Ep 12. Chinese Comfort Foods

Easy Chinese is a cooking show that focuses on teaching Chinese cuisine to people around the world. In season 1, episode 12, titled "Chinese Comfort Foods," host Ching-He Huang explores traditional Chinese dishes that are both easy to make and comforting to eat.

In this episode, Ching starts by introducing a classic Chinese dish, wonton noodle soup. She demonstrates how to make the wonton filling, which includes minced pork, water chestnuts, and chives. Ching explains the technique of wrapping the wontons, emphasizing the importance of sealing the edges to prevent the filling from falling out during cooking. She then adds the wontons to a pot of boiling chicken stock along with noodles, vegetables, and toppings like sesame seeds and green onions to create a hearty and delicious soup.

Next, Ching moves on to another classic Chinese dish, congee. Congee, also known as rice porridge, is a staple food in many parts of China. Ching explains that congee is a popular breakfast dish, but can also be enjoyed as a comfort food any time of the day. She shows how to cook rice in chicken stock until it turns into a creamy and smooth porridge, and then adds in ingredients like shredded chicken, ginger, and scallions. Ching notes that congee is very customizable and can be made with a variety of ingredients, depending on personal taste.

Ching then introduces a simple and nutritious stir-fry dish made with bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. She shows how to prepare the vegetables and how to use a wok to quickly stir-fry them with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. This dish is not only comforting and delicious, but also packed with nutrients and vitamins.

Finally, Ching finishes the episode with a dessert - black sesame balls. These are small glutinous rice balls filled with sweet black sesame paste and rolled in coconut flakes. Ching demonstrates how to make the filling from scratch, and then how to wrap the filling in the rice dough and form it into perfect spheres. She notes that this dessert is often served during special occasions like the Lunar New Year, but can also be enjoyed any time of the year as a comforting and sweet treat.

Throughout the episode, Ching emphasizes the importance of using fresh and high-quality ingredients to create authentic Chinese flavors. She also provides useful tips and techniques for preparing and cooking each dish. By the end of the episode, viewers will have learned how to make a variety of comforting and delicious Chinese dishes that are perfect for any occasion.