Chinese Recipes

Succulent Pork with Double-Cut Slices (Hui Guo Rou)

Difficulty：★★★★☆

Hui Guo Rou is a traditional Sichuan dish, primarily made with 'Second Cut' meat (known as Twin Tail/Tuojian) or thick-cut pork belly. The dish has bright red color, translucent and slightly curled fat, and lean meat that is dry, aromatic, and not dry/brittle. The texture is fatty but not greasy, slightly salty and spicy, with a complex aroma of garlic chives and broad bean paste. The pork is rich in high-quality protein and essential fatty acids, paired with bell peppers and garlic chives which supplement vitamins. Although this recipe has slightly more steps (boiling, cutting, stir-frying) and requires control of wok heat and knife skills, beginners can succeed by following the process. It takes approximately 40 minutes in total.

Coca-Cola Chicken Wings

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 960 kcal

Coca-Cola chicken wings are glossy red, tender and smooth, with a balanced sweet-salty flavor, a creative dish popular on family tables. Wings are rich in quality protein and fat, and simmering in cola makes the meat even more tender. You need to control the heat when frying and reducing the sauce, which is somewhat challenging for beginners, but following the steps you can still succeed. It takes about 40 minutes from prep to finish.

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1495 kcal

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice is a fragrant Taiwanese home-style dish. The pork strips are soft and flavorful, and the amber sauce is glossy. Covered over hot rice, it is a mouthful of rich flavor. It is rich in high-quality protein, collagen, and carbohydrates, providing a quick energy boost.

Gula Melaka Pork (Sweet and Sour Pork)

Difficulty：★★★★☆ 673 kcal

Gula Melaka Pork is a classic Cantonese home-cooking dish. It is savory and sour with a crispy exterior and soft interior; the aroma of pineapples makes the meal refreshing and cuts the richness of the meat. Pork provides high-quality protein, while the green pepper and pineapple supplement vitamins and dietary fiber. The difficulty of this dish lies in mastering the frying temperature, so it poses a slight challenge for beginners. However, as long as you follow the steps, you will succeed. The whole process, from marinating to serving, takes about 40 minutes, making it a quick dish perfect for feeding your family.

Shredded Chicken Salad

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 293 kcal

A low-oil, low-calorie home-style cold dish: tender, flavorful chicken shreds with sesame oil and aromatic vinegar giving a light, slightly numbing and tangy taste, refreshing in summer. Chicken breast is rich in quality protein and low in fat. It is simple, beginners can do it easily, and it takes only about 30 minutes from prep to finish.

Brined Dishes ( Luo Cai )

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 467 kcal

This is a classic Chinese braised meat dish. The meat is tender, flavorful, and aromatic. The brine can be reused many times and improves with age. It is suitable for cold dishes, drinking, or with main food. The dish is rich in high-quality protein and various vitamins, providing balanced nutrition. This creation requires a bit of patience, but the steps are clear and beginner-friendly. Soaking to remove blood, making sugar color, and pressure braising takes about 1 hour; soaking overnight allows flavors to fully infuse. By the next day, you can slice and enjoy.

Mouthwatering Chicken (Kou Shui Ji)

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1392 kcal

Mouthwatering chicken is a classic Sichuan cold dish: chicken coated in red chili oil, chilled and springy, numbing, spicy and fragrant, perfect for whetting the appetite in summer. Chicken is rich in quality protein, and the peanuts and spices add energy and flavor. Medium difficulty: watch the poaching heat and the chili oil seasoning; it suits cooks with some experience. From prep, poaching and chilling to dressing, it takes about 1.5 hours.

Cold-Style Spicy Rabbit (Leng Chi Tu)

Difficulty：★★★★☆ 590 kcal

This is a classic Sichuan Ziguang 'Yanbang' (Salt School) dish. It is spicy, numbing, dry, and aromatic. The texture of the rabbit meat is firm and chewy; it tastes spicy first, then fresh, with a lingering aftertaste. Rabbit meat is high in protein, low in fat, rich in lecithin and various amino acids, making it nutritious and easy to digest. This process requires handling many spices and strictly controlling the heat, making it a challenge for beginners. From prep to cooking completion takes about 1.5 hours, but the flavor is superior after sitting overnight, so preparation ahead of time is worth it.

Winter Melon Stuffed with Pork

Difficulty：★★★★☆ 578 kcal

Winter melon stuffed with pork is a home-style steamed dish combining meat and vegetables: tender and silky, the savory filling blends with the light sweetness of the melon, fresh and not greasy. Ground pork provides quality protein and essential amino acids, while winter melon helps cool the body and hydrate. It is simple, even beginners can manage with a little practice rolling the slices. It takes about 30 minutes from prep to table.

Farmhouse Fragrant Bowl (Hunan Pork, Egg and Pepper Stir-Fry)

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1638 kcal

This is a savory Hunan home-style stir-fry that goes great with rice: the richness of pork belly, the tenderness of egg and the freshness of green pepper blend into layered flavors. Pork and egg provide quality protein, and green pepper adds vitamin C for balance. Medium difficulty: pay attention to heat and the order of seasoning, and beginners can get it right with a little practice. Expect about 7 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, about 17 minutes in total.

Melon Steamed Chicken

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 680 kcal

Calculations: Per serving (exactly enough for 2 people):

Gin Fizz

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 150 kcal

A classic gin cocktail: sweet and sour, refreshing and fizzy. Lemon provides plenty of vitamin C, balanced by cane sugar syrup. It is very simple; beginners can mix it in just 5 minutes, perfect for enjoying at home. Note that alcohol is harmful to health; please drink in moderation.

Country Beer Duck

Difficulty：★★★★☆ 1324 kcal

Stewing duck meat with beer results in a rich broth and tender, savory meat with a faint aroma of beer. It is a uniquely flavored home-style dish. Duck meat is nutritious, rich in protein, B vitamins, and various minerals, and becomes more flavorful when stewed with beer. Although the steps are a bit numerous, the operation is not complex; beginners can usually finish in about 1 hour.

Sour Plum Soup

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 359 kcal

Sour Plum Soup is a traditional sweet and sour, cooling beverage that relieves summer heat. It is especially refreshing when served chilled. The ingredients in the recipe (dark plum, hawthorn, licorice, etc.) help promote saliva production and quench thirst, promote digestion, and improve appetite. The preparation is simple and beginner-friendly, requiring only soaking, boiling, and refrigerating. The entire process, including soaking, two rounds of extraction, and refrigeration, takes more than 6 hours, so it is recommended to prepare in advance.

Suanmeitang (Pre-made Processing)

Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆ 603 kcal

Suanmeitang (Pre-made Processing) is a sweet and sour appetizing summer drink, featuring a traditional Beijing flavor. The sour plum drink itself has the benefits of stimulating saliva secretion, quenching thirst, and aiding digestion. The method is extremely simple; just stir in order. It poses no difficulty for beginners and can be completed in about five minutes.

Papa Nectarine Tea

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 81 kcal

Papa Nectarine Tea is a creative punch drink that blends the sweet, citrusy notes of nectarine with the floral aroma of jasmine. It features a refreshing and slightly sweet aftertaste. Papa Nectarine is rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber; pairing it with green tea provides a refreshing and invigorating experience. The preparation is very simple and beginner-friendly, taking only about 15 minutes from tea brewing to mixing.

Brewed Pineapple Coffee

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 180 kcal

This special drink blends the rich aroma of coffee with the sweet and sour taste of pineapple. It features refreshing bubbles and a dense foam, offering a rich textural experience. Pineapple is rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, pairing with coffee to awaken the mind. The difficulty is moderate, requiring only whipping cream and mixing liquids; it takes about 10 minutes in total.

Sugar Coconut Slush

Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆ 231 kcal

Sugar Coconut Slush is a fast-paced cold drink full of tropical flair. The sweet coconut aroma blends with the burnt scent of coarse yellow brown sugar, creating a dense and refreshing texture. Coconut water is rich in natural electrolytes and minerals, providing quick hydration, while the brown sugar coffee powder adds carb energy. The barrier to entry is extremely low; as long as you freeze the coconut milk hard first and tap it into a sand/ice state, it is stress-free for beginners. It takes more than 10 hours to prepare from freezing to serving, but the hands-on work takes only a few minutes, making it very suitable for a leisurely afternoon treat.

Thai Handmade Black Tea

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 185 kcal

This is a classic tea recipe inspired by the streets of Thailand. It features a rich tea aroma and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel thanks to the combination of evaporated milk and milk.

Passion Fruit & Orange Special Mix

Difficulty：★★★☆☆

This is a sweet, sour, and refreshing summer beverage. It blends the tropical aroma of the dragon fruit with the freshness of the orange. Paired with jasmine green tea or soda water, the texture layers are distinct and it is ice-cold and cleansing. Rich in Vitamin C, it helps boost immunity and nourish the skin. This recipe includes steps for marinating, tea brewing, and juicing; the process is slightly long but the difficulty is moderate, making it suitable for beginners. The dragon fruit needs to be marinated one day in advance, with a total time of about 24 hours (actual preparation time is only around 30 minutes).

Seaside Sunset

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 173 kcal

This cocktail has distinct layers of color: the grenadine at the bottom looks like an evening glow, the orange juice in the middle is bright, and the blue curaçao on top is like the sea, together evoking a sunset by the sea. It tastes sweet, tart and refreshing, with a note of rum. Orange and lemon juice contain a little vitamin C, and the alcohol helps you relax. The steps aren't complicated, but pouring down the bar spoon to create layers takes some patience; beginners can still succeed by following along, and prep plus mixing takes about a quarter of an hour.

Kiwi Spinach Special Drink

Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆ 184 kcal

This is a refreshing, healthy fruit and vegetable drink, sweet and tangy and smooth, with the natural fruitiness of kiwi and apple; the spinach flavor is mild and doesn't dominate. Rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, it aids digestion. It is very simple, beginners can succeed on the first try, and it takes only about 10 minutes.

Mango Pomelo Sago

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 661 kcal

This is a modified version of the classic Hong Kong dessert. Chia seeds are used instead of sago. The texture is smooth with a slight chewiness from the seeds, and the sweet mango is interwoven with the slight tartness of the pomelo, with the coconut milk adding a rich aroma. It is rich in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, and healthy fats, making it refreshing and cooling. The production process is very simple and can be easily completed by beginners; it takes only about 20 minutes from preparation to enjoyment.

Milk Tea

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 81 kcal

This is a home-cooked beverage easily prepared with black tea and milk powder. The aroma of tea blends with the fragrance of milk, creating a smooth and warm texture. The tea polyphenols in the black tea pair with the protein and calcium in the milk, which can both refresh you and supplement daily nutrition. The method is very simple, making it possible for beginners to succeed on the first try; it takes only about half an hour to enjoy homemade milk tea.

Lemonade

Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆ 141 kcal

This drink stars fresh lemon balanced with fruit syrup, sweet and sour, and even more refreshing when chilled. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, and drinking it regularly helps with nutrition and gives you a lift. The steps are minimal: pound, add, shake; even beginners can make it in three to five minutes.

Cola Buckets

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 450 kcal

Cola Bucket is a simple and easy cocktail, characterized by a refreshing and sweet taste. The bubbles of the cola and the lemon juice effectively reconcile the strong kick of the whiskey, making it suitable for parties. It mainly provides energy, while the lemon replenishes Vitamin C. The entire mixing process takes only 5 minutes and is easy to master for beginners.

Indian Masala Chai

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 135 kcal

Indian Masala Chai is a home-style drink full of exotic charm. Made by brewing black tea, milk, and various spices, it features a rich, smooth texture with the warm, spicy notes of ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon intertwined. Milk provides high-quality protein and calcium, while the spices help warm the body, drive away cold, and promote digestion. The production process is simple and intuitive, beginner-friendly, taking only about 10 minutes from preparation to the first sip.

Ice Jelly (Bingfen)

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 110 kcal

Stone Jelly (Shilingfen) is a traditional snack from Xinyang, Henan. It has a smooth texture similar to pudding and is paired with mint juice or lemon juice for a cooling and refreshing effect. It belongs to the Henan Cuisine (Yu Cuisine) group. Hand-kneaded from ice jelly seeds, it is natural, additive-free, and rich in plant gums. The production process is very simple and beginner-friendly. The entire process takes about 3 hours, with 2.5 hours being the rest and solidification time, requiring almost no manual effort.

Winter Melon Tea

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆

Planning: Determine how many servings you plan to make before starting. One batch is enough for 4–5 people.

Mojito

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 187 kcal

This cocktail has a refreshing, sweet and sour taste with the coolness of mint and the slight buzz of rum, making it a classic summer drink. With a relatively low alcohol content and lime tea rich in Vitamin C, it can quench thirst and refresh the mind. It is extremely simple to make and beginner-friendly; from prep to finish, it usually takes about ten minutes.

B52 Bomber

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 80 kcal

This cocktail features distinct layers in both taste and appearance. You will first taste the sting of the vodka, followed immediately by the lingering sweetness of the coffee cream. Drinking it lit provides a unique experience of fire and ice, placing it within the category of classic creative cocktails. The coffee liqueur and Irish cream provide a small amount of caffeine and milk fat, but the overall nutrition is primarily alcohol. The process requires practice in layering and the lighting technique, making it slightly challenging for beginners. The entire process takes only about 5 minutes.

Snowflake Crackers (Xuehua Su)

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1313 kcal

Calculations: Per Serving: - Salted Butter: 20g - Marshmallows: 75g - Full-fat Milk Powder: 40g - Mixed Nuts: 60g - Biscuits: 75g

Konjac Cake

Difficulty：☆☆☆☆☆

Konjac cake is a low-calorie, gluten-free dessert. It uses erythritol to replace white sugar, offering a light, moist texture with a cocoa aroma, making it especially suitable for people looking to lose fat. It is rich in dietary fiber and protein, which creates a strong sense of fullness. Production has some difficulty, requiring whipped egg whites and attention to folding techniques, but the total time is only about half an hour, making it a quick and healthy baking choice.

Taro Mochi Ice Cream (Xuemeinang)

Difficulty：★★★★★ 160 kcal

The skin of this Xiao Long Bao-style dessert is soft and chewy, while the filling features a smooth, sweet taro puree paired with airy cream. It offers a rich texture and is a family-style creative dessert. Taro and purple sweet potatoes provide fiber and anthocyanins, while milk and cream add calcium, balancing nutrition. No oven is needed; the steps are simple and beginner-friendly, suitable even for those who aren't experienced with baking. It takes approximately two hours from start to finish and allows you to make homemade snacks that children will love.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 1653 kcal

This is an easy homemade strawberry ice cream that needs no ice cream machine, with a rich fruity aroma and creamy texture. Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, and the milky condensed milk and cream provide energy and calcium. It is simple and doesn't test your skills; beginners can succeed on the first try. It takes about eight hours in total, mostly freezing time, with only a few dozen minutes of hands-on work.

British Scones

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1197 kcal

British scones are a classic afternoon tea treat: crisp outside, soft inside, with a rich egg-and-cream aroma, even better with jam or clotted cream. Made mainly from flour, butter, eggs and cream, they are rich in carbohydrates and protein for a quick energy boost. The process is fairly simple; with basic dough-handling skills, beginners can manage it. It takes about an hour from prep to out of the oven.

Carrot Sweet Rice Cake (Gajar Halwa)

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 374 kcal

Gajar Halwa is a famous winter dessert in Indian households. The slow-simmered combination of grated carrots and milk, infused with ghee and nuts, creates a dense, sweet texture with a golden-red color. Rich in beta-carotene, calcium, and healthy fats, it is warming and nourishing. The process is simple but requires some patience for beginners; it is ready in approximately 45 minutes.

Baked Egg Tarts

Difficulty：★★★★☆ 169 kcal

Baked egg tarts are a classic Chinese dessert characterized by their crispy crust, smooth filling, and rich milky flavor. They are rich in protein, calcium, and various vitamins, providing rich energy. The making process is very simple; beginners can easily get started. Moreover, semi-finished products can be frozen for later use. From preparation to baking out of the oven, it takes about 1 hour.

Margherita Cookies

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 863 kcal

Margherita cookies are crumbly and melt-in-the-mouth with a rich buttery aroma, a classic little Western treat. Made mainly from egg yolk, butter and flour, they are rich in carbohydrates and fat for quick energy. Moderate difficulty; about 45 minutes from prep to out of the oven, and beginners can manage easily.

Red Grapefruit Cake

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 622 kcal

Red Grapefruit Cake is a fresh dessert that is easily made in an air fryer. It blends the subtle sour-fruity aroma of grapefruit pulp with the soft texture of the cake, making it perfect for a single-serving afternoon tea. Eggs and flour provide protein and carbohydrates, while red grapefruit is rich in Vitamin C, offering simple basic nutrition. The difficulty level is medium. The key lies in stirring the batter in batches until it has no lumps and turns a pale yellow. Newbies can succeed as long as they follow the steps patiently. From preparation to serving, it takes about 35 minutes, so it won't take up much time if you crave freshly baked sweets.

Fried Fresh Milk (Zhǎ Xiān Nǎi)

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1100 kcal

Fried fresh milk is a dessert with a crispy crust and a soft, silky filling. The making process isn't difficult, but the milk thickener must be heated sufficiently and chilled to set; otherwise, cutting and frying may cause it to fall apart. The actual preparation time is approximately 30 minutes, plus at least 2 hours for chilling.

Honey Bread Rolls Without a Stand Mixer

Difficulty：★★★★★ 176 kcal

These homemade honey bread rolls need no stand mixer. They're soft and sweet with slightly crisp bottoms, brushed with honey water and sprinkled with sesame for a simple, sweet aroma. The main ingredients are bread flour, milk, egg and butter, providing plenty of carbohydrates, protein and calcium, a reassuring breakfast or snack. The method is simple: everything is kneaded by hand, the proofing time is flexible, and you can even refrigerate the rolls overnight and bake them the next day, which makes it very beginner-friendly. It takes about 3 hours, mostly waiting for the dough to rise; the hands-on work isn't hard.

Oven-Baked Basque Cheesecake

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 266 kcal

Basque cheesecake is a dessert with a rich, dense texture, a crisp, caramelized crust, and a moist interior. It is a classic flavor from the Basque region of Spain. The main ingredients are cream cheese and eggs, which are rich in high-quality protein and calcium. The making process is very simple and easy for beginners to handle. The time from prep to oven is only about 30 minutes, but it is recommended to refrigerate overnight before eating, with a total time of approximately 8 hours or more.

Oreo Ice Cream

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 1160 kcal

The texture of Oreo ice cream is fine and delicate; the milky fragrance blends with the Oreo's crispy sweetness. Pure animal cream makes the overall flavor light and not greasy. It mainly provides energy, contains fats and carbohydrates, and is suitable as a refreshing dessert. The production process is relatively simple, requiring only handling the cookie filling and beating the cream. Beginners can complete it with a little patience. The entire preparation time is about half an hour, and after freezing for more than 4 hours, it is ready to eat.

Cane Sugar Syrup

Difficulty：★☆☆☆☆ 400 kcal

A homemade drink syrup: dissolve white sugar and water in a 1:1 ratio, making it easy to control the sweetness of cold drinks. It's the basic recipe for mixing drinks. Rich in carbohydrates, it quickly replenishes energy. It is extremely simple and beginner-friendly, takes just a few minutes, and keeps for a week in the fridge.

Sugar-Frosted Taro (Fan Sha Yu Tou)

Difficulty：★★★☆☆ 397 kcal

Sugar-frosted taro is a traditional Chaoshan snack, crisp outside and soft inside, sweet and fragrant, often served with afternoon tea. Lipu taro is rich in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamins, and keeps you full for a long time. It isn't hard to make, but you need to control the sugar syrup's heat, so it suits beginners with a little experience. The whole process takes about 20 minutes.

Garlic Soy Sauce Dip

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 177 kcal

Garlic soy sauce is a delicious home-style dipping condiment rich in garlic flavor, savory and oily. It is commonly used to enhance the taste of dishes like Poached Chicken (Bai Qie Ji) and dumplings. Garlic and sesame seeds each have antibacterial properties and provide unsaturated fatty acids. The preparation is extremely simple and very friendly for beginners; the entire process takes only about 5 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Difficulty：★★☆☆☆ 146 kcal

This sauce is sweet, sour, and delicious; it is the classic flavor profile for Chinese sweet and sour dishes. The preparation is simple, and the ratios are easy to remember, making it easy for beginners to master. It takes about 10 minutes from preparation to completion. The sugar provides energy, while the aroma of vinegar helps stimulate appetite and cuts through richness, instantly making the home-cooked dish flavorful.