Hubby has gone to get us a chinese takeawy and it got me thinking that I could do one for us at home.

I have a good book called teh Ken Hom Wok - it is very good and takes you through all the steps.

I find the key thing for Chinese cooking is to prepare all your raw ingredients in advance into little dishes. The actual cooking is very fast and you don't have time to do any chopping in between.

But to answer your question - it's very easy.

not at all difficult but it never tastes the same as the takeaway!

I can cook food as made in China but cant seem to replicate chinese takeaway food. Which is what I'm after. Same with Indian takeaway.

I always feel so durrrty after a Chinese takeaway. Do they usually put loads of monosodium glutonate in takeaway food? And what exactly is msg?

I'd love to be able to make my own.

i do a good sweet n sour pork thing with egg fried rice, but for some reason it takes me a lifetime to cook and makes the most mess imaginable

MSG is used in chinese cooking to bring out the flavours its derived from salt or vice versa, hence the thirst when you have one.

Summat like that anyway, thats what I believe it to be

any one have a good recipe for chineses curry?

This is my daughters fave dish but i can't make it

with most chinese takeaways in the UK the secret ingredients are indeed a) msg and b) cornflour. That's what gives the viscosity and shininess to the sauces.

And as for chinese curry, it comes from a can and you can get it at Win Yip or any good chinese supermarket, don't try and do this at home

It's not difficult but you do have to stock your cupboard with certain ingredients. Most supemarkets have them though.

I buy that curry sauce once in a blue moon.

Chinese people very seldom order from a takeaway! Depends what your definition of Chinese food is. Stir fries are very quick. I find that you need a lot of space for doing a variety of dishes and you end up doing a lot of washing up as well.

Preparation takes longer than cooking and eating combined!

Loads of preparation - all needs to be done and ready in little dishes, as cooking is quick and everything needs to be ready, and to hand. Can be nice, but to get a mix of dishes, you need a 'hostess' or similar to keep it hot, once ready, while you cook the next one. You end up with loads of washing up. Nice, but different from a takeaway.