Kung Pao Chicken

1/3 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 Tablespoon egg white, lightly beaten

For the sauce:
1 Tablespoon thick soy sauce
1 – 2 Tablespoons chilli sauce
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
6 Tablespoons water

Cut the chicken into 1 cm cubes. Put in a bowl.

Prepare the marinade: add the salt, soy sauce, chicken stock cornflour and egg to the dish. Mix well and leave to marinate for 15 – 30 minutes.

Prepare the sauce: mix together the soy sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornflour and water.

Heat a wok over a high heat. Add the oil and swirl it around. Add the dried chilli, stir, then add the garlic and ginger and stir to release their aroma. Add the chicken. Sliding the spatula to the bottom of the wok, turn and toss for about 60 seconds, Splash in the chicken stock around the side of the wok, stirring and tossing continuously. Add the spring onion and stir for another 30 – 45 seconds, the chicken should be almost cooked by now.

Add the well-stirred sauce to the wok. Continue to stir while it thickens.

Add the peanuts, stir to mix a few times, then remove to a warm serving plate. Serve immediately.

Rustic Steamed Beef

350 g beef, trimmed
1 packet Chinese mushrooms, reconstituted
1 ½ teaspoons thick soy sauce
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
3 – 4 spring onions, cut into 5 cm sections, shredded lengthwise

For the marinade:
1 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoons thick soy sauce
6 turns pepper mill
2 teaspoons chicken stock
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon peanut oil

Slice the beef into pieces about 2.5 cm x 4 cm and 6 mm thick. Put into a bowl.

Prepare the marinade: add the ginger, salt, sugar, soy sauce, pepper, chicken stock and cornflour to the beef. Add the water 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir in the same direction to coat the meat. Leave to marinate for 20 – 30 minutes, Blend in the oil just before ready to steam.

Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out excess water but leave the mushrooms damp. Slice into thin strips. Mix in the soy sauce and 1 Tablespoon oil. Mix the mushrooms into the beef. Spread out on a heatproof dish with sloping edges.

Steam the beef in a wok or steamer over high heat for 10 minutes for medium-done beef or 13 – 15 minutes for well done, remove from heat. Add the spring onion on top of the dish.

Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in small saucepan until just smoking, Pour over the spring onion to cook partially.

Remove the dish from the wok or steamer and serve immediately.

Orange Chicken With Red Chiles

Marinade:
1 Tablespoon cornflour
2 Tablespoon chicken stock
500 g boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Sauce:
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 green onion, minced
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
2 Tablespoon chicken stock
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hot bean sauce
2 Tablespoons orange peel, shredded
4 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the Stir-fry :
4 Tablespoons peanut oil
12 small dried hot red chiles

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, stir well, and add the chicken. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and set aside.

Heat the wok over high heat.

Add the peanut oil and when it is very hot, add the chillies and marinated chicken. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sauce and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds. Remove the chillies before serving.

Note: We used 1 chilli for the stir-fry and left it in. Adjust the heat content to suit your taste-buds.

Hot and Spicy Szechuan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)

1/2 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
1 1/2 Tablespoon peanut oil plus extra 1 teaspoon
250 g pork mince
2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
500 g udon noodles or fresh wheat noodles
4 spring onions, finely sliced, for garnish

Heat a wok over low heat and dry-fry the Szechuan peppercorns for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the peanut oil and cook over low heat for 10 minutes to infuse it with the flavour of the peppercorns.

Cool, then strain the oil into a saucepan, discarding the peppercorns.
Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, chili oil and white pepper to the peppercorn oil in the saucepan.

Keep warm over medium heat.

Meanwhile, either soak udon noodles for a few minutes in hot water, drain and add to stock mixture, or cook wheat noodles for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain and add to mixture.

Heat the extra oil in wok over high heat and stir fry the pork til brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes.

Serves in a large bowl and top with the pork and garnish with spring onion.

Note: We left the pork out for a fine vegetarian side dish

Szechuan Pork Tenderloin

100 g pork tenderloins, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon steak sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons minced fresh onions
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 Cups cauliflower florets
2 medium any color sweet bell peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
Hot cooked rice

Stir together pork tenderloin slices, soy sauce, steak sauce, garlic, onion and red pepper in a large ziplock bag. Marinate 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat wok & add oil. Stir fry pork tenderloin mixture on high heat 4 - 5 minutes.Stir in cauliflower and pepper squares & continue stir frying until vegetables are barely cooked. Top with peanuts and serve with rice.

Tossed Noodles with Ginger and Spring Onions

250 g fresh egg noodles
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
5 cm fresh ginger, cut into silken threads
8 spring onions, cut into 5 cm sections and then into silken threads
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

Plunge the noodles into boiling water in a large saucepan, bring back to the boil and continue to boil uncovered until al dente (about 1 – 2 minutes). Separate the noodles with a fork while boiling.

Drain in a colander and then remove to a warm dish.

Heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around. Add the ginger, stir for a few seconds, then add the spring onions and stir thoroughly until hot. Season with the salt. Remove from the heat.

Return the noodles to the wok and toss them with a pair of chopsticks or a fork. Add the oyster sauce and toss again. Remove to a warm serving dish and serve.