• Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • Pantry
  • Shop
  • subscribe
  • Home
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • EASY RECIPES
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • BY CUISINE
    • Asian Fusion
    • Chinese
    • Peranakan/Nyonya
    • CAMBODIA
    • LAOS
    • INDONESIAN
    • Indonesian Chinese
    • MALAYSIA
    • MYANMAR
    • SINGAPORE
    • Singapore Hawker Food
    • THAILAND
    • VIETNAM
  • BY COURSE
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • INGREDIENTS
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • SOURDOUGH
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • BREAD & BUNS
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • CAKES/COOKIES/PASTRIES
    • Cakes
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Kue/Kueh
    • No-Bake Dessert
  • DIETARY
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Cooking
    • Christmas Baking
What To Cook Today
What To Cook Today
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking

STIR-FRIED MILK/CHAO NAI

written by Marvellina Updated: December 27, 2020
3.7K
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

STIR-FRIED MILK/CHAO NAI
When I first saw this stir-fried milk recipe in Taste of China cookbook by Ken Hom, immediately, I scanned through the ingredient list and BINGO, I got all the ingredients and decided to give it a try.
The title of the recipe definitely intrigued me enough to try it. I was thinking “How can milk be stir-fried?” well, nothing is impossible.

This stir-fried milk is a very popular dish in the province of Guangdong in China and Hong Kong. The milk is really a thick custard, which is then stir-fried with prawns, barbecued Chinese pork/ham, and pine nuts. In a country with almost no dairy products, Cantonese milk dishes date from the Portugese influence over three hundreds years ago. Exposed to the European tradition, the Cantonese created flavorful dishes that cook the milk first to make it more digestible

Honestly, when I first finished making the stir-fried milk I was really doubtful how this whole dish will taste like. It looked like you did something wrong and you ended up with a barf-looking dish, But, I was glad that I was totally wrong. I love the combination of texture of this dish. The milk is scrambled-egg like in texture, contrasting with the crunchy pine nuts, it is really good.
I made this for breakfast but this can be served as main dish as well. It is quite fulfilling and I will definitely make this again.

STIR-FRIED MILK/CHAO NAI (2 servings)

16 fl oz (450 ml) milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp salt
8 oz (225 g) Chinese barbecue pork or mild ham, coarsely chopped
12 oz (375 g) medium-sized uncooked peeled and cleaned prawns
4 oz (125 g) pine nuts
1 stalk spring onion (chopped) – optional. The original recipe doesn’t call for this, but I kinda like it in there

COOKING METHOD:

1. Combine the milk, salt, pepper, and cornflour in a medium-sized saucepan and mix until smooth. Then simmer the mixture over low heat for 8 minutes or until it has thickened to the consistency of soft scrambled eggs.

2. Oil a baking pan, pour in the cooked milk mixture, and allow it to cool thoroughly. Cover with the cling wrapper and refrigerate. This can be done the day before

3. Heat a wok or large frying pan until hot and add the oil and salt. Then add the barbecue pork or ham and prawns, and stir-fry the mixture for 1 minute. Add the milk mixture and pine nuts, and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the entire dish is heated through. Serve at once

STIR-FRIED MILK/CHAO NAI

previous post
Chinese Steamed Whole Fish with Black Bean Sauce
next post
FRIED CHICKEN 101

2 comments

Yulia A Arakelyan December 26, 2020 - 10:29 pm

Can I use corn starch instead of corn flour? Or white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca?

Reply
Marvellina December 27, 2020 - 4:23 pm

Hi Yulia, cornflour is supposed to be cornstarch, I have fixed the recipe to be cornstarch

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Please feel free to ask questions here or leave your comments and ratings if you have tried the recipe! Your Email address will not be published!




Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! I'm Marvellina!

I’m passionate about food—especially bold, comforting Asian flavors—and I love sharing approachable recipes and creative bakes with an Asian twist. So glad you’re here! LEARN MORE...

Our Favorites

  • How To Make Soft and Fluffy Pandan Chiffon Cake (Complete Guide)

  • How to Make Basic Asian Rice Porridge (Congee)

  • Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面) (Chinese Fried Sauce Noodles)

  • Soft Fluffy Steamed Bao Buns Recipe (Baozi/Mantou)

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

©2025 - What To Cook Today. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy & Disclosure Policy


Back To Top
  • Home
  • ABOUT ME
    • CONTACT
  • SHOP
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • RECIPE INDEX
  • easy recipes
    • Easy Dinner
    • One-pot
    • Instant Pot
  • by course
    • Breakfast
    • Dim Sum
    • Main Course
    • Soups/Stews
    • Salad
    • Sides
    • Condiments
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
  • ingredients
    • Rice & Grains
    • Noodles
    • Eggs
    • Tofu & Tempeh
    • Poultry
    • Red Meats
    • Pork
    • Seafood
  • sourdough
    • Sourdough Bread Recipes
    • Recipes Using Sourdough Discard
  • bread & buns
    • Steamed Buns
    • Bread with Yeast
    • No-Knead Bread
    • Quick Bread
  • cakes/cookies/pastries
    • Cakes
    • Pastries
    • Chiffon Cakes
    • Sponge Cakes
    • Cookies
    • No-Bake Dessert
    • Kue/Kueh
  • dietary
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegan
    • VEGETARIAN
    • CONFINEMENT
  • celebrate
    • Chinese New Year
    • Easter
    • Hari Raya
    • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Mooncake Festival
    • Thanksgiving
    • Winter Solstice
    • Christmas Baking
    • Christmas Cooking