Читать книгу Ching’s Fast Food: 110 Quick and Healthy Chinese Favourites - Ching-He Huang - Страница 12

‘No, Peking duck is better.’ This is what my father would insist whenever he saw crispy aromatic duck on the menu at a Chinese restaurant. On one occasion I felt I had to intervene; I could see the disappointed look on the Swiss husband of one of my father’s guests. I told my father I had a craving for crispy duck and he called me a wai guo ren (foreigner) in front of his friends, at which everyone laughed, the Swiss man included. I couldn’t believe it! For the first time, I had put myself in the firing line to satisfy someone else’s craving for a particular dish. On the plus side, I now occupied the moral high ground. I had been selfless in the sacrifice of my dignity for the happiness of another and thought my Buddhist master would be proud of my spiritual development (even if I was still a self-confessed carnivore).

Since my ‘enlightening’ crispy duck experience, I was actually enlightened once again, years later, to find that crispy aromatic duck is basically Chinese in origin and not something just concocted for foreigners, bearing a resemblance to tea-smoked Sichuan duck, Cantonese roast duck and Peking duck. All four dishes use Chinese five spice, the difference being that crispy aromatic duck is deep-fried rather than oven-roasted. When I told my father this, he still maintained in his father-knows-best tone that ‘crispy duck is no good anyway because they fry the duck on its last days of freshness’.

Crispy aromatic duck seems to be confined to the UK. The debate continues about who invented it. According to the previous generation of Chinese food lovers, the Richmond Rendezvous Group – a chain of restaurants that created the boom in Chinese cuisine in the mid-1960s – was responsible for this delicious recipe that is consistently voted as the No. 1 Chinese takeaway dish in Britain.

Peking duck is equally popular: Beijingers see it as the national dish of China, the crème de la crème of all dishes. Chefs are super-proud of the delicious smoky golden skin of the duck and tender, succulent flesh, achieved by first slathering the bird in a maltose glaze and airdrying for eight hours before filling with water and cooking it in a wood-fired oven so that the meat is steamed on the inside while the outside remains crisp. At a good restaurant, the waiter will meticulously carve the skin and meat in front of you and serve the skin with some fine sugar. This will be served with thin steamed pancakes made from wheat flour, sliced cucumber, spring onions and a good tian mian jiang (sweet flour sauce). You should also expect a good restaurant to ask you how you would like the rest of the duck cooked – either in a delicious herbal broth soup or in a stir-fry with lush greens (I usually go with the chef’s recommendation). Both Peking duck and crispy duck are on my top list of favourite starters, so they are both included in this chapter, although my version of Peking duck is more like Cantonese roast duck because it is easier to recreate in the home kitchen.

I now have a tendency to judge dinner hosts based on their diplomacy when it comes to ordering (even if they are paying) and I am careful to be as sensitive as possible, to the point where I might be accused of being too nice. But better to be that, in my opinion, than greedy and selfish with no manners. There is a real art to ordering and being a good host; it takes real skill or gong-fu (kung fu). The Chinese are known for their generosity when it comes to dining, but a fine line needs to be trodden there as well: order too much and you look like a show-off; too little and you are seen as a scrooge. I take advice from my Buddhist master and that is: always finish what is on the table. It is better not to waste good food – think of all the people who go hungry.

When it comes to dinner parties at your own home, one thing is for sure: the very first dishes should impress. First impressions count. Like a teaser trailer to a blockbuster film, it should give you a hint of what to expect but without giving the whole plot away. It should excite and thrill you, satisfying you up to a point while leaving you hungry for more.

I usually serve a combination of ‘yang’ dishes, ‘yang’ being my label for ‘fried’ because it doesn’t sound so bad. Yes, we all know that fried food comes with an ‘unhealthy’ tag, but it is all a matter of what you choose to eat. If you served and ate only fried food, you would soon be in A&E. Like everything in life, food choices are about balance. ‘Yang’ is appropriate because, in food terms, it means ‘hot’ energy, i.e. food that creates more ‘heat’ within the body. The opposite of this is ‘yin’ or cooling energy. It is not good for the body to be too ‘yang’, as it puts stress on the body. So my ‘yang’ menu carries this health warning – do not serve all these fried dishes in one meal; they are meant to be served only as an accompaniment to a variety of balanced dishes.

I have included many of my favourite naughty ‘yang’ takeaway starters (see Appetisers) such as Pork and Prawn Fried Wantons and Crispy Sweet Chilli Beef Pancakes, my take on crispy duck pancakes. If this is all too ‘yang’ for you, then fear not, as I have also included some ‘leng’ starters, i.e. ‘cooling’ dishes that are more balanced and not fried (see Appetisers).

Vegetable spring rolls (chun juen)

Some may think this isn’t a traditional Chinese dish – but it is, usually eaten at the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. It has northern Chinese roots where wheat flour is the main form of carbohydrate and bings – semi-rolled pancakes – are eaten, with various delicious fillings wrapped inside.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes, plus 10 minutes for cooling COOK IN: 7 minutes MAKES: 12 small rolls

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

1 tsp of peeled and grated root ginger

100g (3½oz) shiitake mushrooms, sliced

100g (3½oz) tinned bamboo shoots, drained and cut into matchsticks

1½ tbsps of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of Chinese five-spice powder

75g (3oz) bean sprouts

2 large spring onions, sliced lengthways

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 tbsp of vegetarian oyster sauce

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of ground white pepper

24 small spring roll wrappers (14.5cm/6in square)

1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp of water

1. Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry for a few seconds. Tip in the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, then season with 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and the five-spice powder. Remove from the wok and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Put the bean sprouts, spring onions and carrot into a bowl, add the fried mushrooms and bamboo shoots and season with the oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce and the salt and pepper. Stir all the ingredients together to mix.

3. Take 2 spring roll wrappers and lay one on top of the other. (The extra layer will help prevent the skin from breaking.) Spoon 2 tbsps of filling into the centre of the top wrapper and brush each corner with the cornflour paste.

4. With the wrappers laid out in a diamond shape before you, bring the two side corners to meet in the middle, then bring the lower corner to the middle and roll the pastry with the filling towards the top corner. Tuck in the top edge and seal it with the cornflour paste. Continue in the same way until all the wrappers are filled.

5. Place a wok over a high heat and add the remaining groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Deep-fry the spring rolls for about 5 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with a dipping sauce, such as sweet chilli sauce, if you like.

CHING’S TIP

For a healthier ‘baked’ option, substitute the spring roll wrappers with 12.5cm (5in) squares of filo pastry. Brush one sheet with groundnut oil, cover with a second sheet and brush with oil again. Fill as in the recipe, then place on a baking tray and bake in the oven (preheated to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4) for 20 minutes.

Crispy seaweed

This does not originate in China – it was invented by Chinese cooks in the West. It doesn’t actually contain seaweed but is made with pak choy leaves that are finely shredded and deep-fried. I like to season mine with salt and granulated sugar so that it’s sweet and salty. It’s a great way to use up any pak choy you may have that is slightly past its best, and is also great as an appetiser or sprinkled as a garnish over crispy squid.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK IN: 2 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

200g (7oz) pak choy leaves, stems removed

Sea salt and granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1 tsp of toasted white sesame seeds (see the tip below)

1. Place a wok over a high heat and pour in the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface.

2. Add half the pak choy leaves and deep-fry for a few seconds, then lift out using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Deep-fry the remaining pak choy leaves and drain in the same way.

3. Season the ‘seaweed’ with salt and sugar to taste, then transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

CHING’S TIP

You can buy sesame seeds ready-toasted, but they taste much better if you toast them yourself. Simply add the raw seeds to a frying pan set over a medium heat and dry-fry, tossing occasionally, for 3–4 minutes or until they begin to brown and become fragrant. Keep a close eye on them, as they can quickly burn, and remove from the heat as soon as they are toasted.

ALSO TRY

For a non-vegetarian option, you could sprinkle over dried pork or fish floss instead of the toasted sesame seeds.

Sesame prawn toast

This dish is a takeaway classic. Instead of mincing the prawns, however, I keep them whole, wrapping them in brown toast and sesame seeds and then frying them until golden brown. They are delicious served with sweet chilli sauce.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK IN: 5 minutes MAKES: 8 toasts

1 tsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 large spring onion, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp of cornflour

Dash of toasted sesame oil

Dash of light soy sauce

Salt and ground white pepper

8 tbsps of white sesame seeds, toasted (see the tip opposite)

4 slices of brown toast, halved and crusts removed

8 raw tiger prawns, shelled and deveined, tails left on

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

1. Combine the ginger, spring onion, beaten egg, cornflour, toasted sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl and season with 2 pinches of salt and some white pepper. Place the sesame seeds in another bowl.

2. Dip a half piece of toast in the mixture and coat well. Then wrap the toast around a prawn and squeeze slightly so that the bread fully covers the prawn. Roll the wrapped prawn in sesame seeds and coat well. Repeat with the remaining prawns and pieces of toast.

3. Place a wok over a high heat, add the groundnut oil and heat to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Deep-fry the sesame prawn toasts for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

‘Stinky’-style aromatic dofu with kimchi

Stinky dofu is made by fermenting dofu in a pungent brine, which gives it a distinctive smell and flavour. Traditionally, the brine consists of fermented milk, dried prawns, mustard greens, bamboo shoots and Chinese herbs. It does smell strong, but it is extremely flavoursome. This dish is one of my favourite street-food snacks and I often have a craving for it. The dofu is deep-fried and served with sour cabbage and chilli sauce. This is my own version. I like to marinate dofu that has been already fried (and which you can buy in a Chinese supermarket) in garlic, mirin and five-spice powder, then deep-fry it and serve with some Korean-style kimchi and a good hot chilli sauce.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour for marinating COOK IN: 3 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

8 x 6cm (2½in) square pieces of deep-fried dofu

4 tbsps of potato flour or cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

FOR THE MARINADE

2 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely sliced

4 tbsps of mirin

1 tbsp of clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder

TO GARNISH (OPTIONAL)

Pinch of medium chilli powder

Few sprigs of coriander

TO SERVE (IN SEPARATE DISHES)

3 tbsps of kimchi

2 tbsps of chilli bean sauce

2 tbsps of chilli sauce mixed with 2 tbsps of oyster sauce

2 tbsps of hot chilli sauce

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and add the dofu pieces, then cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Lift the dofu pieces out of the marinade, giving them a good squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then dust with the potato flour or cornflour.

2. Place a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a piece of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Fry the dofu for 2–3 minutes or until golden and crisp on the outside, then drain on kitchen paper and cut into triangular wedges (each cut in half, diagonally, to give 16 triangles).

3. Transfer to a serving plate and dust with the chilli powder and sprinkle with the coriander if you like. Serve with the assortment of small dishes of kimchi, chilli bean sauce, chilli oyster sauce and hot chilli sauce.

Sichuan salt and pepper squid

Squid contains lots of nutrients, including zinc, manganese, copper, selenium and vitamin B12. When cooked well, it has a delicious soft, chewy texture. I was once fed squid sperm sacs stir-fried with egg and spring onions in a seafood restaurant in Hong Kong and it certainly was an acquired taste! Squid itself is not so challenging, however, and salt and pepper squid is one the most popular starters to be served in Chinese restaurants as well as appearing on some takeaway menus. This dish is easy to make and does not require much effort. I love the numbing heat from the Sichuan peppercorns: just dry-toast them in a pan and grind them well to ensure the maximum flavour.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK IN: 5 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

1 egg, beaten

100g (3½oz) potato flour or cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

200g (7oz) squid, cleaned and sliced into rings

Salt

2 pinches of dried chilli flakes

1 tbsp of Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (see the tip below)

Sprigs of coriander, to garnish

TO SERVE

Lemon wedges

Fruity Chilli Sauce (see Appetisers)

1. Mix the beaten egg with the potato flour or cornflour and 2 tbsps of water to make a batter.

2. Heat a large wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface.

3. Dip the squid rings into the batter and carefully drop into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 4–5 minutes or until golden, then lift out using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Season with a little salt, the dried chilli flakes and ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns, then serve with lemon wedges and the Fruity Chilli Sauce and garnish with coriander sprigs.

CHING’S TIP

To toast the Sichuan peppercorns, heat a small wok or saucepan over a medium heat, then add the peppercorns and dry-toast for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Alternatively, place in a plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin.

Five-spice salted prawns with hot coriander sauce

This is my take on salt and pepper prawns: prawns coated in a starchy batter and deep-fried, then tossed in a spicy salt and served with a grapefruit and coriander dipping sauce. It also makes a sophisticated appetiser for serving with cocktails.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK IN: 5 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

1 egg, beaten

100g (3½oz) potato flour or cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

12 raw tiger prawns, shelled and deveined, tails left on

FOR THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CORIANDER SAUCE

1 tbsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 green chilli, sliced

1 red chilli, sliced

2 tbsps of lemon juice

Juice of ½ large pink grapefruit (‘bits’ included)

Handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped

FOR THE SPICE MIX

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of ground white pepper

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, potato flour or cornflour and 2 tbsps of water to make a batter. Set to one side.

2. Place a wok over a high heat, add the groundnut oil and heat to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface.

3. Dip each prawn in the batter and then lower into the oil, one at a time. Cook for 4–5 minutes or until the prawns turn golden and then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Mix together the ingredients for the spice mix and sprinkle over the cooked prawns, toss well and eat immediately, served with the coriander sauce.

Japanese-style crispy halibut with lemon sauce

If you enjoy ordering lemon chicken from your local takeaway, then you will like this dish. It rather resembles English-style fish fingers – without the lemon sauce, that is! I like to use a good white-fleshed fish; cod is overfished, hence I’ve used halibut here, but pollack would do just as well. You could even use mackerel if you wished. I like using the Japanese panko breadcrumbs because they have been flavoured with honey and are extra crisp, but you could make your own breadcrumbs, of course, using a chunk of stale bread. The dipping sauce is easy to make too.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK IN: 5 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

200g (7oz) halibut fillet, cut into 1cm (½in) strips

Sea salt and ground white pepper

100g (3½oz) potato flour or cornflour

1 egg, beaten

150g (5oz) panko breadcrumbs

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

Dried chilli flakes (optional)

Lemon wedges, to garnish (optional)

FOR THE SAUCE

1 tbsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 tbsp of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of runny honey

1 tbsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

100ml (3½fl oz) cold vegetable stock

50ml (2fl oz) lemon juice

1 tbsp of cornflour

1. Season the halibut pieces with salt and white pepper. Put the potato flour or cornflour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Dip the halibut pieces into the potato flour or cornflour, then the egg and coat in the breadcrumbs.

2. Place a wok over a high heat and add all but 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a piece of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Fry the breaded halibut pieces in the oil for 3–4 minutes or until golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a small wok or saucepan over a medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp of groundnut oil. Add the ginger and fry for a few seconds, then add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened, then remove from the heat.

4. When the fish is cooked, season with dried chilli flakes (if using), garnish with lemon wedges, if you like, and serve with the lemon dipping sauce.

Chinese-style soft-shell crabs

In Chinese cooking, crabs are served in a variety of ways, from steamed and braised as well as deep-fried. This is a popular dish, served in Chinese restaurants all over the world. It’s also one of my favourite dishes.

Soft-shell crabs can be bought in the frozen sections of a Chinese supermarket. The most well-known variety is the blue crab from America. As the crabs grow, they moult their old shells and for a short period between May and July their new shell remains soft and delicate.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes for marinating COOK IN: 4 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

4 frozen small soft-shell crabs, defrosted

2 eggs, beaten

200g (7oz) potato flour or cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

2 large pinches of sea salt

2 large pinches of ground black pepper

1 tsp of dried chilli flakes

FOR THE MARINADE

1 tbsp of groundnut oil

1 tbsp of peeled and grated root ginger

1 tsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder

¼ tsp of medium chilli powder

1 tbsp of clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar

TO GARNISH

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 red chillies, deseeded (optional) and sliced

1. To prepare a crab, first cut away the face (this can taste bitter), slicing behind the eyes. Next, lift the flap on the underside of the crab and cut this off. Loosen the top ‘shell’ of the body and lift it up to reveal the gills (plume-like filaments also known as ‘dead man’s fingers’ – there are eight on each side of the crab’s body). These are inedible and should be removed, along with any brown meat. Rinse the crab well and prepare the remaining crabs in the same way.

2. Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add the crabs, cover with cling film and leave to marinate for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, potato flour or cornflour and 2 tbsps of water to make a batter.

3. Place a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface.

4. Remove the crabs from the marinade and drain. Dip the crabs in the batter and then gently lower into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Deep-fry for 3–4 minutes or until golden and then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Season with the salt, pepper and chilli flakes, then garnish with the spring onions and red chillies and serve immediately.

Sweet and sour Wuxi ribs

This dish originates from Wuxi in Zhejiang province. As this borders the neighbouring Shanghai municipality, it means that the dish can be found in many Shanghai restaurants too. The traditional way of preparing the ribs is to braise them slowly in stock for an hour, then add the sauce.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes for marinating COOK IN: 10 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

600g (1lb 5oz) pork ribs, chopped into 3–4cm (1¼–1½ inch) pieces

400ml (14fl oz) groundnut oil

Sea salt and ground white pepper

1 spring onion, finely sliced, to garnish

FOR THE MARINADE

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsps of yellow bean sauce

1 tbsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

2 tbsps of light soy sauce

2 tbsps of Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp of runny honey

1. Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the pork ribs and turn to coat, then cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes in the fridge.

2. Place a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add the ribs and shallow-fry for 4–5 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Lift the ribs out of the wok and drain on kitchen paper.

3. While the ribs are cooking, place all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce in a small bowl and stir to combine.

4. Drain the wok of oil and wipe it clean, then place back over a high heat. Add the ribs and sauce mixture to the wok and cook on a medium-to-low heat for 5–6 minutes or until the sauce has reduced to a sticky consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with the spring onion and serve immediately.

Crispy sweet chilli beef pancakes

This is just like crispy duck pancakes but using beef instead of duck. The beef is coated in batter and then fried until crispy. To make a quick and easy sweet sauce, I have used a mixture of light soy, orange juice and shop-bought sweet chilli sauce.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes COOK IN: 10 minutes SERVES: 2–4 to share

300g (11oz) beef sirloin, fat removed, very finely sliced

2 tbsps of cornflour

600ml (1 pint) groundnut oil

FOR THE FRUITY CHILLI SAUCE

2 tbsps of light soy sauce

2 tbsps of sweet chilli sauce

Juice of 1 small orange

TO SERVE

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

½ cucumber (unpeeled), cut into matchsticks

2 spring onions, finely sliced lengthways

12 small wheat-flour pancakes

ALSO TRY

If you like, you could turn this dish into crispy beef by adding fried beef pieces to the thickened sauce in the wok, tossing together and garnishing with orange zest.