How to Deconstruct a Chinese Recipe

There are two reasons to deconstruct a recipe. Recipes are deconstructed and reconstructed with all the ingredients on the plate, but not mixed together as the original recipe called for. Another way to deconstruct a dish will help you try to recreate it at home without the recipe. You will need a keen eye, sense of smell and sense of taste to deconstruct a Chinese recipe.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Separate the meat from the vegetables in your Chinese dish to deconstruct it. Write down the types of meat in the recipe, beef, pork, chicken or a combination. If your dish is seafood based, write down the types of seafood it contains, shrimp, scallops, lobster or any combination of those items.
2. Make note of how the meat or seafood has been prepared; either steamed, deep fried or stir fried in a wok. Look for special coatings on the meat, such as honey glazed, sweet and sour or coated with nuts or sesame seeds.
3. Examine the different types of vegetables in the Chinese recipe. Look for baby corn, pea pods, water chestnuts, bok choy, bean sprouts, broccoli and carrots. Notice the size of the vegetables and how they've been cut; either shredded or cut on the diagonal. At the same time, check for added peanuts or cashews in the recipe. Chinese vegetables are important in trying to deconstruct the recipe.
4. Taste the sauce with your Chinese meal. Often the sauce for a Chinese recipe is slightly flavored with beef or chicken broth and thickened slightly with cornstarch. The sauce may also contain soy sauce, ginger, duck sauce, garlic or any combination.
5. Copy the menu description of the Chinese dish to help deconstruct it. Most menus in a Chinese restaurant are quite complete, with a list of the vegetables and type of sauce.
6. Remember to add the type of rice served with the Chinese recipe; either steamed or fried rice. Also remember if the recipe was served with Wonton soup and egg rolls. The complete meal deconstructed will make your Chinese recipe taste authentic.