Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

I'm not really much of a cook. In fact, I prefer to just buy takeouts whenever possible. If I wasn't able to get takeouts, I'd just usually open up and cook canned goods or instant noodles. But that was then when I used to live alone. Now that I'm a mother and a wife, I had to learn how to cook--and fast! However, that was easier said than done, especially for someone who isn't as adept in the kitchen like me.   

Furthermore, between taking care of the baby and doing other household chores, I don't really have much time. So, I needed to learn how to cook quick and easy--but still tasty--foods that won't take me more than an hour to cook and prepare. There have been lots of good-recipes-gone-bad kind of days but there are also days when I just nail it. Take for example my stir-fried chicken and bell pepper in Hoisin sauce. It is absolutely delicious--and would you believe that it only has 3 main ingredients? Also, preparation and cooking time is just under 1 hour. What's not to like, right? Hoisin sauce has a slightly sweet and salty taste and is a common ingredient in many Chinese cuisines.

My mom prepared this meal for me and my son when we visited her in the province. I immediately fell in love with the dish and asked her for the recipe. Her recipe made use of pork instead of chicken. But since I wanted to cut back on fats and calories, I decided to substitute it with chicken breast instead. It's also much easier for my toddler to chew. 

Chinese cuisine has been heavily westernized over the years. But having grown in a Chinese household,  Chinese food is a staple on our dining table. This is why I can easily discern if I'm being served authentic Chinese food or not. If you're interested, I'm going to give you a brief background on what 'authentic' Chinese cuisine really is.

What is Chinese Cuisine?

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Many westerners think that Chinese food is just one distinct cuisine but, in reality, it consists of several distinctly different styles of cooking based on region. 

The four major regional styles are:

• Cantonese cuisine. Also known as Yue or Guangdong cuisine. This type of cooking is centered on southern Guangdong province and Hong Kong. It is very popular in western countries, particularly in the USA mainly due to the high number of emigrants from the Canton region. This has the lightest taste compared to the other Chinese cuisines. 
• Sichuan cuisine. Also known as Szechwan or Szechuan. This type of Chinese cuisine is famous for its spicy, bold, and pungent flavors mainly due to the liberal use of garlic and chilies. It is based on the cooking style of the two largest cities in the western province: Chengdu and Chongqing. 
• Huaiyang cuisine. Also referred to as Jiangsu or simply Yang. This is the cooking style of eastern China,  particularly in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Huaiyang or Jiangsu cuisine puts a lot of emphasis on matching its ingredients according to the season, shape, and color. Jiangsu cuisine is often slightly sweet and almost never spicy. Another distinct feature of this type of cuisine is the use of Zhenjiang vinegar on its dishes, which is a product of the Jiangsu province. 
• Beijing cuisine. Also known as 'Northern' food. Cooks from all over China came to show their culinary expertise in order to please the imperial family and officials. So, I guess, you can say that Beijing cuisine has the most diverse origin as it is influenced by the cooking traditions and styles from different parts of China. Foods from Beijing are known for their salty and savory flavors, as well as their tender and crispy textures. They are also normally sold by street vendors or small shops as snacks rather than main courses.

And no matter the region, rice is never absent from the dining table. A typical meal consists of several small dishes that are served at the same time to be shared with everyone because the Chinese table is always a shared one whether with family or friends.

Video credit: Strictly Dumpling via Youtube

Did you enjoy that small little bit of information I shared about Chinese cuisine? Well, you'll surely enjoy the recipe below more.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken breast (cut into strips)
• 3 medium size bell peppers (cut into strips)
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 3 cloves of garlic (diced)
• Hoisin sauce
• Vegetable oil for frying

Procedure:

• Heat vegetable oil on a frying pan in low to medium heat. Add diced onion and let it cook for about 10 to 20 seconds then add the diced garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. **Do not overcook the garlic. 
• Add the chicken breast. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked. 

Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

• Add the bell pepper. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of Hoisin sauce. You can add more depending on your tastes. 

Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

• Mix the Hoisin sauce with the chicken and bell pepper until thoroughly coated with the sauce. Cook for another minute or two.

Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

• Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!

 

Image credit: Chineyes via bitLanders

*Serving size: Good for 3 to 4 persons, depending on your appetite.

Final Thoughts

Cooking Chinese cuisine does require a lot of cutting and preparation of the meat and vegetables. One thing I learned from my mother is to prepare the ingredients beforehand (maybe the night before?) so you can cut down the time required to finish the preparation and cooking of the food. However, I'm not always able to do so because I have a very limited time at night. So, I cut everything that needs to be cut as fast as I can on the day I'm cooking and hope and pray that I don't lose a finger or two. 

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Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day ahead of you and keep smiling. :)

Written by Chineyes for Bitlanders

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