Aussie reveals the trick to recreating take-away Chinese meals at home: 'Such a good idea'

Ever wondered how those Chinese takeout joints make their beef dishes so tender and irresistibly tasty? The answer is simpler than you think. Thanks to a clever cooking hack shared by a savvy home cook in the Coles cooking club online, you can replicate that mouthwatering flavour right in your own kitchen.

It's all about "velveting" the meat, a technique that many swear by to elevate their meals. Sharing her discovery with the group, the Aussie woman hailed the addition of one inexpensive product a total "game changer" for recreating Chinese restaurant dishes at home.

"Who would have thought a sprinkle of bicarb soda could make beef so incredibly tender and yummy like you get from Chinese restaurants?" she wrote. "Mongolian Beef, yum! Will definitely make again."

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The secret ingredient

The key to this genius method lies in the use of bicarbonate soda. This humble ingredient works wonders by tenderising the meat, breaking down its proteins and yielding a texture akin to the dishes served in your favourite Chinese eateries.

Generously sharing her Mongolian Beef recipe, the original poster remarked on the simplicity and effectiveness of the technique.

"This is the recipe I used," she shared, detailing the process of coating thinly sliced beef with a precise blend of 1 1/2 teaspoons of bicarbonate soda and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornflour, followed by a brief refrigeration period before cooking.

Group members were keen to try out the hack in their own home cooking.

"That looks delicious," exclaimed one enthusiast, while another shared their own twist, citing its success in chicken dishes like chow mein — an age-old Asian culinary hack.

"Shall definitely be trying this method," someone else wrote, with another adding, "such a good idea!"

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However, a note of caution was sounded regarding the careful use of bicarbonate soda.

"I leave the bicarb on for only 10 mins then rinse it off and pat it dry," advised one commentator, suggesting moderation to avoid any lingering bitterness from using too much.

So say farewell to expensive takeout bills and savour the authentic flavours of your favourite dishes right in your own kitchen!

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