Suggest me a easy side dish I can make at home to bilk out a takeaway

[DyslexicPoster]

So takeaway is getting prohibitively expensive even once a month or less for the six of us.

Sometimes we cook sausages and then get chips and currey sauce from the chip shop for fish and chips.

Is there anything like this for Chinese? Home made Chinese is never like the takeaway version. It must be the msg. Sometimes do plain rice but don't fancy that

You need this recipe book!

Chinese Takeaway Cookbook: From Chop Suey to Sweet 'n' Sour, Over 70 Recipes to Re-create Your Favourites https://amzn.eu/d/eNEGqqO

The recipes are spot on - the chow mein alone is perfect and easy to make. Then buy a bag of prawn crackers, maybe prawn toast (I don't have a deep fat frier).

I make curries at home and then you an buy a nice Naan bread to go with it from a take away.

Pizza - not the same as a Domino's, but Iceland own brand takeaway style pizzas are fab. I also make my own from scratch, but if I can't be arsed they are my next option!

Asda do Chinese side dishes in the fridges. So maybe order a couple of mains from takeaway and pad it out with spring rolls, prawn crackers, prawn toast from the Asda range. They taste ok, not as good as takeaway but passable. You could buy three mains from takeaway between six of you and mix and match with the Asda sides, like a buffet

Make rice at home

Sorry reread your message!

Stir fry
Spring rolls
Prawn toasts
Satay chicken
All very easy to make

House rice

I'd reccomend Goldfish Brand Hot and Spicy Curry Sauce for Chineese take away-style curry, I get it from Sainsburys, it is super simple and really tastes like the real thing (they do other versions too).

You could make up a jug to pour over chips - literally boiling water and stir.

Sharwoods medium egg noodles are so easy. Add some stir fried veg with ginger and soy sauce - eg mushrooms carrots green beans broccoli, and you have another dish!

Make your own prawn toasts if you have an air fryer, I think bored of lunch does one.

Fried rice
Stir fried broccoli with garlic and ginger
Mushrooms in oyster sauce

What ilse is this in please? Thanks!

We've not used a takeaway in decades, there aren't any good ones near us.

We used to get M&S two mains and two sides type of deals with both the sides being something good like duck spring rolls for Chinese or samosas with Indian and the mains all meat- no rice or noodles. Then do plain rice or noodles (which we actually prefer to greasy fried) and a big veg stir fry.

Now it's just me and DH at home that'd be way too much even split over two meals.

Do you just use fresh grated ginger? Thanks.

I can make a mean stir fry but it's never like a Chinese chow mein. Ever recipe from scratch and every ought sauce never tastes the same

Ziangs Chinese takeaway cookbook or YouTube videos.

prawn crackers the ones you fry yourself are cheap ,ziangs satay recipe and salt and pepper chips recipe is spot on just like a takeaway

@DyslexicPoster

I think it was in the 'Asian Food' aisle with all of the regular Blue Dragon and jar sauces and concentrates, but on a bottom shelf - so I originally found it by accident!

I’d buy the egg fried rice, prawn crackers & prawn toast from the supermarket

Id also buy my own fries

then mains from the takeaway

I do but also use M&S chopped ginger in a little jar - think it's in some kind of vinegar if I don't have any. I also sprinkle some Chinese 5 Spice over the veg and / or garlic.

This stuff is amazing - it lasts for ages in the fridge and tastes exactly like curry sauce from the chip shop and we use it to make Chinese chicken curry (just add chicken and veg).

@DyslexicPoster I also use these jars for stir fry and I think they taste good! There's also Satay and Chinese 5 Spice.

They're in Sainsburys along the back wall in my one, beside all the big bags of rice and other Asian sauces.

Frying your own prawn crackers is a lot of fun!

Make your own egg fried rice, couldn't be simpler.

Make your own crispy seaweed, it's actually quick fried shredded cabbage with a sprinkle of sugar and a dash of soy sauce. The Chinese love a food joke!

Make a Chinese style broth and noodle soup as a starter, helps to fill up hungry teens.

Add extra vegetables to take away dishes to make them go further, eg fried mushrooms, red or green peppers, shredded pak-choy, bean sprouts.

Make your own little fish cakes or vegetable fritters to have with sweet chilli dipping sauce as a starter.

I'm going to look for this thanks!

Make your own egg fried rice
Cook rice the day before and store in the fridge, take it out and fry in oil and lots of soy sauce , add two eggs in and stir , add salt / pepper / and whatever else u want to add like peas / ham / pieces of cooked chicken etc.
MSG really gives it the best flavour , that’s what the take aways use to give flavour.

Sainsbury’s have started selling the Kum Lee Kee sauces.

Fry chicken, green peppers and onions and add the szechuan sauce. Buy noodles/ fried rice/ prawn crackers from the takeaway.