Beef and Broccoli-style oyster sauce stir-fry
Tender sliced beef and tenderstem broccoli in a glossy oyster-soy sauce, served over jasmine rice.
Char Siu Pork-style honey-glazed BBQ pork
Glossy marinated pork shoulder roasted in a honey-hoisin glaze until charred at the edges. Served over jasmine rice.
Chicken Chow Mein-style stir-fried noodles
Soft egg noodles stir-fried with sliced chicken, bean sprouts, spring onion, and a glossy soy-based sauce. The Friday night fakeaway classic.
Crispy Aromatic Duck-style shredded crispy duck
Shredded crispy duck breast served with thin pancakes, cucumber, spring onion, and hoisin sauce. The Saturday night centrepiece.
Crispy Chilli Beef-style shredded crispy beef
Shredded beef strips, deep-fried until crispy, tossed in a sticky sweet-spicy chilli sauce with fresh chilli and spring onion.
Egg Fried Rice-style wok-tossed rice
Cold day-old jasmine rice tossed in a smoking hot wok with scrambled egg, spring onion, and soy. The proper takeaway style.
Peking Duck Pancakes-style roast duck wraps
Crispy shredded roast duck rolled into thin pancakes with cucumber, spring onion, and hoisin sauce. The hands-on feast.
Salt and Pepper Chicken-style crispy spiced chicken
Crispy golden chicken pieces tossed with salt, white pepper, sliced chillies, garlic, and spring onion. The Cantonese pub classic.
Sweet and sour chicken balls with egg fried rice
Crispy battered chicken in a sticky sweet-sour sauce, with properly seasoned egg fried rice. The real Friday-night-at-home move.
Vegetable Spring Rolls-style crispy fried rolls
Crispy golden spring rolls packed with shredded cabbage, carrot, mushroom, and glass noodles, served with sweet chilli dipping sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about making Chinese fakeaway at home.
What is Chinese fakeaway food?
Chinese-style takeaways in the UK serve a familiar canon, sweet and sour chicken, chow mein, egg fried rice, crispy duck, salt and pepper dishes. Most of it can be made at home in 30 minutes with standard ingredients.
What oil do Chinese takeaways use?
Most UK Chinese takeaways use groundnut (peanut) oil or vegetable oil for high-heat cooking. At home you can use sunflower, vegetable or groundnut oil, all work fine.
Is Chinese food spicy?
Mostly no. British-Chinese takeaway food is mild by default, sweet and sour, honey, plum, black bean sauces. Sichuan, Hunan and northern Chinese regional cuisines are properly spicy, but the high-street canon is family-friendly.
How do you get crispy chicken like a takeaway?
Double-coat in cornflour (cornstarch) or a 50/50 cornflour + plain flour mix, then fry twice, once at 160°C to cook through, once at 190°C for 60 seconds to crisp. That double-fry is the actual trick.
Can you reheat Chinese takeaway rice safely?
Yes, reheat until piping hot throughout (75°C+), only reheat once, and never leave cooked rice at room temperature for more than an hour. Fridge-stored rice is fine for 1-2 days.