Chinese Food Burrito

Chinese Food Burrito

The Prompt

Give me a recipe for a Chinese burrito.

The Great Wall Burrito: East Meets West

Gippity Kitchen Portrait

In the culinary fusion world, few creations blend seemingly disparate cuisines into a harmonious dish that delights the palate while respecting its roots. The Great Wall Burrito is one such marvel: modern cooking that melds flavors from the East and West.

Imagine taking the best of Chinese cuisine—its rich, savory sauces, the crisp-tender crunch of stir-fried vegetables, and the comforting staple that is fried rice—and wrapping it all up in a flour tortilla, the quintessential canvas of Mexican food. This isn’t just food; it’s a journey, a handshake between cultures that have loved and perfected the art of filling wrapped in bread.

Crafting the Flavor: The Richness of Black Bean Sauce

The heart of the Great Wall Burrito lies in its black bean sauce, which sings with depth and complexity. Unlike anything you’ve encountered in traditional burrito fillings, this sauce uses douchi, or fermented black beans, as its base, creating layers of flavor enhanced with touches of garlic, ginger, and the zesty brightness of orange zest. It’s a sauce that doesn’t shy away from its roots but proudly carries them into new territory.

But what’s a burrito without its filling? Thinly sliced chicken breast, marinated in a portion of our star sauce, then stir-fried to juicy perfection, offers a tender, flavorful base. This accompanies a symphony of stir-fried onions, bell peppers, and essential fried rice, introducing a textural contrast and a familiar comfort that binds all the elements together.

A photo-realistic image of a fusion dish called the Great Wall Burrito. It's a large flour tortilla with stir-fried chicken in a rich black bean sauce, fried rice with fresh carrots, sautéed onions, and red and green bell peppers. The burrito is neatly rolled and cut in half, showcasing the colorful filling. It's served on a white plate with extra black bean sauce. The background is a rustic wooden table with a napkin and chopsticks.

The assembly of the Great Wall Burrito is where the magic happens. Each tortilla is layered with fried rice, marinated chicken, and a colorful array of vegetables, then rolled carefully, ensuring every bite is a balanced morsel of this East-meets-West creation. For those who favor a crispy exterior, a quick pan-fry transforms the burrito’s outer layer into a golden, toasty shell, encasing the rich, flavorful fillings.

Bringing It All Together: The Great Wall Burrito Experience

This burrito is more than just a meal; it’s a conversation starter, a culinary innovation that invites you beyond traditional boundaries. Whether you’re a fusion food lover or a curious home chef looking to spice up your meal repertoire, the Great Wall Burrito is a beacon of culinary creativity. It’s a dish that proves, time and again, that the language of food is universal, transcending geographical and cultural barriers to bring us all a little closer, one delicious bite at a time. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into this fusion feast that promises to be as enjoyable to make as it is to eat. Welcome to the table where the world’s flavors harmonize.

Chinese Food + Burrito = Yes, Please!

Platter of ingredients for the Great Wall Burrito.
Portrait of Stephen Young

The prompt for this one was simple: “Give me a recipe for a Chinese burrito.”

I can’t take credit for the idea, though. I was flipping through random cooking videos on YouTube, and the algorithm suggested this video for a Chinese Burrito where the guy bought some Chinese takeout and wrapped it in a tortilla.

I thought, “Hey, I should ask Gippity to do that!”

It also gave me an excuse to shop for some fun new ingredients.

What Is Douchi?

A photo of douchi, or fermented black beans.

I have a confession to make.

The recipe on this page was not Gippity’s first attempt at a Chinese burrito. The first iteration was just some stir-fried chicken and vegetables wrapped in a tortilla.

That wasn’t very “burrito-y,” so I told Gippity to further workshop it. Burritos need beans, right? And what’s more Chinese than fermented black beans?

Douchi is made by fermenting and salting black soybeans. The black type soybean is most commonly used and the process turns the beans soft, and mostly semi-dry

Wikipedia

Fermented Black Bean Sauce

A photo of the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili minced and ready to be sautéed.

To make the sauce, I minced the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili and sautéed them in a pan with the douchi, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and orange zest.

At this point, my kitchen smelled amazing. This black bean sauce is a flavor bomb, and I’ll definitely make it again.

Gippity decided to add a couple of tablespoons of the bean sauce to the marinade for the chicken. This meant I had to make the sauce fully before making the marinade.

A photo of the layers of the Great Wall Burrito before wrapping it.

I’m not sure if that was the most economical use of my time, but the sauce’s ingredients kicked up the marinade a notch.

It also looked really cool.

After making the very simple fried rice and stir-fried vegetables, it was time to assemble the burritos. I usually mess this up by adding too much filling, so I was careful to keep them manageable.

The result was a delicious log that I pan-fried to get a crispy exterior, then tossed some green herbs on the plate for color.

Great Wall Burrito

Great Wall Burrito

Embark on a culinary adventure where East meets West in a delectable fusion, resulting in the Great Wall Burrito. This dish is a harmonious blend of the rich flavors of Chinese cuisine wrapped in a Mexican burrito. Each bite delivers a symphony of textures and tastes, making it a perfect meal for any time of day.

by

Prep 30 min Cook 20 min Total 50 min 4 Servings Cuisine Fusion Course Main Course

Ingredients

For the Black Bean Sauce:

  • 1 cup douchi (fermented black beans)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red chili, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup water

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • 1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons of the prepared black bean sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Fried Rice:

  • 1 cup cooked rice (preferably day-old)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup fresh carrots, diced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

For the Stir-Fried Vegetables:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced

For the Wraps:

  • 4 large flour tortillas

Instructions

  1. Rinse the douchi under cold water for 10 seconds, then toast in a dry pan over medium heat until dry. Remove and set aside.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in the same pan. Sauté shallots, garlic, ginger, and red chili until fragrant.
  3. Return the douchi to the pan. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and orange zest.
  4. Add water and simmer until the sauce thickens. Cool slightly before using.
  5. Mix chicken slices with 2 tablespoons of black bean sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Marinate for 30 minutes.
  6. Heat oil in a pan, scramble the egg, then add rice and carrots. Stir-fry, adding soy sauce for flavor. Set aside.
  7. Heat oil in a separate pan and sauté onions and bell peppers until tender. Set aside.
  8. Stir-fry the marinated chicken in a pan until cooked through.
  9. Layer fried rice, stir-fried vegetables, and chicken on a tortilla. Drizzle with additional black bean sauce.
  10. Roll up the tortilla burrito-style, ensuring the ends are tucked in.
  11. Pan-fry the burritos in a bit of oil until golden on each side for a crispy exterior.

Serve the Great Wall Burrito immediately, cutting it in half to reveal the vibrant and appetizing cross-section of flavors and textures. This fusion dish satisfies your hunger and sparks curiosity and delight in the culinary journey it represents. Enjoy this unique blend of traditions, where every bite combines worlds on a plate.

Great Wall Burrito

The Verdict

👎🏼
👍🏼
🤘🏼

Winner, Winner, Fusion Dinner!

This thing was tremendous. The salty, zesty black bean sauce was the star of the show, but the whole thing came together really well. My wife tried the filling on its own and said it was a bit simple, but as a burrito, it was perfect. It would have been too much if the fried rice or vegetables were more complex.

I still have some leftover douchi and a bunch of Shaoxing wine and sauces, so I’ll probably ask Gippity to conjure up another fun application for those ingredients soon.