Simple Chinese Cookery

by Ken Hom

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  About the Author

  Title Page

  Introduction

  Ingredients and Equipment

  Soups and Starters

  Classic Chinese chicken stock

  Cantonese egg flower soup

  Sweetcorn and crab soup

  Cantonese wonton soup

  Spicy hot and sour soup

  Crispy ‘seaweed’

  Sesame prawn toast

  Crispy fried wontons

  Dim sum-style pork dumplings

  Peking-style caramel walnuts

  Spring rolls

  Fish and Shellfish

  Steamed Cantonese-style fish

  Sichuan braised fish

  Sweet and sour prawns

  Spicy Sichuan-style prawns

  Stir-fried squid with vegetables

  Cantonese crab with black bean sauce

  Steamed fresh oysters

  Meat and Poultry

  Stir-fried pork with spring onions

  Sweet and sour pork, Chiu Chow style

  Crackling Chinese roast pork

  Stir-fried beef with oyster sauce

  Stir-fried chicken with black bean sauce

  Spicy chicken with peanuts

  Classic lemon chicken

  Chinese chicken curry

  Cashew chicken

  Peking duck

  Crispy aromatic duck

  Vegetables and Side Dishes

  Stir-fried spinach

  Stir-fried broccoli

  Stir-fried mixed vegetables

  Braised Sichuan-style spicy beancurd

  Sichuan-style green beans

  Chinese pancakes

  Perfect steamed rice

  Egg-fried rice

  Chow mein

  Northern-style cold noodles

  Singapore noodles

  Menus

  Index

  Copyright

  About the Book

  Chinese food is popular the world over. In Ken Hom’s Simple Chinese Cookery (formerly called Foolproof Chinese Cookery), available in paperback as well as hardback, Ken proves that anyone can cook this healthy and delicious cuisine.

  Ken demonstrates 40 of the most popular and well-known Chinese dishes with step-by-step instructions and photographs to accompany every stage from start to finish. The recipes (including soups and starters, fish and shellfish, meat and poultry and vegetable accompaniments) are not only quick and easy to prepare but are also convenient as they use readily available ingredients. The cookbook also features a special menu section so that you can plan your perfect meal.

  From simple Green Chicken Curry to the more elaborate Whole Fish in Coconut Milk, Ken’s easy recipes have foolproof instructions that will guarantee even the novice cook excellent results every time.

  About the Author

  Ken Hom is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest authorities on oriental cooking. He has made several series for the BBC including Hot Wok, Travels with a Hot Wok and Foolproof Chinese Cookery, and his many books are worldwide bestsellers.

  Introduction

  My knowledge and love of Chinese cookery came from watching and imitating chefs at my uncle’s restaurant, where I was a young apprentice. Later, as a culinary professor, I was struck by the fact that although many of my students had read about various techniques in one or more of the many fine Chinese cookbooks available, it was only when they saw them demonstrated that they really understood them. And only then could they attempt to duplicate what I had shown them. The step-by-step procedures that I developed became the basis of my teaching and I used them extensively as a broadcaster. They form the backbone of the recipes in this book. The cliché about pictures being worth a thousand words is more valid than ever.

  China has one of the world’s oldest culinary traditions. Its cuisine is unique because it developed independently of the West. Because of the ancient, insular civilization, poor transportation network, lack of arable land, shortage of fuels and lack of ovens, Chinese chefs were forced to accommodate their art to necessity. Later, as the Chinese moved abroad, they took this culinary heritage with them. If one wishes to understand the essence of Chinese cooking, therefore, it is important to make a cultural leap of faith.

  ‘Chinese cooks are engaged in creating harmony. The size and shape of the food, the fragrances and the contrasting tastes and textures are all part of the final result.’

  Chinese cooks are engaged in creating harmony. The size and shape of the food, the fragrances and the contrasting tastes and textures are all part of the final result. Our aim is to attain a balance between all these elements. Often when I demonstrate, people are surprised by the simplicity and logic of this ancient cuisine. The tools we use are remarkably few and simple and the techniques so effective that cooks from other cuisines now use many of them.

  In this book, you will see that Chinese cooking is really not very complex. The step-by-step photographs and the thoroughly tested recipes will help you to achieve success. However, you should be bold. Trust your palate. Follow the techniques and recipes but feel free to add your own touches. Adjust, invent, as Chinese cooks have done for centuries. Incorporate your favourite Chinese ingredients when cooking dishes from other cuisines. Use the techniques that you have mastered from this book and build upon them.

  It is my hope that the pleasure you gain from making these foolproof recipes will give you the confidence of a true Chinese cook.

  Ingredients and Equipment

  INGREDIENTS

  Events of the past few decades have opened up the kitchens of the world to Asian food, and many of the most exotic ingredients are now readily available in the West. This is especially true of Chinese food. The following is a brief guide to ingredients used in this book.

  Beancurd

  Also known by its Chinese name, doufu, or the Japanese, tofu, beancurd is highly nutritious and rich in protein, with a distinctive texture but bland taste. It is made from yellow soya beans, which are soaked, ground, mixed with water and then cooked briefly before being solidified. Beancurd is readily available in two forms – as firm cakes or as a thickish junket – and may also be found in several dried forms and in a fermented version. The soft junket-like variety (sometimes called silken tofu) is used for soups, while the solid type is used for stir-frying, braising and poaching. Solid beancurd ‘cakes’ are white in colour and are sold in supermarkets and Chinese grocers, as well as in many healthfood shops. They are packed in water in plastic containers and may be kept in this state in the refrigerator for up to five days, provided the water is changed daily.

  To use solid beancurd, cut it into cubes or shreds with a sharp knife. Do this with care as it is delicate. It also needs to be cooked carefully, as too much stirring can cause it to crumble.

  Bok Choy (Chinese White Cabbage)

  Although there are many varieties, the most common bok choy is the one with a long, smooth, milky-white stem and large, crinkly, dark-green leaves. The smaller the plant, the more tender it will be. Bok choy has a light, fresh, slightly mustardy flavour and requires little cooking. It is now widely available in supermarkets. Look for firm, crisp stalks and unblemished leaves. Store bok choy in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator.

  Caul Fat

  Caul fat is a lacy membrane that lines the stomach cavity of pigs and cows. It melts during cooking and is often used by European and Chinese cooks to encase stuffings and keep meat moist and delicious. You should be able to order caul fat from your local butcher. It is highly perishable, so buy it in small quantities and use quickly. For longer storage, wrap the caul fat carefully and freeze it. To defrost, rinse in cold water. I find that soaking c
aul fat in cold water before use helps to separate the fat without tearing its lacy, fragile webs.

  Chillies

  Chillies are used extensively in western China, less so in the south. They are the seed pods of capsicum plants and can be obtained fresh, dried or ground. There are many types available and they vary greatly in flavour and heat.

  Fresh Chillies

  Fresh chillies should look fresh and bright, with no brown patches or black spots. As a general rule, red chillies are milder than green ones because they sweeten as they ripen, but nevertheless some red chillies can be very spicy indeed.

  To prepare fresh chillies, rinse them in cold water, then slit them lengthways with a small sharp knife. Remove and discard the seeds. Rinse the chillies again under cold running water and then prepare them according to the recipe. Wash your hands, knife and chopping board before preparing other foods, and be careful not to touch your eyes until you have washed your hands thoroughly.

  Dried Red Chillies

  The dried red chillies used in China are usually small, thin and about 1 cm (½ in) long. They are normally left whole or cut in half lengthways with the seeds left in and used to season oil for stir-fried dishes, sauces and braises. The Chinese like to blacken them and leave them in the dish during cooking but, as they are extremely hot, you may prefer to remove them immediately after using them to flavour the cooking oil. They can be found in Chinese and Asian grocers as well as in most supermarkets and will keep indefinitely in a tightly covered jar. When eating out, most diners carefully move the blackened chillies to one side of their plate.

  Chilli Oil/Chilli Dipping Sauce

  Chilli oil is sometimes used as a dipping condiment as well as a seasoning in China. It varies in strength according to the chillies used. The Thai and Malaysian versions are especially hot, the Taiwanese and Chinese ones more subtle. Commercial oils are quite acceptable but the home-made version is best, so I have included a recipe below. Remember that chilli oil is too intense to be used as the sole cooking oil, so combine it with milder oils. This recipe includes pepper and black beans for additional flavours so it can also be used as a dipping sauce.

  150 ml (5 fl oz) groundnut oil

  2 tablespoons chopped dried red chillies

  1 tablespoon unroasted Sichuan peppercorns

  2 tablespoons whole salted black beans

  Heat a wok over a high heat, then add the oil followed by all the rest of the ingredients. Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Pour into a jar and leave for 2 days, then strain the oil. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dark place, where it will keep indefinitely.

  Green and red fresh chillies; dried red chillies

  Chilli Powder

  Chilli powder is made from dried red chillies and is used in many spicy dishes. As with chillies in general, add it according to taste.

  Chinese Flowering Cabbage

  Chinese flowering cabbage, or choi sum, is part of the mustard green cabbage family. It has green leaves and may have small yellow flowers, which can be eaten along with the leaves and stems. In China this is one of the most popular leafy vegetables and makes a delicious stir-fry dish.

  Clockwise from top left: pak choy, chinese flowering cabbage, coriander, bok choy

  Chinese Leaves (Peking Cabbage)

  This delicious, crunchy vegetable comes in various sizes, from long, compact, barrel-shaped ones to short, squat types. The heads are tightly packed with firm, pale-green (or in some cases slightly yellow), crinkled leaves. It is most commonly added to soups and meat stir-fries but its ability to absorb flavours and its pleasant taste and texture make it a favourite with chefs, who match it with rich foods. Store it as you would ordinary cabbage.

  Coriander (Chinese Parsley)

  Fresh coriander is one of the relatively few herbs used in Chinese cookery. It looks like flat-leaf parsley but its pungent, musky, citrus-like flavour gives it a distinctive character that is unmistakable. Its delicate leaves are often used as a garnish, or they can be chopped and mixed into sauces and stuffings. Parsley can be substituted, although the taste will not be the same.

  When buying fresh coriander, choose deep-green leaves; limp, yellowing leaves indicate age and should be avoided. To store coriander, wash it in cold water, dry thoroughly (preferably in a salad spinner) and wrap in kitchen paper. Put it in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator, where it should keep for several days.

  Cornflour

  In China there are many flours and types of starch, such as water chestnut powder, taro starch and arrowroot. They are primarily used to bind ingredients together, thicken sauces and make batters. These exotic starches and flours are difficult to obtain outside China but I have found that cornflour works just as well in my recipes. Used in marinades, it helps to coat the food properly and it gives dishes a velvety texture. It also protects food during deep-frying by helping to seal in the juices, and can be used as a binder in minced stuffings. Before adding cornflour to sauces, blend it to a smooth paste with a little cold water. During cooking, the cornflour paste will turn clear and shiny.

  Egg White

  In Chinese recipes, egg whites are often used in batters and as a coating to seal in the food’s flavour and juices when it is plunged into hot oil. It is especially important in velveting – a technique where chicken is coated in egg white and cornflour, then blanched in oil or water. One large egg white is about 2 tablespoons. You can easily freeze raw egg whites in tablespoon-size cubes in an ice-cube tray.

  Five-spice Powder

  Also known as five-flavoured powder or five-fragrance spice powder, this is becoming a staple in the spice section of supermarkets, and Chinese grocers always keep it in stock. It is a mixture of ground star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, cloves and cinnamon. A good blend will be pungent, fragrant, spicy and slightly sweet. The exotic fragrance it gives to a dish makes the search for good five-spice powder well worth the effort. It keeps indefinitely in a tightly sealed jar.

  Garlic

  Garlic has been an essential seasoning in Chinese cookery for thousands of years. Indeed, Chinese food would be unrecognizable without its highly aromatic smell and distinctive taste. It is used to flavour oils as well as spicy sauces and is often paired with other pungent ingredients, such as spring onions, black beans and fresh ginger.

  Select bulbs of garlic that are firm and preferably pinkish in colour. Store in a cool, dry place but not in the refrigerator, where it can easily become mildewed or start sprouting.

  Garlic and ginger

  Ginger

  Fresh root ginger is an indispensable ingredient in Chinese cooking. Its pungent, spicy taste adds a subtle but distinctive flavour to soups, meats and vegetables and it is also an important seasoning for fish and seafood, since it neutralizes fishy smells.

  Root ginger looks rather like a gnarled Jerusalem artichoke and can vary in length from 7.5–15 cm (3–6 in). Select firm, unshrivelled pieces and peel off the skin before use. It will keep in the refrigerator, well wrapped in clingfilm, for about two weeks. Dried powdered ginger has a quite different flavour and should not be substituted for fresh.

  Most of the recipes in this book that require ginger specify that it should be finely shredded or chopped. For shredded ginger, thinly slice a piece lengthways, then stack and cut lengthways again into fine strips. To chop finely, turn the shredded ginger round and chop it horizontally.

  Ham

  Chinese ham has a rich, salty flavour and is used primarily as a garnish or seasoning for soups, sauces, stir-fries, noodles and rice. Parma ham or lean English smoked bacon (with any rind or fat cut away) makes a good substitute.

  Mangetout (Snow Peas)

  This familiar vegetable combines a tender, crunchy texture with a sweet, fresh flavour. Look for firm pods with very small peas, which means they are tender and young. Mangetout should keep for about a week in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.

  Mushrooms<
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  Chinese Dried Mushrooms

  There are many varieties of these, either black or brown, but the very large, pale ones with a cracked surface are the best. They are usually the most expensive, so use them sparingly. They are available in boxes or plastic bags from Chinese grocers. Store in an airtight jar.

  Clockwise from top left: straw mushrooms, tree fungus, Chinese dried mushrooms, wood ear fungus

  To use dried mushrooms, soak them in a bowl of warm water for about 20 minutes or until they are soft and pliable. Squeeze out the excess water, then cut off and discard the woody stems. Only the caps should be used. The soaking water can be saved and used in soups or for cooking rice. Strain it through a fine sieve to discard any sand or residue from the dried mushrooms.

  Chinese Tree Fungus

  These tiny, black, dried leaves are also known as cloud ears, because when soaked they puff up like little clouds. They are valued for their crunchy texture and slightly smoky flavour. You should be able to find them at Chinese markets, usually wrapped in plastic bags. They keep indefinitely in a jar stored in a cool, dry place. Before use, soak them in hot water for 20–30 minutes until soft, then rinse well, cutting away any hard bits.

  Chinese Wood Ear Fungus

  This is a larger variety of the Chinese tree fungus described on the here. Soak and trim them in the same manner before use. During soaking, they will swell up to four or five times their original size. They keep indefinitely when stored in a jar in a cool dry place.