On a rainy Saturday night, few things are as satisfying as ordering in from your local Chinese restaurant. Having a warm fragrant bag of your favorite Chinese treats delivered to your door is a huge convenience and a feast for the senses. These days, not everyone can afford the luxury of ordering Chinese food; at least, not as often as they used to. Take-out food is usually one of the first luxuries to get the axe when the family budget is tightened up.

The good news is that you can make many popular Chinese meals at home easily, economically, and with the healthy, natural ingredients that you love. If you want to try your hand at cooking Chinese, it's wise to prepare beforehand to make sure you have all the ingredients you need.

Most Chinese dishes require simple, readily available meats and veggies, but the spices and oils used in Chinese cooking may differ from what you have in your cupboard right now.

To create a basic Chinese ingredient line-up you should have:

• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chinese 5-spice blend

If you're feeling adventurous and want to cook up Chinese meals with a gourmet flavor, you can pick up some Shaoxing rice wine. Shaoxing Rice wine is similar to dry cooking sherry, adding a sweet flavor and rich depth.