Must-Try Healthy Autumn Home-Style Dishes

1. Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms

Blanch oyster mushrooms for one minute, then drain thoroughly. Scramble eggs separately until fluffy. Sauté garlic and chili until fragrant, add bell peppers and carrots. Combine all ingredients with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and chicken powder. The mushrooms provide umami depth while maintaining a meat-free profile.

2. Pork with King Oyster Mushrooms

Julienne king oyster mushrooms and blanch for two minutes. Velvet pork slices with salt, pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch for tenderness. Quick-fry pork until color changes, then add aromatics and mushrooms. The cornstarch coating creates that signature restaurant-style silkiness.

3. Scallion Braised Tofu

Cut tofu into blocks and pan-fry until golden. The technique: fry whole then cut in-pan for better flavor absorption. Sauce combines salt, chicken powder, sugar, light/dark soy, oyster sauce, starch, and water. Simmer until sauce reduces to glossy coating.

4. Blanched Lettuce with Garlic Sauce

Soak lettuce in salted water to clean, then blanch 18 seconds in oiled, salted water to maintain color. The dressing: garlic and chili sizzled with hot oil, mixed with light soy, vinegar, and sugar. Perfect for preserving vegetables' natural crispness.

5. Candied Yam Bites

Cut Chinese yam into segments, blanch, then coat with cornstarch. Double-fry until crispy. The sweet-sour sauce combines tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, and water reduced to syrupy consistency. Toss with sesame seeds for texture contrast.

6. Stir-Fried Wood Ear Mushrooms

Blanching wood ear mushrooms prevents oil splatter during cooking. Render pork fat for cooking oil, then fry garlic and chili. Add mushrooms with light/dark soy, oyster sauce, and bell peppers. The blanching technique makes this dish much safer to prepare.

7. Steamed Luffa with Garlic

Soak luffa in salted water to prevent discoloration. Layer soaked vermicelli, luffa rounds, and whole egg in center. The garlic sauce: minced garlic and chili bloomed in hot oil with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Steam six minutes for perfect texture.

8. Sautéed Pickled Cucumber

Salt-curing cucumber strips removes excess moisture for extra crunch. Remove seeds for better texture. Fry pork mince with garlic, chili, and broad bean paste. Combine with cucumbers using minimal seasoning to preserve freshness.

9. Mushroom Quail Egg Cups

Remove mushroom stems to create cavities. Fill with quail eggs and steam five minutes exactly. The garnish: sizzled scallions with steamed fish soy sauce. Elegant presentation with minimal effort.

10. Crispy Potato Bloom

Cross-cut potatoes (using chopsticks as guides) creates blooming effect. Salt-water soaking opens cuts naturally. Coat with cornstarch and deep-fry until flowering. Serve with sweet-sour sauce for dramatic presentation.

11. Professional-Style Potato Shreds

Cut potatoes to uniform thickness rather than extreme thinness. Blanch in vinegared water for crispness. The key: splash vinegar around wok edges to create aromatic steam before adding potatoes. Preserves texture while infusing flavor.

12. Chili Pepper with Preserved Egg

Wet knife prevents sticking when cutting preserved eggs. Dry-roast peppers with salt until slightly charred. Fry with garlic and chili, then add preserved eggs with light/dark soy and oyster sauce. Smoking the wok creates wok hei flavor.

13. Green Beans with Egg

Dice green beans uniformly. Scramble eggs separately. Fry beans with chili until cooked through, then combine with eggs. Finish with soy sauce around wok edge for caramelization. Simple but satisfying.

14. Cabbage with Scrambled Egg

Shred cabbage and carrot uniformly. Scramble eggs until fluffy but tender. Quick-fry cabbage until just wilted, then combine with eggs. Minimal seasoning lets natural sweetness shine through.

15. Fava Beans with Egg

Blanch fava beans in oiled water to preserve color. Mix with eggs, salt, chicken powder, and starch slurry for tenderness. Slow-cook egg mixture until just set. Finish with garlic chives for freshness.

Autumn Cooking Tips:

Blanching vegetables preserves color and texture

Velveting meat with cornstarch ensures tenderness

Adding starch to eggs creates softer texture

Salting vegetables before cooking reduces moisture

Key Techniques:

Hot oil blanching for green vegetables

Double-frying for crispy textures

Steam-frying for tender proteins

Reduction sauces for intense flavor

Nutritional Benefits:

Mushrooms provide immune-supporting compounds

Eggs offer complete protein

Seasonal vegetables supply vitamins and fiber

Light cooking methods preserve nutrients

These dishes represent the best of autumn home cooking - comforting yet light, flavorful yet balanced. Each recipe has been refined through generations of home cooks to deliver maximum satisfaction with minimum effort.