Six Favourite Recipes
From the fiery heat of Sichuan to the delicate flavours of Cantonese steamed fish — these are dishes worth cooking.
⏱ 30 mins
👤 Serves 4
🌶 Medium–hot
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast, diced
- 80g roasted peanuts
- 6–8 dried red chillies
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
- Marinate diced chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, rice wine, and a pinch of cornflour for 15 minutes.
- Mix the sauce: remaining soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and cornflour slurry in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Fry dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken and stir-fry until golden and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and spring onion whites. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Pour in sauce and toss to coat. Add peanuts and spring onion greens. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
💡 Tip: The Sichuan peppercorns give a distinctive numbing tingle — don't skip them. Toast them briefly in a dry pan first for maximum flavour.
⏱ 25 mins
👤 Serves 4
🌶 Hot
Ingredients
- 600g silken or soft tofu, cubed
- 150g minced pork
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
- 1 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornflour + 3 tbsp water
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
- Gently poach tofu cubes in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain carefully and set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok. Fry the minced pork until browned and crumbly.
- Add doubanjiang and fermented black beans. Fry for 2 minutes — the oil will turn deep red.
- Add garlic and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the stock and soy sauce.
- Gently add tofu. Simmer 3 minutes without breaking the cubes.
- Stir in cornflour slurry to thicken. Drizzle with sesame oil and ground Sichuan pepper. Top with spring onions and serve at once.
💡 Tip: Doubanjiang (pixian variety) is the soul of this dish. It's widely available online and in Asian supermarkets — there is no substitute.
⏱ 35 mins
👤 Serves 4
🌶 Mild
Ingredients
- 500g pork loin, cut in strips
- 1 red pepper, chunked
- 1 green pepper, chunked
- 1 small onion, chunked
- 1 tin pineapple chunks (drained)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 100ml pineapple juice (from tin)
- 1 egg + 4 tbsp cornflour (batter)
- Oil for deep frying
Method
- Season pork with salt and pepper. Make a thick batter with egg and cornflour. Coat each piece well.
- Deep fry pork in batches at 175°C until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper and set aside.
- Mix sauce: vinegar, ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Stir-fry peppers and onion for 2 minutes — keep them crisp.
- Pour sauce into the wok. Bring to a bubble, then add pineapple and fried pork.
- Toss everything quickly to coat. The pork should stay crispy. Serve immediately.
💡 Tip: Fry the pork twice — a first fry to cook it through, a second quick fry to crisp the outside — for restaurant-quality results.
⏱ 20 mins
👤 Serves 4
🌶 Mild
Ingredients
- 1 whole sea bass or bream (600–800g), cleaned
- 5cm knob of fresh ginger, julienned
- 4 spring onions, finely shredded
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Fresh coriander to garnish
Method
- Score the fish three times on each side. Rub inside and out with rice wine, a little salt, and half the ginger. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Place fish on a heatproof plate on a rack in a wok or steamer. Steam vigorously for 8–10 minutes — the flesh should flake at the thickest part.
- Carefully tip away any liquid from the plate. Lay remaining ginger and spring onions over the fish.
- Mix soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Pour over the fish.
- Heat vegetable oil in a small pan until smoking. Pour it sizzling over the ginger and spring onions to release their fragrance. Garnish with coriander and serve at once.
💡 Tip: Do not overcook. Eight minutes is usually enough. The sizzling oil poured over the top is what transforms a simple dish into something spectacular.
⏱ 25 mins
👤 Serves 2
🌶 Medium–hot
Ingredients
- 200g fresh or dried wheat noodles
- 150g minced pork
- 2 tbsp ya cai (Yibin preserved vegetables)
- 2 tbsp chilli oil
- 2 tbsp tahini or Chinese sesame paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp hot water or chicken stock
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- Blanched pak choi to serve
Method
- Make the sauce: whisk together sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, garlic, Sichuan pepper, and hot water or stock until smooth.
- Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Fry minced pork in a dry wok until very crispy and well browned. Add ya cai and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Season with a splash of soy sauce.
- Divide sauce between two bowls. Add hot noodles on top and toss well to coat every strand.
- Top with crispy pork, pak choi, spring onions, and an extra drizzle of chilli oil. Serve immediately.
💡 Tip: Ya cai (preserved Yibin vegetables) is the authentic ingredient — it adds a savoury crunch that makes a real difference. Find it in any Chinese supermarket.
⏱ 15 mins
👤 Serves 2–3
🌶 Mild
Ingredients
- 400g cooked jasmine rice (day-old, cold)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Optional: frozen peas, sweetcorn, diced char siu pork
Method
- Break up the cold rice with your hands so there are no clumps. This is crucial — it must be dry and separated.
- Heat wok over the highest flame possible until smoking hot. Add oil and swirl to coat.
- Add beaten eggs. Let them set briefly, then scramble loosely. Remove and set aside before they are fully cooked.
- Add rice to the wok. Spread and press it against the surface. Leave it for 30 seconds to get some colour, then toss. Repeat this process for 2–3 minutes.
- Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- Return eggs and add spring onions. Toss everything together for 30 seconds and serve.
💡 Tip: Day-old cold rice is not optional — fresh rice is too wet and will steam rather than fry. The maximum heat of your hob is equally important: this is "wok hei" — the breath of the wok.
