Hi just wondering if anybody here knows where I can find a chinese recipe like the kind you get from your local takeaway. I have tried the traditional chinese recipes but my wife always says she preferes takeaways. I don't know,it might just be my cooking.

if you type chinese into the search bar at the top in recipes there will be loads, also do a google search, loads there too. a good hint for you, make sure you use a well seasoned wok to start, thats where a lot of the authentic flavour comes from in cooking, also make sure the oil is smoking b 4 u cook in it...

trogg - not really answering you question sorry, but it might be that you are cooking 'authentic' chinese food, opposed to the anglisised version a lot of takeaway shops cook.
you could be sneaky and ask your local shop what region they are from (look at me assuming they are chinese!) and start cooking something from that area.

i am sure deleeder will be able to tell you of a pour on sauce that is very good.

Come on DeLeeder - we're waiting

If you put kung po in the search bar above and search on message boards you will find a request from me for a recipe for kung po - check out the link rustie gave me and try that one - we make it with chicken for my boyfriend and tofu for me, have made it lots of times now for lots of different people and it is excellent and just like the one in a chinese restaurant

I have also posted this recipe for satay sauce as well before but if you try this it is delicious - I defy your wife not to like it, goes down really well in our house -
6 tabs crunchy peanut butter
3 oz creamed coconut from the block - chopped up
4 teas lemon juice
1 tab soft brown sugar
1 tsp chilli pwder
1 tab tomato puree
1 garlic clove
2 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper
about half pint water

put everything into a microwaveable bowl and micro for about 5 minutes until it bubbles then micro on a low setting for about 5 minutes - adjust according to thickness of sauce - add more water if required - it is so easy.

This is a good book - Chinese Cookery Secrets - how to cook chinese restaurant food at home by Deh-Ta Hsiung. Have only done four recipes from it but received compliments all round. Far better than anything I have ever done from other chinese recipe books. It is a very boring little paperback, no glossy photos just sketches.

Have written your satay sauce recipe in the inside back cover Porridge, thanks for that.

you are welcome Gaye - I have that book too, it is good isn't it? - by the way Ken Hom does an excellent vegetable stir fry also - that can be found on this site!

Thank you everyone for your help, I will be trying those recipes soon, and see how she reacts to them, also thanks for the info on the book, I will be keeping an eye open for that.

one way I found recently for recreating a chinese take-a-way flavoured sauce, not any in particular, happened when i started making a stir fry but found out that i'd almost ran out of soy sauce so in a spurt of inspiration I added a packet of miso sauce (the small packets used to make the soup that had been sitting in my cupboard as i'd found i didn't like the flavour by itself). However the miso mixed with water and added to the stir fry, which also had plenty of garlic and ginger and a pinch or two of 5 spice, gives a nice savoury flavour. The thick take-a-way style sauce is created by adding a bit of corn flour (also mixed with water) so the end result is an umptously thick glossy sauce that leaves you wanting more. This base can be adaptable to most stir fryed veg or meat and is even nicer with a splash or rice wine added.

Season your ground nut or sunflower oil with root ginger before you use it.I make a large amount and keep it in the fridge.