25 Instant Pot Chinese Recipes That Are Better Than Takeout (2024)

FAQs

How to make Chinese food that tastes like takeout? ›

Cooking in an “instant pot” or pressure cooker is a great method for preparing your food on many levels — including the nutritional level, according to registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD. “Instant pot recipes are absolutely healthy as long as what you put in the recipe is healthy,” she says.

The ingredients used by Chinese chefs to cook dishes are fantastic. Herbs and spices included in Chinese cuisine make each dish taste like heaven. We also can't forget about all the delicious types of sauces that make the dishes mouth-watering.

Restaurants will have a long list of ingredients prepped, including stocks, sauces, lots of different spices, dark, light, and regular soy sauce, etc. Many home cooks will skimp/compromise on some of these for convenience, unless it's a special occasion.

Con– If you don't pay attention to setting the vent properly you will have to extend your cooking time. I can't tell you how many time I forgot to seal the pot and the steam was escaping rather than building up inside and cooking my food. Pro– Like I said earlier, you are not limited to soups and stews.

Even though some studies suggest that pressure cooking isn't the best way to preserve nutrients in food, no research exists to suggest that pressure cookers of any model or brand pose health risks. If you're a fan of your Instant Pot, don't worry: You can continue to safely use your appliance without worry.

Is it worth buying an Instant Pot? Yes, we do think an Instant Pot is worth it, particularly for pressure cooking. There's a reason it's one of the most popular kitchen appliances out there.

Do all Instant Pots slow cook? ›

And yes, almost all work like a separate slow cooker does. As you study up on how to use an Instant Potas a slow cooker, however, one of the most common mistakes is thinking that the temperatures on both appliances allow for a direct conversion. That's incorrect: Low on one is not equivalent to Low on the other.

General Tso Chicken – According to Grubhub, this sweet fried chicken dish is the most popular Chinese food in America. It's also unhealthy, considering that it is deep-fried and the recipe demands tons of sugar.

A blend of cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel and star anise, these five spices give the sour, bitter, pungent, sweet and salty flavors found in Chinese cooking. This spice works extremely well with meats and in marinades.

Other Chinese sauces you might need include fish sauce, shrimp paste, XO sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet bean sauce, bean paste, fermented black beans, chili garlic sauce, sesame sauce, or plum sauce. Shaoxing wine, rice wine, or black vinegar will also make Chinese dishes taste more authentic (via The Woks of Life).

Chilli paste, often made from fermented chilli peppers, garlic, and other seasonings, is used to add heat and flavour to Chinese dishes. It is a common ingredient in Sichuan cuisine and other spicy dishes, contributing a fiery kick to stir-fries, noodle dishes, and sauces.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often added to restaurant foods, canned vegetables, soups, deli meats and other foods.