RedGage

Ever wonder how the local favorite Chinese restaurant cooks up that light and crispy golden battered chicken, shrimp and pork? It's really not that difficult. Don't pay the rising prices of delivery or Take-Out. Enjoy family favorites right from home. Learn tips and recipes to keep the family budget in tact.Tempura BatterThis is the key to that amazing sweet & sour chicken, shrimp and pork smothered in the sweet & sour sauce. It's also helps create sesame chicken and general tso chicken.Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup ice water
• Oil for deep frying

Directions:

1. Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg slightly and mix with the ice water.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients. Stir only until mixed; mixture will be slightly lumpy.

Dip shrimp, chunky-cut chicken and vegetables, etc. into the batter and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.Sweet & Sour Sauce and Dipping SaucesOnce the art of tempura frying has been accomplished, the next task is the sauce. The easiest way to give the family their favorite sauce is to buy from the source. Most restaurants will gladly sell a pint of their sweet & sour sauce for a few dollars.However, there are also a few easy recipes worth trying at home.Simple Sweet & Sour Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients and heat until hot and the sugar has dissolved. Serve warm or at room temperature. This sauce may be prepared a few days in advance and warmed before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard

Combine the honey and mustard. This sauce is best when prepared a day or two ahead of time. It may be served at room temperature. Makes 1 1/2 cups.Eggrolls & Fortune CookiesChinese food at home is not difficult, but it does involve a little effort and a little planning, especially when the family is on a budget. It's easy to go pick up Take-Out or have it delivered, but it's more rewarding to serve the family a complete meal at home for the same price as one plate of a food at a restaurant. How is this accomplished? By shopping around and comparing prices. The average cost of an eggroll at the restaurant is a $1 each. The local grocery store, super market or wholesale club sales a box of frozen eggrolls for about $.50 an eggroll.Keep an eye on weekly grocery sales. Stock up on boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs when they go on sale for under $2 a pound. To save time and money in future meal preparation, buy in bulk. Go ahead and cut up the chicken, separate it and bag it up in smaller family size portions. Set a bag in the fridge to thaw the night before cooking and it will be ready to batter and fry.Don't forgo the fortune cookie experience. Fortune cookies are fun. Again, like the sweet & sour sauce, most local restaurants will also sell a few fortune cookies for a minimum cost. It's also easy to make fortune cookies. There are several fortune cookie recipes on the web. When making your own, it's easy to personalize the fortune and add embellishment. Try dipping a one corner of a fortune cookie in white or dark chocolate. It's fantastic! For the less adventurous, La Choy food products make fortune cookies. look for a box on the Asian food isle at the local supermarket. Also, Oriental Trading Company now sells fortune cookies. Check out their website. They have an entire section devoted to Chinese New Year.Restaurant Fun at HomeIt now cost the average family of 4 about $40 - $50 to enjoy a nice evening out at a restaurant. Save almost 75% of that money and make the night memorable by having a restaurant night at home. Get the family involved in planning the menu, preparing the food, cleaning and decorating the house. Children enjoy making decorations and pretend menus. break out the good china and put a table cloth and candles on the table. Make it special. This may be so fun, it becomes a weekly family event. The money saved will go long way and the memories made are priceless.