There is that one day in the week that absolutely calls for a Chinese takeout from that nearby Chinese restaurant. Chinese food is pure comfort with its delectable rice dishes, noodles and variety of stir-fry. Believe it or not, it is not difficult to make authentic Chinese food in mere minutes in case your budget is not allowing you to accommodate your weekly takeout or if you feel like eating healthy. One famous method of cooking Chinese food is stir frying so that the heat of the wok will allow the juices of the food to seep through. They are time efficient and impart a succulent flavour to the veggies/meat. The recipes of these three stir-fry dishes would definitely allow you to get your fill of Chinese food for the week.

Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 4 small to medium tomatoes (about a pound)
• 1 scallion
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (can also substitute with sake)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ cup water
• 4 eggs
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Preparation:

1. For starters, cut the tomatoes into tiny wedges and chop the scallions finely.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of white pepper, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, and four cracked eggs to a bowl. Beat the eggs for about a minute.
3. Heat the wok until it just begins to smoke, about medium heat. Then, pour in 2 tablespoons of oil and quickly add the eggs. Remove the eggs from the wok right away after scrambling them. Set aside.
4. Increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes and scallions, and add 1 tablespoon additional oil to the wok.
5. After a minute of stir-frying, add 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup water (you may need to add a little extra water if your wok likes to cook off liquids quickly and your stove gets really hot). Mix in the cooked eggs.
6. Combine all ingredients, cover the pan, and simmer for one to two minutes, preferably until the tomatoes are fully tender.
7. Continue stirring over high heat until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency after uncovering. Serve hot with rice!

Spicy Chinese Eggplant Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces super firm tofu
• 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 1-inch ginger root
• 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon soy sauce, divided
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 long Chinese eggplant
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 red pepper
• 2 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 serrano pepper or Thai chili
• Drizzle of chilli oil (optional, to serve)
• ¼ teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional, to serve)

Preparation:

1. After taking the tofu out of the container, pat it dry with a tea towel or paper towel. Slice it into cubes and place it in a reusable silicone bag or Ziploc bag.
2. Add one tablespoon of soy sauce and one teaspoon of olive oil. Coat the tofu by shaking the bag, then add two teaspoons of cornstarch and shake once more.
3. In a non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil, raise the heat to medium, and then add the tofu.
4. After 10 minutes of uninterrupted cooking, turn each cube over and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes. (An alternative is to cook the tofu at 400°F for 15 minutes in an air fryer.) Take it out of the pan.
5. Cut the asparagus and eggplant. Cut the red pepper into slices. Chop the shallots, garlic, and pepper, and grate the ginger.
6. In the same pan where you cooked the tofu, add another tablespoon of oil, followed by the shallots, garlic, and pepper. After five minutes of sautéing, add the red pepper, ginger, asparagus, and eggplant. Cook for ten minutes on medium heat.
7. In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, sriracha, ground ginger, ¼ cup soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons olive oil while it is heating. The remaining cornstarch should be dissolved in a tiny amount of boiling water before adding it to the bowl.
8. Tofu and sauce should be added to the skillet once the vegetables are finished. Stir thoroughly. Serve the spicy stir-fried Chinese eggplant with some cooked rice. Feel free to drizzle some chilli oil for a bit of heat and top it with some sesame seeds.

Chinese Moo Goo Gai Pan

Ingredients:

For the Moo Goo Gai Pan:

• 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
• ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into thin bite-sized pieces
• 1 ½ cups snow peas
• ½ cup canned bamboo shoots, drained
• ¼ cup canned water chestnuts, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups button mushrooms, sliced in half
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• Pinch of freshly ground white pepper

For the Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Sauce:

• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation:

1. Combine the cornstarch, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl. After adding the chopped pieces of chicken to the marinade, let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes.
2. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, chicken stock, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil or peanut oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the marinated chicken for two to three minutes, until it is lightly browned. Take out of the pan and place aside.
4. Add the garlic to the same pan and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Toss in the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, snow peas, and mushrooms. Stir-fry the veggies for two to three minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Put the chicken back in the skillet.
5. To ensure that everything is equally coated, pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables and mix thoroughly.
6. Stir the cornstarch-water combination into the sauce for approximately one minute, until it thickens. To taste, add a little ground white pepper. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles for a full meal.