What Is in a Happy Family Chinese Food

This Happy Family Stir Fry recipe is a wonderful combination of beef, chicken and shrimp, all cooked in one pot with fresh veggies and a light brown Chinese sauce.

Information technology is easy to brand at domicile and tastes so much improve than takeout. Paired with steamed rice it is a healthy Chinese weeknight repast.

close up on the chicle and corn in this takeout style stir fry

This Happy Family Stir Fry is ane of those dishes that doesn't accept an hands recognisable sauce, like say black bean sauce or honey soy. This stir fry has a chinese brown sauce, it is hard to describe but and so delicious, information technology just tastes like Chinese takeout sauce! You lot can run into information technology clinging to the carrot in the shot below.

The dish is probably Anglo-Chinese or American-Chinese in origin, only that doesn't go far any less tasty.

What is Happy Family Stir Fry?

Happy Family is a dish that combines diverse meats with fresh vegetables in a calorie-free dark-brown Chinese sauce. Typically the meat will be chicken, beef or pork as well every bit seafood - usually shrimp. This bully combination of meats make it a favourite on the takeout menus as you become lots of protein within the one order.

Plus in that location are plenty of fresh veg in there then you experience that this is the healthier option.

But why the proper name Happy Family?

The story goes that this delicious Chinese stir fry was so named because so many ingredients are combined to brand one delicious consummate dish. Whether this is truthful I don't know, simply it makes sense. Plus I love the whimsy of it.

chicken, beef and carrot being picked up with chopsticks

It is hard to take photos of just how tender the meat in this happy family stir fry is. But I am certain you have all tasted meat like it before. It is that super tender meat that yous get when you order a takeout. Tender, soft juicy meat, even if you reheat the leftovers for breakfast - tell me that isn't just me 😉

How to get takeout style tender craven and beefiness

The key to this is 2 fold:

Cutting the meat correctly
Marinating it in baking soda

These two stages ensure you lot get super tender meat, plus information technology means the meat will cook fifty-fifty quicker so your dinner will exist set sooner!

Cutting

To cut the meat correctly yous want to ensure you are cut across the grain. If you apply a skirt/flank steak the the grain is clearly visible, as shown in the picture beneath:

Split picture showing the grain of the flank steak and how to cut against it

With the chicken information technology is harder to see the grain (Information technology really wouldn't show in a photo) merely if you look closely after you have cutting a slice yous should exist able to see which way the lines are going so yous can either continue cutting information technology that manner or start cutting the other way. Cut across the grain and so the craven has lines running up and down the strips rather than side to side.

Marinading

Unlike other recipes where the meat is marinaded in herbs and spices, here nosotros marinate the meat in baking soda. Baking soda doesn't taste dandy! So you have to be certain to wash the meat really well after it has been soaked. Only it does requite y'all the most tender meat. To read about the scientific discipline behind this procedure check out my mail service for Takeout Style Chicken and Snow Pea .

Baking Soda is too called Bicarb, Bicarbonate of Soda and Sodium Bicarbonate. Y'all want to sprinkle a modest amount over the meat and then turn gently so everything is lightly coated. Let the meat sit down for xv minutes and so wash really well and pat dry out. You need to pat information technology dry as the added wet will terminate the meat from stir frying.

In this recipe we employ this method for both the beef and the chicken. Just don't marinate the shrimp as they will go mushy.

split picture showing beef being sprinkled with baking soda

split picture showing raw chicken in a bowl being sprinkled with baking soda

Can I utilise a skillet to make a stir fry?

YES!!! Like I mentioned in my Takeout Style Beef and Broccoli post, I think in a domestic kitchen a skillet/large fry pan can be better than a wok.

The reason for this is, a wok is designed to sit down into the flames, so the sides and bottom get hot. This is slap-up in a commercial kitchen where they have big burners, only this doesn't happen with standard burners in a household kitchen. So you are improve with a skillet equally more of the base volition exist in contact with the oestrus source, meaning yous can cook at a higher temperature giving you a much meliorate stir fry.

How to get authentic flavors in your Chinese stir fry

Have you lot ever made a stir fry at home just to be disappointed that it doesn't taste like your favorite takeout? It is a common complaint and one that is like shooting fish in a barrel to rectify.

The key to those authentic flavors is accurate ingredients. Sounds obvious when you read it doesn't it. And I am non talking a long list of ingredients, simply ownership a couple of asian ingredients volition elevate your stir fry from okay to amazing. Plus they can both be found in the grocery store!

Oyster sauce - a thick rich brown sauce that adds and so much depth and a good hitting of Chinese saltiness. You can purchase it in grocery stores across the world at present.

Chinese Cooking Wine - Besides known as Chinese Rice Wine, Shaohsing Rice Cooking Wine, Shaoxing wine or Shaoxing Cooking Wine. You lot can observe this in most grocery stores in the Asian section. Just don't get information technology confused with rice vino vinegar!!! If you can't find Chinese Cooking Wine, only apply a dry sherry.

Y'all should exist able to find both of these in your grocery store, just Amazon likewise accept a great range. And you will find them both (and lots more) at an Asian supermarket.

close up on a shrimp in the happy family stir fry

What else is needed for this stir fry?

The vegetables in this dish are pretty adaptable. I like to add, broccoli, carrot, baby corn, mushrooms, water chestnuts and green onions. But you can add any veg that yous love:

Green Beans
Snow Peas
Bell Peppers
Sliced Celery
Beansprouts

The veg wants to be cutting into bite sized pieces so information technology cooks quickly.

broccoli - cut into small-scale florets
carrots - peeled and thinly sliced
mushrooms - sliced
water chestnut slices - drained
baby corn - chopped into thirds
green onions - sliced diagonally
two garlic cloves - thinly sliced

If using any other veg then chop information technology up into similar sized pieces.

You can often buy freshbaby corn at the grocery store, but the canned version works well hither too.
Water chestnuts come in a can and can be constitute in the Asian section of the grocery store. If you can't observe them so just leave them out.

You could too supervene upon the veg in this recipe for 3 ½ cups of frozen stir fry mix. (Allow to defrost for effectually 15 minutes in a sieve or colander.)

Tips for making this Chinese Happy Family Stir Fry Recipe

Set the meat correctly by cut across the grain and and so marinating in baking soda (run into above for detailed pictures)
Prepare your vegetables and garlic before you start cooking. Chinese stir frying is quick cooking so you need everything prepped and ready.
Mix the sauce ingredients together before you showtime cooking, but ensure you lot whisk it well earlier you add it to the pan.
Don't allow the meat or vegetables cook for as well long, y'all want everything to exist crisp and just cooked.
For the best oestrus use a flat lesser skillet/fry pan (run across in a higher place for why)
For a truely authentic flavour invest in two great Chinese ingredients (yous tin can detect them in the grocery store or online). It will make ALL the difference.

Chicken, beef, shrimp and vegetables in a black wok

For more great takeout mode meals check these swell meals:

Chicken and Mushroom
Beef and Broccoli
Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
Cantonese Beefiness and Tomato plant
Wandering Dragon Stir Fry
Chicken and Snow Peas

Enjoy x

Takeout Style Happy Family Stir Fry

This Happy Family unit Stir Fry recipe is a wonderful combination of beefiness, chicken and shrimp, all cooked in one pot with fresh veggies and a calorie-free brownish Chinese sauce. It is like shooting fish in a barrel to brand at home and tastes so much better than a takeout. Paired with steamed rice it is a healthy weeknight meal.

Prep Time 10 mins

Melt Time ten mins

marinading time fourteen mins

Total Time twenty mins

Course: Principal

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: four

Calories: 339 kcal

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For the Stir Fry

one large boneless skinless craven breast
½ lb flank steak
1 tablespoon baking soda - encounter notation one
1 cups broccoli florets
¼ cup carrots - sliced
i ½ tablespoon oil
¼ teaspoon table salt
12 large raw shrimp
½ cup mushrooms - sliced
½ cup water anecdote slices
one cup babe corn - chopped into thirds
3 dark-green onions - sliced
ii garlic cloves - thinly sliced

For the Sauce

¾ cup chicken goop
2 tablespoon cornstarch
three tablespoon Chinese cooking wine - see note ii
i ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
big pinch of footing white pepper
pinch brown saccharide

To tenderise the meat

Piece the beef across the grain, into ¼" / 0.5cm thick strips (see bulk of post for detailed pictures) and place in a non-metallic bowl.
Slice the chicken across the grain, into ¼" / 0.5cm thick strips and place in some other non-metallic bowl.
Sprinkle one-half a tablespoon of baking soda over the beef and half a tablespoon of baking soda over the chicken. Gently plow the meat then it is all lightly coated.
Set the meat aside for fifteen minutes.
Rinse the both meats extremely well and then pat them dry with kitchen newspaper. (See notation iii)

Whilst the meat is tenderising cook the hard veg

Place a large nonstick skillet over a medium high heat, add together in the broccoli florets, sliced carrot and a ¼ cup of boiling water.
Cover the skillet and allow the veg to steam for a minute. The water should all have evaporated. Transfer the veg to a plate for afterwards.

To make the stir fry

Mix the the craven broth together with the cornstarch, and so add together the Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, white pepper and brownish saccharide. Stir well and ready to ane side.
Place the skillet back over a loftier heat and heat for at to the lowest degree 1 minute. Add in the oil and in one case information technology is shimmering add together the craven in a single layer.
Melt, without touching for 1 infinitesimal and so stir in the beef and cook for 1 minute.
Add the shrimp and melt for a minute. Season with the whole skillet with salt.
Add all the vegetables and cook for further 2 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, then give the sauce a second stir and add together it to the pan.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-ii minute to allow the sauce to thicken.
Serve immediately.

Baking Soda is also called Bicarb, Bicarbonate of Soda and Sodium Bicarbonate.
Chinese Cooking Wine/Chinese Rice Wine - not to mistaken for rice vino vinegar!!! You can sub in dry out sherry if you like.
Make sure you lot wash the beefiness and craven actually well to remove any traces of blistering soda. Information technology is astonishing at tenderizing meat, but has a terrible taste then you want to remove information technology.

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Source: https://www.sprinklesandsprouts.com/happy-family-stir-fry/