikon Radish, and the Guangxi Kou Rou (simmered and braised pork belly). Kou Rou is especially good as the protein in other dishes, such as Fujian Salty Rice, Chinese Fried Noodles, or steamed and served over white rice.
Each of the Chinese cuisines has its distinctive characteristics, and many modern Chinese dishes, such as those we are learning in New Oriental Cooking School, combine characteristics of historic cuisines in new ways.
Chinese Home Cooking Recipes and Authentic Ingredients
The majority of our recipes are those prepared in many Chinese family kitchens every day. These are very simple to prepare, and use many common ingredients, including ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce. Most of the ingredients you will need are available in a typical grocery store. However, some, such as Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese chili peppers, and Chinese bean pastes need to be specially ordered. For Sichuan recipes, we use Pixian Doubanjiang red bean paste and Caiziyou (roasted rapeseed) oil. For many other recipes we use Laoganma Chili Oil with Black Bean Paste. You can find these online through Amazon and other sources. We recommend the Mala Market. They source their ingredients direct from the farmers and businesses that produce them, ensuring top quality.
A note about soy sauce is in order. Most of our recipes use what is called light soy sauce. This is not a low-sodium soy sauce. Light soy sauce is not aged as long as the other type, dark soy sauce. Avoid the mass market varieties, and use a quality brand, such as Lee Kum Kee. Glenn uses Zhongba light and dark soy sauces from the Mala Market. Dark soy sauce is essential in any red-braised dish (Hóngshāo or 红烧). For specific details about ingredients, please see:
Learning the Basics of Cooking in a Chinese Kitchen
The first thing you should know is that you do not need a wok. Most Chinese homes do use a long-handled, flat-bottomed wok for cooking. A wok, a good kitchen knife, and a wok ladle are all you need for most recipes. However, Glenn does all of his cooking with a large cast-iron skillet with deep sides, a 5-quart Dutch oven, and 3-quart saucepan (making rice, boiling noodles, blanching vegetables).
Chinese home recipes are very easy to prepare. We have a growing collection of how-to videos and articles describing specific techniques. For example, the Chinese have many methods for blanching and braising foods. Each method brings different texture and flavor to the food. Visit our How-To page to learn more, or check out the specific sections:
- Choose fresh ingredients
- Food preparation techniques (includes glazing, braising, and blanching)
- Cleanup and maintenance
Do you enjoy My Chinese Home Kitchen?
We enjoy sharing these authentic home recipes with you. Please leave a comment, or SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter. For more of our original videos, visit My Chinese Home Kitchen on YouTube and Rumble.
