Chinese Takeaways

[Wizzfizz]

Don't tend to buy chinese, indian (BIR) or even pizza takeaways as can make the majority of what we like at home for a fraction of the cost and know what's gone into it. Tastes better and don't get the squirts the day after

 

[Raymond Lin]

My parents retired and closed their shop last year....off my head, the prices were roughly....

Egg Fried Rice £3.20
Beef Chow Mein £6.50
Prawn balls £7
Customary free bag of Prawn Crackers (sold £2 separately)

You are not far off the £19. Part of the reason is the gas prices have shot up since the war started. Since takeaway uses gas (no other way to get the same heat), and in one those big burners not like your stove top at home. It gets expensive fast cooking even 1 dish, and the gas stays on all day, even during the day and between service on low (trickle mode). They use it more than just cooking when you order, some dishes needs prep during the day.

Raw materials have just gone up a lot, meat prices like beef have gone up. I used to be able to get a packet of mince in Sainsbury's for £1.59 for the 20% fat to make my burgers, the same packet is now £2.49. That's 90p more, like 50% extra now for the meat. This applies too for all the ingredients, minimum wage have gone up etc.

edit - If I were to get an order like the above...it's enough food to share between 2 people as 1 portion of the chow mein is more than enough for me in a meal. So throw in rice, chicken or prawn balls, that is enough food for 2.

 

[robfosters]

Don't tend to buy chinese, indian (BIR) or even pizza takeaways as can make the majority of what we like at home for a fraction of the cost and know what's gone into it. Tastes better and don't get the squirts the day after

I’ll bet every fibre of my being that the Indian and Chinese doesn’t taste better, you are just biased. Pizza is a bit easier, but Asian food is incomparable between restaurant and home cooked food. You won’t have the equipment either

 

[robj20]

I’ll bet every fibre of my being that the Indian and Chinese doesn’t taste better, you are just biased. Pizza is a bit easier, but Asian food is incomparable between restaurant and home cooked food. You won’t have the equipment either

I don't know about them but I can 100% make BIR style curries that taste as good or better than my local takeaways. I especially like your many assumptions.
But the reason takeaway are so handy is the speed and convenience.
Chinese isn't something I cook at home.

 

[Ayahuasca]

It all depends on the quality of your local takeaways to be honest. Most of the Indians in my area don't even use their own paste with traditional ghee, they use seed oils.

 

[robfosters]

I don't know about them but I can 100% make BIR style curries that taste as good or better than my local takeaways. I especially like your many assumptions.
But the reason takeaway are so handy is the speed and convenience.
Chinese isn't something I cook at home.

Sorry, but I don’t believe you. It’s unlikely that you have a tandoor oven far a start. How do you cook your tandoori, tikka, naan breads like the restaurants?

 

[robj20]

Sorry, but I don’t believe you. It’s unlikely that you have a tandoor oven far a start. How do you cook your tandoori, tikka, naan breads like the restaurants?

Personally I use my pizza oven. Bit you do know not every Indian dish has tandoori or tikka meat in it. You can use any meat you like, korma for instance you specifically use plain non marinated chicken.
Mine and indeed the other posters cooking ability doesn't require your belief in us for it to be true.
Cooking at home means you can tailor the spices and ingredients to your liking and through higher quality ingredients you get better results.

I've practiced a lot over the years, learnt a lot from Richard Sayce and Dan Toombs.

 

[pepp77]

I had Crispy beef and Singapore Rice last night. Cost £12. Most main meals at my local are now about £6-£7 with rice being £4-£6 depending on type and small or large. The food is good though and I've been going there for years. If I'm feeling really hungry I might add some ribs or half portion of chicken balls on to get those free prawn crackers for spending £16

 

[Noxia]

I usually have char sui fried rice, a version where there are big slices of pork over the top of the rice rather than little bits chopped into it.

Then it's either chicken or pork balls and always dry barbecue spare ribs.

Sometimes I will have Singapore noodles.

 

[Mr Badger]

Don't tend to buy chinese, indian (BIR) or even pizza takeaways as can make the majority of what we like at home for a fraction of the cost and know what's gone into it. Tastes better and don't get the squirts the day after

This is pretty much where I am at. I don't claim to be able to perfectly reproduce the entire menu, but I can certainly knock out a tasty curry, stir fry etc. Don't be shy when it comes to using oil or fresh ginger and garlic. The last time I had a "proper" Chinese takeaway from a place that was highly recommended, the food looked good but was a bit bland and not as tasty as what I make myself.

 

[robj20]

This is pretty much where I am at. I don't claim to be able to perfectly reproduce the entire menu, but I can certainly knock out a tasty curry, stir fry etc. Don't be shy when it comes to using oil or fresh ginger and garlic. The last time I had a "proper" Chinese takeaway from a place that was highly recommended, the food looked good but was a bit bland and not as tasty as what I make myself.

Definitely got to be plenty of ghee in the Indian dishes.
I cook my base sauce with about 1kg of ghee and when finished spoons as much as I can back off then I have a lovely spiced oil to use when cooking the actual dish.

All this talk of Chinese is making me want one tonight now.
Just priced one up
Hot & Sour Soup £4.30
4 Duck Spring Rolls £5.10
Crispy Shredded Chilli Beef £6.70
Fried Rice £3.70
Noodles and bean sprouts £4.50

Delivery £1.80
£26.10

That would be for two of us.

 

[Bubo]

To be fair, now I've sussed out how to velvet chicken and beef, and with that Mayflower Chinese curry power you can get from Iceland, and I can pull off a vaguely representative chicken/beef curry, but I have no chance at making fried rice, so usually just have it with noodles or chips. I am actually getting hungry as I type this, then again it is nearly dinner time.

 

[robj20]

To be fair, now I've sussed out how to velvet chicken and beef, and with that Mayflower Chinese curry power you can get from Iceland, and I can pull off a vaguely representative chicken/beef curry, but I have no chance at making fried rice, so usually just have it with noodles or chips. I am actually getting hungry as I type this, then again it is nearly dinner time.

What method do you use for velveting I've been meaning to try the 1/4tsp of bicarb. No need to rinse it off method.

 

[Wizzfizz]

I’ll bet every fibre of my being that the Indian and Chinese doesn’t taste better, you are just biased. Pizza is a bit easier, but Asian food is incomparable between restaurant and home cooked food. You won’t have the equipment either

I've been cooking Chinese and BIR curry for years and have family that has vast experience which is a bonus. It does taste better and I have the equipment needed

 

[Bubo]

What method do you use for velveting I've been meaning to try the 1/4tsp of bicarb. No need to rinse it off method.

Yes, it is just coat it with bicarb and leave it for 20 minutes. It certainly does make the meat go tender like a proper chinese. I think I just googled a youtube for it. Has to be standard bicarb soda and not baking soda.

 

[robfosters]

Personally I use my pizza oven. Bit you do know not every Indian dish has tandoori or tikka meat in it. You can use any meat you like, korma for instance you specifically use plain non marinated chicken.
Mine and indeed the other posters cooking ability doesn't require your belief in us for it to be true.
Cooking at home means you can tailor the spices and ingredients to your liking and through higher quality ingredients you get better results.

I've practiced a lot over the years, learnt a lot from Richard Sayce and Dan Toombs.

Of course I know that, the vast majority of curries use plain chicken as standard, but many, like myself, don’t like plain chicken. You need a tandoor for all curries if you want to use chicken tikka or tandoori, and you need it for some very popular dishes like CTM, butter chicken, murgh makhani, naan bread, roti bread, seekh kebab etc.

 

[pepp77]

In B&M they do a Sweet and Sour sauce in a pot that is actually really good, add in some battered chicken, onions and peppers (but never pineapple) and you have a very good HK Style S&S.

 

[robj20]

Of course I know that, the vast majority of curries use plain chicken as standard, but many, like myself, don’t like plain chicken. You need a tandoor for all curries if you want to use chicken tikka or tandoori, and you need it for some very popular dishes like CTM, butter chicken, murgh makhani, naan bread, roti bread, seekh kebab etc.

Your confusing need with want. None of those dishes need tandoori or tikka meats. I actually prefer vegetables in my curries or paneer.
My pizza oven can hit 500c, 450c is easy.

 

[Wizzfizz]

Of course I know that, the vast majority of curries use plain chicken as standard, but many, like myself, don’t like plain chicken. You need a tandoor for all curries if you want to use chicken tikka or tandoori, and you need it for some very popular dishes like CTM, butter chicken, murgh makhani, naan bread, roti bread, seekh kebab etc.

No you don't.

You can easily get a lot of what you said in the home

 

[robj20]

In B&M they do a Sweet and Sour sauce in a pot that is actually really good, add in some battered chicken, onions and peppers (but never pineapple) and you have a very good HK Style S&S.

Sweet and sour sauce is ridiculously easy to make, it's basically tomato sauce, orange juice, vinegar, sugar and corn or potato starch.