Читать книгу Chinese Food Made Easy: 100 simple, healthy recipes from easy-to-find ingredients - Ching-He Huang - Страница 5

With this in mind, I have created dishes in this book that may sound familiar but that have a modern twist in cooking techniques or ingredients. Some of the dishes are new versions of old favourites, and some are traditional recipes I have collected from my travels in China, simplified to demonstrate how healthy, light and simple Chinese cooking can be. Some of these dishes were the result of working with farmers, producers and the British public from all walks of life, who inspired me to re-create recipes that suited their working and home lifestyles – Richard, for example, who needed my help to convince the town of Chorley to buy his local, home-grown chillies, and Robbie, who wanted some new healthy recipes to cook for his watch at the Blackburn fire brigade. The recipes are wide ranging, varied and versatile.

From Takeaway Favourites, I love my healthier version of Sweet and sour pork and also my Sweet and tangy chilli beef (which may come as a surprise to many Chinese as it involves eating raw pak choy leaves – traditionally, Chinese don’t like eating cold raw vegetable dishes. But for health, I think we can take the best of both cultures and create the ideal balance of East and West).

My Spicy Sichuan dishes may surprise but, I hope, also inspire you; these dishes are for chilli lovers – try the Spicy hotpot! You can go to town with them and vary the degree of heat to your liking. Many dishes are my simpler takes on the traditional, such as Dan Dan noodles, Sichuan orange beef, Bang-Bang chicken and Spicy warm bacon or lardon and cucumber salad. For vegetarians who love dofu, try my Spicy dofu and edamame beans.

For those who love getting their hands dirty, the Dumplings, Dim Sum and Noodles chapter is for you – lots of rolling, folding and stuffing. Try my Wonton noodle soup, Roast pork pastry puffs, Pork and prawn dumplings, or my favourite noodle recipe of all time, ‘Dragon Prawn’ noodles. These types of dishes are great for a dim sum or cocktail party.

For seafood lovers, check out the Cleansing clam and daikon soup in Fish and Seafood – light and delicious, this was one of my grandmother’s recipes. Another Huang family favourite is my Mum’s lobster and mayo brioche, which is not Chinese but so good that I wanted to share it with you! My recipe for Black bean steamed scallops with noodles was inspired by the best seafood in Hong Kong and it won’t disappoint. For a great comforting dish, it has to be my Seafood congee – if you like seafood risotto then do give this recipe a whirl! To impress, try the Coriander prawns and Longjing tea – it is finger-licking good, even if I do say so myself!

For a quick snack explore the Street Food chapter and try my Spiced beef stir-fry topped with spring onion, stuffed in wheat flour tortillas or steamed pancakes, and served with a dollop of wasabi mayo – this is a real fusion snack and delicious. Or try the healthy version of my Chicken and vegetable spring rolls.

The Celebration Food chapter has all the dishes I love serving to family and friends. These dishes are more traditional in terms of flavour, such as my Lionhead meatballs, Drunken chicken, Steamed egg, shiitake mushrooms and seaweed, Buddha’s stir-fried vegetables and Northern-style bean curd. There are some twists, too – try the Steamed sea bass in hot beer and ginger lime sauce and the Lamb chops in dofu ru with adzuki and butter bean mash.

In my family, we usually have fresh citrus fruits after a meal to help cleanse the palate, but I just adore desserts. So I couldn’t help but create some light refreshing ones to share with you. Perhaps Durian honey puffs with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup will appeal, or Fruity sticky rice with toffee sauce, Mango madness, Red bean paste and banana spring rolls, Lychee lime and mixed fruit jelly or Empress Dowager Cixi’s longevity peach pudding might tempt you to get cooking in the kitchen?