Chinese Takeout of the World
Chinese cooks in America built a cuisine of their own: sweeter, crispier, saucier. General Tso's chicken was hot and sour in Taipei before New York made it sweet, and kung pao came from Sichuan with a mouth-numbing peppercorn. Here is every takeout classic next to the dish it grew from, step by step.
Gong Bao Ji Ding (Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken)
Small cubes of marinated chicken stir-fried over high heat with dried red chiles and whole Sichuan pepper, garlic, ginger and scallion, glazed in a light sweet-sour sauce with black vinegar and finished with crisp roasted peanuts.
Gu Lou Yuk (Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork)
Bite-size pork shoulder marinated with soy and egg, dry-coated in flour and cornstarch and fried twice until crunchy, then tossed in a glossy ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar sauce with a few peppers, onion and pineapple.
General Tso's Chicken, Peng Chang-kuei's Taipei Version (Hot and Sour, No Sugar)
Thin slices of skin-on chicken thigh in an egg-yolk and starch marinade, deep-fried crisp, then tossed with dried chiles, ginger and garlic in a hot and sour sauce of tomato paste, soy and rice vinegar, with no sugar at all.
Tangerine Peel Chicken (Chenpi Chicken)
Sliced chicken breast stir-fried with dried red chiles, ginger and onion, then tossed with soaked dried tangerine peel, fresh tangerine peel and segments in a light sauce of orange juice, lager, soy and a little sugar, with no batter and no deep fryer.
Hong Kong-Style Chow Mein (Golden Pan-Fried Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp)
Thin egg noodles steamed, then pan-fried slowly into one cake that is golden and crisp on both sides, topped with chicken, shrimp, bok choy, mushrooms and carrot in a light oyster sauce gravy.
American Takeout Kung Pao Chicken
Big cubes of velveted chicken breast stir-fried with blanched celery, bell peppers, carrot and broccoli stems, shallots, garlic and a few dried chiles in a sweeter, milder brown sauce of oyster sauce, soy, ground bean sauce and chili sauce, topped with fried peanuts.
New York-Style General Tso's Chicken
Chicken thigh pieces in a soy, egg and cornstarch batter, deep-fried crisp at 375°F, then tossed in a glossy, sweet and spicy sauce of chicken stock, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, tomato paste and apricot jam with ginger, garlic and dried chiles.
American Orange Chicken
Strips of chicken breast in a light, crisp batter, fried twice, then tossed in a bright sweet-and-sour sauce of fresh orange juice, sugar, vinegar and oyster sauce with thin strips of orange peel, on a plate ringed with orange slices.
Takeout Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Peppers
Chicken breast chunks in a puffy wet batter, fried twice, then folded into a bright red sauce of ketchup, red and rice vinegar and sugar with flash-fried red pepper, onion and carrot and slices of fresh pineapple.
Beef and Broccoli
Thin slices of velveted flank steak seared in a smoking-hot wok, tossed with blanched broccoli florets, garlic and ginger in a glossy brown sauce of chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce and a little sugar.
Chicken Chop Suey
Velveted chicken breast stir-fried with mushrooms, carrot, celery, bok choy, bean sprouts and snow peas in a light, savory sauce of chicken stock, oyster sauce and soy sauce, thickened at the last second and served over rice.
Shrimp Egg Foo Young with Brown Gravy
Puffy, golden omelet patties of eggs, chopped shrimp, onion and bean sprouts, deep-fried at 325°F and served over rice under a savory brown gravy made from a turmeric and paprika roux, chicken stock and oyster sauce.
25-Minute Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
The takeout template in 25 minutes: velveted chicken breast browned in a hot wok, tossed with blanched broccoli, carrot, garlic, ginger and scallion in a quick oyster sauce and soy sauce glaze.
Copycat Orange Chicken, Inspired by Panda Express
Chicken thighs soaked in a sparkling-water batter, deep-fried golden at 350°F and tossed in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce of orange juice and zest, two sugars, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Inspired by, not official.