Topic: Chinese Food

[ober]

What is the best way to make it?  Our typical order from the local chinese joint is as follows:

Veggie Lo Mein
Sweet & Sour Chicken
Crispy Noodles

I'm guessing the chicken is probably deep fried so we would probably go a different route for that.  I'm guessing the crispy noodles might be made the same way as well... so I'm really only concerned about the lo mein.  We've read that sesame seed oil is the best but what is the best way to prepare it?

Knuck, this might be a stupid question and I think we might have talked about this in the past... but your wife is from China... do you guys make 'chinese' food?  And is what we order really 'chinese' food at all or is completely americanized BS?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Lo Mein - Exists.  Though it is muuuuch better in Shanghai.  We have yet to locate good stretch noodle lo mein in the US or Canada.  We have been to NYC, Toronto, Philly and other China towns and have not found anything comparable.  We both miss these and the dumplings found at similar shops most of all.

Sweet & Sour seems to be a non-Chinese dish.

Crispy noodles are available in China but I never had any there.

Most of the items on the menu at the average Chinese joint are ultra-Americanized and don't really resemble what they eat at home.  You can usually catch them eating lunch and if you (dare) to look what they are eating is not on the menu.

Benny if you want, give us a call and Laura can see what can be done to make various dishes at your place.

That said, here are a few of their cooking tricks...

The no MSG signs all over the Chinese joints are just lies.  They use it by the 30 gallon barrel full.  Sacks of it.  No kidding.  FWIW it is on every table in China like salt is for us.  Every dish has MSG. 

Heat.  Lots of it.  They use extremely hot woks for cooking that are seasoned for years.

Constant motion during cooking.

Deep fryers with seasoned oils.

The proper MSG laden sauces during cooking.

Also EVERY restaurant cook  makes every dish a little different than the next place.  Laura and I have seen places go out of business when they lost their cook.  More than once.

Supplies.  From the veggies to the pasta the supply train to Chinese establishments is insular, unique, and nearly impossible to obtain elsewhere (economically).  IMO they run this system very mafia style.  You don't get supplied if you aren't Chinese.  Period.  Ever see a Chinese joint run by any other ethnicity?  No.  They won't allow it.  Period.  Further the money suppliers whom also supply the goods send reps to case a place.  Often.  They won't talk about this guy even to Laura. 


Usually when non-Chinese get into cooking Chinese food it tastes different because it is cooked differently with different techniques, tools, and ingredients.  Nothing wrong with that but it never tastes like the poison they sell at the restaurants.

[ober]

Thanks Knuck!  So there is a particular noodle that they use?  I'm guessing using regular noodles won't get nearly the same consistency or flavor.

OK... so I guess we're stuck ordering it.

[Govtcheez]

knuck do you know of any more "authentic" type chinese restaurants around here?  When I was in Chicago this weekend I went to what I'm told was an authentic place and it was amazing

[KnuckleBuckett]

knuck do you know of any more "authentic" type chinese restaurants around here?  When I was in Chicago this weekend I went to what I'm told was an authentic place and it was amazing

We have found a few in the places I mentioned above.  There have been good ones too.  That said, none really compare to our favorite spots in Shanghai. 

Obes...
We have found lots of Asian style noodles, but nothing like fresh.  Same with the Italian pasta we grew up with.  Fresh made pasta always ruled over boxed.  What kind in particular?  Thick linguine style lo mein?

Jen...
What has your experience been?

[Govtcheez]

Seriously?  You couldn't find anywhere in Detroit that you guys liked?

[KnuckleBuckett]

Liked.  Yes.  Compared to the real Shanghai food.  No.

In Farmington there is an amazing Thai place just in front of Indoplex Drive off GR.

[Govtcheez]

Well I guess that's good enough - can you recommend any Chinese places?  I've already got a couple thai places I like a lot

For reference, this is the Chinese place I was talking about in Chicago.  It was awesome: http://www.sunwahbbq.com/

edit: axon go to this restaurant right now

[KnuckleBuckett]

It has been like twelve years, but just down GR at the K-Mart plaza there used to be a good lunch buffet.  Otherwise nothing is coming to mind.  We have had slightly better luck in the DC metro area.

[ober]

Obes...
We have found lots of Asian style noodles, but nothing like fresh.  Same with the Italian pasta we grew up with.  Fresh made pasta always ruled over boxed.  What kind in particular?  Thick linguine style lo mein?

Yeah... linguine style lo mein is what we're attempting.  And keep in mind I'm not trying to be authentic.  I just want to replicate what the local chinese joint makes so I don't have to pay them to bring it to me.

[jkim]

Out of curiosity, when you say crispy noodles, do you mean pan-fried noodles?

All the noodles we eat are dried and boxed, except for udon noodles which can be found frozen.

If I wanted to make lo-mein I'd probably look for spaghetti and soy sauce, sugar, and maybe some sort of oyster sauce (or fish sauce, or Hoisin sauce...throw whatever we have in our pantry) to taste.  And yeah, I would probably use sesame seed oil to mix and fry.
As a warning, we've never really tried to make Chinese food except for maybe any overlap there might be into Korean food (scallion pancake, a bunch of egg dishes, rice porridge, etc).

[KnuckleBuckett]

The linguine style lo mein can be found in the refrigerated section of an Asian foods store.  They are kind of brownish yellow and Jens prep is a fair starting point.  Be prepared for a very different taste compared to what you are used to.  You should be able to work something out...

[ober]

Out of curiosity, when you say crispy noodles, do you mean pan-fried noodles?

Not sure.  They're literally called 'crispy noodles' on the menu.

[KnuckleBuckett]

Aren't those deep fried Jen?